Murk attic acid bath

[GhostCon1]

MURIATIC ACID

For everyone that does this, and/or bleaching as well, how do you get all the micro fauna to come back? My tank has hundreds of little feather worms, pods, asterinas, and little worms. All of this, IMO, adds to the diversity and biological filtration of the reef.

So, how do you get yours back? If every rock is cleaned, there shouldn't be any coralline or life in the tank except for what you put into it (corals, inverts, fish).

I ask because I've seen reefers do this to all of their rock, no live rock added. I don't get it.

 

[woodnaquanut]

There will be some life on corals, invert shells and frag plugs. If you want more diversity add some live rock.

I see bleaching (removes organics) and acid baths like muriatic acid (removes part of the live rock surface) as desperate measures. Either there are outbreaks of pests or an organic buildup that needs to be dealt with. It's not a casual thing like 'I have nothing to do today, let's bleach and acid soak all the rock'.

 

[GhostCon1]

There will be some life on corals, invert shells and frag plugs. If you want more diversity add some live rock.

I see bleaching (removes organics) and acid baths like muriatic acid (removes part of the live rock surface) as desperate measures. Either there are outbreaks of pests or an organic buildup that needs to be dealt with. It's not a casual thing like 'I have nothing to do today, let's bleach and acid soak all the rock'.

Thanks for the input, but that's not what I'm talking about.

People that set up brand new tanks will do this with all of their rock.

I'm asking how they get the micro fauna and stuff by doing that.

Some people clean the shells and remove frags from plugs and get rid of anything on the frags.

 

[Adam13]

I have done it to start guaranteed sterile and pest free. Then as every fish, coral, invert is added they can be quarantined and you are sure your system remains pest free.

I add all the micro fauna from indo pacific sea farms. http://www.ipsf.com The only other things I add that they don't carry are peanut worms.

I add peanut worms, mini stars, spaghetti worms, bristle worms, snails, various pods, and sandbed clams.

 

[billsreef]

Buying LR and doing that from the start is a waste of money. Much more efficient to simply start out with dry rock if one is simply going to kill all the life on LR that makes it LR

 

[UTCReefer]

I dont see why you would soak your live rock in muriatic acid unless you are just trying to strip the surface off for some reason. If you are trying to clean your rock and get the nutrients out you are better off using the cooking method for your live rock.
Muriatic acid can strip pump parts and powerheads of calcium build up or excessive corraline in a matter of minutes. As an alternative, Using vinegar while safer would take many hours if not overnight for heavy buildup.

 

[stackrat]

Soaking in acid, strips a layer where phosphates are likely to be. This method is meant to get rid of the phos that may leach out in future.

Or so I've read.

 

[UTCReefer]

If it works this method would be infinitely faster than cooking live rock. However the point of cooking is to get the bacteria to work deep down in the rock restoring its porosity and in the process stripping the nutrients out.

 

[on the spot]

If it works this method would be infinitely faster than cooking live rock...

Yes it works, and it's fast. beyond the pest eradication and phosphate liberation you should see the grit and gunk that'll come loose from an acid bath. Visually the rock generally becomes more pleasing.

But proper "cooking" as defined by SeanT maintains the bacteria. I have abandoned this method in lieu of better living through chemistry.

 

[jinks]

I have done it to start guaranteed sterile and pest free. Then as every fish, coral, invert is added they can be quarantined and you are sure your system remains pest free.

I add all the micro fauna from indo pacific sea farms. http://www.ipsf.com The only other things I add that they don't carry are peanut worms.

I add peanut worms, mini stars, spaghetti worms, bristle worms, snails, various pods, and sandbed clams.

I have not seen this site before. I like the idea and thought i might get an order till I looked at the price. $20 for bristle worms seems crazy for something most people would just give you.

 

[UTCReefer]

I'll definitly try this method next time around or if I have a few problem rocks that need a quick scrub.