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canadianbudz604
05-20-2013, 09:57 PM
With a new tank coming soon I have some dead rock that I would like to give a bleach bath so i can have the rock ready for when my new tank is set up. I know people use acid but I would rather not play around with it. Can someone help me with the steps to bathing it in bleach. (Type of bleach, how much of it, how long the rock sits in it etc) thanks for the help. I have around 20lbs or so.

canadianbudz604
05-20-2013, 10:30 PM
Or the steps for vinegar is also appreciated

Cal_stir
05-20-2013, 10:48 PM
10:1 ratio water:bleach, Clorox, 24 hours, rinse(some use a pressure washer) and soak and rinse again and let dry(in the sun if possible).Skip the let dry part if rinsing in acid.
10:1 water to muriatic acid or about 2:1 water to vinegar, soak for a few hours and rinse, soak and rinse in rodi, now the rock should be cooked for a few months in a dark container with salt water, a power head and water changes and seeded with bacteria before putting in a system.

canadianbudz604
05-20-2013, 11:45 PM
The rock has been out of water dry for 3-4 months so it is dry rock. Using vinegar or bleach is still necessary? And the dry rock will eventually go in the system with my 40lbs of cured rock that's full of corals/life.

Cal_stir
05-21-2013, 01:35 AM
the vinegar or bleach bath will remove the surface layer of the rock effectively cleaning the surface of dead and unwanted organisms and neutralizes the bleach.
Even though it is dry that doesn't mean it is dead, some organisms are just laying dormant waiting for the water to return, I've read that aiptasia can lay dormant for years, after bleaching, the rock will be dead and will have to be cycled and repopulated with bacteria before it will be effective as live rock, this is best done in a container without light, if you introduce it into as system without cooking it it will be vulnerable to algae, cyano, diatoms, etc.
It would probably be ok to sump it but I wouldn't put it straight into a display tank.