Question about base rock.

[CraigG]

Is there a proper way to clean or disinfect base rock? I know for my old cichlid tank you would just boil the rocks in hot water for a bit, or you can go the extreme route and use a little bleach. Then you have to rinse them out like crazy and hope to god you got all the bleach out.

Opinions?

This is just random rock found along the beach in the brush.

 

[coralfarmer84]

I'd def do the boiling method over bleach...that could get real ugly real fast. boiling seems pretty good to me for base rock.

 

[CraigG]

That's what I planned on doing. I am guessing this would be the same for sea shells?

 

[Ryanqk]

I would boil, the only way to bleach is to soak in water with declorinator for a long long time afterwards.

 

[CraigG]

Boiling as I type this.

 

[ek9vboi]

Good thread, will be boiling my rock rubble I found at the beach.

 

[CraigG]

Put the rock in last night. Looks a bit odd since it's glowing white mixed in with the live rock. Soon enough it won't look so odd.

 

[ek9vboi]

My base rock still looks odd, but I see something better... coraline algae!

 

[devindman]

If you are using real base rock (not old live rock) you can use bleach. After you blech the rock you have to let it sit in water, with dechlorinator (prime). If you repeat this process a few times you will be fine.

 

[CraigG]

It was a mixture of base rock and coral LPS skeletons, I just boiled the crap out of it for a bit, emptied the water out, and boiled it once more.

Rinsed them off, and put them in the tank.

 

[jeffbrig]

I would have soaked the rocks in water for a while before throwing them in the tank. With base rock of unknown origin, who knows what could be decaying inside (esp. after boiling) or what could be leaching out of the rock. Better safe that sorry, IMO. My hirocks were hosed off, sat in a rubbermaid bin for a few weeks, and hosed off again. All kinds of dirt and junk came out of them. Better in my driveway than in my tank.

 

[CraigG]

I sprayed each one off before boiling them, and again after the two boils.

I see what you mean now but they are in the tank now. After 16 hours my levels are fine. We shall see.

 

[jeffbrig]

Just keep an eye on it....if anything weird starts to happen, be prepared to take them out.

 

[CraigG]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8233638#post8233638 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jeffbrig
Just keep an eye on it....if anything weird starts to happen, be prepared to take them out.

Will do, they are all in easy to take out spots.