Could my rock need a 2nd acid bath?

Daniel@R2R · Jul 16, 2016

So I was expecting the rock to turn white after the bath in muriatic acid (1:20 ratio roughly I believe), but instead it looks like it's got a lot of dark brown and black to it still. Is that normal? Do I need to do the bath again? A LOT of stuff came off in the first one...

Daniel@R2R · Jul 16, 2016

Here's some of it after the bath.

mfinn · Jul 16, 2016

If you want white clean rock, then you need to use bleach.
It won't do anything for the lava rock, but will do wonders for most of the rest.

mfinn · Jul 16, 2016

More acid= less rock in the end.

Daniel@R2R · Jul 16, 2016

So I shouldn't worry about it looking kind of nasty still?

Daniel@R2R · Jul 16, 2016

The bath definitely seems to be doing its thing while the acid is present.

mfinn · Jul 16, 2016

mdbannister said:
So I shouldn't worry about it looking kind of nasty still?

If you want to remove organic matter from live rock, bleach is better than muratic acid.
The acid may dissolve some of the organic matter but it goes more for the calcium in the rock.
That's the chemical reaction you see with all the foam.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jul 17, 2016

Is there apparent organic matter on the rock?

If not, I'd use it as is.

Daniel@R2R · Jul 17, 2016

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Is there apparent organic matter on the rock?

If not, I'd use it as is.

It does look like there's still organic matter on it. For example, this black stuff on this one...

Daniel@R2R · Jul 17, 2016

Or this one.

Cory · Jul 18, 2016

Do not mix bleach and acid together, iirc it makes poison gas. Not that you were, just a precaution.

Sir Chris · Jul 18, 2016

Omg yes don't mix. And buy dead rock

Sir Chris · Jul 18, 2016

Ull get some color but clean the rocks crevices with tweezers for sponges and anything reachable do a mild bleach soak and they b whiter like my current 1s I'm starting a cycle on. And all that foam is rock ur losing. Like Mfinn said. Could weaken the rock structure then u come home and base rock crumpled and a top rock smashes ur glass. Happened 2 my friend but lucky it was 3/4 to the top

stunreefer · Jul 18, 2016

Here's what we do to 'refurbish' rock at the office:

Power wash heavily.
1:8 (water:muriatic acid) in reservoir for ~30 minutes. (Yes, the outer layer literally dissolves away)
Rinse under hose.
Power wash again.
Place in reservoir full of RO/DI.
100% water change with new RO/DI for 5-7 days thereafter.

I'm sure it's way overkill, but I was tired of seeing rock come out like your first run and leading to more man hours down the line. The above provides spankin' new white rock with no worries of bleach leaching out.

EDIT: Just noted comments about weakened rock; I have never experienced this and have been doing the above for about four years, setting up dozens of aquariums with the rock including our own reef.

Sir Chris · Jul 18, 2016

stunreefer said:
Here's what we do to 'refurbish' rock at the office:

Power wash heavily.

1:8 (water:muriatic acid) in reservoir for ~30 minutes. (Yes, the outer layer literally dissolves away)

Rinse under hose.

Power wash again.

Place in reservoir full of RO/DI.

100% water change with new RO/DI for 5-7 days thereafter.

I'm sure it's way overkill, but I was tired of seeing rock come out like your first run and leading to more an hours down the line. The above provides spankin' new white rock with no worries of bleach leaching out.

EDIT: Just noted comments about weakened rock; I have never experienced this and have been doing the above for about four years, setting up dozens of aquariums with the rock including our own reef.

I like the power washing thing. Still sweeter what u can then pressure otherwise u could push decay farther inside. And I service my moms soft water pool. Has a clorine chamber that calcifys and I have 2 do a 8-1 muriatic and let soak over night and does the job. And when u pressure wash it make sure it's almost viced down.