Bleach or Boil 150+ lb of LR?

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Echris

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Hi All,

What would be the best method of killing everything on 150+lbs of rock, boiling, bleaching or grinding it into a paste to use as mortar?

If its boiling how long should it boil for?

If its bleaching what ratio of bleach to water should I use, and how long should it soak? I was thinking of soaking it in a Rubbermaid container, then scrubbing it in the bathtub.

I got the rock crusher covered:)

TIA
Eric
 
ECHRIS said:
Hi All,

What would be the best method of killing everything on 150+lbs of rock, boiling, bleaching or grinding it into a paste to use as mortar?

If its boiling how long should it boil for?

If its bleaching what ratio of bleach to water should I use, and how long should it soak? I was thinking of soaking it in a Rubbermaid container, then scrubbing it in the bathtub.

I got the rock crusher covered:)

TIA
Eric
Click to expand...
The Q is why? not how,,,,,,
 
Thanks for the suggestions.

Thincat,

The reason i am doing this is I can't get rid of massive amounts of Halimeda that is growing up through the rock and killing corals. I think it came in on some Haitian LR a few years ago even though we cleaned and examined it. A little bit of this stuff is kinda cool but now I can't see the trees from the forest.

Also I am changing from a 180 acrylic to a 230 glass in wall tank, and don't want to move the problem too.

Apollotheson,

I don't think this would kill the Halimeda.

Scooterman,

Looks like i will be bleaching for a day or so, but I do have one question on the process. Will I need to cure the rock again?

Thanks
Eric
 
You're correct in not wanting to take the problem into the new setup. I agree on the tank having to recycle again, It will give you a chance to do other things withth the setup.
Have fun...........
 
ECHRIS said:
The reason i am doing this is I can't get rid of massive amounts of Halimeda that is growing up through the rock and killing corals. I think it came in on some Haitian LR a few years ago even though we cleaned and examined it. A little bit of this stuff is kinda cool but now I can't see the trees from the forest.
Click to expand...

I am surprised that Halimeda could become that intrusive. You are referring to the, calcium composition cactus type algae? I had tried to grow this in my past and am trying to grow it in my current aquarium with little success.

halimeda_600.jpg
 
Travis, I've had it become quite intrusive in both of my tanks as well. Although, I do like some of it in my displays. Both of my tanks get dosed with Calcium, Alk and Mg on a regular basis though. I believe this is why it's grown so well. Every once in awhile, I have to trim it way back or it starts to shade some of my corals. I have both varieties, large and small leaf. It's kind of hard to see, but here's a shot with the entire right end of my tank growing in it
2155059688_dc4f5552dc.jpg
 
The stuff in my tank was the small round one also known as dollar plant. I will try and dig up some pics with it showing all across the tank but may not have any.

I suspect the reason it got so bad is, because the LR it came in on got spread throughout the tank. Then when it recovered from the curing process it just exploded.

Eric
 
If you bleach all of your rock & start new then your cycle time will need to be kick started & it will take at least a month most probably if not longer but IMO well worth it If your rock is causing you so much problems as it is, I normally recommend that as a last resort type thing, LR isn't cheap.
Travis, I've got enough halimeda to spread any time LOL It can get out of hand If not watched but I've had worse!
 
Wow, I guess my inability to grow this alga is an indication that my water conditions are not optimal. I need to buy a calcium test kit as I am probably low.

I got to say, I am willing to devote a lot of time to this hobby, but at this point I would find it hard to go through all the work you are talking about in order to cook/clean/bleach my rocks. That sounds like an insane amount of work to me. I don’t doubt you will get better results, but I guess I am just a lazy reefer :)

Good luck!
 
travis_ said:
Wow, I guess my inability to grow this alga is an indication that my water conditions are not optimal. I need to buy a calcium test kit as I am probably low.

I got to say, I am willing to devote a lot of time to this hobby, but at this point I would find it hard to go through all the work you are talking about in order to cook/clean/bleach my rocks. That sounds like an insane amount of work to me. I don’t doubt you will get better results, but I guess I am just a lazy reefer :)

Good luck!
Click to expand...
Yup check your CA & ALK!

That process is explained well in the second link I posted, we simplified it some & is for the purpose of not having unwanted algae. It actually makes your husbandry easier in the long run.
 
I would bleach it with Regular Clorox. You must use "Regular" Clorox, no scents.
I have done this dozens of times and all of my rock was bleached when I collected it in the Caribbean. Use a cup of bleach to about 15 or 20 gallons of water.
Leave the rock in there for a week then leave it in fresh water for a few days and let it air dry.
Nice white brand new rock.
 
Well I am finished scrubbing the rock, and it is now siting in Rubbermaid trash cans with 1 cup Amquel each.

Here is what I did,
Picked off most of the surface things I could, and put the rock into 2 Rubbermaid trash cans. At that time it was midnight and I wasn't going to scrub, so i filled both cans with hot water, bleach and a powerhead, and let them sit for 12+ hours. Then scrubbed and rinsed the nice white rock in the bathtub for 3 hours or so, and put them back into the trash cans.

I used a lot of bleach do you think I should change the water in a few days and add more Amquel, or just change the water and let the curing process start?

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, it looks like I used bits of them all.

Eric
 
I'd most definitely rinse well & even soak a long time in new water with the Amquel, I got in a rush one time & it hurt a few corals.
 
you people scare me i think i would have cut back on calcuim levels until the halmeade fail to keep growing i tryed to get it to grow in my tank and it seems it dont do well unless you have high calcuim levels chemical war fare will at some point come back to haunt you
 
I had the most horrible HA problem in a 5 year old tank. No mater what I did I could not get on top of it. The tank is a 210g. My solution was to use 1 gallon of Clorox in the system. The problem turned white before I finished poring. I removed the rock and let it dry out for a week. I then placed them a 35 gallon container and filled it with tap water. I drained and filled about 5 times. Then I took the rock out and blasted it with as high pressure my faucet has. I then put it back in the tank, filled with tap water and added Amquel. I drained the tank once more and added salt water. Worked like a charm
 
I would put it in a dark container for a week with heater and circulation and low salinity. You would think it would kill off the plant with out using bleach.


dngspot said:
I had the most horrible HA problem in a 5 year old tank. No mater what I did I could not get on top of it. The tank is a 210g. My solution was to use 1 gallon of Clorox in the system. The problem turned white before I finished poring. I removed the rock and let it dry out for a week. I then placed them a 35 gallon container and filled it with tap water. I drained and filled about 5 times. Then I took the rock out and blasted it with as high pressure my faucet has. I then put it back in the tank, filled with tap water and added Amquel. I drained the tank once more and added salt water. Worked like a charm
Click to expand...
 
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