Quickest way to make dead base rock?

[TacoKing]

So,

I just got some live rock from a fellow reefer. The rock is real nice, its got some great shapes and will work real good in my tank. The downfall is it is covered in aptasia. Currently I have the rock sitting in a covered trash can with a pump.

After thinking about it.... I really don't need any of the bio diversity from this rock. All I want is the shapes. So, I'm thinking about killing everything off of it. Either by putting it outside in for a couple weeks then re-curing it or something else.

Anyone have any ideas here? Maybe use a diluted amount of bleach to kill everything out and then let the rock sit outside till the bleach smell is gone?

Again, I'm just looking for the rock. I could care less if it's covered in bacteria and coraline.

-TK

 

[mickyfin]

Do a search for cooking rock.

Many threads to help you can be found this way.

 

[TacoKing]

I don't feel cooking will really cure this problem. I have cooked rock before with success, but none of it has been 100% covered in aptasia or something I wouldn't want in my tank. Even with cooking the rock there is a good chance there will be a few aptasia on the rock. Not to mention cooking is a very time consuming process. I'm looking for some what rapid speed here. I want everything dead. Cooking doesn't do that. I don't want to introduce anything to my system from the other tank.

I want dead, white, no life left base rock.

 

[physicslord]

Just put it in a bonfire. Problem solved.

 

[donfishy76]

Taco, I would say either cook it with peppermint shrimp and dont feed them so they eat the aiptasia, or yeah go with the other route. Instead of bleach, you could always just literally cook the rock, just boil it for like 10 minutes, or draw a very hot bath for all the rock. Should take care of things quickly.

 

[Rendos]

Let the rock sit in fresh water for a week. Everything live will be dead. Rinse the rock off to get rid of any debris, and use it. I started my 90 gallon with base rock that was live at one time. This is what I did.

 

[Ltrain]

why not just boil it, piece by piece, for 5-10 mins.?

 

[GSchiemer]

If the goal is to kill off everything, then simply soak the rock in a 10% solution of bleach for 48 hours. Follow that by soaking in a solution of dechlorinator (sodium thiosulfate) for another 48 hours. Rinse the rock with freshwater and you're ready to go.

Greg

 

[rlschne]

yeah, if bleach won't kill it nothing will....

 

[Alaskan Reefer]

Bleach, I've done it before, and you get to start with electric white rock -- which of coruse grays out and covers in coraline anyway in a few months with a healthy tank. Fresh water will work too, but will take a little longer and the final color won't be consistent. Boiling it will stink up the house and be very messy. Cooking it won't kill aiptasia unless you plan too cook it for a year or so.

 

[Alaskan Reefer]

Oh, and after bleaching rinse with fresh water of course. You don't need dechlorinator, fresh air for a couple of days will do the same thing. Personally, I just rinsed in fresh and put it in the new tank (no fish or corals, obviously) -- smelled of bleach for a day or two, but was fine thereafter.

 

[alten78]

when the world ends there will only be two inhabitants, cockroaches and aiptasia.

Id use the bleach method or let it sit out in the sun to dry. But then again, yall in c-bus are probably getting the same freezing rain we are this week.

 

[Alaskan Reefer]

hahaha

Cockroaches, Aiptasia, and Tupperware