acid bath/curing tank

[codydemmel4]

First question:
would you guys recommend doing an acid bath to just dry rock right from BRS?


Second Question:
I want to do an acid bath on some rocks from a fellow reefer that have been outside all winter. After I do the bath, rinse it off very well and let it dry a few days. Is it then ready to go into your tank to start the curing cycle? Every other tank I have had I bought "cured" live rock from fellows reefers so i have never started from scratch before so this is all new to me.

 

[username in use]

No need to the first.

That's fine to the second.

 

[codydemmel4]

could you do this in a bathtub? I live in an apartment in DC and have no outdoor space at all

 

[Mw1981]

I would not as the acid bath will give off fumes, unsure what it would do to the tub.

 

[codydemmel4]

I would not as the acid bath will give off fumes, unsure what it would do to the tub.

yeah i know it gives off fumes but i would open all the windows and screen doors for a couple hours. I am more worried if it would do anything to the tub or simply clean it

 

[Finland]

could you do this in a bathtub? I live in an apartment in DC and have no outdoor space at all

No, Do not do it indoors! The fumes are nasty. Get a Rubbermaid tub and do it outside. 1 gal. muriatic acid to 10 gal water. Fumes can burn eyes and nose. The metal drain will become discolored and etched from acid. I do not know what it would do to the actual tub, but I do know it will react with the metal.

 

[codydemmel4]

No, Do not do it indoors! The fumes are nasty. Get a Rubbermaid tub and do it outside. 1 gal. muriatic acid to 10 gal water. Fumes can burn eyes and nose. The metal drain will become discolored and etched from acid. I do not know what it would do to the actual tub, but I do know it will react with the metal.

i cant do it outside at this apartment so i will have to go to a park or something and do it after hours

 

[username in use]

To answer your bathtub question just watch breaking bad.

 

[ezerasurfr]

I would not do it at a park either. Especially inside DC. Those parks are Federal and if you get caught messing with toxic chemicals I'm pretty sure you can get yourself into some unwanted trouble.

Roof access?

 

[codydemmel4]

I would not do it at a park either. Especially inside DC. Those parks are Federal and if you get caught messing with toxic chemicals I'm pretty sure you can get yourself into some unwanted trouble.

Roof access?

I am thinking about a public park that is like baseball fields and so forth but yeah maybe that isnt a good idea.

I have a private roof but I am not sure if the acid will eat the rock/tile that is the floor on my roof.

 

[ghellin]

This is what you should expect to see. This is a 15 gallon brute trashcan with 10 gallons of water and 1 gallon of HCl.

 

[robertifly]

ghellin great pictures as the Chinese say "one picture worth a thousand words" these pics and description say it all, thanks

 

[codydemmel4]

thanks for th epictures. ive looked up youtube videos and all of that but i didnt know if it would destroy the bathtub or the tile on my patio/roof

 

[ghellin]

No problem!

 

[codydemmel4]

Do yall think it would be safe to do it on this type of material (this is my rooftop).

This would be the only option I have to do the acid bath, so I am hoping it will be fine.

 

[username in use]

Why are you needing to do an acid bath? What are you trying to achieve? There may be better options for you that don't have the risks you are coming up against.

 

[Timfish]

IMO acid baths are never needed and dangerous. You are making chlorine gas, aka mustard gas, stuff used for chemical warfare. I use locally collected limestone all the time in my tanks and just hosing off the dirt and debris works fine. When reusing aquarium rocks scrubbing off the old life is all I'll do.

 

[codydemmel4]

Why are you needing to do an acid bath? What are you trying to achieve? There may be better options for you that don't have the risks you are coming up against.

I got rock from a fellow reefer that has been outside for over a year with no stop, this is in VA so through all aspects of the weather.

I want to do an acid bath but I just want to make sure it won't ruin the tile/stone that's on the roof

 

[username in use]

I got rock from a fellow reefer that has been outside for over a year with no stop, this is in VA so through all aspects of the weather.

I live on Long Island. I've stored rocks outside for multiple years and used them without acid washing. If you are concerned about phosphates you would be better off curing them and doing a Lanthanum treatment.

 

[codydemmel4]

I live on Long Island. I've stored rocks outside for multiple years and used them without acid washing. If you are concerned about phosphates you would be better off curing them and doing a Lanthanum treatment.

I want to do an acid bath because I have to store this rock in my trunk for a couple months before I can use it as I am moving back to PA (now live in DC) and the rock now has algae and slime all over it and stinks. I want to do an acid bath to completely clean the rock. Also so I don’t have to worry about smelling my whole car up. I am going to do the acid bath, I already have everything needed. I am just wondering if it will eat through the tile or ruin it. The rock is nasty and disgusting but very big pieces so that’s why I bought it with the intention of doing an acid bath.