Chiselin time!

CeeGee

CeeGee

New member
I am in the process of cooking rocks due to some form of algae that has driven me crazy for over a year now.

I have a couple of rocks that are a problem. One has some SPS colonies that aren't exactly frags but aren't exactly extra large either. I need to get them off of the rock and attached to some plugs.

What type of chisel does one use to accomplish this?

I also have a rock with some yumas and shrooms on it. What is the best way to remove those guys.

Thanks for your suggestions and if you know what kind of chisel could you attach a pic?
 
Had the same problem, used a metal screwdriver (could get by with a standard plastic handle driver if you are careful) and a hammer. Pulled the rocks out and placed them on plastic bucket lid. Identified where the coral attaches to the rock, and placed the screwdriver head (flat) just below the connection point on the rock. Couple of firm whacks and the corals broke free. You will get some frags out of the process. I was surprised how well the colonies stay together though. Same with the yumas, you may want to try to get some more rock with the yumas so they can spread on it. Best of luck!
 
I'd say that if you're about to take a hammer to some corals that are attached to rocks all because of an algae problem, then you need to find a better solution to the algae problem.

The whole 'rock cooking' thing is IMO way overused and hardly ever necessary. It's like dropping an A-bomb on your lawn to get rid of a dandelion.
 
Something like the 8 inch heavy duty ones will work fairly well ...

lg-18760-26657-fish-supply.jpg
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13393982#post13393982 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tang Salad
I'd say that if you're about to take a hammer to some corals that are attached to rocks all because of an algae problem, then you need to find a better solution to the algae problem.

The whole 'rock cooking' thing is IMO way overused and hardly ever necessary. It's like dropping an A-bomb on your lawn to get rid of a dandelion.
Click to expand...

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13394158#post13394158 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jeffncindy
I'm with Tang Salad... there are easier ways to handle an algae problem.
Click to expand...

really?

Maybe I could send you guys some of my rock and you can teach me how to beat this stuff as I have been battling it for over a year. Not trying to be a smart @## but I have tried everything in the book.

I run GFO in a TLF reactor that is 3/4 full Changed frequently and breaking my wallet as a result. I have chaeto that has continuously died since the moment it hit my fuge while the problem algae grows and grows and I have all but starved my fish a time or two. I have done 50% water changes every three days with 0 TDS water that I added my reef crystal salt to. I have watched an entire clean up crew die of old age while the algae outcompetes them. I rinse all food in 0 TDS makeup water.

I have followed every single suggestion that has been suggested to me and no one has a clue as to why I can't beat this stuff. I have had it and I am cooking some of the rock currently. It took nearly two weeks in complete darkness for the algae to die on one of the rocks.

If there is some magical cure for it I am all ears. This algae is insane and it is going to take drastic measures to get rid of it so that is what I am doing. It got really out of control after adding rocks from reeferrocks about a year and a half ago. I asked if that rock should be cooked before adding it to my tank and the consensus was no. Turns out my gut feeling was right that rock was obviously loaded with phosphate.
 
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It sounds like you've already decided on your course of action then. Might as well start with entirely new rock, get that up and running, and then frag what you can from the old rock.

OK, one last shot: Have you tried carbon dosing to kill the algae?
 
I'm curious: What kind of algae is this?
And you mentioned above that it continues to grow, despite your efforts. Is that accurate?
 
You can send me all of the rock you want to. Algae is not so bad to deal with IME.

Remove nitrates, phosphates and silicates. Keep your pH above 8.3. When levels get there go three days with no light. Do a 50% water change. You'll be amazed. Not the solution but a great start.
HTH
 
What happens if (when) it grows back again? Unfortunatly you have to find the cause to get rid of the problem. Do you think the rock itself is the cause?
 
Hey CeeGee have you tried dosing tech-M magnesium. There are plenty of threads with this. I would try it before the last and most drastic step. We all ( well most of us ) have this issue at some point in time.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13407510#post13407510 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bonerfortuna
Hey CeeGee have you tried dosing tech-M magnesium. There are plenty of threads with this. I would try it before the last and most drastic step. We all ( well most of us ) have this issue at some point in time.
Click to expand...


That is what worked for me.
 
Not sure if it has been mentioned and with your equipment I am assuming that you are using RODI water....but if not that might be the culprit.....Tech M works well too!!!!
 
And even if you are using RODI, I have learned the hard way that you need to check TDS often. Depending on where you live, the life expectancy of these cartridges can be pretty short for the precision we need.
 
I check TDS very frequently.

I haven't tried carbon dosing. I haven't had time to read up on it thoroughly. Last time I read anything about that there seemed to be a lot of questions about long term effects. I would be interested in trying this if it would work.

As far as getting new rock and starting over isn't that what cooking your rock does? It is supposed to remove all phosphate and give you a clean slate. I messed up early on and adding that rock from reeferrocks only fueled the problem.

Dosing tech-m. Haven't heard of that either. I have heard of dosing magnesium and bringing it up to a high level to kill off bryopsis. As far as I know this isn't bryopsis. I am not really sure what it is but it is special :) It starts out looking like a clear hair algae then turns yellowish then on to brownish red that resembles turf algae. I will get some pics and post them.

Like I said three days with no lights and this stuff laughs at that. It took 2 weeks in complete darkness for this stuff to die.

I do believe the rock to be the source of the problem. I would rather and try to salvage what I have than buy new rock. I just need to remove the algae fuel.

I appreciate everyones suggestions.
 
I think that cooking the rock sounds like a good idea at this point if you've tried all these steps and have eliminated all other potential problems with husbandry. Given your level of frustration, I'd do the same thing too.
 
What do you have for lighting over your cheato? We couldn't get out cheato to grow at all and would watch it wither away until we switched to the 5100k bulbs recommended by melev. After just a few weeks the baseball size clump in our fuge has grown to cover the entire surface. We also watched our cyano problem disappear as the cheato's growth sky-rocketed.

Here's the bulb.
http://www.lightbulbsdirect.com/page/001/PROD/Reflectors/1P381951
 
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