Preparing bleached rock for tank.

[ntropics]

After a two year bout with green hair algae, and a die off of fish in the tank, due, we believe to a hydrogen sulfide release from an accidentally disturbed deep sand bed, (and LOTS of research) I decided that the best plan for my situation was to bleach my rock, saving my cleanest pieces as a seed for reestablishing my newly dead rock back into live rock.

I understand there are many opinions about whether to bleach or cook. I am simply wondering if, after bleaching, pressure washing, then drying the rock for a week in the sun, there will be any additional problem with phosphate leaching from the rock. I do have a phosban reactor and do a 35 gallon water change per WEEK on my 200 gallon set up. Right now it is empty and everything I intend to save is in a QT.

I assume that the rock may have to be recycled, but that's fine.
Thanks for the help.

Bruce

 

[maddmaxx]

before drying the rock in the sun. i would soak the rock in dechlorinator to neutrualize the bleach. then sun dry...

 

[bobbravo2]

I've been doing this too. I've got it in a hospital tank with a skimmer to pullout the die off. How long before the rock is cycled / DT ready again?

 

[Teenreefer15]

pour this in a container then place all your rock in there. Then fill it with water till the top of the rock and let this sit for anywhere from 1 hour - 24hrs. This will neutralize the bleach and make it safe.

 

[ntropics]

Thanks. I'll take a look at it.
Bruce

 

[ntropics]

That turns out to be equivalent to the product "Prime" which removes chlorine, chloramine, and ammonia. It says that it can be used directly in the tank as well. As it turns out, I have a bottle of that already!

Bruce

 

[neuro]

To answer your original question, yes, the rock will still leach phosphates. I've never used Prime.

I would soak the rock with lanthium chloride (you can get this online at any pool stores). If you do a search, you can find out more about how people are curing their rock with this.

For me, it took a while before the phosphates would drop to a certain level, before putting it into a display tank with GFO running. Eventually, I did have problems with algae, but it cleared up pretty quickly (within 3 weeks or so).

 

[reefgeezer]

A good rinse in fresh water and a thorough baking in the sun would probably be sufficient. If you are concerned about phosphate, a little swim in muratic acid will dissolve the outer layer where a majority of the phosphates are bound. After a good rinse a little GFO would probably handle the remaining phosphates.

 

[ntropics]

Well what do you know? I also have some Lanthium Chloride, under the name PO4-Minus. I have used this product previously and it killed several fish because the instructions did not mention to use it before a filter sock, so the precipitate apparently got into the gills of the fish, killing them.

However, I think this might be worth doing in a bath/soak, then power washing again. I'll give it a try.

Bruce

 

[neuro]

Well what do you know? I also have some Lanthium Chloride, under the name PO4-Minus. I have used this product previously and it killed several fish because the instructions did not mention to use it before a filter sock, so the precipitate apparently got into the gills of the fish, killing them.

However, I think this might be worth doing in a bath/soak, then power washing again. I'll give it a try.

Bruce

I totally recommend this. If you can test for it, I would measure the phosphates every other day or so for a week, and it will tell you how well the lanthium chloride is working.

I could see it drop a hundredths of a point every other day or so until it stayed steady for a week. You'll have to change the water, but I think this is a great way to deal with the rock before adding it to your tank. At that point, you'll know how much phosphates are leaching.

 

[ntropics]

Am I correct that when I change the water I add more Lanthium chloride?

 

[neuro]

yes

 

[ntropics]

I set up the rock in a bucket with 25 gallons of water, and added the Lanchium chloride. After about 4 hours I tested the PO4- and it tests at zero. I'll check it again tomorrow. I am wondering if there will be a delay of the PO4- reading as it starts to leach out. I guess I'll know soon enough. Then I finally get to restart the tank!

Bruce

 

[btucker7587]

This process is pretty interesting. I am just starting a 150g reef tank and I am using all dead beach rock which I power washed and let bake in the Okinawa sun for 6 months. Should I be doing what ntropics' is doing as a precaution?

 

[neuro]

I set up the rock in a bucket with 25 gallons of water, and added the Lanchium chloride. After about 4 hours I tested the PO4- and it tests at zero. I'll check it again tomorrow. I am wondering if there will be a delay of the PO4- reading as it starts to leach out. I guess I'll know soon enough. Then I finally get to restart the tank!

Bruce

Any results? I'm curious. It took a while for phosphates to leach out for me, but I would imagine one day will tell you how much the initial soak will leach.

This process is pretty interesting. I am just starting a 150g reef tank and I am using all dead beach rock which I power washed and let bake in the Okinawa sun for 6 months. Should I be doing what ntropics' is doing as a precaution?

At the very least, I think a week's worth of soak take a look at how much phosphates are leaching. If you can get as much of it out as you can prior to putting it into your tank, I would suggest doing so.

If it can save you some headaches, anxiety, and frustration that a lot of people have with algae, I don't see why this wouldn't be good practice. The only thing you lose is time, and we all know what patience means in this hobby.

 

[ntropics]

About 30 hours now, and still no phosphates. I won't get a chance to start to put stuff back into the tank for a while anyway, so we shall see how much leeches out, if any. Now I am faced with the task of emptying out the deep sand bed. I've got a whole bunch of copopods in there, but I can't see how I can save them.

 

[neuro]

About 30 hours now, and still no phosphates. I won't get a chance to start to put stuff back into the tank for a while anyway, so we shall see how much leeches out, if any. Now I am faced with the task of emptying out the deep sand bed. I've got a whole bunch of copopods in there, but I can't see how I can save them.

I assume you're measuring phosphates with salifert or hanna?

 

[ntropics]

I am using an ELOS tester. Is that acceptable?
Bruce

 

[btucker7587]

I siphoned as many as I could from my old sump to a pod tank and just kept them in the water that was in the sump. Good enough for raising pods...the water doesn't have to be clean. Now I have a 15g tank packed with pods. Threw in grape culpera and some phyto and they are breeding like crazy. Will be ready for my next tank...

 

[ntropics]

Well, they are hard to see, but I think I got a bunch. I put them into a one gallon bucket with a pump for some movement. (A bit too much, but that's all I have). I don't have too much hope to get them to survive, but it's worth a try.
Bruce