Best way to boil clean liverock

Apartmenttank · 09/08/2015, 11:50 PM

So i have some liverock that i am restoring, it had coral on it that i wanted to kill. So i left it in a 5 gallon salt water bucket for 3 weeks with no circulation on accident. I was to focused on the main tank.

I couldn't take the smell of it after that so i ended up bleaching it for 24 hours. Now that it has been bleached i put it into RODI water for a week. I just tested the ammonia of it just to make sure there was no further die off and got a zero.

Now should i Rinse the rock in more RODI water to make sure it is 100% clean? Then should i dry it out in the sun or am i good to put it into my system(60 gallon 50lbs of rock in there 4 fish few corals) Is there any risk to putting it in there?

I heard that Clean base rock with nothing on it will Cause no problems in a established system as i do not need to add any more bacteria the tank currently has plenty.

If you have another suggestion for this please let me know, also now that you are done reading this i am not stupid enough to boil liverock.

platypusklr · 09/09/2015, 02:33 AM

Keep an eye on the phosphates, dry rock, especially pukani and some of the other indo pacific stuff can leach a heck of alot. Also did you test for ammonia using a saltwater or freshwater kit following the rodi soak. Shouldn't cause a cycle to an already established system. Maybe stick it in the sump for a few days and keep a close before/after look at your phosphates and have phosban on hand to prevent a algae/cyano bloom

Apartmenttank · 09/09/2015, 02:39 AM

I have Phosban have not had to use it yet. Doing pretty good on algae (bought my tank used and established over a year). The sump idea is good it will be pushing it room wise, the sump is undersized for the tank it is one of my goals to change in the future. After the Skimmer a little bit of rock, heaters, Temp gauge float switch... it holds about 7 gallons.

I will try to fit both of them in it. thank you for the advice!

billdogg · 09/09/2015, 04:54 AM

You can let it sit out in the sun, you can power wash it (using high pressure water only - no soap) you can "cook" it in a bucket of saltwater to allow it to cure (leech out any bad stuff)

what you cannot do is BOIL YOUR ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If there is anything harmful on them, boiling will cause it to become aerosolised and could be VERY harmful to you and anyone in your house.

If it were mine, and it appears to be clean (no dead/decaying matter) then I would continue to soak it, check again in a week or so, and if it still tests at 0 for Nitrates and phosphates, put it to use in the tank

Sk8r · 09/09/2015, 09:44 AM

^^^^^^^^^^^^^THIS! DEATH is a possible consequence of heating rock with a stove.

Apartmenttank · 09/09/2015, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sk8r

^^^^^^^^^^^^^THIS! DEATH is a possible consequence of heating rock with a stove.

you didn't finish reading my post did you.

Ok so soak it more, and double check it.

billdogg · 09/09/2015, 03:20 PM

I read your whole post. Those who don't, however, will see the title and perhaps think they can, indeed, boil their rocks.

nuxx · 09/09/2015, 06:01 PM

Muriatic Acid and Water bath.

Make sure you add the acid AFTER the water in a well ventilated (outdoor) area.

Don't need that much acid to do the job.

Just be extremely careful, it's nasty stuff.

Then rinse off in RODI and let dry in the sun.

SandJ · 09/09/2015, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billdogg

you can power wash it (using high pressure water only - no soap)

If there is anything "bad" on the rock, it should not be power/pressure washed either. That can also cause the toxins to be aerosolized.

09/08/2015, 11:50 PM	#1
Apartmenttank Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 160	Best way to boil clean liverock So i have some liverock that i am restoring, it had coral on it that i wanted to kill. So i left it in a 5 gallon salt water bucket for 3 weeks with no circulation on accident. I was to focused on the main tank. I couldn't take the smell of it after that so i ended up bleaching it for 24 hours. Now that it has been bleached i put it into RODI water for a week. I just tested the ammonia of it just to make sure there was no further die off and got a zero. Now should i Rinse the rock in more RODI water to make sure it is 100% clean? Then should i dry it out in the sun or am i good to put it into my system(60 gallon 50lbs of rock in there 4 fish few corals) Is there any risk to putting it in there? I heard that Clean base rock with nothing on it will Cause no problems in a established system as i do not need to add any more bacteria the tank currently has plenty. If you have another suggestion for this please let me know, also now that you are done reading this i am not stupid enough to boil liverock.

09/09/2015, 02:33 AM	#2
platypusklr Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Nashville Indiana Posts: 126	Keep an eye on the phosphates, dry rock, especially pukani and some of the other indo pacific stuff can leach a heck of alot. Also did you test for ammonia using a saltwater or freshwater kit following the rodi soak. Shouldn't cause a cycle to an already established system. Maybe stick it in the sump for a few days and keep a close before/after look at your phosphates and have phosban on hand to prevent a algae/cyano bloom __________________ Made the mistakes. Saving for the dream build. My tank saved my life. It was truly the best cure for the daily thoughts, and nightly dreams of a troubled Soldier. Current Tank Info: Tankless for the next couple years until my Army Career comes to a close! (20 years going strong)

09/09/2015, 04:54 AM	#4
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	You can let it sit out in the sun, you can power wash it (using high pressure water only - no soap) you can "cook" it in a bucket of saltwater to allow it to cure (leech out any bad stuff) what you cannot do is BOIL YOUR ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If there is anything harmful on them, boiling will cause it to become aerosolised and could be VERY harmful to you and anyone in your house. If it were mine, and it appears to be clean (no dead/decaying matter) then I would continue to soak it, check again in a week or so, and if it still tests at 0 for Nitrates and phosphates, put it to use in the tank __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

09/09/2015, 09:44 AM	#5
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	^^^^^^^^^^^^^THIS! DEATH is a possible consequence of heating rock with a stove. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

09/09/2015, 03:20 PM	#7
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	I read your whole post. Those who don't, however, will see the title and perhaps think they can, indeed, boil their rocks. __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

09/09/2015, 02:39 AM	#3
Apartmenttank Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 160	I have Phosban have not had to use it yet. Doing pretty good on algae (bought my tank used and established over a year). The sump idea is good it will be pushing it room wise, the sump is undersized for the tank it is one of my goals to change in the future. After the Skimmer a little bit of rock, heaters, Temp gauge float switch... it holds about 7 gallons. I will try to fit both of them in it. thank you for the advice!

09/09/2015, 06:01 PM	#8
nuxx RC Sponsor Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Austin, Tx Posts: 3,990	Muriatic Acid and Water bath. Make sure you add the acid AFTER the water in a well ventilated (outdoor) area. Don't need that much acid to do the job. Just be extremely careful, it's nasty stuff. Then rinse off in RODI and let dry in the sun. __________________ Peter TankStop - Fish and Coral 470G Display - Build Thread Current Tank Info: Retired - 470 Gallon Mixed Reef (120x29x31")