Need some advice on how to properly clean some rock

[Navarchus]

So vinegar will have the same effects on rocks contaminated by cooper?

what is the water vinegar ratio and do you use tap water or di?

[eli@fijireefrock.com]

Originally Posted by Zarstar

There seems to be a huge issue here that nobody is talking about. IF you choose to do the acid bath it will clean your coral BUT BE WARNED it will also drastically weaken the coral (depending on the density, structure and the organism that created it).

IF I was going to do this I would use white vinegar, for two reasons:

1) it comes in a dilute easily available solution that cant harm your coral with a short bath
2) vinegar will have a similar effect as any other acid on calcium carbonate but the residue is not only non toxic but will feed bacteria capable of cycling your rock. white vinegar is acetic acid.

FUN FACT: you can dissolve an egg in vinegar (try that before you dip your coral in HCl )

Zar

Did i miss something..
The rock is already dead nothing living in or on it what acid bath is for cleaning the rocks well surface shaving by dissolving i small layer.

[Zarstar]

Originally Posted by elias

Did i miss something..
The rock is already dead nothing living in or on it what acid bath is for cleaning the rocks well surface shaving by dissolving i small layer.

Sorry i meant rock.

This is a procedure for cleaning heavy metals off of pourous surfaces such as plastic or in this case reef rock (calcium carbonate).

Vinegar is a much better idea and is almost fool proof (my opinion). Most WHITE vinegar you buy is 5% so its already diluted but you can dilute that by half and it will still work, just slower. Using tap water, for rinsing, treated with a chelating agent is ideal because adding extra "tap water conditioner" will scavenge any released metal ions, doubling the dose is sufficient with no adverse effects.

If you look closely at the pics of that other link wtithin this thread... that rock is ruined, I am certain you could crumble that stuff in your hands. he left it in acid for way to long (my opinion)

[eli@fijireefrock.com]

vinegar for sure is safer way but and pricier.
You could easily dilute the acid to a required PH, simply by following my steps on having a PH probe in the tub with water prior to adding the acid.

(If you look closely at the pics of that other link wtithin this thread... that rock is ruined, I am certain you could crumb that stuff in your hands. he left it in acid for way to long (my opinion)
I have to agree with you on that.I simply skimmed through the thread by the way the photos are presented it looks like he used way too much acid ratio to water.

On a side note
FUN FACT: you can dissolve an egg in vinegar (try that before you dip your coral in HCl )

Me as a kid.Mom would place an egg in freshly squeezed orange juice over night. And voila my power breakfast in the morning.

[Mandosh]

Originally Posted by elias

Me as a kid.Mom would place an egg in freshly squeezed orange juice over night. And voila my power breakfast in the morning.

That's kind of disgusting.

[eli@fijireefrock.com]

Originally Posted by Mandosh

That's kind of disgusting.

Its a great breakfast,
vitamin C, protein, amino acids and Calcium.mmmmmm

[Navarchus]

who much time for the vinegar dip?

[eli@fijireefrock.com]

i would say a couple days.
i would add a PH probe to keep an eye on the fluctuation.
keep in mind if you are mixing water and vinegar you will end up diluting the acidity of your mix.(tap water usually hovers around 7.5 PH.
Anything below 6.5 ph should be fine for an acid solution.
A higher solution will do nothing to your rocks.
My numbers could be a bit off.