Using old dead liverock

[Shawn4455]

I have some old live rock that has been sitting in a container with no water for months. I've read many posts about using bleach, acid, etc. What is the actual best method? I am planning on cycling the tank fresh. Can I just let the rocks sit out in the sun? Should I soak them? Any advice is helpful. its like 100+ lbs of rock.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I soak, rinse and place in a tub with small circulating pump and liquid bacteria (bacter 7 ) for a few days

 

[Cell]

For me, it depends on the condition of the rock and the end goal. In this case the end goal is for immediate use.

Mostly clean with some or minimal organics? Into saltwater and the organics will break down and provide the ammonia source for cycling.

Lots of organics that need removal first? I bleach bath for a week and the rock is like new. Muriatic acid also an option.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Bleach wash the rocks is the best (about 7 days) or you can acid wash them for similar results. You can get the ratios based on the concentration of the bleach being used. Rinse well and let the rocks gas off and rinse again with RO before use.

I have done this many times and will likely not go back to using muratic acid.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Also might add that 7 days is likely overkill. The bleach breaks down when diluted within 24 hours into salts and loses sanitizing strength very quickly. In the past I went for 24 hours but its likely ineffective after 48 hours at breaking down organics.

 

[Shawn4455]

Also might add that 7 days is likely overkill. The bleach breaks down when diluted within 24 hours into salts and loses sanitizing strength very quickly. In the past I went for 24 hours but its likely ineffective after 48 hours at breaking down organics.

Sorry for bringing back an old post. But Will phosphate leaks be a problem? I soaked them in a vinegar-water mix and now they are sun drying, do I need to worry about this?

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Not usually but it can happen. I would give them a nice RO rinse and keep the lights off/down until you add coral. I have never personally run across phosphate leaching from rock

 

[Shawn4455]

Not usually but it can happen. I would give them a nice RO rinse and keep the lights off/down until you add coral. I have never personally run across phosphate leaching from rock

Just a rinse? Like in and out? Or soak?

 

[lpsouth1978]

I just did exactly the same thing. I had about 100lbs of Carribsea life rock that came out of my 200 when I broke it down about 9 months ago. as soon as I decided to set up a new system, I put all of the rock in a brute with saltwater, heater, and pump, and just let it sit for several weeks. I also added some ammonium Chloride (not really needed since the rock had some dead organics on it), MicroBacter7, and Biospira. After a few weeks the rock had cured and cycle was completed. I then placed it in my tank, and just added the first fish today.

 

[X-37B]

If your worried put them in a container add salt water to temp run for 24 hrs and then test for po4.
If its their it will be seen in the test.
No po4 the just add to your tank.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Exactly. No point in cycling in your tank, throw in in a bucket or brute with saltwater and check for phosphates after a few days. Dose up ammonia or ghost feed it flakes and bottled bacteria.

 

[G Santana]

Lol, my dry rock was sitting in my basement for 25 years, I hosed them down, let them sit in the sun for a few days rinsed them and into the tank they went. Two months later as all is well after cycling