power spraying live rock?

areze · 09/23/2006, 12:19 PM

anyoneever power sprayed live rock to clean/kill algea off of it?

my concerns are untreated/unsalt water. figure dose a little dechlorinator to take care of the first part, but unsalted might kill more than Im wanting it too.

or just stick with a wire brush.

papagimp · 09/23/2006, 12:28 PM

I think power spraying in general will kill off more than you may want. but i could be wrong.

archie1709 · 09/23/2006, 06:47 PM

Not sure what you mean. i use a powerhead to blow off detrius over the rocks.

But if you are trying remove algae from your rocks, target the source (nitrates and phosphates); in the mean time, get a soft bristle tooth brush and, during water changes, brush off algae in the bucket with which old display water is in.

You must, however, battle algae through determining the source.

SDguy · 09/23/2006, 07:15 PM

Like the power washers you clean concrete around a pool with?? I think that'd be too much. The various calcium carbonate parts and layers of your average live rock are too loose/brittle IMO to withstand that pressure. Maybe florida rock would be OK. That stuff's solid.

areze · 09/23/2006, 10:01 PM

well I started with a wire brush.

didnt do the job. I had a sever algea problem. and various other growths that I did not want; mass amounts of sponges, and hair algea specificly.

tried the power washer, it was actually rather effective. more or less took the rock back to base rock appearance, some patches of coraline remains in the crevices, but quite pleased. thats pretty much what I wanted out of it.

rtecanoe · 09/23/2006, 10:03 PM

I've heard people use a blowtorch to get spots of hair algae off of live rock, without damaging too much of it.

miztic · 09/23/2006, 10:14 PM

I hope that wire brush didn't have brass wires ? you just rubbed your rock with copper if you did ..

MikeBrke · 09/24/2006, 12:23 AM

I have actually took my live rock to the car wash and sprayed it down with the power sprayer! It does work. It took of all the agea. It did romove alot of the coraline as well. But it is cost vs. benefit. I couldn't stand to look at my rock covered in some weird algae that I tried getting rid of for months. One trip to the car wash and some scrubbing and it was good to go!

09/23/2006, 12:19 PM	#1
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	power spraying live rock? anyoneever power sprayed live rock to clean/kill algea off of it? my concerns are untreated/unsalt water. figure dose a little dechlorinator to take care of the first part, but unsalted might kill more than Im wanting it too. or just stick with a wire brush. __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

09/23/2006, 12:28 PM	#2
papagimp COMAS Rocks! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 8,185 Blog Entries: 2	I think power spraying in general will kill off more than you may want. but i could be wrong. __________________ 58g Softie & 75g Stoney Member, Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society Current Tank Info: 58g Mixed Reef Project - Started June 2011

09/23/2006, 07:15 PM	#4
SDguy Fish heads unite! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego Posts: 23,384	Like the power washers you clean concrete around a pool with?? I think that'd be too much. The various calcium carbonate parts and layers of your average live rock are too loose/brittle IMO to withstand that pressure. Maybe florida rock would be OK. That stuff's solid. __________________ Peter SDMAS member Marine tanks since 1989. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º> Current Tank Info: 240g butterfly and angel FOWLR. 15g QT.

09/23/2006, 10:01 PM	#5
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	well I started with a wire brush. didnt do the job. I had a sever algea problem. and various other growths that I did not want; mass amounts of sponges, and hair algea specificly. tried the power washer, it was actually rather effective. more or less took the rock back to base rock appearance, some patches of coraline remains in the crevices, but quite pleased. thats pretty much what I wanted out of it. __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

09/23/2006, 10:03 PM	#6
rtecanoe Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oakdale, Long Island Posts: 512	I've heard people use a blowtorch to get spots of hair algae off of live rock, without damaging too much of it. __________________ Rick Current Tank Info: 180 gallon reef

09/23/2006, 06:47 PM	#3
archie1709 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 401	Not sure what you mean. i use a powerhead to blow off detrius over the rocks. But if you are trying remove algae from your rocks, target the source (nitrates and phosphates); in the mean time, get a soft bristle tooth brush and, during water changes, brush off algae in the bucket with which old display water is in. You must, however, battle algae through determining the source.

09/23/2006, 10:14 PM	#7
miztic Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Glendale Heights, IL Posts: 591	I hope that wire brush didn't have brass wires ? you just rubbed your rock with copper if you did ..

09/24/2006, 12:23 AM	#8
MikeBrke Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 224	I have actually took my live rock to the car wash and sprayed it down with the power sprayer! It does work. It took of all the agea. It did romove alot of the coraline as well. But it is cost vs. benefit. I couldn't stand to look at my rock covered in some weird algae that I tried getting rid of for months. One trip to the car wash and some scrubbing and it was good to go! __________________ Snail down! Snail down! Current Tank Info: Nothing right now. Gearing up for my next setup!