Acid Bath Rocks – Leave Aquascape?

[dja1980]

If your considering bleach or acid then you've accepted the fact that you're going to sterilize the rock. Why not drain the tank and leave it empty for about a month or so? Or throw in about 5 heaters and crank the water temp up to 110 for a while. Either option lets you keep your rocks and sand in place.

Sorry... I missed this one. You're exactly right about accepting the fact that I'm going to sterilize the rock. I think my concern with ONLY draining the tank or cranking the heat would be that I wouldn't kill the hydroids. I had them BEFORE I cooked the rock for 2+ years (an attempt to keep beneficial bacteria while killing everything else), but the hyrdroids were still able to repopulate (along with some other things). If I put forth effort again... I want to make sure they are dead this time.

 

[mtrcyclefish]

My biggest fear with bleaching everything in the tank would be making sure absolutely all of the bleach was neutralized. With the sand still in the tank I don't think you could ever be totally sure.

 

[ostrow]

You can google my threads on "method of kill" -- several experts spoke on the bleach-in-tank method.

My biggest advice against is that I did a mild bleach of an empty tank and the fumes were unbearable and borderline dangerous. Adding all the die-off from rock/sand life would make this even worse.

I would not do it. Whatever you do to the rock, do it outside. Empty the tank. Then bleach using a MILD bleach concentration -- start with less than less than less then if after half an hour it's tolerable add a LITTLE.

You bleach the empty system with pumps running/etc to sterilize the surfaces. Then rinse and drain, leave dry and exposed so the chlorine evaporates off, rinse again and good to go.

New sand.

Rock as I said whatever you do, it is done outside!

 

[dja1980]

You can google my threads on "method of kill" -- several experts spoke on the bleach-in-tank method.

Wow, Joel... I just read your entire thread! It looks like your situation was very similar to mine. So, were you ever able to solve your issue? You're thread ended with your algae coming back after you did all that work. This makes me think I just need to ditch all my rock and sand and start over with dry rock.

 

[ostrow]

Tank is going fine still. There are a couple clumps of algae and I am monitoring closely. I discovered a PO4 issue, but now am doubting this is the cause of anything. Other than cost, I do wish I'd replaced the rock but in the end I think I also needed to replace all plumbing. While the bleach most definitely sterilized the tank surfaces, there are likely parts of valves and pipes (I have basement fish room) where some spores escaped.

But it is also pretty unique rock. We shall see. I am worried but trying.

 

[dja1980]

But it is also pretty unique rock. We shall see. I am worried but trying.

Well, at least it sounds like yours is under control at this point... man this hobby sucks sometimes!!!

I replied to the email quote I received about the Hydroxs... ,stating that I was still on the fence about treating just for the hydroids or treating with bleach and starting over (while dipping any corals with Hydroxs before reintroducing to the bleached tank), and she gave her concerns that bleach might not take care of the issue. I understand that she has a product to sell, but it's definitely something to think about... considering that you went through with beach and acid, and your algae still came back... doesn't seem possible. Maybe spending the $125 for Hydroxs is the way to go... I don't know.

"Hi David,

You can dip in buckets, but the problem is that hydroids are microscopic. One drop of water, or an untreated tank, and then your tank is re-infected.

From my own heartrending experiences, bleaching doesn't cure the tank. It just stress the aquarist out, and you get hydroids again.
While on my journey to develop Hydroxs, I tried bleaching, peroxide, electricity - as just of few of things that I hope will wipe out the features that were killing my seahorses.

If you want to do some bucket dips, I can help you with that. I think it would be mean of me to not tell you that I can't promise that you will have a cure that way, just a bit of recession.

Let me know if you want to try that away.

Carol "

 

[lashoskin]

Nice Tank!

 

[dja1980]

Well, I decided to pull the trigger and give Hydroxs a try. Keeping in mind that my main goal was to rid the tank of hydroids without having to remove the rock, this seems to be the best fit of the options I've found... however results are yet to be determined.

 

[dja1980]

Also... it appears that I'm having an issue hotlinking from Google Photos (links expired). Allow me to experiment a little with a different method...


Rock reintroduced to the display January, 2013 (after 2+ years "cooking")...

Some hydroid photos taken in December...

More hydroid photos taken in February...

 

[dja1980]

For anyone interested in following along, I started the Hydroxs treatment on Sunday...

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2568141

 

[skunkmere]

What about using oxyclean or using alot of baking soda to raise the ph to a inhospitable enviroment.

 

[dja1980]

We'll see how the Hydroxs treatment goes. If it fails, I'm leaning to starting over with dry rock and new sand. So far, so good though. I added the second treatment last night, and the hydroids definitely appear to be dying off. I'm also using Kent Tech-M to treat for the Bryopsis outbreak that started after the hydroid outbreak caused me to give up on my tank.

 

[Aqua Man 07]

It seems you are going through a lot of extra work to save your rock scape. You might be able to come up with something you like more if you take the rock out and nuke it.

 

[dja1980]

Well, the original point of the thread was to try to do less work by not having to haul the rocks out of my basement to nuke them and then have to re-aquascape after going through the nuking process... especially knowing that it took me 6 hour straight and bloody finger tips to get the aquascape the way I liked it the first time. I was really hoping I could just throw something in the tank, kill everything, and start over... seemed simple in my mind. However, after reading Joel's thread, I decided to shift gears. I just posted an update on my Hydroxs treatment thread after adding treatment #2... I'm really hoping I can "right the ship"!

 

[Aqua Man 07]

That would be great if the treatment does work. And I feel you on the finger tips I just Aqua scape my 300 dd I don't know that it took 6 hours but it did take 12 beers lol.

 

[dja1980]

LOL... maybe the beers were what were lacking in my case... after 12 beers, I would have more likely said "good enough"... or passed out... either way I would have been done A LOT sooner.

 

[Aqua Man 07]

I don't know if they helped but I was happy with the look the next day lol.