cleaning old rock

[johnnydoe]

i have been thinking about tank change and will need more rock i have plenty of rock laying around , but been sitting for years and i would like to clean it up , what is the best way to do this

 

[mcgyvr]

I had tons of it just sitting in buckets exposed to rain water/bugs,etc..
I simply spread it out on my driveway and hit it with the powerwasher then cured/cycled it in a container with saltwater then right into my tank it went..

 

[Diana A]

Bleach is an oxidizer, and will breake down organics. The bleach will kill and break down/oxidize the organics in the rock allowing them to be removed from the water when you rinse it out. Be sure to use unscented bleach. What I would do is use for 24 hours with fresh water and bleach. Drain, rinse with tap water. I'd use the hose to blast everything off the rocks. Then refill with tap water (RO would be better but not necessary) and let it sit for another 24 hours. Use something like Novaqua or another chlorine remover to the water while it's sitting with the fresh water. After 24 hours, drain, rinse well and allow to air dry. Air drying will remove any remnant of chlorine even though the Novaqua will do the same.

 

[johnnydoe]

how much bleach to water , about

 

[2000se]

Not much. Maybe 4-5oz/gallon? I just pour a little bit in a 5gal bucket then fill with water. Doesn't take much

 

[Diana A]

1 part bleach and 20 parts water. Make sure that the bleach you use in this ratio is regular not concentrated bleach.

 

[johnnydoe]

thanks

 

[BryanCaruso]

I did a vinegar bath first then bleach some do acid google it

 

[Fcsteve777]

i dip in vinegar for a while to eat the stuff off the outside and then rinse it off. I usually soak in RO DI to be sure there isnt any organics or anything bound up in there after.