Cleaning dead rock

valenbj · 10/21/2008, 01:19 PM

So I've been out of the reef keeping for a few years. I still have my 125 Gallon tank filled with live rock (well now its 'dead' as the tank has been dry for 3+years...). Anyway I'm thinking of setting it all up again and was wondering if there is any thing special I should do with this dead rock - i.e. just cleaning it off in freshwater, brushing it, some sort of acid bath, etc...

Ideas? Suggestions?

crvz · 10/21/2008, 02:51 PM

Welcome aboard! I'd rinse it out well, some folks have even suggested pressure washing it, but otherwise I would probably just stick it in salt water and start curing it. You'll want to seed it with a bit of live rock from an established tank, which should be easy to find. Good luck!

whitleyjb · 10/21/2008, 07:05 PM

I would scrub it and rinse it off.

As for curing, I would start it in a garage if possible, because it will smell the first few days as all the dead matter is being cured.

valenbj · 10/22/2008, 07:29 AM

Ok - thanks for the info. Looks like I don't have to do anything too fancy.

...looking forward to getting the tank going again.

10/21/2008, 01:19 PM	#1
valenbj Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Pekin, IL Posts: 24	Cleaning dead rock So I've been out of the reef keeping for a few years. I still have my 125 Gallon tank filled with live rock (well now its 'dead' as the tank has been dry for 3+years...). Anyway I'm thinking of setting it all up again and was wondering if there is any thing special I should do with this dead rock - i.e. just cleaning it off in freshwater, brushing it, some sort of acid bath, etc... Ideas? Suggestions?

10/21/2008, 02:51 PM	#2
crvz Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: houstonia Posts: 7,989	Welcome aboard! I'd rinse it out well, some folks have even suggested pressure washing it, but otherwise I would probably just stick it in salt water and start curing it. You'll want to seed it with a bit of live rock from an established tank, which should be easy to find. Good luck! __________________ -Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet?

10/21/2008, 07:05 PM	#3
whitleyjb Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Huntersville, NC Posts: 116	I would scrub it and rinse it off. As for curing, I would start it in a garage if possible, because it will smell the first few days as all the dead matter is being cured.

10/22/2008, 07:29 AM	#4
valenbj Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Pekin, IL Posts: 24	Ok - thanks for the info. Looks like I don't have to do anything too fancy. ...looking forward to getting the tank going again.