What is the best way to cure dry L. Rock?

[the6goat6man6]

I have a box of rock that was given to me. I wasn't going to use any of it , but after looking at it there are a few nice peices. He removed it from his tank and scrubed it, now it is completly dry, clean looking. I asked and he said he used water from his well to wash it.

Should I use new salt water or some from a water change? High flow? Hang on filter and heater ? I don't think I need any light cause there's nothing live on it, right?

Do I do water changes while it cures? or just watch the water perrameters?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

I would put it in a pail with a heater and small powerhead along with some live rubble and let nature do it's job

 

[returnofsid]

You need flow, but you don't need high flow. You don't need light. Water source shouldn't really matter, so I'd use old water, from water changes. Once your have nitrates, and ammonia and nitrites are zero, you'll want to start doing water changes, to reduce nitrates.

If the rock is sterile, with no dead material on it, you're going to have to add something, to kick start the cycle. A few pinches of flake food is enough to do this.

If the rock has dead material on it, ie, algae, sponges, etc, that dead material will start the cycle.

Monitor the water parameters, to follow the cycle.
First, you'll have a rise in ammonia and then a spike.
As ammonia drops, you'll notice Nitrites rise, and spike.
As Nitrites drop, you'll notice Nitrates rise and spike.

At this point, you'll need to start doing water changes, to bring down the nitrates. Once you have your nitrates low, or undetectable, your cycle is complete!

I'd warn against doing this, inside the home, in a room that's habitated by you and your family. It could create quite a nasty odor!!

 

[the6goat6man6]

Thank you, should I add some food to start it just incase? What about airation? I have some small protein skimmers?

 

[returnofsid]

A protein skimmer would definitely help, but isn't required. Aeration will be accomplished by your flow. Adding a pinch of fish food, or a frozen prawn, wouldn't hurt, but if there's any dead material, on the live rock, that'll be enough.

 

[the6goat6man6]

cool, I think I will add some food just to make sure

Thank you

 

[Myteemouse]

YEP I threw a few dead silversides in my tub of 150lbs of rock and it worked GREAT about three weeks and it was ready for tank!

 

[Herefishyfishy]

I thought silver sides were fileted Coho, threw in a few of them, and man did that room reek to high Heaven!
Next time I'll stick to herring for the halibut:loco:

 

[the6goat6man6]

I am going to try and run some vent tubes out the window of my utility room. By putting a couple of holes in the lid, a little smaller than the pvc (so it is snug). then run the pipes outside, if figure two should be good, one in and one out. I will see how this works.

 

[returnofsid]

The idea of venting, may help with odor, BUT, may result in a lack of oxygen, a build up in Co2, which will result in dropping the pH, possibly killing the beneficial bacteria that you're trying to culture.

 

[burning2nd]

slowly introduce it to your system... assuming that you have real dead rock... ( not so much live rock now) ( but at one time Lr) just slowly introduce it to your tank... a established tank will have no problem making a new home out of this new white rock

I love the 2nd week period when the new rock is covered with billions of pods, right b4 the algae gets its hold

 

[the6goat6man6]

The idea of venting, may help with odor, BUT, may result in a lack of oxygen, a build up in Co2, which will result in dropping the pH, possibly killing the beneficial bacteria that you're trying to culture.

I was going to put two, one in and one out, at diff levels. one pointing down and one pointing up with a "t" at the bottom

 

[mcoomer]

slowly introduce it to your system... assuming that you have real dead rock... ( not so much live rock now) ( but at one time Lr) just slowly introduce it to your tank... a established tank will have no problem making a new home out of this new white rock

I agree with this. If you've already got an established tank, and if the rock is truly dry and dead, I'd add it a few pieces at a time to your tank. I've done this a number of times in my 125 and I'm getting ready to add two pieces to my 180. If I know that the rock has undesirable algae or pests on it then yeah, it gets cooked and cured. If it's dead and dry it goes in the tank.

Mike