curing live rock with bleach and acid using inflatable pool

[kevsqn]

i cant find a big tub or container that can fit my rockwork. because the rockwork has already been scaped together so the length is quite long.

so can i use those inflatable kiddie pool to bleach and then acid cure my rocks?

 

[Crabs McJones]

i cant find a big tub or container that can fit my rockwork. because the rockwork has already been scaped together so the length is quite long.

so can i use those inflatable kiddie pool to bleach and then acid cure my rocks?

My only concern would be can the rubber handle the acid? And if using acid and bleach on a pool toy is there any chemicals in the rubber that may get released into your rock? #reefsquad any help?

 

[redfishbluefish]

I would imagine this inflatable pool is vinyl, and as such, should be able to withstand both bleach and acid washing. That said, I'd highly recommend not doing the acid wash. What it does is give you less rock and is very dangerous to use.

I'd suggest a bleach soaking for a week, followed by multiply rinses ( and sodium thiosulfate) to remove any residual bleach.

Now you're ready to cure that rock!

Might wish to watch this BRS TV spot on curing rock:

 

[Crabs McJones]

I would imagine this inflatable pool is vinyl, and as such, should be able to withstand both bleach and acid washing. That said, I'd highly recommend not doing the acid wash. What it does is give you less rock and is very dangerous to use.

I'd suggest a bleach soaking for a week, followed by multiply rinses ( and sodium thiosulfate) to remove any residual bleach.

Now you're ready to cure that rock!

Might wish to watch this BRS TV spot on curing rock:

Thanks @redfishbluefish for clarifying that for me. I wasn't sure, appreciate it

 

[reefwiser]

So sad that people are afraid of live rock. So So So many problems with dead rock. The reef hobby would not be in existence if we had not started using Live Rock in the late 80's with the Berlin method.
So many have totally lost the way at keeping reef aquariums. Really sad to see from someone who was there at the beginning of the Reef hobby.

 

[Luno]

So sad that people are afraid of live rock. So So So many problems with dead rock. The reef hobby would not be in existence if we had not started using Live Rock in the late 80's with the Berlin method.
So many have totally lost the way at keeping reef aquariums. Really sad to see from someone who was there at the beginning of the Reef hobby.

What problems can be bad with dead rock exactly? Honestly I can fathom an issue using dead rock, it takes longer but you know nothing you didn't want in your tank is there. I've started tanks with live rock, dead rock and combinations of both. I will always start fresh with dead rock or rock such as Carib sea.

 

[Luno]

i cant find a big tub or container that can fit my rockwork. because the rockwork has already been scaped together so the length is quite long.

so can i use those inflatable kiddie pool to bleach and then acid cure my rocks?

If your rock has already been scaped together has it been sitting out and dried for a long time? If so everything bad should be dead. And I don't see any reason why you can't just put it in your tank and cure/start the cycle that way. The only thing is if it it's full of phosphate but check for leaching and if so lanthium treat it while tank cycles

 

[siggy]

Kiddie pool one step further, the cheap old fashioned plastic blue ones. I used to by them for the babies or dogs to play in. I understand wanting to clean up the rock, I recently pulled half my rock due to algae and bubble algae
and did a wash and back into the tang. It cleaned out the pores and after 2 months coraline has a better foot hold........ OR cut it in half

 

[Cscultho]

What problems can be bad with dead rock exactly? Honestly I can fathom an issue using dead rock, it takes longer but you know nothing you didn't want in your tank is there. I've started tanks with live rock, dead rock and combinations of both. I will always start fresh with dead rock or rock such as Carib sea.

One word.....DINO's.

The lack of diversity allows dinos to thrive in my experience. All my past tanks have been LR and live sand and never had dinos and now my latest tank with dead rock is a nightmare.

 

[Luno]

One word.....DINO's.

Really? I have to say in my experience that is not an issue. Once I got cyano but I caused that trying to dirty my water up like an idiot.

 

[Luno]

I'd speculate most that blame dead rock start up with Dino or any other problem algae would be from moving too quickly rather than the rock

 

[Luno]

One word.....DINO's.

The lack of diversity allows dinos to thrive in my experience. All my past tanks have been LR and live sand and never had dinos and now my latest tank with dead rock is a nightmare.

How quickly have you stocked? How heavy did you initially stock? how quickly did you move on from cycle? How long was your cycle?

It's possible I guess but again i think there's more to these things than just blaming one aspect. Obviously with dead rock start things need to move a little slower than with live rock.

Also I'm not saying my experience is right and your experience is wrong. It's amazing and I'm often taken back even in reefing how two different tanks can do the exact same thing and both have different outcomes. I enjoy hearing different experiences than mine, keeps me on my toes for the future when I can't replicate the same results of past success. But could it be possible the dead rock wasn't the sole blame of your Dino out break is what im saying.

 

[Cscultho]

How quickly have you stocked? How heavy did you initially stock? how quickly did you move on from cycle? How long was your cycle?

It's possible I guess but again i think there's more to these things than just blaming one aspect. Obviously with dead rock start things need to move a little slower than with live rock.

Also I'm not saying my experience is right and your experience is wrong. It's amazing even in reefing how two different tanks can do the exact same thing and both have different outcomes. But could it be possible the dead rock wasn't the sole blame of your Dino out break is what im saying.

I had a 3-month cycle w/out fish and then introduced a couple damsels to ensure all was well. It was around the 8-month mark when dinos were introduced somewhere along the way either with a fish or frag.

What i find interesting, is 15years back when i setup my 150 i never had any concerns with dinos only the normal diatom. Never on any of the forums did i ever hear about dinos crashing systems or causing havoc. Something has changed and my opinion is these ultra clean tanks without diversity.

 

[Luno]

I had a 3-month cycle w/out fish and then introduced a couple damsels to ensure all was well. It was around the 8-month mark when dinos were introduced somewhere along the way either with a fish or frag.

What i find interesting, is 15years back when i setup my 150 i never had any concerns with dinos only the normal diatom. Never on any of the forums did i ever hear about dinos crashing systems or causing havoc. Something has changed and my opinion is these ultra clean tanks without diversity.

Out of curiosity and I'm probably hijacking this thread with my intrigue but do you run refugium?

 

[Cscultho]

Out of curiosity and I'm probably hijacking this thread with my intrigue but do you run refugium?

run a refugium with mud.

 

[Luno]

run a refugium with mud.

Awesome, thanks for taking the time to chat

 

[Diesel]

If this is liverock from a other tank or LFS I wouldn't trust it either other wise if you have seen the rock in existence and know for sure it's good to go to skip the cleaning part and go straight to a cure period of a few weeks in a trashcan with saltwater and a strong pump.

Is it impossible to break up the rock......... NO, it fairly easy to do I must say.
So break it up, stick it in a trash can with freshwater (faucet or Rodi) stick a pump with it and let it soak for about a month.
Than take it out and let it dry in the sun for 2 weeks.
After that back in the trash can for 2 weeks or longer to cure it on saltwater.

 

[Tahoe61]

So many have totally lost the way at keeping reef aquariums. Really sad to see from someone who was there at the beginning of the Reef hobby.

Figured out that you can cure dry rock and make it perfectly acceptable for any reef tank but without the aiptasia, majano, and on and on and on.

All this silliness about how dry rock will have untoward affects on tanks is just that silliness and far over thought. Can't keep sps until the rock is so and so age, well rock is not your problem chemistry is.

The reality of the situation is that LR is harder to come by secondary to cultivation regulations and decline in collection, LR is so much more expensive than dry rock.

Used live rock, cured rock, uncured rock, dry rock. Over all methodology plays the most significant role.

 

[reefwiser]

Aiptasia and Majano come in on corals for the most part not rock unless the fresh live rock has been exposed to them. An it is a fact of life the one will always be fighting pest's in a reef tank. Just like gardeners due with weeds in flower beds. One spends tons of money trying to create the natural nature of live rock with Dry rock an you can not do it. I see so much failure from that one factor in post's thru out the forums. If ones bacteria and sponge life is not correct chemistry is the least of ones worries. Once a bacterial cycle is robust enough to process the waste in the aquarium in all forms. Then you can deal with chemistry issues.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Something just hit me.......I'm having second thoughts on this INFLATABLE pool. I would think it would be too easy popping a hole in this thin vinyl pool with that jagged rock you're placing in there. I'd be extremely careful putting that rock in and taking it out.