Cooking live rock (1 Viewer)

[gamepoint]

Checking to see if anyone has used acid to clean up some dirty live rock. I mixed a gallon of murianic acid with about 12 gallons of water for for a day. It killed off the rock, but there was a couple with some algae. That did not significantly loosen the algae.

I don't want to re-aqua scape with the rock in this condition. Should I do it again with a stronger concentration or what?

 

[acharpenter]

Checking to see if anyone has used acid to clean up some dirty live rock. I mixed a gallon of murianic acid with about 12 gallons of water for for a day. It killed off the rock, but there was a couple with some algae. That did not significantly loosen the algae.

I don't want to re-aqua scape with the rock in this condition. Should I do it again with a stronger concentration or what?

I stopped acid washing a couple years ago.

On the advice of more than a couple respected reefers - I leave it to sit outside in the sun and weather for a week or 2. Everything dies/dries off - then a quick power wash with water and good as new.

 

[gamepoint]

Is there something negative or just not needed?

 

[acharpenter]

Is there something negative or just not needed?

Like many things in this hobby - it depends on who you ask lol

I found acid washing was caustic and if you are not careful - will eat away the rock itself. So rather than take the time and expense of acid washing - just set the rock out in the elements for a week or 2 and it does the same thing with no risk of using chemicals that can be harmful and no risk of eating away your rock.

 

[ChristopherKriens]

It killed off the rock, but there was a couple with some algae. That did not significantly loosen the algae.

The acid won't react in any way with an algae. Bleach and a brush might get you farther in that department.

If you acid wash enough, the algae will eventually come off as the rock underneath dissolves.

 

[eyeguy]

I can tell you from experience that leaving them out in the sun and the elements for a week or 2 (or months or years, whatever) will kill most anything off, but it will not do anything if the rock did things like leach Phosphates etc... before you "cooked it". So depending on it's status pre "cook" you probably can't just chuck it back in the tank without a major issue...Probably will need to keep it in a brute tub with filtration/heat/saltwater for several months until it's ready to put back in the tank. I've read in some places that the acid wash accelerates this process but I don't know if that's correct or not.

 

[cheezybuda]

I like to do a heavy bleach clean first. I put in a little sodium hydroxide to increase efficiency. Don't ask about the chemistry....I'm a lazy typer. I wouldn't recommend the NaOH unless you can find some high purity. After rinse dry, and not smelling like bleach, then I do the acid. I don't really know how often one can attribute phosphate leeching to a nutrient issue, but it makes me feel better when I'm doing troubleshooting down the road.

 

[HamLakeReefer]

If you just want clean white rock and are not concerned about phosphate then try using pool grade hydrogen peroxide to cook it. You can get concentrated hydrogen peroxide at pool stores by the gallon and soak the rock in it outside the house.


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[lifelinefish]

HamLakeReefer what is the recommended ratio on the peroxide? Thanks

 

[a1t2o]

How do you reduce the phosphates in the rock? I thought that leaving the rock in a tub with heat and flow just helps to decompose any organic matter that dies when it was dried. That reduces the ammonia spike, or is the organic matter dissolving (and the phosphates with it) into the water the intent? If so then I have been very mistaken in my understanding of LR and sand accumulating phosphates. I always thought that the porous rock/sand would actually absorb phosphates, which is why you should get new sand rather than just rinsing the old stuff. Is that right?

 

[clowning around]

Fellow TCMAS er GARY has many YouTube videos under the name CYCLONE REEF. One of the videos clearly shows step by step how to bleach first then use an acid wash, that said I bake it in the sun for a few weeks then I power wash it like Angie and some others

 

[Nezw0001]

Testing and treating with lanathium chloride helps reduce phosphate


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