Curing/cleaning live rock help.

[His & Hers. 240 Reef]

I have a 240 gallon reef tank it's been up and running for about two years. At this point it's plagued with zoa eating astrina stars and aptasia. We've tried everything two battle the pests and at this point have decided to tear it down and start over. I will be transferring my fish and a little sand and a few pieces of live rock that have corals attached to them into a plastic 300 gallon horse watering trough during this process. I will be going back with new dry sand and a little of my old sand to seed it. I've considered buying dry rock but I already have 200 pounds give or take of live rock in the tank now but DO NOT wants the critters getting back into the tank. My plan is to sit all the rock out on this brick wall beside my house and leave it there for 21 days. (How long I'll be gone for work) come home then power wash it and throw it back in the tank and build an epic aquascape, dry sand and CAREFULLY select a couple pieces of the rock out of the holding tank to go back into the tank. THE QUESTION: does this process make sense? Is that the best way to approach treating my old live rock? Any advice/pointers?

 

[skybears]

Wow that's an awesome question and somebody smarter than me can help you But I wish you the best!

 

[Nigelk]

I wouldn't be putting any of the old live rock back in you could be reseeding your nice clean dry rock with the nasties again.

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

:)

http://reef2reef.com/threads/how-to-clean-old-rock-before-put-in-the-tank.209008/#post-2392229

 

[His & Hers. 240 Reef]

I wouldn't be putting any of the old live rock back in you could be reseeding your nice clean dry rock with the nasties again.

Do you mean even after I dried it out? Or the little I was gonna use to seed?

 

[His & Hers. 240 Reef]

Bump. Help...

 

[redfishbluefish]

It makes sense, but realize this now "dry" rock will have to be cured and cycled....at best 1 1/2 months to 2 months is my guess....but testing will tell for sure. You can do this right in the tank without fish or corals. You're looking to leach out all the old death (nitrates and phosphates spiking), and seeding with new bacteria.