How long to keep rock out of water, then what do I do with it?

[zum14]

So I have had a piece of LR in a rubbermaid tub with some others for the last 2 months, I have been trying to "cook" it of all life as I was not able to get 2 crabs out of it no matter what I tried. Last week a fellow reefer asked why I hadn't just taken it out of water and let it dry out? (thanks whatcaneyedo) So ya after feeling silly for not thinking of that, I took it out of the water and its been out of water for a week. What im trying to figure out is how long should I leave it to "dry out" to ensure the crabs or anything in there is dryed out, then should I put it in a tub of its own incase of a cycle? or would the 2 months of cooking have already starved most all the bacteria in the rock anyways and just rinse it off and add directly to the display tank??? Opinions?

[gobytron]

If you're just gonna kill the rock, why not do a freshwater dip/bath?

IME, crabs and almost all inverts come out of the rock pretty quick when placed in some cold fresh water...

This way, you dont wind up with all the dead stuff inside the rock, all dried up.

After you kill the rock, one way or the other, when you put it back into your display depends on how much established LR is already in there and what inhabitants you have so far.

[zum14]

Well im wondering if im already past killing everything already. I dunked the entire rock in club soda trying to evacuate them after pouring the club over the rock didnt work. That was the point where it went into the rubbermaid tub. After that its been out of water for over a week now. Ive got probably close to 30 lbs in the tank as it sits, one filefish in the tank, and corals. Well whats left from him picking at the lps.

[Rogue951]

I'm pretty sure a crab cant live without water even inside a rock for a week. I'd say it's safe.