How to prepare dry rock for tank?

[DesertReefT4r]

There have been a bunch of good replies already but here is what I would do.
Remove all the dead organic material you can by hand. Hose it off with hose or better yet pressure washer to remove what you cant get by hand. Put it in a brute trash can filled with saltwater, heater and a pump, lid on. Get it curing right away, sooner and longer the better. You know its cured when it stopps leaching no3 and po4. Then if you dont have the tank setup by then start cycling the rock. Like I said the longer you can have the rock running in saltwater the better.

 

[drblakjak55]

Brand new tank? These are your aquascape rocks? Brush off with brush. Shake them under rodi water. Go start the tank with these rocks to start the cycle. You will leach phos and nitrate until the entire eco system sets up. Six months to a year. Weekly water 25% changes at first. Than two weeks. Patience

 

[drblakjak55]

New tank? New rocks from LFS.? These are your aquascape rocks? Brush them off. Shake under RODI water than put in tank and start your cycle. Want them sterile? Diluted Bleach three days.

 

[mfl74]

Again, lots of different (details) but similar (overall) replies in terms of physical cleaning, chemical treatment, and patience...there really isn’t “one” most often used way it seems. I’m ok with that, and will probably start something similar to what everyone has recommended over the next week or so and see where we get. My tank build is just starting...and While I’m not rushing I am enthusiastic to get water in it and start cycling very soon!

74g cube’ish tank, 22g sump, Kessil A360X.

http://www.wireefsociety.com/viewtopic.php?t=23021

Thanks everyone for all the invaluable help here!

-Matt

 

[PhilSD211]

Thanks.
Are you talking about when I mention using ammonium chloride? (Not aluminum.)
Ammonium chloride is food for the first stage of the cycling bacteria.
It lets you control and raise the ammonia level in your water directly, instead of using a tough living fish or a dead decaying shrimp to generate ammonia.

Lol I totally misread it! Swore you said aluminum. =p but ammonium chloride makes perfect sense.