Dried live rock

[fishyscientist]

We have lots of dead old live rock that we wanted to seed with live sand and a few pieces of live rock from the store. Should we clean or soak the dead rock in anything before using it to cycle our tank? Also, our tank was purchased from a former hobbyist...it has some grit in the bottom. Should we clean the inside of the tank with anything? Both the rock and tank have been indoors for a few years now.

 

[fishyscientist]

Ok I take that back... The dead rock has been outside (in the south Louisiana summer) in plastic bins but the tank has been inside.

 

[jay0705]

Wash the rock lol

 

[silverado61]

Actually if the rock used to be live you need to cure the rock as if its still live. Anything that lived in the rock before it was taken out of the water is still in the rock. It's just dead now. But you just put it back in water the "corpses" will just continue to rot, picking up where they left off and foul the tank.

 

[fishyscientist]

How do you cure the rock? Just by going through the nitrogen cycle, or is there some other treatment? And to Jay, what should I wash it with, just hot water? I would think you can't use any cleaners!!!

 

[silverado61]

Just washing the rock won't get rid of whatever is inside the rock.
Yuup. Cure just like you would live rock. Keeping an eye on ammonia and nitrites.

 

[trigger40]

i agree with silverado61 all the living things that were on ther is still on ther but dead and rotting.

 

[jay0705]

I should have went into more detail lol. Mr Silverado is correct cure it. I would rinse it off in just water to remove what u can then let it cure. Now if its a new uncycled tank. Just put it in and let the cycle happen.

 

[silverado61]

The bottom of the tank sounds like calcium build up. If it is, you can just leave and bury it. If your unsure, you can fill the tank up half way with water put a cup of white vinegar and a strong power head in there and just let it churn for a couple of days. Afterwards, empty the tank, refill it with RO water and the power head and let that run for a couple of hrs. Rinse and repeat. Then rinse the heck out of it one last time.
Especially if its an acrylic tank. I wouldn't scrape it if it is.