Bleaching previously used rock

[rja]

Hey all,
I am setting up a new tank and doing a tank transfer. 75% of the rock will be rock from the previous owner and 25% will be from my established tank. The rock I got with the tank is very very nice rock. Caribsea shapes, branch rock, etc. Only issue is that it was COVERED in so much dry algae. I soaked the rocks in bleach solution for a week (a few glugs into a 5g bucket) then I just let them soak over night in tap water. They look spotless now.

Now they are sitting wet in the bucket. How could I dry these rocks and ensure they’re fine for aquarium use? When the chlorine smell goes away is that a good measure for when it all has gassed off? I can’t let them sit outside because it’s been raining on and off and I live in the US midwest right now and the air quality is horrible so I am afraid to just let them air dry.

Also, I am simply only using tap water throughout this process of cleaning my rock as well as rinsing my sand. Should I be worried? Honestly whatever trace contamination is left behind from the tap water shouldn’t be too much.

 

[Jekyl]

Hey all,
I am setting up a new tank and doing a tank transfer. 75% of the rock will be rock from the previous owner and 25% will be from my established tank. The rock I got with the tank is very very nice rock. Caribsea shapes, branch rock, etc. Only issue is that it was COVERED in so much dry algae. I soaked the rocks in bleach solution for a week (a few glugs into a 5g bucket) then I just let them soak over night in tap water. They look spotless now.

Now they are sitting wet in the bucket. How could I dry these rocks and ensure they’re fine for aquarium use? When the chlorine smell goes away is that a good measure for when it all has gassed off? I can’t let them sit outside because it’s been raining on and off and I live in the US midwest right now and the air quality is horrible so I am afraid to just let them air dry.

Also, I am simply only using tap water throughout this process of cleaning my rock as well as rinsing my sand. Should I be worried? Honestly whatever trace contamination is left behind from the tap water shouldn’t be too much.

Make sure to use a brush to remove any organics you can. Rinse thoroughly then do a bath in a vinegar solution, then rinse again. Soak in just water for a bit and allow to dry thoroughly afterwards.

 

[Quietman]

I set my Caribsea shapes in the sun and it turned white. Was 3 years old and covered in palys so wasn't really trying to reuse it, just get rid of it. I checked on it after a month and it was white...all the color and dye was gone. Thought that was interesting.

As above just scrub it up a bit and let it dry. Wouldn't put it in sun though.

I'd recommend curing it as well. Saltwater and heater for a weeks while you get your tank ready. Let's you check for any buildup of ammonia/nitrates plus it's good to have that bio-film before putting in tank.

Good luck!

 

[blecki]

Tap water is fine for this. You're going to have to let these rocks cook for a bit post-bleach. Vinegar bath isn't a bad idea. It only takes about 24 hours for bleach to degrade and it will do it quicker if there's organics for it to react with, but the nature of live rock is that stuff can be trapped deep inside for a very long time. Personally I would cook them in saltwater for a few weeks to let any dead critters inside the rocks decompose.

 

[rja]

I set my Caribsea shapes in the sun and it turned white. Was 3 years old and covered in palys so wasn't really trying to reuse it, just get rid of it. I checked on it after a month and it was white...all the color and dye was gone. Thought that was interesting.

As above just scrub it up a bit and let it dry. Wouldn't put it in sun though.

I'd recommend curing it as well. Saltwater and heater for a weeks while you get your tank ready. Let's you check for any buildup of ammonia/nitrates plus it's good to have that bio-film before putting in tank.

Good luck!

Thank you for the tips—

I would like to saltwater cure my rock but I do not have the means to set it all up in a tank and let it run for weeks. Would this not be the same as just putting it in the tank and cycling it typically? Or would this eliminate the diatom bloom? I am unsure how the chemistry works without the introduction of any bio matter

I never understood how the saltwater cure worked without some introduction of nitrifying bacteria and food source.

 

[rja]

Tap water is fine for this. You're going to have to let these rocks cook for a bit post-bleach. Vinegar bath isn't a bad idea. It only takes about 24 hours for bleach to degrade and it will do it quicker if there's organics for it to react with, but the nature of live rock is that stuff can be trapped deep inside for a very long time. Personally I would cook them in saltwater for a few weeks to let any dead critters inside the rocks decompose.

man at that point id rather just by new rock LOL but it’s so expensive that it’s worth the wait.

 

[Quietman]

Process first - you just need a bucket/container that'll hold water and your rocks. Trash bin, 5 gallon bucket, trashbag lining on old trashcan (watch the heater and pump). Heater and small pump for circulating.

The curing really has a couple purposes. The first is less so in your case as you've already bleached/cleaned the rock. But it will allow decay of any remaining dried organics. The second reason is to allow build up of bacterial film. The reason anything left in water long enough feels slick. While not essential to success - it should help your tank mature.

There are no promises on preventing diatoms, algae/bacterial blooms or the uglies in general. Some suffer the worst, some barely have anything. But if you're playing the odds, they're better with cured rock.

 

[blecki]

I would like to saltwater cure my rock but I do not have the means to set it all up in a tank and let it run for weeks. Would this not be the same as just putting it in the tank and cycling it typically? Or would this eliminate the diatom bloom? I am unsure how the chemistry works without the introduction of any bio matter

I never understood how the saltwater cure worked without some introduction of nitrifying bacteria and food source.

No, just get a brute trashcan and stick it in that. With a lid, so it's dark inside. This isn't about cycling the rock, this is about letting all the **** that's on the rock break down so it never makes it into the tank. It will decompose and be discarded with the water.

The easiest way to 'avoid the uglies' (you can't - but there's no reason your 'uglies' have to include nasties like dino) is to run the full refugium/skimmer/UV setup from the very start of the tank.

 

[rja]

No, just get a brute trashcan and stick it in that. With a lid, so it's dark inside. This isn't about cycling the rock, this is about letting all the **** that's on the rock break down so it never makes it into the tank. It will decompose and be discarded with the water.

The easiest way to 'avoid the uglies' (you can't - but there's no reason your 'uglies' have to include nasties like dino) is to run the full refugium/skimmer/UV setup from the very start of the tank.

But I will be using a decent amount of rock from my current system which is already very ugly and has Velonia and Flat worms unfortunately but my plan is to be able to house fish that target that nasty stuff

 

[rja]

Process first - you just need a bucket/container that'll hold water and your rocks. Trash bin, 5 gallon bucket, trashbag lining on old trashcan (watch the heater and pump). Heater and small pump for circulating.

The curing really has a couple purposes. The first is less so in your case as you've already bleached/cleaned the rock. But it will allow decay of any remaining dried organics. The second reason is to allow build up of bacterial film. The reason anything left in water long enough feels slick. While not essential to success - it should help your tank mature.

There are no promises on preventing diatoms, algae/bacterial blooms or the uglies in general. Some suffer the worst, some barely have anything. But if you're playing the odds, they're better with cured rock.

Even if used in combination with rock from my current system?

I know I will definitely have issues with Velonia and Flat worms off the bat because my current rock suffers from it. However, I have beaten Dinos and Cyano in my tank so I think my rock is fairly mature. Also pods and other microfauna are in my current rock. This is such a stressful process lol

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

as a very last step, I put the bleached rocks into a rodi water bucket with a powerhead for a few days, sometimes I change out the rodi water and do it again just to be extra cautious.

 

[Cell]

Soak in bleach, rinse well, fully dry in sun, good to go. No other hoops needed.

 

[Cell]

Lots of confusion here. If you are soaking in bleach, that is your cure/cook. You are breaking down the organics with bleach and rinsing them away. At this point your rock is reset and ready to cycle. If you want to mitigate algae and build up a biofilm, you can put them in a brute with saltwater, heat and flow and seed with your live rock. Let it go for a few weeks and good to go. Or you can do this in your tank and just keep the lights off for awhile.

 

[Cell]

This process is not complicated, but the terminology around it can be a bit confusing.

 

[Quietman]

Even if used in combination with rock from my current system?

I know I will definitely have issues with Velonia and Flat worms off the bat because my current rock suffers from it. However, I have beaten Dinos and Cyano in my tank so I think my rock is fairly mature. Also pods and other microfauna are in my current rock. This is such a stressful proc

Even if used in combination with rock from my current system?

I know I will definitely have issues with Velonia and Flat worms off the bat because my current rock suffers from it. However, I have beaten Dinos and Cyano in my tank so I think my rock is fairly mature. Also pods and other microfauna are in my current rock. This is such a stressful process lol

Yup...probably just less though. Again, we're playing odds here and looking for any advantage. New rock is new rock and will change your tanks balance.

I had/have a mature system. Beaten back all the usual suspects. Added a new softie coral attached to a white rock rubble piece out of the jar, and put it in the tank. A tank that had very little rock alge within a month now had a nice softie surrounded by waving fronds of green joy. The rest of the rock in the tank remained bare. Did same thing with using rock rubble that was living in my tank months later- no algae. Now that' s not scientific of course but it is consistent with many folks. If I had the time and opportunity, I'd cure the rock. If I didn't, I wouldn't and survive just fine with scrubbing and dipping as I've done.

 

[rja]

Lots of confusion here. If you are soaking in bleach, that is your cure/cook. You are breaking down the organics with bleach and rinsing them away. At this point your rock is reset and ready to cycle. If you want to mitigate algae and build up a biofilm, you can put them in a brute with saltwater, heat and flow and seed with your live rock. Let it go for a few weeks and good to go. Or you can do this in your tank and just keep the lights off for awhile.

thank you

 

[Quietman]

Oh...and this is a hobby and is supposed to fun and relaxing. Don't get too wrapped up in how to do things perfectly because there isn't such a thing. There are so many right ways to do things that folks get lost in trying to find the best one. You've done this before, do what you feel most comfortable with. Nothing worse than listening to my advice over your own experiences and have it not work out. I'll be ok as it's my advice and works for me but you'll be kicking yourself over not trusting your own good sense. Get some opinions and make the call. There's also almost nothing that can't be fixed or managed as long as basic good tank husbandry is followed.

 

[rja]

Oh...and this is a hobby and is supposed to fun and relaxing. Don't get too wrapped up in how to do things perfectly because there isn't such a thing. There are so many right ways to do things that folks get lost in trying to find the best one. You've done this before, do what you feel most comfortable with. Nothing worse than listening to my advice over your own experiences and have it not work out. I'll be ok as it's my advice and works for me but you'll be kicking yourself over not trusting your own good sense. Get some opinions and make the call. There's also almost nothing that can't be fixed or managed as long as basic good tank husbandry is followed.

Yeah I do not really want to redo what i essentially already did. I believe BRS stated that the “best way” to cure used rock is with bleach. I do not want to go back and do a 1-3 month saltwater cure now because I feel like it would almost be fruitless. If bleach isn’t going to degrade dead organisms on the rock, I do not see how even a year in plain water would.

 

[Cell]

I've reset my rock following the BRS method several times. Easy peasy.

 

[fish farmer]

Yup...probably just less though. Again, we're playing odds here and looking for any advantage. New rock is new rock and will change your tanks balance.

I had/have a mature system. Beaten back all the usual suspects. Added a new softie coral attached to a white rock rubble piece out of the jar, and put it in the tank. A tank that had very little rock alge within a month now had a nice softie surrounded by waving fronds of green joy. The rest of the rock in the tank remained bare. Did same thing with using rock rubble that was living in my tank months later- no algae. Now that' s not scientific of course but it is consistent with many folks. If I had the time and opportunity, I'd cure the rock. If I didn't, I wouldn't and survive just fine with scrubbing and dipping as I've done.

Exactly....and your milage may vary depending on the dry rock organic load.

I did a similar addition of dry rock to my established system, maybe replaced about 25 percent of my rock. I made my new structure and put it in a bucket with heater/flow and seeded it with wc water and some rubble pieces. About a month later I did the transfer.

I did get a bit of red cyano on some edges and spots on my sandbed, but the dry rock a couple months later is getting coralline spots as well as the other invaders like valonia and vermetids.