Randy & Others. Reviving Old Live Rock ?

[427HISS]

I've had several bad health issues the last few years. I'm a diabetic and had a such a bad infection called septic blood, that almost took me twice, and two heart attacks.

Now that I'm up and going again, I'm needing to get back to reefing.
My wife (bless her heart) did her best to care for our three tanks, but most of the rock has hair algae and colorful cyno bacteria's. Our new 125g tank has been sitting between the dinning room and living room for three years. The plan is to make it a in-wall with a fish room behind it, like we had back in the 90's, which was a 75g.

So, the rock is great original ocean rock from 15 years ago. It all needs to be cleaned, so I have three Brute's and three 55g tanks, two new and one that is still set up and running with fish and one 29g BioCube with one fish. I don't want to kill off the good bacteria, so I want to use ''Blue Life's Red Cyno RX to kill the cyno, use brush's to lightly clean the hair algae, then put it all in the two new 55's and use mechanical filtration and chemical filtration to revive it again. Once it's all ready, we'll start the new 125g reef system. This will be a final glory reef life,.... for us.

What would you recommend doing/changing to bring the bacteria all back again ?
I would assume this rock is still full of deep imbeded good bacteria, unlike the dead white rock of today where once cured and fed bacteria, it is mainly on the surface.

Like Gene Wilder said in his movie ''Young Frankenstein''...

''IT'S ALIVE''......!!!

 

[laverda]

I would put it in total darkness for a week or to to kill the algae off. Keep water circulation up and skim it heavily. Once the algae has died off your nitrate and phosphates are probably going to be even higher. You can use water changes or chemicals to remove the N & P. Once you get it low enough set up your new tank. I would include an ATS as I find by growing algae there, it is easy to control your nutrients and keep algae out of the display. See my diy thread for ideas on easily incorporating an ATS for less than $30.00

 

[427HISS]

I'll probably use the 55g tanks, so I can hang on one of my skimmers and filtration filters.
I have a scrubber that I bought here and it's one of the well known one's, but I can't think of the name right mow.

You have a lot of interesting threads I'll be reading !

 

[BeejReef]

Good luck.

 

[427HISS]

When I get the rock cleaned, is there any need to ad a bottled bacteria ?
I started my wife's 29g with the BRS dead white rock and used Dr. Tim's product, and worked well.
But if it's not needed, that's fine.

Also, would a clean up crew like this package, be a good idea or something else ?

https://aquariumdepot.com/cyano-hair-diatoms-beware-saltwater-clean-up-crew-ships-free/

https://www.reefcleaners.org/nuisance-algae-id-guide

 

[laverda]

Adding bacteria can not hurt. That’s a great deal on a cuc, especially since it includes shipping. I would go for it.

 

[427HISS]

Agree.

I wonder how brisk I can brush the hair algae off, without removing good beneficial bacteria ?

Would it be better to remove the algae by pulling what I can with my hands, then add a clean up crew to clean the rest, or just get in there and scrub, scrub and scrub.....

 

[laverda]

In my experience scrubbing does not really do the job very well. Be sure to rinse with saltwater after before adding back to tank. It will quickly grow back. Pulling it can get tedious and any lose prices will start growing elsewhere. It will pull much easier after being in darkness a few days I hear. Pouring a little hydrogen peroxide over it will kill the GHA. I am sure HP is not good for bacteria, but your not going to kill it all. It does not take much to kill the algae.
Do you have any type of mechanical filtration like socks, filter pads or canister filter? If so cleaning them twice a week will help keep from adding more nutrients to the system.

 

[427HISS]

I'll just try rinsing them very well to shake off the detritus, then into the Brute's for a dark week with powerheads and heaters. pull it out and see if they require more time.
secondly, I'll place it all into the two 55g tanks and adding the bottled bacteria, thirdly, begin using two of my Aqua Max HOB skimmer's and hang on mechanical filters. Once it all looks good and test's are fine, the I'll start aquascaping into the 125g display.

Sound like a good plan ?

 

[MabuyaQ]

When I get the rock cleaned, is there any need to ad a bottled bacteria ?
I started my wife's 29g with the BRS dead white rock and used Dr. Tim's product, and worked well.
But if it's not needed, that's fine.

Also, would a clean up crew like this package, be a good idea or something else ?

https://aquariumdepot.com/cyano-hair-diatoms-beware-saltwater-clean-up-crew-ships-free/

https://www.reefcleaners.org/nuisance-algae-id-guide

Snails and hermits do eat algae but nothing beats a couple of urchins.

 

[427HISS]

Yes.
What urchins are best suited and apx how many for two 55g tanks ?

 

[laverda]

I can’t tell you which is best. I like tuxedo urchins. I have 4 different ones in my 300. The large pin cushion urchin knocks over any frags not glued down in its path.

 

[Dkeller_nc]

If you'd like to do this with a lot less work, you could simply leave the rock in the existing tanks and dose fluconazole. It'll take about 2 weeks to work on green hair algae, though it is much faster on bryopsis if you have that in the tank. Turning the lights off on the tanks and blacking them out with cardboard will do the trick on the cyanobacteria, and will preserve any coralline algae.

You can then apply a small reactor filled with GFO to take care of the phosphate that's likely in the water column and/or absorbed to the rock as calcium phosphate.

All of this can happen while you place your new tank, get any room modifications done to enclose it (if that's your intent), add equipment and whatever else you'd like to do before transferring your rock and any remaining sea life.

 

[Sallstrom]

Another easy way would be to just buy a team of urchins and then just let them clean the rocks for you.
Black longspined urchins and collector urchins are great workers.

 

[427HISS]

I can’t tell you which is best. I like tuxedo urchins. I have 4 different ones in my 300. The large pin cushion urchin knocks over any frags not glued down in its path.

I just looked at the two urchins and we are highly considering some. Great for clean up and sound fun to watch.
I'll look further into the fluconazole as well. I may try both, one means in each 55g as a trial, unless I'm just too busy.