Cleaning Rocks

2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
As far as I know every public aquarium uses bleach for sterilization. I would also include a few peppermint shrimp to your new set up as a backup in case you accidently add something to your tank with aiptasia on it
Yep, bleach for sterilization. Problem is that I read too many conflicting reports on how long they should soak. The acid is quick, plus according to Mr. Farley has some added benefits that bleaching doesnt. I guess I was looking for a one shot does all kind of a deal.
I used to have a peppermint shrimp in the beginning and he did one heck of a job keeping the tank virtually pest free. But I think he ate himself out of a job and then disappeared on me one day. I dragged my feet for too long in getting another. So I tried other methods of removal that apeared as though they were working in the beginning only to wind up feeling that those methods ultimately cause them to spread faster. And the shrimps dont seem to eat them when they get too large.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/393284/cleaning-rocks#post_3497975
I could understand nitrates, ammonia and that sort of thing....but not phosphates. It sounded like for some reason phosphates were now high in rocks soaked in freshwater, then dried out. I know why you wanted to clean the rock. Is there an issue with phosphates because of the way the rock was soaked and then dried out?
Yes Flower. I very high quality live rock will have a LOT of animals inside of it. Clams, Shrimp, Worms, Snails, etc. It's a mini ecosystem all on its own.
If you kill everything in the rock but do nothing to dissolve the organic material then it will be LOADED with Phosphates as they will leach from the dead animal into the rock. It can take as long as a year or more for the Phosphate to go away. If you place a rock like this in a reef tank it will normally grow hair algae at an unbelievable rate. Since it's getting it's food from the rock and not the water it doesn't matter how clean the water is, these rocks will be algae magnets.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy http:///t/393284/cleaning-rocks/20#post_3498037
Yes Flower. I very high quality live rock will have a LOT of animals inside of it. Clams, Shrimp, Worms, Snails, etc. It's a mini ecosystem all on its own.
If you kill everything in the rock but do nothing to dissolve the organic material then it will be LOADED with Phosphates as they will leach from the dead animal into the rock. It can take as long as a year or more for the Phosphate to go away. If you place a rock like this in a reef tank it will normally grow hair algae at an unbelievable rate. Since it's getting it's food from the rock and not the water it doesn't matter how clean the water is, these rocks will be algae magnets.
+1 Bryopsis is one of those algaes that grow best with this type of environment.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy http:///t/393284/cleaning-rocks/20#post_3498037
Yes Flower. I very high quality live rock will have a LOT of animals inside of it. Clams, Shrimp, Worms, Snails, etc. It's a mini ecosystem all on its own.
If you kill everything in the rock but do nothing to dissolve the organic material then it will be LOADED with Phosphates as they will leach from the dead animal into the rock. It can take as long as a year or more for the Phosphate to go away. If you place a rock like this in a reef tank it will normally grow hair algae at an unbelievable rate. Since it's getting it's food from the rock and not the water it doesn't matter how clean the water is, these rocks will be algae magnets.
+1 Bryopsis is one of those algaes that grow best with this type of environment.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy http:///t/393284/cleaning-rocks/20#post_3498037
If you kill everything in the rock but do nothing to dissolve the organic material then it will be LOADED with Phosphates as they will leach from the dead animal into the rock. It can take as long as a year or more for the Phosphate to go away. If you place a rock like this in a reef tank it will normally grow hair algae at an unbelievable rate. Since it's getting it's food from the rock and not the water it doesn't matter how clean the water is, these rocks will be algae magnets.
Well put, Bang! And that was my reasoning for going with this method. I've read a horror story or two, even about the dry rock coming strait from some of the distributors in regards to phosphate issues.
I've cut my teeth on this 50g tank for 2.5 years now. My objective is to take this experience and apply it in a way that will hopefully help me be much more successful on the second go around. Even though I wasn't experiencing any of these horribly uncontrolable algae or cyano issues...the goal of avoiding them remains the same.
 
novahobbies

novahobbies

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///t/393284/cleaning-rocks#post_3497977
There is no real issue with phosphates. Or at least there wasnt when the rock was in the 50g tank. Nitrates had been getting a little high lately but not out of control.
Ive read numerous cases of folks adding dry rock that came out of other systems. Sparty was a member here and a prime example of someone adding rock to the system and then having uncontrolable algea issue on those particular rocks that were prevoiusly in the system before he bought it. But he didnt have this issue on the live rock that he used to seed the tank with. So it was suggested that he take them out and bleach them.
From my understanding bleaching will kill everything. But it does nothing for phosphate removal nor does it completely remove or disolve ALL organics that can pile up in the pours of rockwork over the years. The acid bath not only kills but it dissolves everything. Including stripping away any concentrations of heavy metals that accumulate in the rock over time.
So I was really just looking for a sure fire way to make sure that I start out the 120g system with a completely clean slate so that there are no questions about the rock once I start up the system.
The freshwater bath stuff, I will take different measures to deal with that once the acid has been completely nutralized.
Im following a method layed down by one of the most respected chemists in the hobby. So im keeping my fingers crossed that it works and that I dont end ip having any issues afterwards that stem from any previous possibilities while the rock was used in the 50g tank. Pluss this rock was already being used in the 120g when I purchased it used 2.5 years ago and by then it was already running in the system for a couple of years.
Bottom line here Flower is that Im tired of battling the aiptasia. I gave up, it wins. Thats why my 50g looks like crap and I want to take it down and start completely fresh with the re-vamped 120g.
Sorry I'm late coming in to this, but I *do* remember reading about a potential issue. It wasn't with rock a hobbyist had dried out, however....it was with dry-quarried Tufa rock!! Seems that, depending on where it was quarried, there was some rock that was just naturally higher in phosphates...and since it was in the entire rock, it wasn't something that could just "go away" after time....the leaching was consistent.
As for my rock, no, I have no phosphate issues. But then this rock hasn't been sitting for a few weeks.....it was dried and baked for a year or so. I have a couple recent pieces that have been drying from a friends tank, but I won't be adding it to my display.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by novahobbies http:///t/393284/cleaning-rocks/20#post_3498209
Sorry I'm late coming in to this, but I *do* remember reading about a potential issue. It wasn't with rock a hobbyist had dried out, however....it was with dry-quarried Tufa rock!! Seems that, depending on where it was quarried, there was some rock that was just naturally higher in phosphates...and since it was in the entire rock, it wasn't something that could just "go away" after time....the leaching was consistent.
As for my rock, no, I have no phosphate issues. But then this rock hasn't been sitting for a few weeks.....it was dried and baked for a year or so. I have a couple recent pieces that have been drying from a friends tank, but I won't be adding it to my display.
I think we've probably read some of the same info. It seems that there are bound to be some inconsistencies when purchasing rock, period. My goal was really to eliminate the guess work because I think that even good rock has the ability to go bad in the confines of our little systems.
I've had approximately 100lbs of rock sitting in totes from when I first took down the 120g, shortly after I got it. Since I really haven't had issues with that very same rock that I've been using for the last 2.5 years in the 50g then I probably won't bath that stuff in the acid. The original owner assured me that it was live rock strait from a distributor in Florida that had never been dried out. But who's to say?
Acid = no guess work lol
Plus, a lot of this is really just a personal vendetta between myself and glass anemonies. We'll see who has the last laugh.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///t/393284/cleaning-rocks/20#post_3498499
Rock update Corey!!!!!
Well...the aiptasia is dead, of that I am sure.
After the acid bath I soaked the rock in a strong solution of water and sodium bicarbonate in order to neutralize the effects of the acid. The rock has been drying out for a few days. I have some old rock that has been stored since I first took down the 120g and set up the 50g which I'm going to use for the rock wall. I doubt I'll do the acid bath on those but I do intend to cure the rock and the wall in the tank for a period of time to watch the p.h. and make sure that it's stable. Once that happens then I should be good to go to take measures in order to kick start the cycle. and seed the tank.
They came out pretty clean and there's no doubt about this rock being Dead. It did transform the rock a little bit. Next time I would soak them a little less longer in the acid. Especially if you're soaking small pieces.


 
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