Should i air dry my bleach cured rock?

[Jake_the_reefer]

So I just did a week long bleach cure (1gal bleach 4 gal water) and I currently have the rocks in fresh rodi with a liberal amount of prime to get rid of the bleach (it's been 24 hrs now) should I air dry the rocks now or test if there is any chlorine with a pool test strip and use it if it reads 0? It's been very cold and rainy outside lately so setting them outside to dry wouldn't work out too well.
Sorry if this is the wrong thread to post under

 

[flchamp89]

It will gas off in the sun after a few days then rinse in RO.

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

It will gas off in the sun after a few days then rinse in RO.

I havent seen the sun in ages

 

[flchamp89]

Just need time and ventilation the heat expidites it.

 

[mfinn]

The first prime soak should have taken care of the bleach, and drying out in the sun is a just in case step.
Since you don't have the benefit of a sunny day, I would drain the water and do a second prime soak.

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

The first prime soak should have taken care of the bleach, and drying out in the sun is a just in case step.
Since you don't have the benefit of a sunny day, I would drain the water and do a second prime soak.

Is this from the prime? Or residual bleach? This image was texted to me I used a very large dose of prime.

 

[mfinn]

Is this from the prime? Or residual bleach? This image was texted to me I used a very large dose of prime.

I have no idea what you are referring to.

I just said, that instead being able to dry it out in the sun, just do a rinse and second soak.
The first soak should have taken care of the bleach, but if you are unsure, just do a second prime soak.

 

[lapin]

looks like a foam from the rock dust. You have a power head mixing it with air creating the foam. Bleach and prime will not make foam.

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

looks like a foam from the rock dust. You have a power head mixing it with air creating the foam. Bleach and prime will not make foam.

Makes sense. Thank you

 

[rmurken]

You could try sticking it in the oven at a low temperature overnight. Maybe 150°F or something like that.

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

You could try sticking it in the oven at a low temperature overnight. Maybe 150°F or something like that.

That's not a bad idea that's how I cure wood for fresh water paludariums. I'll do it tomorrow while I'm home I dont trust my oven

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

Update: I did a second round of a rinse and prime. The rocks all smelled bleach free, however out of paranoia I started to cook it in the oven at 200° 10 mins in I pulled a chunk and it wreaked of bleach. 1 hour later at 350° the rock is dry and has no bleach smell whatsoever.
I am glad I did the cook because the bleach has probably gassed off at this point. I am also going to let the rock sit over night and possibly throw it into my established tank tomorrow.

 

[Fudsey]

NEVER PUT ROCK IN AN OVEN ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

It could exploded from steam trapped inside.

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

NEVER PUT ROCK IN AN OVEN ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

It could exploded from steam trapped inside.

Yeah I saw that as a possibility. However this rock is not porous at all and it was heated slowly over the course of a few hours and is cooling for the next 4 hours.

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

The risk of steam causing an explosion was taken into account and at such a slow rate of heating and cooling I feel I minimized the risk of any violent reactions. The only issue I have just now thought of is the fact the structural integrity of the rock may be compromised or weakened from the entire process.

 

[rmurken]

I would just take it super slow. If you smelled chlorine while the rock was warm, there’s probably more in there. I’d just let them sit for a few weeks.

Why would you cure them in bleach anyway? Were they exposed to a pathogen? Bleach will kill everything, but that leaves you with dead organics. You still have to get rid of the dead stuff, which is what curing in regular saltwater does.

@Fudsey, I don’t think there’s much chance of a rock exploding in a 150° F oven, but that’s just because I’m assuming that if you keep it below the boiling point of water, nothing too dramatic will happen. In truth I have not tested it. You may have a different view of it, and perhaps the safer one. I also assumed that this was limestone of some sort, and therefore rather porous. Maybe a bad assumption!

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

I would just take it super slow. If you smelled chlorine while the rock was warm, there’s probably more in there. I’d just let them sit for a few weeks.

Why would you cure them in bleach anyway? Were they exposed to a pathogen? Bleach will kill everything, but that leaves you with dead organics. You still have to get rid of the dead stuff, which is what curing in regular saltwater does.

@Fudsey, I don’t think there’s much chance of a rock exploding in a 150° F oven, but that’s just because I’m assuming that if you keep it below the boiling point of water, nothing too dramatic will happen. In truth I have not tested it. You may have a different view of it, and perhaps the safer one. I also assumed that this was limestone of some sort, and therefore rather porous. Maybe a bad assumption!

Bleach is an oxidizer so I was eliminating the organics attached to the rock. A week in bleach solution removes organics.
And yeah I smelled bleach while it was warm. But when the rock became too hot to touch and dry I no longer was able to smell bleach. I heated the oven slowly to the boiling point of bleach (~200°) for an hour or so. So I assume the rock is safe and can be cycled. It is currently in a third round of seachem prime in a 5 gallong bucket to sit over night.

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

I would just take it super slow. If you smelled chlorine while the rock was warm, there’s probably more in there. I’d just let them sit for a few weeks.

Why would you cure them in bleach anyway? Were they exposed to a pathogen? Bleach will kill everything, but that leaves you with dead organics. You still have to get rid of the dead stuff, which is what curing in regular saltwater does.

@Fudsey, I don’t think there’s much chance of a rock exploding in a 150° F oven, but that’s just because I’m assuming that if you keep it below the boiling point of water, nothing too dramatic will happen. In truth I have not tested it. You may have a different view of it, and perhaps the safer one. I also assumed that this was limestone of some sort, and therefore rather porous. Maybe a bad assumption!

This is a great video that explains why I did bleach

 

[rmurken]

This is a great video that explains why I did bleach

Interesting. I wouldn’t have thunk it!

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

Interesting. I wouldn’t have thunk it!

Pretty cool idea