everything ready...time to get started...quick question

[james3370]

i'm pretty sure all the rock i bought for my new build is already "dead" but i'm not taking any chances.

as most know, it is a mixture of ecorock from bulkreefsupply.com & caribsea "lace" rock from premium aquatics http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...D&Product_Code=C-00370&Category_Code=Liverock

my plan is to put it all in the extra bathtub in a 5:1 solution of water:vinegar w/ a powerhead for about a week.

2 questions:

* do i need to use ro/di water or will tab water suffice??
* do i need to run a heater or just let it run room temp (~68-70)??

don't really wanna have to goto the Critter to get 25-30 gallons of ro/di water if i don't have to......

 

[SRT80]

if you have a local Publix, you can get RO water from the glacier machines for 30 cents a gallon...

Steve

 

[james3370]

guess it's the critter.....since the closest one to me is about 2 miles farther than the critter...... & at least at the critter, they'll help me carry (6) 5-gallon jugs to the car
LOL

 

[SRT80]

that's what the shopping cart is for...

was just throwin' it out there since you're usin' it for curin'. Don't know if there was a price change but last time I bought topoff water from AC it was a $1 a gallon, so $30 for water or $9...

Steve

 

[False_Ideals]

If this is a vinegar mixture, I think you should just use tap water and not waste money on the RODI.

 

[NeveSSL]

Why are you soaking it in vinegar and water again?

Brandon

 

[james3370]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13945102#post13945102 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NeveSSL
Why are you soaking it in vinegar and water again?

Brandon

not again....1st time since i got it....wanna make sure it is completely pest free before starting the rock wall. once done & in the tank, i'll seed it w/ existing live rock & sand

 

[NeveSSL]

Was it wet when you got it? If not, there's no way there would be any pests in there... they'd have to have water.

Brandon

 

[DMBillies]

I see you already have put the rocks in water (can't recall what that thread said you used), but my $.02 on this is that I would not use tap water. Some people have/do use it with success in their reefs (particularly softie tanks), but my main concern would be over what might be in your water other than phosphate/nitrates.

For example, the last two places I lived (and the current one actually) had at least some copper pipe in it and my water would test for copper. Back when I knew almost nothing about this hobby, my snails would drop dead for no reason (always used tap water for my freshwater tanks, so I assumed our water was fine). It was copper and water changes actually made things worth... basically redosing more copper each time.

Rocks are porous, so even though you know you're just throwing out the water in the end, you are preventing them from absorbing any of the contaminants in your water by using clean water.

On another note, my RO/DI is the second best reef purchase I ever made in terms of time/money/aggravation saved. The first was an auto topoff. I would highly recommend looking into them (or hoping you win one at the swap since one will be in the raffle and if not buying one after).

 

[james3370]

yeah, i used ro/di water from the critter & vinegar. 1 gallon of vinegar for each 5 gallon bucket of water.....i ended up using 6 of each. the teller at walmart looked at me kinda funny when i bought 6 gallons of vinegar & nothing else LOL

since the rock was already either dry lace rock or dry ecorock, i probably won't do the full week of soak, but i wanted to do some....just in case ya know?

now that i have 95% of the stuff for my build, a ro/di is at the top of my list for purchases

 

[NeveSSL]

I don't think there's any case if its dry.

But its all good.

Brandon