live rock question (questionable issues)

[agreeive?fish]

i acquired some live rock from a getting out of hobby tank that was not well maintained to say it nicely.

personally i DO NOT trust this rock to put in any tank for any reason what-so ever.

would it be better to store in a dry state or in freshwater to make it DEAD rock...so dead that nothing will survive...and later on clean it gradually add to my tanks

which method would be the better option...keep in FRESH WATER or Dry it out completely...and how long "in storage" would ensure its dead beyond dead? heck iam willing to bake it in my oven for months...anything to make sure nothing from this rock makes it into my tank...about 100 lbs for the low low price of free

 

[Scuba_Steve]

You have the cooking part right, just not in the oven. Dont kill it, salvage it!

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f164/how-to-cook-your-rock-66551.html

 

[davocean]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1587539&highlight=muriatic

 

[Ron Reefman]

The first thing I'd do is get a big tub or spare tank and put the LR in with new salt water and a pump to move water. Test the water for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and phosphate. Give it a week and test again. If you get bad results, then cook it. If the results are OK, give it 2 or 3 more weeks and test it again. Bad results, cook it. Good results, use it.

 

[Sk8r]

Never never never heat rock: it can explode with tremendous violence.
'cooking' does not refer to temperature.

Personally, I'd drop it into a tank and hold it under observation, but most people prefer to put it into a dark tank and run water changes and gfo to eliminate phosphate (if any).

 

[davehead86]

Bleach.

Soak it in bleach / water mixture.
When you are done soaking it for a few days it will be nice and white AND everything will be completely dead.
Then soak it in water with a healthy dose of prime for a day, rinse repeat until you cant smell bleach anymore and then do it once more.