Slime in rock barrels

[JMorris271]

Hi fellow reefers
I am in the process of cleaning out my tank to get rid of too many snails and decided that I want to go ahead and do a complete cleaning. I took all of my rock out of the tank and left only the sand. The live rock now smells a deep sulfur smell and there is a sign heavy slime that floating on the water In the barrels. What is that thick slime floating on the water?Will be able to use that rock
and add my fish wants a high put everything back in the tank or do I need to do a complete recycle.
Thanks

 

[mcgyvr]

Likely bacterial slime.. Circulation is required

 

[1claire]

Would you mind taking a photo so that we can see what it is?

 

[JMorris271]

Picture of the floating slime in a very stinky barrel.
I am wondering what I need to do to put it back into a cleaned tank\
This about 50 lbs of rock that has been in a successful tank
I Just put a circulation in the barrel way too late I know.

 

[j.falk]

If the water stinks you have die off...if you put that back into your tank, you are going to have the tank cycle again...which could take a long time depending on how much die off there is coming off the rocks.

Personally I would take each piece of rock out, scrub it down with a clean toothbrush to remove the dying matter...then rinse them off and then put them back in the tank and let it cycle itself out before putting any fish/inverts back in the tank.

Edit: Or you could cure the rock in your barrel. Take all the rock out, scrub them down, rinse, put them back in the barrel that has been refilled with clean saltwater and a water pump to provide circulation. Let them sit in there for a few days/week and check the water...if it stinks, repeat the process...if not, test the ammonia to see what it's reading. If it's showing ammonia do a water change on the barrel and wait a few more days/week. When the water is no longer reading any ammonia the rock is cured and ready to go back in the display tank.

 

[T_BONE]

I agree with the bacterial slime. I had this in the bottom of my open top barrels that I stored my RO/DI water in. I would do a water change and refrain from putting it into your DT until you have completely cured the rock. Also check for phosphates. I had these issues when I cured some of my old rock just my $.02.

 

[JMorris271]

I was afraid that was going to be the answer. It will be easier to get it all cleaned off now and out of the house. I will clean it with a small pressure sprayer since I am going to have to start from scratch.
All of this to get rid of 1000 unwanted baby snails about the size of a pea that one of the vendors slipped in on me in an order I put in for a cleanup crew.
:[

 

[T_BONE]

^Outch!!! Hate to hear that!

 

[JMorris271]

I was afraid that was going to be the answer. It will be easier to get it all cleaned off now and out of the house. I will clean it with a small pressure sprayer since I am going to have to start from scratch.
All of this to get rid of 1000 unwanted baby snails about the size of a pea that one of the vendors slipped in on me in an order I put in for a cleanup crew.
:[

To clarify, the number of snails started out at about 12

 

[j.falk]

Puffers like to eat snails.

 

[JMorris271]

Puffers like to eat snails.

I thought of puffers but they couldn't make it in this aggressive tank

 

[moondoggy4]

Do you or did you have any Zoa's in that tank?

 

[JMorris271]

No Zoa's