Dilema what to do

[Skimmin]

So im getting ready to set up my 6ft 300gal. I have approx 220lbs of pukani rock from Eli at fijireefrock. Sure is nice looking stuff. Im having trouble trying to figure out what i can fit it all into to get it circulating before my tank gets here. Its a lot of friggin rock! Im not sure how critical it is to cirulate/cure it or if I should bleach it before i put it in my tank... Should I clean it more? There seem to be so many opinions of what to do I'm just not sure... Theres visible decay in some of the rock and some smell but nothing horrendous. Can anyone let me know what I should do. I've never used dead rock to start a system before.

[Gp Scott]

I ordered from Eli as well it is really nice rock. What I did was a bleach bath over night then a acid bath for a hour and a half 74 lbs of pukani. Then I put it in the tank with 64 lbs of live Fiji and I think by doing so I never did see a tank cycle no ammonia spikes every thing was testing good right from day one.

[somewherebeyondthesea]

Congrats on your new tank!

I would set up the largest tupperware container you have, and set it up like you would any other tank and do water top offs, Ideally if you can add something like two little fishies Bac 8 to the tub of rock and get it cycling! Boom! Insta tank :-)

[Myka]

Bleach and acid are useful for different purposes. My opinion on dry rock is that most all of it could use a bleach bath to remove surface organics. Then let the rock soak in RODI water bleach-free for a week and test phosphate. If phosphate is high do an acid bath. If phosphate remains high after that use a lanthanum chloride product like Ocean Fresh Foz Down. If you have time to spare or you're concerned about chewing up too much rock (acid removes the top layer of rock), you can skip the acid and just use Foz Down. Once you've stripped all the phosphate out of the rock (nitrate should be out by this time too) you can start seeding it with cured live rock or bottled bacteria products if you prefer. I would do all of this in a vat with no light on the rock. You don't need to use saltwater until you start seeding it.

[Skimmin]

Ok well... I just cant find anything big enough to out it all in. I guess i'll need about 4 or 5, 50gal drums... heaters... pumps... Any ideas on large plastic containers in the Calgary area?

[Skimmin]

Ok I just found a container I can use by pulling some strings with a friend. What kind of bleach should I use? Just Javex? Or does it need to be something specific?