What to do after bleach cure?

[LeChef]

I’ve been researching to redo and successfully own a saltwater tank but I’m confused on curing the rocks.

M’y rocks are also dead live rock

here’s what I plan to do:
1. Put rocks in tap or hose water mix with bleach, leave for about a week with pump circulator
2. Dump previous mix and scrub rocks
3. Tap or hose water (or RO/distilled water if that’s better) then add prime let sit for around 4 days or until no more bleach smell
4. Let dry in the sun

Then what?

Some people start cycling their tank with the rocks and others cure the bleach cured rocks, which is best to do? I assume cure the bleach cured rocks but was just lookin for some help
Would really appreciate the help!

 

[Viking]

I’ve been researching to redo and successfully own a saltwater tank but I’m confused on curing the rocks.

M’y rocks are also dead live rock

here’s what I plan to do:
1. Put rocks in tap or hose water mix with bleach, leave for about a week with pump circulator
2. Dump previous mix and scrub rocks
3. Tap or hose water (or RO/distilled water if that’s better) then add prime let sit for around 4 days or until no more bleach smell
4. Let dry in the sun

Then what?

Some people start cycling their tank with the rocks and others cure the bleach cured rocks, which is best to do? I assume cure the bleach cured rocks but was just lookin for some help
Would really appreciate the help!

Hi Please do not use household bleach. Try Hydrogen peroxide which will "bleach" your rocks with far less risk to yourself, pets etc. I don't fully understand what you are doing mind, are we talking about rocks already covered in life or merely nasty algae etc?

 

[KingTideCorals]

I’ve been researching to redo and successfully own a saltwater tank but I’m confused on curing the rocks.

M’y rocks are also dead live rock

here’s what I plan to do:
1. Put rocks in tap or hose water mix with bleach, leave for about a week with pump circulator
2. Dump previous mix and scrub rocks
3. Tap or hose water (or RO/distilled water if that’s better) then add prime let sit for around 4 days or until no more bleach smell
4. Let dry in the sun

Then what?

Some people start cycling their tank with the rocks and others cure the bleach cured rocks, which is best to do? I assume cure the bleach cured rocks but was just lookin for some help
Would really appreciate the help!

You can begin cycling them in a seperate container much like the bleach container, but with saltwater and trying to add in beneficial bacteria to start a cycle in there. Adding cycled rock is a great way to get a tank going rather than just tossing in dry rock.

Also gives you a buffer period to watch the progress of the rocks cycle and also test in the container too!

 

[LeChef]

Hi Please do not use household bleach. Try Hydrogen peroxide which will "bleach" your rocks with far less risk to yourself, pets etc. I don't fully understand what you are doing mind, are we talking about rocks already covered in life or merely nasty algae etc?

I’ve seen many videos of people using Clorox bleach so I used that but the rocks were alive but dried out and have left over algae on them, they’ve been dried out for about a year.

 

[LeChef]

You can begin cycling them in a seperate container much like the bleach container, but with saltwater and trying to add in beneficial bacteria to start a cycle in there. Adding cycled rock is a great way to get a tank going rather than just tossing in dry rock.

Also gives you a buffer period to watch the progress of the rocks cycle and also test in the container too!

So after bleaching I should start curing them but also add in things to cycle the rock at the same time so it will make the cycling in the tank faster? Is what your saying? Sorry just don’t wanna mess up haha

I’ve seen lots of people put them in after bleaching to start their tank but I’m pretty sure your supposed to cure the rock after bleaching for about 2 months then put them in a tank to start cycling.

 

[KingTideCorals]

So after bleaching I should start curing them but also add in things to cycle the rock at the same time so it will make the cycling in the tank faster? Is what your saying? Sorry just don’t wanna mess up haha

I’ve seen lots of people put them in after bleaching to start their tank but I’m pretty sure your supposed to cure the rock after bleaching for about 2 months then put them in a tank to start cycling.

Basically just getting it into another tub and cycling it like youd cycle a new tank and then when your rock is ready and testing proper levels you can shift it to the tank

 

[LeChef]

Basically just getting it into another tub and cycling it like youd cycle a new tank and then when your rock is ready and testing proper levels you can shift it to the tank

Ahh okay so doing that would technically also cure and cycle the rock if I’m understanding right? Then I can put it in a tank to start the tanks cycle which I heard speeds it up a little bit because of the beneficial bacteria on the rock

 

[homer1475]

Whether in the tank, or in a bucket, both processes are the same.

After you bleach them, then soak them in some prime, then let them dry out. Just chuck them in the tank(if you have it already), or in a bucket full of SW. Your doing the same exact thing, just ones in the tank(IMO it's much easier to scape with dry rock and an empty tank, then a tank full of water and wet rock), and ones in a bucket.

Either way your still curing/cycling the rock.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Cycle it in your fish tank...
If its dead or dry no reason to bleach or white out your rock...
You can add the bottle stuff or just wait it out. Same results.
D

 

[homer1475]

Cycle it in your fish tank...
If its dead or dry no reason to bleach or white out your rock...
You can add the bottle stuff or just wait it out. Same results.
D

He's bleaching it to get rid of the dead organics that are left on the rock from a previous tank that has dried out.

I’ve seen many videos of people using Clorox bleach so I used that but the rocks were alive but dried out and have left over algae on them, they’ve been dried out for about a year.

Maybe try reading the thread before you reply.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

No i read it. The stuff on it is whats gonna cycle the new tank. Lol.
D

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

I tried to clean my rock. I could not get all the organic stuff off. Granted i let it dry in the sun and thats about it... lol.
D

 

[homer1475]

Sorry didn't mean that to come out as harsh as it did......

I would agree with you, but the OP already bleached them.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

All good.
-d

 

[Cell]

No sense in messing with a separate container imo. If you were curing and expected a bunch of stinky die off, then sure. But you already reset this rock, it should be fairly pristine and free of organics.

 

[Cell]

People often make this process more complicated than it needs to be for reasons they cannot really explain.

There are several methods to cycle a tank, have you decided what route you will take? Traditional 30 day cycle? Bottled bac? Seed with a live rock?

 

[stevediaz1]

You can begin cycling them in a seperate container much like the bleach container, but with saltwater and trying to add in beneficial bacteria to start a cycle in there. Adding cycled rock is a great way to get a tank going rather than just tossing in dry rock.

Also gives you a buffer period to watch the progress of the rocks cycle and also test in the container too!

Any idea if bleach cure would compromise a rock work aquascaped with epoxy and superglue? Im also doing this curing my rocks but I aquascaped my rock first with 2-part epoxy and I also used brs superglue gel

 

[GlassMunky]

Any idea if bleach cure would compromise a rock work aquascaped with epoxy and superglue? Im also doing this curing my rocks but I aquascaped my rock first with 2-part epoxy and I also used brs superglue gel

No bleach will NOT effect the glue in any way.