Dry rock simple question

[rioreef]

After I did the bleach process I put mine in a brute can in garage, changing water every so often for about 8 months. Then I seeded it with bacteria and ammonia for another 4 months. No lights. Heater and pump only. Over kill I am sure but I had the time. Been in display since Aug of last year and going good

 

[Jeepguy242]

what has worked for me is soak in bleach for a day to 2, or until my next day off.... sometimes up to a week

rinse in tap

let dry in sun till my next day offf


drink many beers and soak in vinegar/water till my next day off

drink more beers

let them dry in sun


put in tank as i please.... swap out with algae covered rock that i get from local reefers for cleaned rock from my tank

rinse and repeat with more beers

 

[specialk]

what has worked for me is soak in bleach for a day to 2, or until my next day off.... sometimes up to a week

rinse in tap

let dry in sun till my next day offf


drink many beers and soak in vinegar/water till my next day off

drink more beers

let them dry in sun


put in tank as i please.... swap out with algae covered rock that i get from local reefers for cleaned rock from my tank

rinse and repeat with more beers

hahaha .. perfect! although I drink vodka so I will just insert vodka where needed and follow your plan thru!

 

[Jeepguy242]

hahaha .. perfect! although I drink vodka so I will just insert vodka where needed and follow your plan thru!

Be careful with liquor. Lol

 

[specialk]

Be careful with liquor. Lol

I am a trained professional. No worries my friend.

Also, so yesterday during my water change, I put a good nice sized rock into my sump that I had in the bucket curing for the last 4 weeks. It is about a 10-15 pound piece. The water it was in, in the curing bucket, was testing ridiculously high for p04 and no3 ... I was afraid putting it into my sump would then in turn brong some of that nastiness into my main DT.

I just tested, and p04 is where it should be (0.01) and no3 is around 15 which is where I want it and it usually is.

So that is a good sign that these rocks may be ready to head into the tank.

 

[specialk]

And question...

IF that rock was not ready and it was still leaking p04 (not yet cured and ready), since it has been in my sump and main DT for a day now, that po4 would be showing in an elevated test results by now right?

PS .. I have a 150 gallon system

 

[Jeepguy242]

And question...

IF that rock was not ready and it was still leaking p04 (not yet cured and ready), since it has been in my sump and main DT for a day now, that po4 would be showing in an elevated test results by now right?

PS .. I have a 150 gallon system

You would think after a day if it was leaching po4 you should be able to detect it

 

[Tautog]

If your Po4’s and No3’s are high, there’s properly something dead in the rock. Keep curing that rock in saltwater, 6-8 weeks minimum. Be sure to pick any loose stuff out of the rock. Be sure to keep the water warm, and the dead stuff will swell for easy picking. Keep curing, I changed the curing water completely with old water change water from my DT. After putting the rock in the DT, it was covered with Coraline within 1 month.

 

[specialk]

You would think after a day if it was leaching po4 you should be able to detect it

Yah thats what I would think... I am not getting ANY notcieable spikes in p04 or No3.

 

[specialk]

If your Po4’s and No3’s are high, there’s properly something dead in the rock. Keep curing that rock in saltwater, 6-8 weeks minimum. Be sure to pick any loose stuff out of the rock. Be sure to keep the water warm, and the dead stuff will swell for easy picking. Keep curing, I changed the curing water completely with old water change water from my DT. After putting the rock in the DT, it was covered with Coraline within 1 month.

Yah this has been week 5 that it has been in water, with water changes 2x a week and yes warm water. I did add a piece LATE into that same bucket, which I am thinking may attribute to the high po4 and no3 in that curring bucket. Because as I just mentioned, I put a 15 pound piece into my sump, and there are no notceable results showing in po4 and no3 tests.

 

[Tautog]

I cured a 50 Lb shelf rock 20” X 31” , brs
Pukai rock contains, and leeches Po4’s for a long time, up to a year.

 

[specialk]

I cured a 50 Lb shelf rock 20” X 31” , brs
Pukai rock contains, and leeches Po4’s for a long time, up to a year.

Dont you as well, think that IF it was leaching po4, that po4 would be showing itself when I test?

 

[Jeepguy242]

Yah thats what I would think... I am not getting ANY notcieable spikes in p04 or No3.

i would say your good...

 

[specialk]

i would say your good...

Yah this is what I am thinking as well. Going slow just in case still. Going to add another piece to the sump in a day or so.

 

[rkpetersen]

If your testing doesn't reveal any problems then you're probably on the right path.

However I suspect that any sort of treatment short of actually turning it into live rock first (and taking months to do so) isn't likely to get absolutely all of the phosphate bound to the surfaces of the rocks. Meaning, even with bleaching, acid baths, lanthanum treatment, etc, dry rocks are still likely to grow a fair bit of algae at first, even if your testing says your circulating phosphate levels are low.

 

[Jeepguy242]

If your testing doesn't reveal any problems then you're probably on the right path.

However I suspect that any sort of treatment short of actually turning it into live rock first (and taking months to do so) isn't likely to get absolutely all of the phosphate bound to the surfaces of the rocks. Meaning, even with bleaching, acid baths, lanthanum treatment, etc, dry rocks are still likely to grow a fair bit of algae at first, even if your testing says your circulating phosphate levels are low.

looking at dry rock makes it grow algae......


DOH....