Outdoor (dead) live rock

[Omakoshark]

Hey! I recently stocked my new tide pool tank and then realized that I need some more rock, but couldn’t afford it. I crash a tank a few months ago (thankfully not my display tank) and threw the rock into the edge of my woods. Could I clean the rock off and still use it?

 

[Thespammailaccount]

Sure why not. I would cure it in a bleach solution first to be on the safe side

 

[Omakoshark]

Yea that sounds good. What kind proportions of bleach and water should I use so that it doesn’t leach out into the tank?

 

[badluckman]

I used my old liverock from 12ish years ago, only rinsed it. I think the bacteria in it is valuable, and lots of tubeworms even survived all those years in the attic.

 

[Thespammailaccount]

A ten to one ratio is good so one gallon of bleach for every 10 gallons of water. Would let it cure for a week minimum. Then rinse and soak in some rodi and then let it dry out completely. Once dry cycle the rock outside of your tank if the tank is established

 

[2000se]

I used my old liverock from 12ish years ago, only rinsed it. I think the bacteria in it is valuable, and lots of tubeworms even survived all those years in the attic.

Wait what? Tube worms survived on the rock sitting dry in your attic for 12 years?

 

[2000se]

A ten to one ratio is good so one gallon of bleach for every 10 gallons of water. Would let it cure for a week minimum. Then rinse and soak in some rodi and then let it dry out completely. Once dry cycle the rock outside of your tank if the tank is established

And also potentially use a de-chlorinator if you feel like it.

 

[Omakoshark]

Woah! That sounds like a lot. Is there any simpler way to do it?

 

[Thespammailaccount]

Woah! That sounds like a lot. Is there any simpler way to do it?

Skip the bleach rinse it really good and cycle outside the tank if the tank is established. The bleach kills organics

 

[Arricefe]

This is directed towards use in a tank inside but could apply to your situation.

Bleach Curing Dry Rock for a Saltwater Reef Tank - BRStv Reef FAQs

There are three main methods for curing live rock for a saltwater reef tank: natural, bleach and acid. Our focus today is using bleach for curing dry rock and we answer three direct questions. 1. What is a bleach cure? 2. When is it appropriate to bleach cure rock? 3. How to do

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[badluckman]

Wait what? Tube worms survived on the rock sitting dry in your attic for 12 years?

Apparently so!
After a month or so they started appearing, and now they're in almost every old tube. Suprised me too, haha.

 

[Omakoshark]

Tank is not established (it is cycled). Just put livestock in. No corals. Should I be concerned about palytoxin being on the rock? Don’t remember which rocks came into contact with my old zoas. None were directly on the rocks when I threw them out.

 

[cvrle1]

If you just put those old rocks into your tank, you are running a chance of things going south fast. That rock was live once, and when you let it dry out, all that was live is now dead. That means that rock will leach phosphate into your tank.

If you are done with your cycle and have livestock in, it is established enough for this to make a difference.

 

[Omakoshark]

Will the excess phosphates and nutrients grow algae? It that is the biggest problem, then I’m ok with it. Most of my tide pool inhabitants need algae to eat.

 

[slojim]

I re-used my old rock. It wasnt in the woods, but it was in the garage - so I was worried I might have got bug spray or brake cleaner or any number of things on it, so I rinsed it well, bleached it on the order of 10:1 for a day, sun-dried it, re-rinsed it, and then, since I was treating new dry rock with lanthanum chloride (seaklear), did the same with my old rock. No issues. BTW, I think I got a fair amount more precipitate of the new dry rock with the seaklear treatment than the old formerly live rock. In my view, good shape and size rocks are worth re-using.

 

[Thespammailaccount]

Will the excess phosphates and nutrients grow algae? It that is the biggest problem, then I’m ok with it. Most of my tide pool inhabitants need algae to eat.

Yes that is why some cure old rock with bleach to eliminate organics or nutrients that were on the rock. Since the tank is cycled and you have livestock in the tank I would not put the rock that is outside in your tank since the old organics or nutrients will cause the whole tank to cycle again but you can cycle the rock in an old tank plastic container or something similar

 

[Omakoshark]

I think I got a pretty good idea. I am going to soak it in sink water for a while, then take it out and spray it with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol, resoak, spray again soak and rinse thoroughly, and then add to tank. The rocks aren’t that big.

 

[Thespammailaccount]

I think I got a pretty good idea. I am going to soak it in sink water for a while, then take it out and spray it with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol, resoak, spray again soak and rinse thoroughly, and then add to tank. The rocks aren’t that big.

When it is soaking outside of the tank test ammonia levels after a few days. Always better to error on the side of caution that causing your tank to crash

 

[slojim]

never tried rubbing alcohol, and that crap is liquid gold right now. but it should be effective and it should evaporate, so why not?

 

[slojim]

great idea

When it is soaking outside of the tank test ammonia levels after a few days. Always better to error on the side of caution that causing your tank to crash