Pukani is really dirty but you can have it ready to put in the tank within a weekend if you wanted to. To do it I would recommend doing a muriatic acid bath. I was very reluctant to do it myself because it can burn your eyes and lungs if your not in open air. But in the end, on a day with a light breeze, its a no brainer, just work up wind and your good.
1. Add rock to a plastic bin/brute trash can.
2. Fill with either tap or rodi water. If you know their isnt any heavy metals in your garden hose water then your good to go with that and if you have a cheap power head or two put them in the bin for water circulation.
3. Add in Muriatic Acid (1 gallon to say 30 gallon tote filled with rock and water) available at any hardware store. If you use too much muriatic acid you will dissolve your rock. Use gloves and goggles and be sure to not get any on your skin.
4. When the bubbling stops the acid is neutralized from eating away/reacting with the top layer of the rock. (1-2 hours max)
5. Drain the water in a spot you dont mind killing the grass (not on your driveway and not where any pets or kids can get to it.
6. Rinse the rock in RODI or Tap water and try to remove all lose debris. I found a rehydrated sea slug of some kind after the acid bath so you never know.
7. Add the rock again to the bin and fill with RODI and throw in as much bleach as you want for 24 hours with the power heads circulating the water.
8. After 24 hours dump in some Prime. Let sit then add again 12 hours or so later. I say 12 hours because it was just easier for me, did a step in the morning. Then the next at night. Then the next morning, etc.
9. Drain the bin after the second 12 hours and rinse with RODI water (unless you have really clean tap water with no chlorine)
Let the rock dry on cardboard with a fan if you have one for a week, this will ensure you have no chlorine left on the rock then you can start to aquascape the following weekend!!!
IMO pukani is the best looking reef rock when and easily supplemented with some shelf and tonga branch.
Used the method above for all the rock, tank is 1 year old now and it is my first saltwater tank ever.
I documented a step by step the first time I did the acid bath. I believe its in my build thread somewhere if not I can find it and post a link. I know with doing the acid bath i had my tank up and cycled with some basic corals and inverts within 4 weeks using dr. Tims and doing an ammonia dosing test 2 times the last week before adding anything.
