Grey Guy’s 8th try.

[Grey Guy]

Hello,,
I guess this is the place to. start a new build thread. I went back and counted all my efforts In the past and figure this is about the 8th time I’ve started over. “This time I’m going to do it right.” How many times have I said that? About eight times I guess.
I welcome any suggestions along the way.
I have a 6 year old 120g. tank. Standard 24 x48 x 24. I started by emptying it and sanitizing it with bleach. Then I soaked all my rock in bleach for a week. I hope the plague of aptssiasia is finally over.
My rocks have been rinsed and are drying in the sun. More for later.

 

[Cell]

You voluntarily nuked a 6 year old reef? That's very sad to hear. Aptasia sucks.

 

[Grey Guy]

I believe I have finally learned to be patient. It is the only way I will be successful. I will post photos of what I am doing in the the next few days.

 

[Grey Guy]

You voluntarily nuked a 6 year old reef? That's very sad to hear. Aptasia sucks.

Only some coraline, and aiptasia were all that was left

 

[Grey Guy]

Here some photos of the stripped down tank. I have a 150 MH that I can raise or lower as needed. I’m going to reduce the height of the water so that the 150w can be more intense. The overflow box will be my sump. I plan to start with softies, so the light should be plenty.

 

[Grey Guy]

There is a hole in the side of the overflow that will enable me to lower the level.

 

[Grey Guy]

Here is my rock airing airing out in the sun.

 

[Grey Guy]

Ok

 

[Grey Guy]

Help! Some of the dead live rock that I’ve soaked in bleach has hard crusted blue green spots. I’m concerned that it might be copper. How should I test it?

 

[Grey Guy]

I tested the spots with a mega ohm meter and it is non conductive.

 

[ying yang]

Scrape some off and put in bucket and test for copper.
Place the rock in water with movement and mother nature will try to get equilibrium and make it 50/ 50 so after a while test water as rocks will leach copper out if there.
Just couple of ways.im sure there lots

 

[andiesreef]

also, try running a poly-filter pad. it changes colors to alert you of some of the major heavy metal contaminants. I used to use them in my QT tank to soak the copper medicine out of the water. works like a charm.

 

[Grey Guy]

Here some photos of the stripped down tank. I have a 150 MH that I can raise or lower as needed. I’m going to reduce the height of the water so that the 150w can be more intense. The overflow box will be my sump. I plan to start with softies, so the light should be plenty.

Just did the best thing I’ve ever done for my reef tank experience. I’m keeping a rocking chair in front of my tank from now on. How relaxing.

 

[Grey Guy]

Hello,,
I guess this is the place to. start a new build thread. I went back and counted all my efforts In the past and figure this is about the 8th time I’ve started over. “This time I’m going to do it right.” How many times have I said that? About eight times I guess.
I welcome any suggestions along the way.
I have a 6 year old 120g. tank. Standard 24 x48 x 24. I started by emptying it and sanitizing it with bleach. Then I soaked all my rock in bleach for a week. I hope the plague of aptssiasia is finally over.
My rocks have been rinsed and are drying in the sun. More for later.

I have my dry rock in a tank of ro/di salt water. How will I know when it is cured.

 

[ying yang]

My understanding is that you dont need to cure dry rock and only need to cure " proper real live rock" so just did quick google search and one of first things on it was this thread on r2r

Do I need to cure clean dry rock

So in the near future I am upgrading my 150 fowler to a 225. Years ago when I bought a complete set-up, the guy gave me 3 Rubbermaid bins of "live" rock. I used alot of it in my 150, I gave some to friends (no regrets, lol), and the rest has been in my attic. Yesterday, I pulled the rest out...

www.reef2reef.com

Read a few posts about it

Edit: read this thread and other threads on r2r or articles about it on net and make your mind up yourself.
From my understanding on all research i did years ago was only need to cure if live rock and get die off from the life/ organisms on it or dead life on it.
Or if someone more experienced person can tell you yes or no needs curing.
As curing and cycling ovbiously different and any die off from fresh live rock that has little die off will cause little mini cycle so i see often people get confused on this.

Me personally i used all dry rock and as is often said in this hobby " nothing good happens fast " i ended up cycling my dry rock for full 2 months even though used bottle bacteria and many say can add livestock sooner,i personally just wanted bacteria to get good foothold on rocks and in sandbed first without having any competition from anything as add fish after say a week then i could get excited and start adding corals then on them coral frags are bits of algae or on cuc shells then the bacteria has competition for the nutrients/waste in the water from the algae eyc eyc blah blah so i just stayed patient and so far so good and had no cuc,no fish,no corals die yet after 6 months ( maybe 1 mini hermit but he may been eating by a rogue halloween hermit that i took back to lfs after 4- 5 days owning or he just changed shell)