Old base rock and my first reef tank

[rab6326]

Hello! This is my first post and also my first time setting up a reef tank. It will be a 65 gallon with a deep sand bed.

I have some questions about some old base rock that I just got. The rock was never used in an aquarium and sat outside in Florida for who knows how long. The rock had some kind of moss or algae growing on parts of it and a little bit of dirt. I did a vinegar bath overnight and rinsed with tap water. Is a brown coloration on some of the rock and little bit of green growth anything to worry about before I let the rock sit in some ro/di water?

 

[kfisc]

No, I wouldn't worry about the coloration, per se; the thing that would concern me is the possibility that it may have been contaminated with something else while sitting in someone else's yard over who knows how long. Oil/gas spills from yard mowing? Chemicals from fertilizer? Base rock from an LFS or online retailer may be pricy, but it's cheaper than the heartache of watching things die-off and not being able to figure out why.

And welcome to the site! Best place to learn about a reef tank. Be sure to read all the "stickies" (locked threads at the top of this page) to build your knowledge base.

 

[Drewl117]

Some people give the rock a bath in some acid then pressure wash then cure/ cycle the rock before it goes in the tank. But you say its base rock... I would get rid of it and just go with some nice rock that you no is clean. There is a guy on here in the retailer section ( all the way at the bottom of the main forum page) I think it's Reef rocks... He has very nice dry rock from Florida for cheap money. Then you no there won't be a problem down the road with the rock.

 

[Bogue Chitto]

Welcome! Just be careful and don't get in a hurry. Things work best in a reef tank, slow. If you know the rock has not been contaminated, do the acid bath and give it a try. Good luck....