Pomacanthus
Senior Member
Why? Aptasia?
Washing rock...? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Pomacanthus
- Start date
ShaneDolan
Senior Member
Ditritus will build up in the pours of the rock, some people think cleaning off the dead layer can help reduce cycleing time. And it could potentially remove unwanted HH but unlikley.
I'm not really a believer in live rock getting old. Regular blowing off detritus and other general maintenance should make it a non-issue.
However dead rock or dried old live rock, I for sure would acid wash before using. Mostly to remove decaying organics to lessen a cycle. The low pH of acid also unbinds any built up metals, phosphates.
If the rock was abused and has lots of hair algae on it, then follow up with bleach bath overnight to further break them down.
However dead rock or dried old live rock, I for sure would acid wash before using. Mostly to remove decaying organics to lessen a cycle. The low pH of acid also unbinds any built up metals, phosphates.
If the rock was abused and has lots of hair algae on it, then follow up with bleach bath overnight to further break them down.
Im interested in using both of these methods. Do you have a short sum of instructions?
BeerNut
Senior Member
Just use the search function for acid wash. There are good instructions listed. I used them.
I kind of have that down, maybe lol, its the bleach bath I am curious about.
brendondreher
Senior Member
Its better to search for "muratic" (sp?)
For the bleach I just give a 5g bucket a couple glugs and let it soak my last batch soaked for a couple days (I forgot about it) one day would have been fine. I believe after the bath you need to let it completely dry out so the bleach neutralizes.
For the bleach I just give a 5g bucket a couple glugs and let it soak my last batch soaked for a couple days (I forgot about it) one day would have been fine. I believe after the bath you need to let it completely dry out so the bleach neutralizes.
I really wish I didn't have to do all this!
brendondreher
Senior Member
^Yeah^. most of its just waiting. If you have really light weight rock dont let it sit in the acid too long. I messed up a really nice piece that way my first time around.
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Pomacanthus
Senior Member
Still dont get it...., Ive read posts about destroying perfectly live rock to get rid of hair algae? Using muratic acid or bleach kills every beneficial bug (see copepods bryzoans, etc etc etc). Why even use it then? you could use any porus rock, and save yourself the trouble. The only case i can understand doing this is if you had dead rock sitting in the garage for a couple years as a precaution. Really baffles me, sures seems like you defeating the purpose of "live rock" by making it "dead" on purpose....esp when there are natural solutions to all these problems....still confused...
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Pomacanthus
Senior Member
and people still wonder why they keep mandrin gobies alive....go figure
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Pomacanthus
Senior Member
Furthermore dead rock from the garage or otherwise would not even be an option for me because its already past dead..if you want a true eco system you have to start with Live rock from the ocean and deal with the inherit problems naturally without destroying it in an acid bath
brendondreher
Senior Member
For me my biggest tank is 10g so my options are very limited when it comes to dealing with pests. I dont have the space to cycle rock outside of my tank and there is no way my tank could handle the cycle that would ensue. If you saw the dry rock that I am adding you would understand why I want to nuke it.
I'll trade you my live rock with hair algae,ect.,ect.,ect. for clean dry rock then? lol
cubetankguy
its hip to be square
dusty im with him on this... the best thing about getting true live rock and dealing with the problems is you learn a few great things from it.... the first being patience (and i can link you to a very popular thread on here which teaches that very thing).... the second thing it teaches you is how this little cage of goodness is a natural eco system and how we must maintain it as such... so all in all it teaches us proper husbandry so that we are able to provide just what each organism needs to survive... including the most fundamental bacterias which are our greatest asset but alos our worst fears.... i will gladly take anyones nasty looking live rock and let my tank process properly over bleached *live* deadrock
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That is a matter of personal preference, why risk having a pest that may kill coral or fish. It's a waste and pointless. The whole point of it is control. I want only what I put in my tank!
cubetankguy
its hip to be square
the pest thing i get... but all pests are removable without killing the very esscence of what gives lr the name lr... different tops for different pots i guess