How to PROPERLY dry out live rock?

[GenericReefer]

Hey all! I'm doing a tank reset to fix my aquascape and get rid of some pests while I'm upgrading my tank. I've set up a small tank with some bio-media to hold my current fish and coral until I finish. I'm remaining with some live rock that is still in my original tank, but I'd like to dry it out. I understand you can't just put it out and have it dry, but there's a process to this. I couldn't find that much information elaborating on this so I'm turning to the R2R community. Vaguely, from the information I did find out, it involves soaking the rock in bleach/vinegar and letting it sun-dry, but I'd like to find out the proper method to this.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

No. Just put it in the sun. You can bleach it a little first if you like to help cut down on the organics. Rinsnit well to get the crud out. But mostly just put it in the sun.

Vinegar , no. That feeds bacteria. Folks overuse vinegar. It’s an acid yes , but.

 

[Captain Quint]

Really depends on the degree you want to go to.

If I've had major pests such as Aiptasia I've used a brute with bleach and water mix (tap) and soaked it for about a week. Rinsed with a hose, sprayed with vinegar/water mix and rinsed again, let air dry in sun for different periods of time. Rinsed right before I'm ready to cure it.

I've also power washed it and let it dry if not covered in pests. I've even used a carwash rinse cycle before I got a power washer.

I'm sure many methods are used with the final result being the same.

Hope this helped some.

 

[AdamNC]

1 day of bleach, 5-6 days of only fresh water changing it daily and then 1-2 weeks sitting in the sun flipping the rocks daily. That will kill anything you have IN and ON the surface of the rocks and turn them into “new dry rock”.

This is the method I used because I wasn’t in a rush to set the new tank up and wanted to kill a lot of stuff to start over.

 

[norfolkgarden]

Do you have any palys on the rock?

They are fine living in your tank, but become a possible (very dangerous) health hazard when killed.

Make sure you have plenty of ventilation and do it outdoors (keep them donwind from you or the house).

 

[User1]

Out side. Let Mother Nature do the work for you be it sun, moon, and everything in between. Once done if you have a pressure washer or good hose nozzle just wash it off and you are good to go. Bleach isn't a bad thing I guess, I did it with my dry Pukani, but even after the pressure washes I gave it it was still a mess. I've let the Mother Nature do it with previous rock though. Up to you but sometimes natural is a safer route unless time is of the essence.