Cooking Live Rock - Exact Process?
- Thread starter reefsociety101
- Start date
I have been cooking my rocks for four months now. I have been very diligent about weekly dunk and swishing, except when I pulled my hip flexor muscle and was not physically able to dunk & swish for three weeks. The majority of the rock looks good, except those pieces that, prior to cooking, were covered w/ dino's. There is a very distinct color difference where the dino's were on those pieces, a greenish-grey color.
Last week while I was D & S'ing, I took an old toothbrush and scrubbed a small area to see if it would come off. It didn't. I might add that there hasn't been any change in this coloring for the past 2 months or so. When I D & S and move the rocks to the new container, the only thing that I have found on the bottom of the old Brute is rock crumbles/dust - When I take some of the pieces out, I can feel the rock crumbling.
Since I have the tank down, I have set up a new sump, minor plumbing modifications, removed the DSB and will go BB, removed the scratches from the tank and the final upgrade, a 7095 controller for my 2 new 6000's will be here Monday. I am very anxious to get my tank back up and running, but am concerned about this greenish-grey coloring where the dino's used to be. The last thing I want to do is spend the amount of time and money that I have only to have the dino's return.
So, did the dino's stain my rock and the greenish-grey color will always be there, or should I continue cooking?
TIA
David
Last week while I was D & S'ing, I took an old toothbrush and scrubbed a small area to see if it would come off. It didn't. I might add that there hasn't been any change in this coloring for the past 2 months or so. When I D & S and move the rocks to the new container, the only thing that I have found on the bottom of the old Brute is rock crumbles/dust - When I take some of the pieces out, I can feel the rock crumbling.
Since I have the tank down, I have set up a new sump, minor plumbing modifications, removed the DSB and will go BB, removed the scratches from the tank and the final upgrade, a 7095 controller for my 2 new 6000's will be here Monday. I am very anxious to get my tank back up and running, but am concerned about this greenish-grey coloring where the dino's used to be. The last thing I want to do is spend the amount of time and money that I have only to have the dino's return.
So, did the dino's stain my rock and the greenish-grey color will always be there, or should I continue cooking?
TIA
David
BrianPlankis
Premium Member
Nathan,
Good to hear you are starting a 480 gallon system! I look forward to following that!
Back to live rock "cooking".....
I just started the LR cooking process myself, it is on 6 month old rock. I got florida aquacultured LR and 3 pieces developed this red hair algae that quickly spread. I didn't want it spreading to all my other rock that looked fine, so I started cooking my rock on 7/10. I've already seen a decrease in the algae covering and detritus is building up in the bottom before each water change.
I know the flow in my system is a little low, so I'm adding another powerhead to keep things suspended and funnel the surface water better to the overflow, I've also redesigned my sump and skimmer setup so my skimmer should be much more efficient now.
The thing that was odd about this algae was that it grew rapidly despite no detectable phosphates and I was feeding the tank nothing, zero, except the 5 hours of MH and 8 hours of VHO.
Anyway, I'm hopeful the red algae will all die off before the coraline completely dies and I can save a little of it and the pods.
B.
Good to hear you are starting a 480 gallon system! I look forward to following that!
Back to live rock "cooking".....
I just started the LR cooking process myself, it is on 6 month old rock. I got florida aquacultured LR and 3 pieces developed this red hair algae that quickly spread. I didn't want it spreading to all my other rock that looked fine, so I started cooking my rock on 7/10. I've already seen a decrease in the algae covering and detritus is building up in the bottom before each water change.
I know the flow in my system is a little low, so I'm adding another powerhead to keep things suspended and funnel the surface water better to the overflow, I've also redesigned my sump and skimmer setup so my skimmer should be much more efficient now.
The thing that was odd about this algae was that it grew rapidly despite no detectable phosphates and I was feeding the tank nothing, zero, except the 5 hours of MH and 8 hours of VHO.
Anyway, I'm hopeful the red algae will all die off before the coraline completely dies and I can save a little of it and the pods.
B.
Znut Reefer
Premium Member
I'm on the first week of cooking my rock. I plan to dip and swish and replace the water this weekend. I have two brute trash cans almost full of fiji rock thats 1 yr old. 1 container stinks pretty bad. The other does not. Whats up with that, is this normal? Smells pretty rotten!
NoSchwag
Premium Member
znut Reefer said:
I'm no expert here but...
The fact that both of your rocks are going thru the same exact process with the same exact water in the same exact tubs makes it perfectly normal..
Maybe some of the rocks in the stank tub had more things die on it..
EDIT: Did you test the water in both tubs?
Znut Reefer
Premium Member
NoSchwag: Thanks for the reply. No I haven't tested the water in either tub. What should I be testing for? Nitrites? I'm sure it's off the scale. I believe some of the rock did have some sponges on it. So that may be what has died?? Sure stinks in that tub.
It was a yellow sponge that seems to take over the rock so I'll be happy to get of it in the cooking process.
It was a yellow sponge that seems to take over the rock so I'll be happy to get of it in the cooking process.
Question for all you experienced rock cookers:
I am thinking about cooking my rock off before I upgrade to a larger tank. There is one piece in particular I am wondering about. It came w/ chocolate mushroom hitchhikers and some small (1" and less) tube worms. Will these detach and allow me put them back in an active tank, or will they die off if I cook the rock they are on?
Also, is it difficult to get a feather duster to re-settle? Either on sand or another rock? I have a nice one (3" crown) on a rock that is... well.. in need of a good cleaning.
I am thinking about cooking my rock off before I upgrade to a larger tank. There is one piece in particular I am wondering about. It came w/ chocolate mushroom hitchhikers and some small (1" and less) tube worms. Will these detach and allow me put them back in an active tank, or will they die off if I cook the rock they are on?
Also, is it difficult to get a feather duster to re-settle? Either on sand or another rock? I have a nice one (3" crown) on a rock that is... well.. in need of a good cleaning.
SeanT
Premium Member
The mushrooms on the rock actually have about a 50/50 chance of making it.
You can always chisel them off if you want.
They won't readily detach on their own.
It is difficult to get featherdusters to survive long term in captivity due to their diet requirements period.
They feed on phytoplankton.
You can always chisel them off if you want.
They won't readily detach on their own.
It is difficult to get featherdusters to survive long term in captivity due to their diet requirements period.
They feed on phytoplankton.
I'm suprised no one has mentioned bleach yet. I'm currently cooking a bunch of LR in 1 cup bleach per gallon of water. I plan to let it soak for two weeks before letting sit out in the sun for a week or so, and finally putting it in a tub of circulating fresh water. I want EVERYTHING to die on my rock. All I'm really doing is turning LR into base rock.
Steve
Steve
danieljames
New member
stevenp said:
bro....buy some damn base rock. Respect life. It's not good karma to do otherwise
