Bleaching Live rock

[stigigemla]

I know it is a long time. A very long time.
I would just put the stone in a separate tank and heat it to more than 104 degrees for 24 hours.
Of course the most in and on the stone will die so the stone has to be cured with start up bacteria in another tank preferably with circulation and skimmer. Phosphate reduction may be good to.

 

[mfinn]

That can be dangerous.

 

[stigigemla]

As long as you remove all the corals and other bigger animals i dont see a risk.
Of course you have to be extremly careful if you have Palythoa or Protopalythoa.

 

[spieszak]

Heat can build in the pores of the rock to higher temperatures than those external. This can cause the rock to crack or burst.... in a tank, that can be a disaster regardless of the risk with palytoxin

 

[stigigemla]

That risk would only be theoretical. I do not see any risk for such a fast bacterial build up.
And the stones in the warm tank will not have a fancy bacteria build up. They are just lying there a day to get warmth from the outside.
I have used the method several times to get rid of Aiptasia. Copepods and Amphipods did die. I just let the stone cool down and back in the tank.
If you only treat a minor part of the stone in the tank there is no change in coral behavior or chemical values.

 

[spieszak]

Yes, since I've WATCHED rock crack and and burst at temperatures much less than boiling, but apparently you haven't, it must just be a theory.

 

[stigigemla]

104 degrees is far from boiling. I have personally have had that temperature and more several times. (Last time it was Palytoxin poisoning). But of course i do not put the warm stones directly in a "live" tank.