How long does it take?

[fernalfer]

So i bleached my dryrock for 2 weeks and then gave them a Muriatic Acid Bath. Now they are sitting in RODI water. I plan to use LC to rid any leaching phosphates.

Question is: How long does it take for the phosphates to actually start leaching into the water? Just wondering because i tested the water after 4 days and it tests 0. Just wondering if it takes awhile, anyone know?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

That should be plenty of time for the Po4 to reach equilibrium.

Honestly, now days most of the problems now are from not having any Po4 in the tank.
See dino thread.

I’d change the water thought and make sure the acid and bleach isn’t messing with the tests.

 

[User1]

I believe you will get varying opinions on this. I'm in the camp of avoiding muriatic acid due to the amount of rock it will remove. Having said that last year around this time I used bleach along the lines of:

1. Pressure wash dry pukani after unpacking
2. Divide into bins
3. Add power heads for water movement
4. Add tap water, cup of bleach, let sit for 24 hours
5. Empty bin/water, refill with tap water, add a new cup of bleach, let sit for another 24 hours
6. Empty bin/water, refill with tap water, add in LC, let sit for 24 hours
7. Empty bin/water, refill with tap water, add in LC, let sit for 24 hours
8. Empty bin/water
9. Remove from bin, spread out on driveway and pressure wash
10. Let sit outside for a day
11. Bring inside house, aquascape in aquarium
12. Fill with RI/RO water
13. Add in dechlorinator to be safe
14. Add salt mix, let sit 24 hours
15. Check ammonia, 0
16. Dose 2 ppm ammonia, add Dr. Tim's, mark calendar and start fishless cycle

Based on what I did I would say it was between 4 - 7 days. I do not have any leaching issues of phosphates with my Pukani nor have I had unmanageable algae issues much to my surprise. I didn't cure/cycle outside the tank so your mileage may vary but this gets back to the many different ways people do this. This just just how I did it and worked for me.

 

[fernalfer]

I'll wait a couple more days and do a water change and test again? Don't want to use LC if i don't have to.

 

[User1]

You may not need to but then again I didn't use the acid like I noted above - that actually removes a surface layer of rock anywhere from 5 to 25 percent depending on the amount of acid used. Search on BRS TV and they did an interesting bit on curing dry rock, pukani. If you are going to use LC then I would recommend to do it now vs. in the tank later. While it can be done it is recommended to dose it in a filter sock. I can see why because when I added it to the bins it was instant cloudy chalky looking water. It reacts fast.

 

[fernalfer]

You may not need to but then again I didn't use the acid like I noted above - that actually removes a surface layer of rock anywhere from 5 to 25 percent depending on the amount of acid used. Search on BRS TV and they did an interesting bit on curing dry rock, pukani. If you are going to use LC then I would recommend to do it now vs. in the tank later. While it can be done it is recommended to dose it in a filter sock. I can see why because when I added it to the bins it was instant cloudy chalky looking water. It reacts fast.

Well i'm hoping the 2 Week Bleach and the Muriatic Bath was enough to not have to dose LC at all.

 

[jda]

Aragonite starts to unbind phosphate instantly in water with low concentrations of phosphate. However, it an take some time for the water to get in/out of the pores and stuff. 4 days sounds really good. Once you think that you have the phosphate licked, then wait a week and retest. The longer that it takes to come back up, the farther from the surface you are getting phosphate.

Bleach will not unbind any phosphate from the aragonite. Muratic will only remove what was bound in the aragonite that you dissolved with the acid (think surface), but it can instantly rebind to the aragonite behind it, depending on how long you left the rock in the water - if it was a quick bath, then it probably did not rebind. Terrestrial phosphate has had a long time to get into the pores and crevices.

Fun facts about aragonite binding of phosphate. Binding and unbinding will happen faster when heated to around 78-80 degrees. It will also unbind and bind faster in saltwater than in fresh. Leeching is a common term, but it does not just come unbound on it's own. The aragonite needs to be in a lower concentration water volume to unbind.