When is it safe to re-use old rock and media

[Eackone]

Good day all!

I hope you are all staying safe out there.

When I started my reef tank a few years ago, I tossed some leftover rock I didn't use in my display along with some Seachem Matrix media in the sump.

Over time, as I gradually purchased livestock, I would take a small amount of the media or rock from my sump to cycle my QT tank.
Once acclimated to the display, I'd toss the media or rock from the QT into a bucket to let it dry.

Fast forward to today, I have a sailfin tang in QT and I have used the last bit of rock I had in my sump to cycle the observation tank.

I have never witnessed anything significant in QT asides from some Ich I'd treat with cupramine.
Would it be safe to take the rocks and media that have been drying in a bucket for months and add it back to my sump for it to cycle (and have cycled media in case of emergency)?

What do you do with your media from your quarantine? Do you re-use it? If so, what is your process prior to putting it back in your DP tank or sump?
I use to have a sponge in my sump for a simple sponge filter but I'd forget about it (so i wouldn't clean it) and I was worried it would become a nitrate/phosphate trap.

Thanks in advance for everyones input! I'm a firm believer in quarantining fish at a minimum for observation purposes... However, I feel I could do it more efficiently with my media.

 

[mrlavalamp]

if the rocks sat in a QT with copper in it for a period of time some may have leached into the dry rock.

I would soak the dry rock and test for copper after a couple days to see.

IF you find copper then you must deal with that before going back in your main system of course. Chemical treatments, or allow it to leach and change water and repeat).