Transferring rock to new aquarium

[KTownReefer]

I'm setting up a new 28 gallon bio cube and am taking down a standard 30 gallon breeder. I want to use the rock that is in the 30 gallon and use it in the bio cube but want to cure it first because I'm not confident that the old tank is ich free. What is the best and quickest way to do this? Thanks.

 

[p7willm]

Curing rock usually refers to letting bacteria that convert ammonia to nitrites and nitrites to nitrates grow, a process that takes about a month. What you want to do is be sure you do not move ich from the old tank to the new. The only way to do that is to sterilize the rock, I would use chlorine and boiling. This will kill the stuff on the rock. Unfortunately it will also kill the bacteria which you want. So it will be a 2 step process. Kill everything on the rock then stick it in the new aquarium and regrow the bacteria. As far as quick after you add the rock to the new tank an additive with live bacteria will cut the time down a bit but you still need to monitor ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates to be sure the bacteria to handle them have time to grow.

 

[Bradley Crocker]

Does either tank have fish? If the new tank won't have any for a while, just wait long enough for the ich's life cycle to pass. It can't survive without a host.

 

[KTownReefer]

Does either tank have fish? If the new tank won't have any for a while, just wait long enough for the ich's life cycle to pass. It can't survive without a host.

The 30 gal has a trigger that I bought 2 weeks ago that I'm in the process of moving to 10gal QT thus not sure of ich and am going to do TTM (I bought two 10 gal tanks for this purpose) and the bio cube has two snow onyx clowns waiting to go in to it.

 

[KTownReefer]

Curing rock usually refers to letting bacteria that convert ammonia to nitrites and nitrites to nitrates grow, a process that takes about a month. What you want to do is be sure you do not move ich from the old tank to the new. The only way to do that is to sterilize the rock, I would use chlorine and boiling. This will kill the stuff on the rock. Unfortunately it will also kill the bacteria which you want. So it will be a 2 step process. Kill everything on the rock then stick it in the new aquarium and regrow the bacteria. As far as quick after you add the rock to the new tank an additive with live bacteria will cut the time down a bit but you still need to monitor ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates to be sure the bacteria to handle them have time to grow.

I have the bacteria in a bottle and sponges sitting in my sump from my 180 gallon so I feel confident that I will be able to get it up and running right away. Also I'm going to be using new live sand.

 

[KTownReefer]

I've never sterilized rock before so I guess I'm not sure how to do it properly.

 

[Bradley Crocker]

If you can keep the rock in a fishless system, the ich will die. How long seems to be of some debate. I've read as little as 7, and as many as 72 days fish free will completely eradicate it.

Maybe some temporary decor for the new clowns will give you the needed time?

 

[KTownReefer]

If you can keep the rock in a fishless system, the ich will die. How long seems to be of some debate. I've read as little as 7, and as many as 72 days fish free will completely eradicate it.

Maybe some temporary decor for the new clowns will give you the needed time?

I know about ich and life cycle but I'd rather sterilize the rock just need advice on proper procedures.

 

[Bradley Crocker]

Maybe this will help?
https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/86024/

 

[don_chuwish]

I've heard boiling can be dangerous in terms of what can be released into the air. Chlorine & tap water bath with circulation for a few days should do it. Then tap water and Prime. By that time of course all the good stuff is gone too, so then you "cure" it in saltwater with heat and circulation.
I'm a full on convert to the value of rock cured in the dark for a long time. Weeks if not months.
Between the tap water, chlorine and fallow period, the ich will be long gone.