Crazy question about Zoo Rock

[cam78]

Is it at all possible to split a zoo rock? I'm not even sure if I would do it but the rock I just bought is rather large and would think about spliting it in half and selling the other half, or trade. I think it is called a Vietnamese zoo rock. I could be wrong though.

 

[ninjamini]

Hammer and chisel. dremil...shure go at it. You can cut the rock or scrape off the zoos. How about a pic.

 

[m0nk]

My LFS split a rock with super greens on it for me a while back, but it was rather thin at a couple places and easy to do.

 

[cam78]

I would like to give a picture but I really don't know much about photography. I tried taking a picture but it dosen't come out right. Any suggestions? I have a Cannon Power Shot A80. I'm going to ask people, I'm going to start a thread on better picture quality and see if I can get any help.

 

[m0nk]

I have a Power Shot too. I turn off filter/powerhead, leave the tank lighting on and turn off all other lights in the room, set the camera on a tripod and shoot. That's how I get the best results, but I haven't been working on it for long. There might be an easier way.

 

[npage]

Where gloves and eye protection when you split that rock...
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/245173/the-truth-about-palytoxins
:scared:

 

[cam78]

So what do I do? Turn it upside down and wack it with a screw driver and hammer? Do I take it out of water? Please give me steps of what to do. Thank you.

 

[cam78]

Oh here are some pixs of the Zoo Rock.

 

[bronco300]

looks like a nice rock thats for sure, tons of zoos!

 

[cam78]

Nah, it is real nice, just might be too big for my tank.

 

[conch]

Ya I'de say flip it over and have at it I've had success transplanting Zoos to other rocks by just chiping of the rock under one stock of Zoo and SGing it to another rock. So taking a chisal to a whole rock should be fine. But like Npage said Wear protection. Some Zoos have very nasty toxins in them. and are not to be taken lightly.

 

[cam78]

Yeah but do I do this out of water? Also if I turn it upside down a wack it won't that damage the Zoos? It will crush it won't it? Do I lay it on something soft? Sorry for all the questions but I never did it before.

 

[bronco300]

i wouldn't flip it over...just close up all the polyps and put the chisel inbetween some polyps and give it a good knock. googles and gloves a must

 

[krazekajin]

I just did this to a large rock that had four different colonies of zoos on it. I was hoping to not disturb the colonies and just split the rock into four pieces with the orginal colonies.
Of course that did not work exactly and I ended up with about six different pieces of rock with zoos on them.
I used a large cone shaped chisel and hammer and it worked like a charm.

 

[m0nk]

Well, if you split the rock up and end up with smaller pieces you want to find homes for, I'd happily take a chuck.

 

[reefkprz]

look up a thread called "fragging fun" and you'll see how I do it with pictures included.

 

[cam78]

Cool thanks, how long do you think I could keep the Zoos out of water for?

 

[reefkprz]

15-20 minutes no problem, if your worried about them just wet a piece of paper towel with tank water and drape it overhtem while you work. I do that for corals while the glue is drying.

 

[cam78]

Wow, that long, OK, I'm going in. Thanks for quick reply

 

[cam78]

I actually split in half with no problems, thank you. Look what popped out of it, I am trying to find out what kind it is.