Cleaning used rock question

[Mr. GoodStuff]

Quick question about cleaning used rock - it's been sitting for months so I know everything is dead but I need to strip it of everything so it doesn't leech anything into the water. I know I can do a bath in bleach but I don't want it to strip the purple color off the rock. Will muriatic acid strip the purple and if so what else could I use to clean the rock?

 

[fishface NJ]

When you say purple are the rocks for example Real Reef where the manufacture stained/painted the rock? If yes, bleach will make it peel a bit if you leave it in more then 24 hours. If you are referring to purple as in coralline: no way to save that once you "clean" the rock. Muriatic acid will strip all rocks. It eats at the top layers.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Yes, muriatic acid will also strip the purple, as well as a layer of rock away.

The other option is to simply put it in saltwater with a little flow (no heater needed, assuming done in a temperate enviroment). Do water changes as needed. The issue is that this natural rock cure could take months.

I would recommend the bleach cure as outline in the BRS video.....and yes, you'll end up with white rock.

 

[Mr. GoodStuff]

When you say purple are the rocks for example Real Reef where the manufacture stained/painted the rock? If yes, bleach will make it peel a bit if you leave it in more then 24 hours. If you are referring to purple as in coralline: no way to save that once you "clean" the rock. Muriatic acid will strip all rocks. It eats at the top layers.

Not sure if it’s stained or coralline, was purchased second hand.

 

[fishface NJ]

Were they dry at any time?

 

[Mr. GoodStuff]

Were they dry at any time?

Yeah they’ve been dry for awhile sitting in a bucket.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Bleach and water mix followed by cold water rinse and dried in the sun for 3 days

 

[fishface NJ]

Yeah they’ve been dry for awhile sitting in a bucket.

So then the purple is not coralline but a product placed on the rock....Real Reef Rock and CaribSea LifeRock.

so since that is the case, be careful not to leave the rocks in a mix of water with bleach too long. It will cause the rock to peel. Here is a photo of the brand Real Reef Rocks. They were once purple. They were bleach to kill any possible vermetid snails on the rocks. The rocks just peeled from the bleach.

 

[Trickman2]

So I gave some what I believe is Real Reef Rock a acid bath...Still confirming the brand...This is the result...It turned into basically Rice Crispy treats. A spongy like material was left...Not sure what the heck they are putting in this rock.