Rock was once cured

[LGB76]

I cured all my BRS Pukani and reef saver rock about a year ago when I started my tank. I had to tear it down because I had to move. I am not at the point where I can start my tank again.

The rocks have sat in tubs on my parents back porch for about 6 months. Do I need to go through the acid baths and phosphate remover stages again or can I just give them a good bath and be ready to go?

 

[dom418]

Was the water heated and proper flow throughout? You probably still had some die off. When ready just put it in your DT with no fish and let it do it's thing. I would run a skimmer on it but some prefer not to.

 

[MBMAX]

if the water was not heated and/or without flow, yes you need to acid clean and phospate remover.

 

[LGB76]

They were not filled with water. I had 1 fish for about 3 weeks before I had to tear it down. My cycle was just barely completely when I had to stop. The rocks were not in any water or anything. They shouldnt have had anything growing on them to begin with to have any type of life on them.

 

[LGB76]

bump!!

These rocks have sat in plastic tubs on my back porch for almost a year... never touched, never in water either. Do I need to do anything other than spray them off?

 

[philosophile]

Yes, you need to cycle them. The stuff that was in them (bacteria) are dead and will quickly decompose when you add them to tank water. Cook them for a month or cycle them for a couple of months.

 

[LGB76]

So you think I need to use the phosphate remover (forgot the name of the crap again) or just give them an acid bath a couple of times?

 

[asylumdown]

You need to put the rock in some heated, circulated salt water for a few days to a week and then test the water. If you get a high phosphate reading, you'll need to treat for phosphate. If you detect ammonia, you'll need to cure the rock. Acid baths aren't necessary, but they do speed all of that up by removing the layer with the most organic material from the rock

 

[dkeller_nc]

So you think I need to use the phosphate remover (forgot the name of the crap again) or just give them an acid bath a couple of times?

You don't need to do anything, either acid bath or phosphate remover if they were stored dry for a year (and presuming that you gave them an initial acid bath before they went into storage).

Granted, this is assuming they were covered and not exposed to rain, bird poop, etc..., but if the phosphate was removed initially, just exposure to air won't make the phosphate magically return.

 

[jayball]

You could still cycle them in the tubs, but it is just as easy to do it in the tank before adding life.

A coating of dead bacteria is not going to be a major issue if you already got the dead crap out from inside the cracks and crevices

 

[LGB76]

I barely had any life, I was probably 1 week or 2 weeks out of my cycle, had no life on the rocks or sand to speak of. Had 1 nemo, he went back to the store when I had to remove my tank from the house. The rocks have been sitting in a tub, uncovered... for atleast 1 year outside... no telling what the heck got on them... I am thinking an acid bath would probably help. I guess I am forgetting the steps of curing the rock... help

how would you cycle and cure the rock at the same time in a tub?

 

[dkeller_nc]

Curing is different than cycling. In reference to dry rock, "curing" means either acid washing or soaking in a tub with a phosphate sequestering agent like Lanthanum Chloride. Cycling is adding an organics source like a dead shrimp and allowing bacterial colonization to take place.

With respect to live rock that's been collected from the ocean, those terms mean something a bit different.