Drying live rock

Cuzuco

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So I am planning on moving my 16 gallons aquarium to a 32 one. I have my live rock which is almost fully covered with Rhodactis corals, infected with hundreds of bristle worms and also some majanos. So I was thinking about letting my live rock dry , keep the other corals and keep the sand bed I have (about two inches). Then I can get rid of all the annoying invasive corals and worms and sort of start from scratch, but I wonder if the sand will be enough so that I don’t need to cycle the aquarium again. What would you do? Would you keep the rock as it is? Or maybe I can dry my rocks and buy new live ones? And if I need to dry my rock how would you proceed? Would you just let it in the sun or would you bleach them and then dry them? But if I need to reuse those wouldn’t the bleach cause any issue once I put them back in the aquarium?
 

19Mateo83

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I bleached 20lbs of old rock I had in storage when I returned to the hobby. I soaked in a strong bleach mixture for a week, let air dry for a week then did two soaks in ro water with de chlorinator added. It is ok to bleach rock and it does a good job at dissolving organics on it but you have to be sure there’s no residual chlorine left in it before you use it.
 
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Cuzuco

Cuzuco

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I bleached 20lbs of old rock I had in storage when I returned to the hobby. I soaked in a strong bleach mixture for a week, let air dry for a week then did two soaks in ro water with de chlorinator added. It is ok to bleach rock and it does a good job at dissolving organics on it but you have to be sure there’s no residual chlorine left in it before you use it.
Thanks. I will check them were I can find some dechlorinator, probably in the same places where you buy chemicals for swimming pools
 

Mr. Mojo Rising

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How old is the sand in the 16 gallon? If its more than a few months old, I would not use it, its full of fish poop and waste, I'm sure you don't want to bring all that into your new tank.

If the live rock is full of pests, I would not put the rocks into the new tank either. Stick them in bleach water with a powerhead for a few days, then rinse off super well, then you will have new white rocks.

Personally, I would build the 32 and cycle it. I would use new sand (rinse the new sand super well), then you will surely need some rocks if going from 16 to 32 gallon, put those new rocks in the tank and cycle with bottle bac. Take a cup of the old sand and put in the new tank. Try to find a clean rock, or break a small piece off, and put it in the new tank to seed the new tank.

A 16 gallon probably has what, 3-4 small fish? . When the 32 is cycled, it should be able to handle the fish. Then start adding back your bleached rock to the new tank, one piece at a time, every week or two.

Thats would I would do, Its what I have done, it works for me. Good luck
 
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Cuzuco

Cuzuco

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How old is the sand in the 16 gallon? If its more than a few months old, I would not use it, its full of fish poop and waste, I'm sure you don't want to bring all that into your new tank.

If the live rock is full of pests, I would not put the rocks into the new tank either. Stick them in bleach water with a powerhead for a few days, then rinse off super well, then you will have new white rocks.

Personally, I would build the 32 and cycle it. I would use new sand (rinse the new sand super well), then you will surely need some rocks if going from 16 to 32 gallon, put those new rocks in the tank and cycle with bottle bac. Take a cup of the old sand and put in the new tank. Try to find a clean rock, or break a small piece off, and put it in the new tank to seed the new tank.

A 16 gallon probably has what, 3-4 small fish? . When the 32 is cycled, it should be able to handle the fish. Then start adding back your bleached rock to the new tank, one piece at a time, every week or two.

Thats would I would do, Its what I have done, it works for me. Good luck
Thanks. I was indeed reading that it was not a good idea to reuse the sand as it is but that it would be better to rinse it super well, I guess I’ll do that, may even bleach that too.
When you said tu put a piece of rock into the new aquarium you mean a piece of the already bleached rock? I mean if it is bleached will that seed the tank ?
I think I will follow your advice and proceed as you said. Should I be concerned with the corals I want to keep? Should I move those right away or would I need to wait that the new tank is cycled?
 

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I think I will follow your advice and proceed as you said. Should I be concerned with the corals I want to keep? Should I move those right away or would I need to wait that the new tank is cycled?
You should wait until the new tank is cycled.
Jeff
 

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