Cleaning Formerly Live Rock

[Hugh Mann]

Couple months back my tank got nuked by some rather severe flooding. Just starting to get back on track here.

Anyways, I have a pile of about 80lbs of what used to be live rock until it was swamped with dirty freshwater, then sat outside in a Canadian winter for three months. It’s covered in the remnants of bubble algae, bryopsis and is likely right chock full of an assortment of dead critters.

So. What’s a good way to clean this stuff up and get it ready for reuse? Bleach solution, scrubbing, pressure washing? Something else?

cheers.

 

[blaxsun]

I know at the local LFS they used an acid bath for a few months to thoroughly kill everything (this was on a large supply of rock they got from a bunch of tanks that were wound down). I wonder if something like soaking it in a vinegar/water mix would do the trick?

 

[Impala67]

Couple months back my tank got nuked by some rather severe flooding. Just starting to get back on track here.

Anyways, I have a pile of about 80lbs of what used to be live rock until it was swamped with dirty freshwater, then sat outside in a Canadian winter for three months. It’s covered in the remnants of bubble algae, bryopsis and is likely right chock full of an assortment of dead critters.

So. What’s a good way to clean this stuff up and get it ready for reuse? Bleach solution, scrubbing, pressure washing? Something else?

cheers.

I would use bleach then wash/scrub it then I would use hydrogen peroxide as well!!

 

[jda]

Soak it for a while. Power wash it, if if you can - scrub it if you cannot. Rinse it well. You can do all of that in freshwater. Then, use some old tank water (salty and heated) and a protein skimmer or filter sock and some Lanthanum Chloride to get all of the po4 out of it - treat and wait 2-3 days for reading to stabilize. Repeat the treatment until there is 1 to 3 ppb left after a week or two of letting it sit.

Read up on LC treatment - it is easy and cheap, but it can take some time since it takes time for aragonite to release bound up phosphate back into the water. If you don't know already, also read up on phosphate binding in aragonite.

When you set the tank back up, get a small pack from KP, Gulf Rock, etc. and the phosphate free rock will be ready to be seeded quickly and effectively.

If you don't take the time to get the po4 (and dead organics) out of the rock, you will spend infinitely more time fighting hair algae down the road. If you don't seed your rock with real live rock, then plan on spending 10x the time and many times the money fighting dinos.

 

[Dave Cureton]

I'm probably going to go this route on a bunch of dead live rock I have from previous tanks. https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/cont...ock-for-a-saltwater-reef-tank-brstv-reef-faqs

 

[BostonReefer300]

BRS has a great video about rock cleaning, particularly the pros/cons of acid cleaning vs bleach cure:

 

[Hugh Mann]

I'm probably going to go this route on a bunch of dead live rock I have from previous tanks. https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/cont...ock-for-a-saltwater-reef-tank-brstv-reef-faqs

This method sounds like my best option. Already have everything to do it, and it’s fast. I’m on a somewhat time crunch to get this done, as my fishes are crowded into a friends 55 gallon. He’s upset because my eel is seriously screwing with his corals.

 

[Miami Reef]

If this was me:

Bleach rocks in 10:1 ratio water:bleach for 1 week. Tap water is fine for this.

After a week is over change all the water and let circulate with overdosed prime in either tap or rodi water.

After no more bleach detected (using test strips for chlorine), add rocks to tank.

Before adding any livestock make sure you dose enough liquid bacteria to start the cycle. Do not over stock the tank as it will be brand new.

The more bottled bacteria, the less chances of an ammonia spike. You still want to take it slow and do not overstock the tank.

 

[Hugh Mann]

If this was me:

Bleach rocks in 10:1 ratio water:bleach for 1 week. Tap water is fine for this.

After a week is over change all the water and let circulate with overdosed prime in either tap or rodi water.

After no more bleach detected (using test strips for chlorine), add rocks to tank.

Before adding any livestock make sure you dose enough liquid bacteria to start the cycle. Do not over stock the tank as it will be brand new.

The more bottled bacteria, the less chances of an ammonia spike. You still want to take it slow and do not overstock the tank.

That’s my plan, though the bacteria will be coming from the rock from my friends tank. He’s got a kid on the way and is downsizing, giving me his extra stuff. Rather convenient, really.

Fortunately this will have a total water volume of about 300 gallons with about six fish in it. But will definitely be keeping an eye on it.

 

[Miami Reef]

That’s my plan, though the bacteria will be coming from the rock from my friends tank. He’s got a kid on the way and is downsizing, giving me his extra stuff. Rather convenient, really.

Fortunately this will have a total water volume of about 300 gallons with about six fish in it. But will definitely be keeping an eye on it.

This is great! I fully condone this approach.

Be aware that any parasites in your friends tank is now on your fish. The new move will induce stress that can make the fish more susceptible to diseases.

In an ideal world you’d put the rocks in your tank, let it sit fallow, quarantine your fish and then add them in.

 

[Hugh Mann]

This is great! I fully condone this approach.

Be aware that any parasites in your friends tank is now on your fish. The new move will induce stress that can make the fish more susceptible to diseases.

In an ideal world you’d put the rocks in your tank, let it sit fallow, quarantine your fish and then add them in.

Ideal worlds rarely happen sadly. Fortunately he has a pretty rigorous quarantine in a 5+ year old system. If anything, it would’ve been my fish that infected his, as I have copper sensitive species. You’re right though, it’s very stressful on fish. I’m hoping moving into such a large environment will help. He tells me besides his clownfish initially kicking the crap out of my clownfish, and my eel stealing his purple tang’s cave, there hasn’t been any major conflicts.

 

[Miami Reef]

Ideal worlds rarely happen sadly. Fortunately he has a pretty rigorous quarantine in a 5+ year old system. If anything, it would’ve been my fish that infected his, as I have copper sensitive species. You’re right though, it’s very stressful on fish. I’m hoping moving into such a large environment will help. He tells me besides his clownfish initially kicking the crap out of my clownfish, and my eel stealing his purple tang’s cave, there hasn’t been any major conflicts.

Anyone that has a true rigorous quarantine would never add another person’s fish as all the money and time spent trying to eradicate parasites would go to waste.

I hope for the best.

 

[ApoIsland]

Soak it for a while. Power wash it, if if you can - scrub it if you cannot. Rinse it well. You can do all of that in freshwater. Then, use some old tank water (salty and heated) and a protein skimmer or filter sock and some Lanthanum Chloride to get all of the po4 out of it - treat and wait 2-3 days for reading to stabilize. Repeat the treatment until there is 1 to 3 ppb left after a week or two of letting it sit.

Read up on LC treatment - it is easy and cheap, but it can take some time since it takes time for aragonite to release bound up phosphate back into the water. If you don't know already, also read up on phosphate binding in aragonite.

When you set the tank back up, get a small pack from KP, Gulf Rock, etc. and the phosphate free rock will be ready to be seeded quickly and effectively.

If you don't take the time to get the po4 (and dead organics) out of the rock, you will spend infinitely more time fighting hair algae down the road. If you don't seed your rock with real live rock, then plan on spending 10x the time and many times the money fighting dinos.

OP - this is definitely the way to go.

Also, Bottle bac does work but I would place a major emphasis on seeding with a few pieces of real from the ocean live rock instead of bottle bac. There have been studies done and I can also speak from personal experience that the two are not equal.

 

[jda]

I won't get on my soap box too hard, but the last people who I would listen to about rock and stuff is BRS. Their bad advice and methods have led to too many tanks with hair algae, dinos, etc. Dry/dead rock stuff was a huge miss by them If you don't get the phosphate and dead organic matter out of the rock, then you will suffer for years in the tank as they work loose then.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

[polyppal]

If this was me:

Bleach rocks in 10:1 ratio water:bleach for 1 week. Tap water is fine for this.

After a week is over change all the water and let circulate with overdosed prime in either tap or rodi water.

After no more bleach detected (using test strips for chlorine), add rocks to tank.

Before adding any livestock make sure you dose enough liquid bacteria to start the cycle. Do not over stock the tank as it will be brand new.

The more bottled bacteria, the less chances of an ammonia spike. You still want to take it slow and do not overstock the tank.

This is what I’d do, probably pressure wash the rock first to remove as much remaining debris as possible before the bleach dip

 

[edd59]

+1 on muriatic acid bath. i have used it

 

[Bladezz]

This is super helpful!

I'm about to do about 200 lbs of previously live - live rock. Some has been stored outside and some has been stored in a garage.