How do you prepare "used" rocks?

[danewguy]

I recently got scored 300lb + of marco rocks for 100$ because the guy is shutting down his tank after an algae bloom. My question right now is basically how should I prepare it so the same bloom doesn't happen in mine. Should I just nuke the rocks by bleach or just lock em away in a barrel with saltwater with no light so the algae leaves?

 

[Harpo]

Bleach would be the fastest

 

[The_Paradox]

It’s not live rock if you bleach them. If you’re really in a hurry throw them in a tote and double dose Fluconazole.

 

[danewguy]

It’s not live rock if you bleach them. If you’re really in a hurry throw them in a tote and double dose Fluconazole.

Im not really in a hurry I already have a tank running just looking to maybe make some interesting arches with the rocks to replace the ones in my tank already.
I am planning on setting up an 80 gal later this year so I can just bleach them all and start the rock cycle.
My main concern is the part of adding it to my running tank already

 

[DanConnor]

Well, I just did a hard reboot on a 200, and left all the rocks outside in frozen fresh water for a month. :) I doubt much more than bacteria survived. For your algae algae I would take the saltwater/dark path- bleaching seems wasteful

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

My main concern is the part of adding it to my running tank already

You can bleach them and cycle them. After you bleach them, put them in a bucket or tank or whatever, and add a rock from your tank. Add a pinch of food, some flow, microbacter7, wait a few weeks, then add them to your tank. Thats what I do for my new builds.

 

[The_Paradox]

Im not really in a hurry I already have a tank running just looking to maybe make some interesting arches with the rocks to replace the ones in my tank already.
I am planning on setting up an 80 gal later this year so I can just bleach them all and start the rock cycle.
My main concern is the part of adding it to my running tank already

Just scrub them clean. They are not going to hurt a running tank if they are just algae covered but healthy.

 

[dadnjesse]

The best way to clean them if you really want them clean in my opinion is soak in bleach then muratic acid. The acid will eat a layer off the rock.