Process of Curing Dry Rock?

[Djturna4thakidz]

The rock I am using for my new build is dead-rock, that was alive before being taken from a friend's tank breakdown and sitting outside for the past four months. It has a lot of dead and dried critters on it. How should I go about processing this rock?

I was planning on going over it with a brush to get all the loose debris off and then soaking them in ro/di water. I want the tank to cycle so having some dead stuff on there will be beneficial, correct?

Is there more I need to do such as placing the rock in a bucket, adding water and bacteria and letting the rock cycle before going into the main tank. Is this a better process?

 

[fixedpoint]

There are a few ways to get the rock ready for your tank. What I have done in the past is put in containers with salt water, heater, and circulation with no light. I did big water changes every week until the water had no more ammonia, nitrites, or phosphates. To get the phosphates down for me, I had dosed lanthanum chloride as well. All in, it took about eight weeks for me.

Typically people don't cure the rock in the tank because there will be a lot of detritus that settles out and may become a nutrient source in the long term if it isn't removed.

Some people will take a more drastic approach and wash the rock with vinegar or muratic acid. If you do this, read up, and be careful.

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

Thanks!

 

[stingeragent]

I agree to not cure the rock in your tank.

 

[gone fishin]

FWIW when I moved from Connecticut to Wisconsin my rock sat in totes in the garage for about 5 months. When I was ready to get the tank going again I laid the rock out on the deck and hosed it off and let it dry, repeated a couple of times. Then into the tank it went. Good luck just my 2 cents.