Curing dry rock

zhasan · #1 01-09-2017, 06:33 AM

For my new build I have about 150 lbs of rock.

All the rock is dry. It was live once upon a time...

My concern is the bubble algea that was present on the rock I bought from a fellow reefer.

I want to make sure I don't carry any bubble algea to my new setup.

I'm thinking of doing a vinegar bath on the rock. Saw a couple of videos on YouTube so thought I should check with the Canreef community before proceeding.

I've also seen people do muriatic acid baths but I preferably want to stay away from that.

Any advise is helpful.

Plan is to keep the rock submerged in a 75/25 mixture of tap water/vinegar for 48 hours. Then rinse the rock thoroughly with tap water. After which, I'll do a 100 wager change and keep the rock in salt water and leave it in darkness for about 2 weeks with a power head and a heater.

I will also be dropping a shrimp in there for the cycle to start and a lid full of Microbacter from Brightwell Aquarics for the cycle to start.

This will hopefully kill any and all remnants of any type of pest in the rock.

Looking forward to see if someone else has tried the vinegar method.

DKoKoMan · #2 01-09-2017, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zhasan

For my new build I have about 150 lbs of rock.

All the rock is dry. It was live once upon a time...

My concern is the bubble algea that was present on the rock I bought from a fellow reefer.

I want to make sure I don't carry any bubble algea to my new setup.

I'm thinking of doing a vinegar bath on the rock. Saw a couple of videos on YouTube so thought I should check with the Canreef community before proceeding.

I've also seen people do muriatic acid baths but I preferably want to stay away from that.

Any advise is helpful.

Plan is to keep the rock submerged in a 75/25 mixture of tap water/vinegar for 48 hours. Then rinse the rock thoroughly with tap water. After which, I'll do a 100 wager change and keep the rock in salt water and leave it in darkness for about 2 weeks with a power head and a heater.

I will also be dropping a shrimp in there for the cycle to start and a lid full of Microbacter from Brightwell Aquarics for the cycle to start.

This will hopefully kill any and all remnants of any type of pest in the rock.

Looking forward to see if someone else has tried the vinegar method.

Haven't tried the method, but I'm planning on doing that with some of the dry rock I have obtained. I can't see any negative side effects as the rock is "dead" in state and you are not trying to preserve living organisms.

NU-2reef · #3 01-09-2017, 05:39 PM

Muratic acid is probably the best way to force out any phosphates that are held within the rock which would leach out when you go to set up your new tank.

I have done 3 days bleach/water then rinse then soak 3 days in baking soda/water then final rinse in rodi for 3days changing water daily. And finally sunbake till dry. And after all that still had algae growing.

now I just buy live rock and will never do dry again.

sobe · #4 01-09-2017, 10:55 PM

Use a hard bristle brush as well to scrub the rock. You know once it's completely white and it's "dead" algae will still grow on it depending what kind of algae you are looking for, you will still get green, brown and possibly hair.
What you want is coralline to grow on the rock and coralline can only be introduced to the tank

But Bubble algae shouldn't not come back as long as rock has been completely dried out and crud brushed off.

You could however leech phosphate from the rock from its nook and crannies. Use a something that can take care of phosphate after your vinegar bath. I haven't tried it but use Fozdown or lanthalum to suck out phosphate, gfo is expensive, just measure the phosphate before you start cycling the rocks to see if it's leeching.

iceman86 · #5 01-10-2017, 12:03 AM

I was given a bunch of rock that was completely covered in every algae possible. I put it in a garbage bin with water and muriatic acid for 15 minutes and they came out looking brand new. I started a new tank with them and I never got a phosphate reading.

zhasan · #6 01-10-2017, 12:29 AM

Reading the posts above and watching some videos on youtube, I've decided to go with Muriatic Acid bath.

Its -20 outside so I'm thinking I can't perform this task outside.

I would do it in the garage, but would the cold affect effectiveness of the acid reaction process? Also, If I have to let it sit for about 1/2 hr or so, it might start to freeze up but maybe not if there is heat generating due to the chemical reaction.

I'm wondering if muriatic acid rec a fiberglass bathtub?

As far as the process is concerned, here is what I've learned so far.

Fill up the container with rock and submerge it with normal tap water.
Slowly start pouring acid in the container up to 10% of the water volume.
Let sit and watch the magic happen.
Add baking soda to neutralize the process.
Dump out all the water
Thoroughly wash the rock and let dry for couple of days.

Would those who've successfully completed the process, please confirm if I have it down right?

thanks!

corpusse · #7 01-10-2017, 01:06 AM

Good choice, but I'd do this outside if possible. -20 is not normal for Richmond BC, even here in northern Ontario it's rarely -20 for more then a couple of days in a row. Closer to 0 you should be fine to do it.

It will etch the concrete if you do it in the garage, I'm not sure about the bath tub. I was a little surprised how little grass I killed when I did my rock in the summer.

After you wash and dry the rock I'd soak it in RO for a day or so. I tried mine in the sun so of course I got dust ect but since you are doing this in the winter you will have to dry it out inside, still can't hurt.

Myka · #8 01-10-2017, 02:05 AM

I can't remember how much acid to water off he top of my head, but I did one rock at a time because some get eaten away quickly. I had the acid tub, then a tub of tap water with a wack of baking soda in it and then just an empty tub. I put a rock in the tub? Watched it fizz, checked every 60 secs or so. Most rocks were 3-5 mins each. As soon as each one was done it went in the baking soda bath until the next rock was done.

As said, the acid will damage concrete in the garage...even one drop will be forever etched.

After you're done, check the ph with a digital ph meter and just keep letting it cir cute with a powerhead in ro until the ph is back over 7. Then empty it and refill with saltwater and add your shrimp. I prefer to ghost feed some pellets, like maybe 10 a day. Shrimp are huge and take a long time to disintegrate.

duncangweller · #9 01-10-2017, 02:55 AM

This is the process that I have used a couple of times courtesy of Warren (Wardog) and I hope he doesn't mind me passing it on.

Anywho, it worked perfect both times.

warriorcookie · #10 01-10-2017, 04:12 PM

"it's critical you the acid to the water, and not the other way around."

The 3 A's of handling Acid: Always Add Acid. Many industrial accidents happen every year because someone can't remember if you add acid first or water first.

If you do it the other way around it could boil and splash you.