Gordonious
Active member
I was actually going to suggest a rock a week as well, but I kind of doubted that that would be taken seriously. Glad someone else said it.
Jon
Jon
"cleaning" Live rock question
- Thread starter Hightower33
- Start date
SaltyDr
New member
I did the muriatic acid bath on some rock I had. No big deal - just make sure you have good gloves and only do the rocks one at a time. When you put the rock in the muriatic (hydrochloric) acid, it is going to bubble like heck. Once you pull it out of the acid, place it in buckets of fresh water, let soak for a few days, then let it dry out. Then you can begin the "curing"/seeding process.
NanoCube-boy
New member
What is muriatic acid? Where can you get that?
Hightower33
New member
interstingly enough my bulk plain white vinegar bottle I use for cleaning says 5% acetic acid by volume.
Maybe that would work
Maybe that would work
cartoonbear
New member
Im kinda having the same problem, I have a piece of rock that I need to pretty much kill and then break up into rubble to sit in my sump...I was just going to scrub it and leave it outside until it dried out...this isnt enough?
Gordonious
Active member
Cartoonbear you would be amazed at what some of these critters can survive. I left something outside for almost a month and it got surrounded by rain water. I poured boiling water on it and then put it in ice water. It sat for weeks in fresh water and then months dried out. I put it in my reef tank and since then little worms that build calcium incrusted worms have spread all over my tank.
I would almost say it's impossible to remove 100% of the animals that are living in the rock. Also keep in mind though if you go to the extreme of using chemicals to clean the rocks go to the extreme to make sure they are back out before you kill your reef tank as well.
I would almost say it's impossible to remove 100% of the animals that are living in the rock. Also keep in mind though if you go to the extreme of using chemicals to clean the rocks go to the extreme to make sure they are back out before you kill your reef tank as well.
Hightower33
New member
Interesting you say that, which is what this debate /question is all about. The condition of my friends rock is just like that- partially dried up, and partially sitting in rain/tap water.
So if there is the possiblity of some life, then they have to go into saltwater and sit, with circulation and the whole bit.
Gordonious
Active member
That's the only way to see what will start to thrive again once the conditions are right.
Gordonious
Active member
Danger731 just because that worked for you it means it will work for everyone else? What if this bucket is full of very polluted acidic rain that has leached into the rock? Did you also miss my comment on why you get no skimate when your running a skimmer in fresh water?
If your posting just what your experience and opinions are please say this clearly. I don't think you should take something that has been outside in rain water and is covered in slime and throw it all in a running reef tank at the same time.
If your posting just what your experience and opinions are please say this clearly. I don't think you should take something that has been outside in rain water and is covered in slime and throw it all in a running reef tank at the same time.
Hightower33
New member
Ok rock is in a tub with 80 deg temp , circulation, and salt.
There is no light. I kept it covered in case it smells from die off.
Now i wait, or water changes?
I guess I should be measuring the ammonia, as if it was a cycle starting all over.
There is no light. I kept it covered in case it smells from die off.
Now i wait, or water changes?
I guess I should be measuring the ammonia, as if it was a cycle starting all over.
Gordonious
Active member
Should be measuring yes and you will see it cycle big the first time. I would say to do pretty frequent water changes of about 20% if you can to help speed things up. I would probably do a 50% water change the first time at least because that water will have a lot of crap in it.(excuse the technical terms)
Jon
Jon
Hightower33
New member
Should I be adding a snail/crabs or two later on to clean up some other stuff?
And is it going to stink dearly?
And is it going to stink dearly?
Gordonious
Active member
It will smell, how much I couldn't tell you with out seeing the rock. I wouldn't kill off any snails or crabs at this point because that's basically what you'll do if you put them in there now and that will just make the water and the rocks worse off.
For adding the inverts follow the rules as if you were setting up a tank. Wait a little while after the first big cycle is over. Remember cycling is never over just the big dramatic one that is clearly detectable.
For adding the inverts follow the rules as if you were setting up a tank. Wait a little while after the first big cycle is over. Remember cycling is never over just the big dramatic one that is clearly detectable.
cartoonbear
New member
dont worry about the snail/crab. its gonna smell 
Hightower33
New member
Am I to expect that some nitryfing bacteria survived in order to take care of the ensuing ammonia and nitrite spike?
SaltyDr
New member
If you cleaned them off really well before putting them in the water I wouldn't expect much smell, otherwise, maybe. There will be bacteria that make it there and allow you to cycle. You could always speed things up by buying a small piece of live rock from LFS or add some live sand.
NanoCube-boy
New member
Salty, how can he speed up the process by placing small LR or live sand? What if the small LR from LFS isn't cure?
Gordonious
Active member
The LS or LR will have more denitrifying bacteria on it probably then stuff that has sat in the freshwater trash can for a while. There will be denitrifying bacteria of some sort on the rock, but the diversity and number of that sort of micro life has been greatly reduced I'm sure. I wouldn't say it would be a bad idea to put a small piece of LR in cured or otherwise. I wouldn't buy a large premium piece of Fiji that looks beautiful and put it in with this other stuff though.
