Rock cooking, it does work.

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Here you go Sean.... :)
 
I have access to dead live rock, it's live rock taken from the reef and dryed outside.
It's much cheaper than normal live rock because of the less weight.
Do i need to cook this rock before using it for the first time?

Alex
 
Most certainly.
I would put it into tubs with some 'live' live rock to get the bacterial process started, cure it and cook it.
Sean
 
I don't understand your statement. :confused:
Of course the Ocean's rocks don't need to be cooked for SPS to thrive.
The VAST array of lifeforms and continuous "water changes" are two more things that the Ocean has over us.
 
There was some confusion by some about the definition of "turgor".
The word turgor being used here is a modified term.3
Bomber said:

A few years ago we needed a word to describe bacterial pressure/migration/bacterial transportation of nutrients in marine sediments. Turgor was the word that was adapted as a catch all word to describe that. We all understood that it was a new adaptation of that word and understood what it meant. ;)

Think of it this way. If there was no bacterial migration of nutrients, denitrification would not happen.
 
Here is a good analogy.
Bomber said:
Bacterial turgor = pressure. Probably the best visual aid is imagine you put some yeast in the bottom of a test tube and wait. It will bubble up and foam over the top. Until it runs out of fuel. That's how bacterial turgor cleans out rock.
 
How about some fresh pics of your tank SeanT. Been following these threads on "rock cooking" and BB for a LONG time, and time line of pics would be interesting!
 
Quick Question

Quick Question

I have a 72G tank with probably the worst hair algea problem ever documented, we are talking world record algea here.

I'm going to take the dive and cook my rock but my RBTA is firmly "footed" within one of my larger rocks. I don't want to sell him because I've had him for over a year now and while he started out tiny he is now the size of a cereal bowl. I'm sure I'd make a handy profit but we are to0 attached to get rid of him.

I'm sure I can get him to move but after that, after i take all of the rocks out and begin the cooking process what will he do without a rock to live in?

I have a seperate 10g tank that has 1 damsel in it, if i was to move the RBTA to that tank should I take 10g of water from the 72g and fill it with that so he doesnt get shocked? When I move him do i need to make sure he doesn't get any air on him?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!


Scott
 
Just cook all the other rocks & leave your BTA alone. Hope fully with the extra corrent in your tank it might move around to look for a better spot. And anemones are okay exposed to air for a few minutes.
 
So once he moves from the last rock in the tank and finds a spot in the sand/on the glass I can cook that final rock and just continue feeding my fish/BTA regularly?

I guess it would just look a bit strange with no rocks and a huge BTA stuck to the glass =D

Last question: Should I stir my DSB after taking all of the rocks out? It would be the perfect time to do it since I'd have easy access.
 
hersh007 said:
So once he moves from the last rock in the tank and finds a spot in the sand/on the glass I can cook that final rock and just continue feeding my fish/BTA regularly?
You sure can.
hersh007 said:
Last question: Should I stir my DSB after taking all of the rocks out? It would be the perfect time to do it since I'd have easy access.
I wouldn't do that.
Their is a reason you have hair algae.
It is usually one or more of these:
1. Over feeding. You can limit this easily.
2. Under nutrient exporting. This can be helped through a 'fuge, better skimmer, O3, Uv and other ways.
3. "Dirty" rocks (which you are taking steps to correct.)
4. An ineffective, undermanned or non-existant cleanup crew.
5. A "full" sanbed. How long has this sandbed been running?

hth,
Sean
 
I do overfeed, not a ton but i do it. Mostly it happens when I go out of town and a friend watches the tank.

I have a good really good skimmer and my sump was originally going to be a refuge/sump but has turned into more of a sectioned off equipment storage area. No UV, rarely I add Kalk and Iodine.

The rocks? Ya... Dirty is a nice way to put it =)

My clean up crew was the original 75g TBS crew to which I've added many snails and a few shrimp but I think I need to recharge it. Most of the crabs are dead(i think I have a nastly mantis which I hope dies off when I cook the rock) so now I can more safely purchase a good snail crew.

The DSB is about a year and a half old. I just thought it might be a good idea to churn it over and mix it up, would that be a bad idea?
 
Funny, I have passed by this thread so many times & though to myself....crazy reefers, what would they think of next?

But in all honesty I understand the gist of the motivation. After Bomber suggested that this thread pertains to the questions that I wanted answered I managed to read your pages.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=603431

There are 2 reasons that warrant any baking of rocks. First, is the need to eliminate unwanted growth & second is the need to remove unwanted detritus build up. It's more the shaking & agitating that would partially remove certain amounts of build up. As Bomber had stated, the rocks will most likely come with a determined amount of build up in the first place. The nuisance algae growth is more of a visual unpleasantry, but the build up of stagnant matter within the rocks causes more long-term problematic issues. I don't believe any amount of fiddling with your rocks will render them sterile & what you are basically doing is placing them back in pre-triggered. Yes, things look pretty now, but for how long?

Great, you have fried your rocks & are under the umbrella that you are eternally safe from any further concerns. What happens when you bring the dozen or so frags from a grand trade or purchase & the spores tucked away start developing & spreading onto your newly polished rocks? What happens if the newbies incomplete vigilance & patience manages to unsuccessfully eliminate an undesired growth? The stacks are against us & as a result we fight these battles in the reefing hobby. If we all agree on acquiring dead rock to begin with & since it would be so cheap, then perhaps we can have 2 batches. One in our tanks being slowly filled up, while the other set in our curing bins, eagerly awaiting daylight.

Really, the root of our problems is the rocks themselves. Life teaming rocks have the potential to destroy a system if not cared for properly. Lifeless & barren rocks have the ability to become dirt magnets over time & the more porous they are, the better job they do. Increasing the flow in an environment where you have many pores, only increases the chances that something may get stuck or trapped, so flow blasting may not necessarily work. The only real answer (with drawbacks) is very smooth rock (not highly porous), little rock, or no rock at all. We have all witnessed the benefits of BB (either directly or indirectly). Perhaps comes a time in our hobby when we can coin the term BRB (Bare Rock Bottom)?

So what makes me the expert? If I only knew the term of the word. Through our daily encounters here on RC we may come across threads with reefs full of sand, rock, & life, which may lead us to throw our hands in the air & question our postulations. For now, we deal with our philosophical questioning & through our argumentation hopefully we may come closer to some truth. Or at least what we believe is the truth.
 
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