Tearing down the death tank.

[moondoggy4]

For the last time:headwally: I am taking down my sons 33 gallon semi cube it has crashed several times over the years and I am tired of the trouble it gives me.
So I want to only save the rock they are some of my best cherry picked pieces the problem is they have aptisa and some funky red algae that looks like a pigs ear that is red. I will be setting up a 40 gallon breeder, and I have picked up some really nice equipment along the way, so no hurry here.
So should I bleached the rocks and kill everything on them? Looking for ideas on how best to handle the rocks. Thanks in advance

 

[Lain]

The bleach should kill off everything, and to be safe do an acid bath too.

 

[ReefKeeper64]

Place rock on a gas grill. Fire it up to about 350 degrees and let the rock cook for an hour. Rock is just rock and the heat won't hurt it at that temp but anything that was alive will be "well done" = history. This is a quick, effective, clean and easy method to sterilize your rock all the way through. Give it a rinse with a hose after the bake and its ready to go back in your tank. Best of all, the rock won't have that bleached look and you don't have to worry about any traces of chemicals leeching back into your tank.

 

[Lain]

Place rock on a gas grill. Fire it up to about 350 degrees and let the rock cook for an hour. Rock is just rock and the heat won't hurt it at that temp but anything that was alive will be "well done" = history. This is a quick, effective, clean and easy method to sterilize your rock all the way through. Give it a rinse with a hose after the bake and its ready to go back in your tank. Best of all, the rock won't have that bleached look and you don't have to worry about any traces of chemicals leeching back into your tank.

That's the first time I've heard of someone actually cooking their rocks. As for the bleach chemicals, it's just chlorine, and you can use the de-chlorinator afterwards.

 

[Thunder3]

I once boiled some rocks. That killed everything on the rock.

 

[kriv4o]

Don't boil the rocks!
Especially inside. Look up the threads on here of all people nearly killing themselves by boiling live rock. If you have polyps or zoas even hidden in the nooks and crannies of your rocks, boiling them would vapourize the toxins released that are very deadly.
There was a thread not too long ago. Please take the time and look it up.
Best think to do is bleach and/or acid bath(plenty on threads on that as well).

 

[kga943]

dont boil the rock

 

[ReefKeeper64]

That's the first time I've heard of someone actually cooking their rocks. As for the bleach chemicals, it's just chlorine, and you can use the de-chlorinator afterwards.

Yes, cooking the rock is very effective even though it isn't one of those mythological rules floating around since before time. Using the propane method also retains a more natural look when sanitized this way IMO. The chlorine and muriatic acid route is also very effective and I shouldn't have contrasted against it. That is certainly a great method as well; especially considering that not everyone has a gas grill or is willing to cook rock with it but everyone can buy chlorine and acid locally. :fun4:

On toxic fumes; cooking using the propane method is done outdoors so there is always ample ventilation to mitigate any risk of noxious fumes. In contrast, boiling poisonous corals and other toxic life forms over a kitchen stove will surely induce poisons into the trapped air around someone. Not recommended at all! Bleach and acid can be toxic if used in a closed space but is safe to work for given proper ventilation outdoors. Bottom line, clean your rock outdoors no matter what method you decide to go with!

 

[dcfluegel]

I am still trying to picture the look on my wife 's face if she found me grilling rock...

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

 

[erock68]

I've read some very bad things happen when you cook or boil the rock.

 

[moondoggy4]

Thanks everyone my wife will not let me use the BBQ that way, and I have read the thread concerning the guy who almost killed is wife and dog. Looks like bleach but not acid I do not feel comfortable doing the acid. How much bleach for a 5 gallon bucket?

 

[moondoggy4]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2082359 another option using Peroxide. The link is a long read in the nano section.

 

[jaa1456]

I normally bleach the rock, have done it this way for 20 years. I wouldn't cook rock on a grill, I would be worried about any residual by products from the propane getting trapped in the rock. I could be completely wrong on that though.

 

[EricShane]

Yeah dont cook your rock unless your planning on eating it.. I always bleach mine a few cups per fife gallom bucket

 

[Dapg8gt]

Most rock will explode if you try to cook it with heat. There's no need to do that when you can just get some muriatic acid from HD the pool section and soak it in it for a few days. Def do not boil it. A guy recently almost killed his whole family doing that. Look it up if you don't believe me. And thats not the first one If your not in a rush just cook the rock as normal after the acid bath. That would be yor best bet.