Stupid Rookie Mistake

[Karen]

Hi all!
A couple days ago I set a trap for the crab that was lurking in my tank
Just the black tips of his pointy pincers showing. I got my jar, put the
Piece of shrimp in, and left it in overnight thinking that he would go after
It and be in the jar. All I would need to do in the morning was take my
Pom Pom crab out of the jar and return him to the tank. Well, he didn't
Take the bait. He was still lurking in the rock come morning.

Unthinking, I took the rock out to soak it in fresh water to get rid of him.
Now I have anice piece of live rock that I was dumb enough to put into
tap water and not RO water.

How do I cure the rock so that I can replace it in my aquarium or is it ruined
After having soaked in tap water for a couple days now?

Thanks!

 

[Nurse Payne]

Just soak it in ro/di for a few days. It is dead rock now. However, when you add it back to your tank, your other live rock will spread life back into it. No worries.

 

[fishroomlady]

I would just wash it real well and let it dry out in the sun. I would then wash it off and then add back to the tank. You've just lost the filter on the rock although the tap water could have added some phosphates and other stuff into it which is why I would dry it out.

 

[badfinger]

I personally think you would be better off just putting it immediately back in your tank. Unless of course this is a12 gallon or less nano and this is the majority of live rock. If fish can take a fresh water dip for 30 min or less bacteria can stand up to it also.

You may have a little die off but its better than entire rock dieing off. Just my 2 cents

 

[mfinn]

While the tap water did kill the bacteria on the rock, it didn't totally ruin the rock.
I'd put it back in the tank.

How long of a soak?

 

[Karen]

I took it out on Thursday morning and it is still in the bucket of water. Laziness and back to work.

We are talking a 14 gal nano but I still have plenty of live rock and in-tact filtration. I was thinking drying it out.

Thanks for the replies all!