"Killing" Dry Rock

[PaulPerger]

I going to start my first SW tank very soon. I am buying some "Dry Rock" from a local aquarist. I don't know him at all, and one thing I have learned is never to trust what I am told by someone selling me something. Not that I think he would lie to me, but I don't want to take any chances. This rock has supposedly been sitting in his garage for about two months.

BUT, I do not want to take a chance on unwanted critters hitchhiking into my tank.

So, what is the best way to ensure that nothing is living on the rock I am about to purchase? I have heard or read all of the following:

• Bake it at 175 degrees for two hours
• Soak it for a few days in a 1 to 5 vinegar to water solution
• Soak it in a bleach solution (don't remember the ratio, as I am not sure I like the sound of that...)
• Let it sit in the sun for a few weeks (I like this one the most, as it seems to be the most "natural", however, this is going to be very difficult in Oct, in Ohio...)

Has anyone used any of these with any success? Are there any of these to absolutely stay away from?

Thanks.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Buying used rock I would let it soak in muratic acid for a little while to get rid of any phosphates, then soak in RO/DI with some carbon to pull that acid out. Change the water and carbon out a few times and it should be good to go.

 

[PaulPerger]

Doesn't Muratic acid destroy calcium? Isn't that primarily what dry rock is made up of?
What kind of ratio of acid to water?
When I was a kid my dad used Muratic acid to clean a conch shell, and it disintegrated it overnight. Mom was a bit upset!

 

[SashimiTurtle]

I'd have to do some research on the strength. It does etch the rocks, but it also pulls any phosphates out, since we don't know what they have been thru.

 

[Docpayne82]

Here’s a BRS video on the best way to cure dry rock. It’s pretty comprehensive about the different methods.

 

[PaulPerger]

Here’s a BRS video on the best way to cure dry rock. It’s pretty comprehensive about the different methods.

Thanks. This confirms my suspicions about using acid. There seems to be a significant benefit from using bleach though, and I have worked with bleach on many occasions and know the safety measures to take, etc. AND, I won't lose a portion of my rock. And, I don't mind the added time factor, so I think bleach is the way to go.

 

[Idoc]

I used muriatic acid on a batch of rock I got from a guy that was heavily encrusted with algae due to it being neglected. It took 2 attempts even with acid! But it was really clean afterwards... only some rock was dissolved. But I didn't think bleach was going to be tough enough on it. The ratio is 10:1 water to acid. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again... someone with common sense can do it safely without problems. I just cleaned a pump and a heavily encrusted used powerhead i bought from someone with acid last night... Clean as a whistle like new again!

But in your situation, I think I would give the bleach treatment a go first to see how well it works. Then soak the rocks in de-chlorinated water for a week or so afterwards to further cure and let those nutrients and bleach/chlorine get released. Since at this point in your setup, you aren't trying to cycle your rock, you can just do this simply in a rubbermaid bin with freshwater and a de-chlorinator product... just change the water every couple of days.

 

[PaulPerger]

Thanks Idoc... Love your Avatar BTW... "O - H"

 

[siggy]

Hey there buckeye's , I just did 50 lbs of rubble in my rubbermaid trash can. I filled it half way with rock and water and poured acid untill i seen a reaction which was a little over .5 gallion and let i go for 15 minuets, it created a foam which i knocked down with a fine sray of the hose, that also diluted the mixture . Keep a box of baking soda on hand just in
case. Then i rinsed and repeated with remaing acid and let that go for almost a half hour. I lost very little if anything but what i liked was it cleaned the pores out of the rock and removed any crust, dust or dryed film . Its sitting in old tank water in the garage and refesh weekly.
I was nervous but im glad i tryed it.
Good luck...on the rock that is [emoji12]

 

[LJLKRL05]

I have used acid, and it took off all the little vermited snails and cleaned the rock really well.
Does bleach also break down the vermited snails?

 

[Idoc]

Thanks Idoc... Love your Avatar BTW... "O - H"

I - O /// GO BUCKS!!!!! LOL

 

[Idoc]

Hey there buckeye's , I just did 50 lbs of rubble in my rubbermaid trash can. I filled it half way with rock and water and poured acid untill i seen a reaction which was a little over .5 gallion and let i go for 15 minuets, it created a foam which i knocked down with a fine sray of the hose, that also diluted the mixture . Keep a box of baking soda on hand just in
case. Then i rinsed and repeated with remaing acid and let that go for almost a half hour. I lost very little if anything but what i liked was it cleaned the pores out of the rock and removed any crust, dust or dryed film . Its sitting in old tank water in the garage and refesh weekly.
I was nervous but im glad i tryed it.
Good luck...on the rock that is [emoji12]

The baking soda is a definite must to neutralize the acid/water solution when the reaction is done. You definitely don't want that overflow bubbles/scum to get on your garage floors...it will discolor the concrete a little. I did mine at the end of the driveway in the road a little...easier to dump the solution after it is fully neutralized. Once neutralized, it is safe for a street drain.

 

[mcarroll]

I going to start my first SW tank very soon. I am buying some "Dry Rock" from a local aquarist. I don't know him at all, and one thing I have learned is never to trust what I am told by someone selling me something. Not that I think he would lie to me, but I don't want to take any chances. This rock has supposedly been sitting in his garage for about two months.

BUT, I do not want to take a chance on unwanted critters hitchhiking into my tank.

So, what is the best way to ensure that nothing is living on the rock I am about to purchase? I have heard or read all of the following:

• Bake it at 175 degrees for two hours
• Soak it for a few days in a 1 to 5 vinegar to water solution
• Soak it in a bleach solution (don't remember the ratio, as I am not sure I like the sound of that...)
• Let it sit in the sun for a few weeks (I like this one the most, as it seems to be the most "natural", however, this is going to be very difficult in Oct, in Ohio...)

Has anyone used any of these with any success? Are there any of these to absolutely stay away from?

Thanks.

If you're going to proceed with that mindset, you should just use playbox sand some fake biomedia like marinepure.

Why start off with killing the rock? Start with dead rock.

(It would be smarter to start with live rock. If you don' trust the guy find another source!)

 

[PaulPerger]

If you're going to proceed with that mindset, you should just use playbox sand some fake biomedia like marinepure.

Why start off with killing the rock? Start with dead rock.

(It would be smarter to start with live rock. If you don' trust the guy find another source!)

$100 for 80 lbs.
AND... It is likely very dead already anyway. It's been in his Garage out of water for a few months. This is just for my peace of mind.

 

[mcarroll]

So I don't understand what there is to trust from the seller? You don't trust that it's dead??

Unless that's all you can find available, I'd skip any and all dead rock and try to get some live rock.

 

[siggy]

$100 for 80 lbs.

that's worth a little trouble, but I do agree on the LIVE live Rock (@ 8-12$ per pound) nothing better.
check out, Live rock-n-reef, I was happy with it , the branch rock is awesome

 

[PaulPerger]

that's worth a little trouble, but I do agree on the LIVE live Rock (@ 8-12$ per pound) nothing better.
check out, Live rock-n-reef, I was happy with it , the branch rock is awesome

Maybe in the future, but right now, I wouldn't be buying lights if I spent $8-$12 per pound. I'm in no hurry, and I have found I enjoy the planning, building, and cycling stages as much as the gawking stage.

 

[PaulPerger]

So I don't understand what there is to trust from the seller? You don't trust that it's dead??

Unless that's all you can find available, I'd skip any and all dead rock and try to get some live rock.

Let's just say, I have had some BAD luck in this hobby trusting that something is free of pests... I don't want my first SW tank to start off with hitchhikers. If anything goes wrong I don't want to be saying, "If only I would have..."

 

[mcarroll]

If anything goes wrong I don't want to be saying, "If only I would have..."

That's kinda what I was getting at. If you can't trust that dead is dead...

I would recommend against dead rock in the first place, but that doesn't have anything to do with where you're getting it. It's because you're kind of asking for the "worst case scenario" you outlined by "insisting" on dead rock.

If you're not in a hurry, just save up for some live rock – it takes much longer to start a tank with dry rock anyway. Use that time for saving money instead of rushing the design for cheaper rock and being forced to use it for longer and more-uncertain cycling.

It's a lopsided trade between the two rocks, so don't think $1 for $1:

A chunk of dead rock is more like a chunk of "really nice" bio-media.

A chunk of live rock is an inoculation that will jump start your reef's microbe population.​

It should be fine to use a little dead rock to fill out your total weight....but try to have a majority live. The more dead rock you use, the longer you should take with the initial stages, and the slower you should take livestocking.

 

[PaulPerger]

That's kinda what I was getting at. If you can't trust that dead is dead...

I would recommend against dead rock in the first place, but that doesn't have anything to do with where you're getting it. It's because you're kind of asking for the "worst case scenario" you outlined by "insisting" on dead rock.

If you're not in a hurry, just save up for some live rock – it takes much longer to start a tank with dry rock anyway. Use that time for saving money instead of rushing the design for cheaper rock and being forced to use it for longer and more-uncertain cycling.

It's a lopsided trade between the two rocks, so don't think $1 for $1:

A chunk of dead rock is more like a chunk of "really nice" bio-media.

A chunk of live rock is an inoculation that will jump start your reef's microbe population.​

It should be fine to use a little dead rock to fill out your total weight....but try to have a majority live. The more dead rock you use, the longer you should take with the initial stages, and the slower you should take livestocking.

Understood. What I don't seem to be conveying is that I want to take longer in my initial stages, and I want to be very slow and deliberate in my livestocking.

I don't just want a pretty tank in my office, If I did, I would pay someone to come set it up for me. I want to learn. I want to understand. I want the experience. I know it will take me MUCH longer this way, but I am perfectly OK with that. I learn by doing. I learn by experience. I have been reading about SW tanks for the past year, but I guarantee I'll learn more in the next year by actually doing something with what I have learned.

And I would be remiss if I didn't point out that you are focusing on the negatives of dead rock, and the positives of live rock without considering that there are also positives to dead rock, and negatives to live rock. You've got your preference, and that's fine. Honestly, if I catch the SW bug, and I likely will... I will very likely use live rock at some point in the future.