Bleach?

[Fishingandreefing]

You can find full list of ingredients used in regular Clorox bleach here

https://smartlabel.labelinsight.com/product/6095092/ingredients

Bleach is mixture of chemicals, so it wont say just bleach as ingredient.

clear as mud. How about this?

 

[RandyC]

I wouldn’t use it. The outdoor bleach has additional surfactants, which I believe are used to lower surface tension between the bleach and stain so that it cleans it up easier/better. Who knows what effects those may have on your tank.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I wouldn’t use it. The outdoor bleach has additional surfactants, which I believe are used to lower surface tension between the bleach and stain so that it cleans it up easier/better. Who knows what effects those may have on your tank.

Yeah I wouldn’t. Do you know which exact bleach I need?

 

[good.reef]

This is probably a really dumb question but... What is the purpose of bleaching old rocks? If I were to set up a new system and use a few old rocks (unbleached) mixed with a few new rocks what would happen?

 

[Fishingandreefing]

This is probably a really dumb question but... What is the purpose of bleaching old rocks? If I were to set up a new system and use a few old rocks (unbleached) mixed with a few new rocks what would happen?

I used to think like that. I though I power washed them after soaking with vinegar then soaked them with rodi then dry them. NOPE, it apparently bleaching phosphate! That’s the problem I am dealing with my current 120.

so now I am trying to do the correct way based on what other hobbyists are doing it kills off all the organics from the old rocks and start of fresh.

 

[cvrle1]

I used to think like that. I though I power washed them after soaking with vinegar then soaked them with rodi then dry them. NOPE, it apparently bleaching phosphate! That’s the problem I am dealing with my current 120.

so now I am trying to do the correct way based on what other hobbyists are doing it kills off all the organics from the old rocks and start of fresh.

If you are bleaching your rock to get rid of PO4, you are missing a crucial step or 2. Bleach doesnt get rid of PO4. Bleach kills organics, and dead organics can produce phosphate. Once you are done bleaching, make sure that you test water that your rocks are in for PO4. If you get high reading you can either cure rock for a month+ until there is no more PO4 leaching, or use lanthanum chloride to get rid of PO4. You could also do acid bath, but I would not recommend that unles you know what you are doing. Acid can be quite dangerous.

 

[cvrle1]

This is probably a really dumb question but... What is the purpose of bleaching old rocks? If I were to set up a new system and use a few old rocks (unbleached) mixed with a few new rocks what would happen?

Bleaching rock will kill all organics on the rock surface, in crevices and so on. It is one way to get rid of nuisance algae and eliminate all the possible nasties that can come with live rock (aptasia for example) With that said, if you already have LR in a tank, and you setup new one, there is no reason why you couldnt just transfer rock from old into the new, as long as there is no unwanted life on it. People pay lot of money for actual LR that has all the life on it, so they wouldnt dream about bleaching it and killing it all.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Bleaching rock will kill all organics on the rock surface, in crevices and so on. It is one way to get rid of nuisance algae and eliminate all the possible nasties that can come with live rock (aptasia for example) With that said, if you already have LR in a tank, and you setup new one, there is no reason why you couldnt just transfer rock from old into the new, as long as there is no unwanted life on it. People pay lot of money for actual LR that has all the life on it, so they wouldnt dream about bleaching it and killing it all.

That make sense. Also, after all that I would do like BRS video, soak it with rodi plus water conditioner to remove bleach.

now for 100th I am asking, which bleach?

 

[flsalty]

That make sense. Also, after all that I would do like BRS video, soak it with rodi plus water conditioner to remove bleach.

now for 100th I am asking, which bleach?

Just regular bleach. You don't want anything that is scented. There's a picture of it up there somewhere.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Just regular bleach. You don't want anything that is scented. There's a picture of it up there somewhere.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

You mean the one I posted?

 

[Desert Sea]

You can add some Prime to your rinse water after your done with the initial soak/cleaning. The Prime will neutralize any remnants of the bleach.

 

[TriggerFinger]

Regular Clorox. No scents, not the gel, not outdoor bleach, not laundry bleach. Regular cleaning bleach. I used a bottle from dollar general, here’s a pic.

 

[lapin]

You basicly want a beach the the USDA would recommend for drinking water sanitation. There was a list of brands and names on the internet that the state of Alaska had on a web site. Here in Texas I use Hill County Fare brand. It is not 6% so use a stronger ratio, but it is cheap $1.00 a gallon. You can also use dry granular calcium hypochlorite better known as pool shock.

 

[FindingPonyo]

All, is this bleach safe to soak the old live rocks? I prefer vinegar if there’s a way. Or what’s the best and easiest way to prepare the old live rocks for my next build? Thanks in advance!

I would just boil them to kill any previous bacteria

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I would just boil them to kill any previous bacteria

I hope you will watch that YouTube video that it cane be toxic by actually boil them. No that I don’t trust you but better safe than sorry.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Regular Clorox. No scents, not the gel, not outdoor bleach, not laundry bleach. Regular cleaning bleach. I used a bottle from dollar general, here’s a pic.

Thank you!

 

[Reefer1978]

Please do not boil your rock. This is not a good time to go to a Hospital.

When everyone says regular bleach, I think everyone means just plain old house-hold bleach. If it starts to say other words on the can, like OUTDOOR, SCENTED, etc, - don't use it. The less words the better. Two varieties I use are regular & concentrated.

 

[flsalty]

Yes

You mean the one I posted?

Yes that'll work. The dollar store brands will work as well.

 

[jmsilhy]

Not to beat a dead horse but in case you still need to know which, the one they sell at Walmart for pools (liquid chlorine) is 10% strength (vs 6% of Clorox) and it’s cheap. Just use a bit with water and get rid of nasty things, make sure you rinse very well and dry and rinse again and so on...