Best way to Clean Live Rock?

[Shep]

Starting a new tank but the LR from my old tank is a hot mess, suggestions on ways to nuke it?

 

[Will Milberger]

Starting a new tank but the LR from my old tank is a hot mess, suggestions on ways to nuke it?

Gonna follow. Moving in about a month. Mine is heavy coraline. Want to clean it without killing it and also get rid of the smell.
Will

 

[Brian W]

Acid Bath

 

[mfinn]

Starting a new tank but the LR from my old tank is a hot mess, suggestions on ways to nuke it?

If you want to completely clean up rock that has a bunch of unwanted aiptasia, majano, algae, trash palys, etc and don't care if you kill the bacteria in the rock, a bleach bath ( 2-3 cups per 5 gallons of fresh water ) for 24 hours. Repeat if needed. Then do a freshwater bath with a dechlorinator solution at 5-6 times the recommended dosage. Then air dry for a couple days.

 

[mfinn]

Bleach will dissolve organic matter, acid will dissolve rock.

 

[jda]

Dig up some old threads on "cooking rock." This does not mean "in an oven" and the term is stupid, but that is what it was called and that is how you have to search for it. It basically keeps the rock in oxygenated saltwater without light for a few months so that the bacteria and microfauna can go to work on the "hot mess." The rock nearly always comes out rid of the gunk and phosphate free if you change the water and follow the directions.

This assumes that the rock is still live and not dried out.

 

[Shep]

Bleach will dissolve organic matter, acid will dissolve rock.

Thanks! I think I'll try that

Dig up some old threads on "cooking rock." This does not mean "in an oven" and the term is stupid, but that is what it was called and that is how you have to search for it. It basically keeps the rock in oxygenated saltwater without light for a few months so that the bacteria and microfauna can go to work on the "hot mess." The rock nearly always comes out rid of the gunk and phosphate free if you change the water and follow the directions.

This assumes that the rock is still live and not dried out.

the rock is dried out :/

 

[jda]

Sell it and buy new rock from the pacific. Fiji boat rock is cheap and even though it needs cured, spare yourself the year(s) of leeching phosphate and tank issues that you will encounter. Dry/Dead rock is no bargain, even if you own it already.

 

[Bacon505]

Please dont cook your rock, its dangerous if any paly or zoa on them. I would stay away from chemical treatment because it might stay on your rock and slowly release in the tank. If you want a clean slate on your rock, best approach is hydrogen peroxide. I did it to my totoka live rocks when i had my tank build.

 

[Will Milberger]

Could you explain the hydrogen peroxide process please?

 

[zsuzsu]

Could you explain the hydrogen peroxide process please?

go to the dollar store and get a spray bottle and some peroxide. pull your rock out one at a time , pull off whatever you can by hand,brush... whatever. then completely spray the rock with peroxide. don't be shy with it, let it sit for a few minutes then rinse it in some salt water(out of the tank). put it back in your tank. just do a few rocks at a time every other day until your done

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

the rock is dried out :/

Muriatic acid.
Bleach and peroxide also work. MA is better documented.

 

[Shep]

I was thinking of doing MA but I hear that it is very hazardous

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I was thinking of doing MA but I hear that it is very hazardous

IMO. As a tool, No more than bleach. You'd keep the same working safety on either. Goggles mask gloves etc.
Or at least I would.

Appearantly the guys who sealed my patio don't. The just poured it on the tiles and rinsed it with a hose.

Def use what your comfortable with and just consider that each one will have a slightly less effective result.

Me I'm a nut. I'd soak it overnight in tap water , test the po4, scrub n blast the stuff off and start to cure it in salt water.

If the po4 is high like really high , you can use Lanth, in the tap water soak too btw, and blast the rocks with a hose again. Lanth chloride is also used for swimming pools.

I think quite often, people like to use acid to clean stuff just becuse it's acid and makes it clean. Not becuse it is the best or most user friendly choice.

 

[mfinn]

I was thinking of doing MA but I hear that it is very hazardous

The thing with the acid cleaning is you loose more rock than organic matter. The acid dissolves the rock.
Bleach dissolves organic matter.

 

[Will Milberger]

Me I'm a nut. I'd soak it overnight in tap water , test the po4, scrub n blast the stuff off and start to cure it in salt water.
If the po4 is high like really high , you can use Lanth, in the tap water soak too btw, and blast the rocks with a hose again. Lanth chloride is also used for swimming pools.

Will the soak kill the coraline algae? Just want to get rid of the gunk.
Will

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Will the soak kill the coraline algae? Just want to get rid of the gunk.
Will

Yes it will.

IMO , if you're just scrubbing your rock and want to keep it live , (transfer, spring cleaning etc),use old tank water. I've done that a lot. If it's really nasty add some peroxide to the scrub water. I use three buckets and about ten gal to do this. Scrub rise rinse. If it doesn't rise well , I've sprayed it off with the hose.

 

[Will Milberger]

Yes it will.

IMO , if you're just scrubbing your rock and want to keep it live , (transfer, spring cleaning etc),use old tank water. I've done that a lot. If it's really nasty add some peroxide to the scrub water. I use three buckets and about ten gal to do this. Scrub rise rinse. If it doesn't rise well , I've sprayed it off with the hose.

That sounds more like what I want to do.
Will

 

[Shep]

Suggestions on how long to soak it in the bleach solution?

 

[mfinn]

Suggestions on how long to soak it in the bleach solution?

What I have done multiple times in the past was to use the ratio of 2-3 cups of bleach to 5 gallons of tapwater, and let it soak for 12-24 hours.
If there is still organic matter on the rock, I do it again.

Then I rinse the rock in tapwater and then do a 24 hour soak in rodi water and a real strong dechlorinator solution.
I use API Tap Water Conditioner. It seems to be one of the cheaper brands.

Then I let the rock air dry for a few days.

There is a Bulk Reef Supply video in the vendor forum that has some good information.