Old Dead Live Rock

jrice0309 · 04/23/2009, 08:25 PM

I recently acquired about 20 lbs of dead or dry rock. It had been outside someones house for some time. I have sprayed it off well with very hot water. It has some green algae on it from being outside in the rain. Is there any way I can add this to my new tank? My tank has not been set up yet, I would seed this with Live rock. Just want to be sure I clean it off well before I put it in. It will be cycled so hopefully a lot of whatever is bad on it will dye. Can I boil it?? Just to be sure its clean?

Thanks

Sisterlimonpot · 04/23/2009, 08:35 PM

Cook it. then it will be lace rock but eventually will become live again.

drummereef · 04/23/2009, 08:36 PM

I don't see why not. I've boiled, baked, you name it to kill rock.

You can also "cook" the rock if you are familiar with that term. I'll try and find the FAQ guide to cooking live rock. The only concern I would have would be since it was outside there's always risk of pesticides or fertilizer contamination. Do you feel there was any risk of this?

jrice0309 · 04/23/2009, 08:39 PM

No pesticides or fertilizer. Its on the stove right now in a big pot taking a bath.

drummereef · 04/23/2009, 08:40 PM

Found it......

Equipment needed.
1. Dedication.
2. Tubs to cook rock in. And an equal amount of tubs to hold the rock during waterchanges.
3. A few powerheads.
4. Plenty of buckets.
5. A smug feeling of superiority that you are taking it to "the next level."

Here are the steps, if you have any questions I will try my best to answer them. What I don't know I am sure Bomber can/will instruct.

1. Get into your head and accept the fact you will be making lots of salt water if you aren't lucky enough to have access to filtered NSW.
2. Explain to significant other what is going on so they don't flip out. This process can take up to 2 months. Prepare them in advance so he/she can mark it on the calendar and that they won't nag about it until that date arrives.
3. Setup a tub(s) where the rock is to be cooked. Garages are great for this.
4. Make up enough water to fill tub(s) about halfway and around 5-7 buckets about 60% full.
5. Remove all the rock you want to cook at this stage. (The rock can be removed piece by piece until you are done.) I suggest shutting off the circulation beforehand to minimize dust storms.
6. Take the first piece of rock and dunk it, swish it, very, very well in the first bucket. Then do it again in the 2nd bucket, then the third.
7. Place rock in the tub.
8. Repeat steps 6 & 7 to every piece of rock you want to cook at this time. The reason I suggested 5-7 buckets of water will be evident quickly...as the water quickly turnsq brown.
9. Place powerhead(s) in the tub and plug in. Position at least one powerhead so that it agitates the surface of the water pretty well. This is to keep the water oxygenated. You can use an air pump for additional oxygenation if you wish.
9. Cover the tub. Remember, we want total darkness.
10. Empty out buckets, restart circulation on main tank.
11. Wait.
12. During the first couple of weeks it is recommended to do a swishing and dunking of the rocks twice a week.
What this entails is to make up enough water to fill up those buckets and the tub the rock is in.
First, lay out your empty tub(s) and fill buckets the same as before.
Then, uncover tub with the rock in it. Take a rock and swish it in the tub it's in to knock any easy to get off junk.
Then, swish it thru the 3 buckets again, and place in the empty tub..
Repeat for all your rocks.
Then empty the tub that all the rocks were cooking in, take it outside and rinse it out with a hose.
Place tub back where it was, fill with new saltwater, add rocks and powerheads, and cover.
Wait again unti the next water change.
You will be utterly amazed at how much sand, silt, detrius is at the bottom of the tub and every bucket. It is amazing.

How it works:

Some FAQ's.
When re-introducing the rock to my tank, a month or two from now, should I do that in parts to help minimize any cycling effect(s)...if there are any?
I never have. Really after a very short while, the ammonium cycle has been extablished. That's not what you're worry about though, it's the stored phosphates and that you have to wait it out.
When they are producing very little detritus - you'll know - then I would use them all at once.

Would running Carbon filtration and/or a PO4 reducing media help/hurry/hinder the process?
I wouldn't fool with it. You don't want the detritus to sit there long enough to rot, release water soluble P again. You want to take it out while it's still locked up in that bacterial detritus.

jrice0309 · 04/23/2009, 08:42 PM

and would I need to "cook" it if its going to be cycling in a new tank? The cooking process seems a little long. I was going to start my tank tomorrow!!

drummereef · 04/23/2009, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jrice0309
and would I need to "cook" it if its going to be cycling in a new tank? The cooking process seems a little long. I was going to start my tank tomorrow!!

No. The cooking process doesn't kill the rock like you are doing. It is used to revive live rock that is riddled with problems like severe algae problems. What you are doing is actually making base rock. Which you already had, but you're making base rock without algae.

jrice0309 · 04/23/2009, 08:54 PM

Haha yep. Wonder if there was even a remote chance of reviving it. It has been outside for probably 4 years!

Thanks for the help!

drummereef · 04/23/2009, 08:55 PM

That would be 0%.

Sorry.

jrice0309 · 04/23/2009, 08:58 PM

haha thought so. Like the 180 in the wall. CAD drawing are nice too. Are you an engineer?

drummereef · 04/23/2009, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jrice0309
haha thought so. Like the 180 in the wall. CAD drawing are nice too. Are you an engineer?

Thank you.

I'm actually a professional musician, and a closet carpenter.

Sisterlimonpot · 04/23/2009, 09:20 PM

I just noticed that I contradicted myself. Sorry for the confusion.

Sisterlimonpot · 04/23/2009, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by drummereef
Thank you. I'm actually a professional musician, and a closet carpenter.

since were off topic, Drummereef,
what is the picture of in your avitar? It kinda looks like some sort of LPS but then again it looks like a school of tangs....

drummereef · 04/23/2009, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sisterlimonpot
since were off topic, Drummereef,
what is the picture of in your avitar? It kinda looks like some sort of LPS but then again it looks like a school of tangs....

It's a school of blue tangs. With a little photoshop.

PRDubois · 04/23/2009, 11:08 PM

It's a picture of his 20 gal tank, call the tang watch!!

Sisterlimonpot · 04/23/2009, 11:11 PM

They look happy in that 20

. No need to call the authorities

PRDubois · 04/23/2009, 11:15 PM

Back to subject, Boiling it will work fine. I have done it for years in the freshwater tank. Boil for 20 min and there in not going to be anything alive in it. One month in the tank and you will see life on it again.

drummereef · 04/23/2009, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PRDubois
It's a picture of his 20 gal tank, call the tang watch!!

They're just in there for a little while until I can find them a better home... I promise.

drummereef · 04/23/2009, 11:48 PM

On another note.... does it smell like a crab boil in your kitchen yet jrice0309? Last time I did that my house smelled like seafood for a week.

PRDubois · 04/24/2009, 12:19 AM

Dont use Beer or Oldbay

04/23/2009, 08:25 PM	#1
jrice0309 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: VA, USA Posts: 86	Old Dead Live Rock I recently acquired about 20 lbs of dead or dry rock. It had been outside someones house for some time. I have sprayed it off well with very hot water. It has some green algae on it from being outside in the rain. Is there any way I can add this to my new tank? My tank has not been set up yet, I would seed this with Live rock. Just want to be sure I clean it off well before I put it in. It will be cycled so hopefully a lot of whatever is bad on it will dye. Can I boil it?? Just to be sure its clean? Thanks

04/23/2009, 08:35 PM	#2
Sisterlimonpot R.C. Fraternity President Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Litchfeild Park AZ Posts: 11,490 Blog Entries: 2	Cook it. then it will be lace rock but eventually will become live again. __________________ Jimmy MASVC President Dishes are done man! Current Tank Info: 300 in progress

04/23/2009, 08:36 PM	#3
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	I don't see why not. I've boiled, baked, you name it to kill rock. You can also "cook" the rock if you are familiar with that term. I'll try and find the FAQ guide to cooking live rock. The only concern I would have would be since it was outside there's always risk of pesticides or fertilizer contamination. Do you feel there was any risk of this? __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

04/23/2009, 08:40 PM	#5
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	Found it...... Equipment needed. 1. Dedication. 2. Tubs to cook rock in. And an equal amount of tubs to hold the rock during waterchanges. 3. A few powerheads. 4. Plenty of buckets. 5. A smug feeling of superiority that you are taking it to "the next level." Here are the steps, if you have any questions I will try my best to answer them. What I don't know I am sure Bomber can/will instruct. 1. Get into your head and accept the fact you will be making lots of salt water if you aren't lucky enough to have access to filtered NSW. 2. Explain to significant other what is going on so they don't flip out. This process can take up to 2 months. Prepare them in advance so he/she can mark it on the calendar and that they won't nag about it until that date arrives. 3. Setup a tub(s) where the rock is to be cooked. Garages are great for this. 4. Make up enough water to fill tub(s) about halfway and around 5-7 buckets about 60% full. 5. Remove all the rock you want to cook at this stage. (The rock can be removed piece by piece until you are done.) I suggest shutting off the circulation beforehand to minimize dust storms. 6. Take the first piece of rock and dunk it, swish it, very, very well in the first bucket. Then do it again in the 2nd bucket, then the third. 7. Place rock in the tub. 8. Repeat steps 6 & 7 to every piece of rock you want to cook at this time. The reason I suggested 5-7 buckets of water will be evident quickly...as the water quickly turnsq brown. 9. Place powerhead(s) in the tub and plug in. Position at least one powerhead so that it agitates the surface of the water pretty well. This is to keep the water oxygenated. You can use an air pump for additional oxygenation if you wish. 9. Cover the tub. Remember, we want total darkness. 10. Empty out buckets, restart circulation on main tank. 11. Wait. 12. During the first couple of weeks it is recommended to do a swishing and dunking of the rocks twice a week. What this entails is to make up enough water to fill up those buckets and the tub the rock is in. First, lay out your empty tub(s) and fill buckets the same as before. Then, uncover tub with the rock in it. Take a rock and swish it in the tub it's in to knock any easy to get off junk. Then, swish it thru the 3 buckets again, and place in the empty tub.. Repeat for all your rocks. Then empty the tub that all the rocks were cooking in, take it outside and rinse it out with a hose. Place tub back where it was, fill with new saltwater, add rocks and powerheads, and cover. Wait again unti the next water change. You will be utterly amazed at how much sand, silt, detrius is at the bottom of the tub and every bucket. It is amazing. How it works: Some FAQ's. When re-introducing the rock to my tank, a month or two from now, should I do that in parts to help minimize any cycling effect(s)...if there are any? I never have. Really after a very short while, the ammonium cycle has been extablished. That's not what you're worry about though, it's the stored phosphates and that you have to wait it out. When they are producing very little detritus - you'll know - then I would use them all at once. Would running Carbon filtration and/or a PO4 reducing media help/hurry/hinder the process? I wouldn't fool with it. You don't want the detritus to sit there long enough to rot, release water soluble P again. You want to take it out while it's still locked up in that bacterial detritus. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

04/23/2009, 08:55 PM	#9
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	That would be 0%. Sorry. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

04/23/2009, 08:39 PM	#4
jrice0309 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: VA, USA Posts: 86	No pesticides or fertilizer. Its on the stove right now in a big pot taking a bath.

04/23/2009, 08:42 PM	#6
jrice0309 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: VA, USA Posts: 86	and would I need to "cook" it if its going to be cycling in a new tank? The cooking process seems a little long. I was going to start my tank tomorrow!!

04/23/2009, 08:54 PM	#8
jrice0309 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: VA, USA Posts: 86	Haha yep. Wonder if there was even a remote chance of reviving it. It has been outside for probably 4 years! Thanks for the help!

04/23/2009, 08:58 PM	#10
jrice0309 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: VA, USA Posts: 86	haha thought so. Like the 180 in the wall. CAD drawing are nice too. Are you an engineer?

04/23/2009, 09:20 PM	#12
Sisterlimonpot R.C. Fraternity President Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Litchfeild Park AZ Posts: 11,490 Blog Entries: 2	I just noticed that I contradicted myself. Sorry for the confusion. __________________ Jimmy MASVC President Dishes are done man! Current Tank Info: 300 in progress

04/23/2009, 11:08 PM	#15
PRDubois Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chester, VA Posts: 3,626	It's a picture of his 20 gal tank, call the tang watch!! __________________ http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2534403 Current Tank Info: 225 gal Reef, 60 gal reef & 40b frag tank

04/23/2009, 11:11 PM	#16
Sisterlimonpot R.C. Fraternity President Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Litchfeild Park AZ Posts: 11,490 Blog Entries: 2	They look happy in that 20 . No need to call the authorities __________________ Jimmy MASVC President Dishes are done man! Current Tank Info: 300 in progress

04/23/2009, 11:15 PM	#17
PRDubois Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chester, VA Posts: 3,626	Back to subject, Boiling it will work fine. I have done it for years in the freshwater tank. Boil for 20 min and there in not going to be anything alive in it. One month in the tank and you will see life on it again. __________________ http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2534403 Current Tank Info: 225 gal Reef, 60 gal reef & 40b frag tank

04/23/2009, 11:48 PM	#19
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	On another note.... does it smell like a crab boil in your kitchen yet jrice0309? Last time I did that my house smelled like seafood for a week. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

04/24/2009, 12:19 AM	#20
PRDubois Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chester, VA Posts: 3,626	Dont use Beer or Oldbay __________________ http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2534403 Current Tank Info: 225 gal Reef, 60 gal reef & 40b frag tank