Dead Live Rock...?

DSlater · #1 04-21-2013, 06:16 AM

Hey guys - we're fairly new to the reefing hobby. We have a 20 gallon nano system that's 3 mths old. We decided to go bigger and are purchasing a 240 gallon tank but all the live rock was taken out and placed outside to dry/die. What are our best options in bring this rock back to life? I've been told to powerwash it then recure it in the dark for a couple of mths with a skimmer and to use Microbacter 7. After that place a few pieced of live rock in there and let it reseed. Any thoughts?
Cheers!

ckmullin · #2 04-21-2013, 06:54 AM

IMO....if you had live rock @ one point and just threw it outside to dry...DO NOT just power wash it. It is dead...so you don't need to cure it. What you need to do is remove all the dead garbage from the rock and a power wash will not do it. I'd strongly suggest to use acid. I've done it...others here have done it and it's a great popular method to clean dead rock. (or rock which is loaded with bad live things which you want to kill) Once the rock is clean as a baby's bottom...then reseed but only at that point.

If you wanted tips etc on the acid treatment, I'd be happy to help.

btw...welcome to the forum.

don.ald · #3 04-21-2013, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DSlater

Hey guys - we're fairly new to the reefing hobby. We have a 20 gallon nano system that's 3 mths old. We decided to go bigger and are purchasing a 240 gallon tank but all the live rock was taken out and placed outside to dry/die. What are our best options in bring this rock back to life? I've been told to powerwash it then recure it in the dark for a couple of mths with a skimmer and to use Microbacter 7. After that place a few pieced of live rock in there and let it reseed. Any thoughts?
Cheers!

This sounds about right to me!
Don't know why you need micro B7 though?
R.

DSlater · #4 04-21-2013, 02:45 PM

Ok - yes I would love more tips on the acid treatment. Would you do a bleach bath first or just jump right to acid. And what kind & where would I get the acid. There's about a 45 gallon drum full of rock - any ideas how much we'd need to buy? Then do I let it dry out after rinsing and for how long?
So no MB7? I used Stability to get my original tank going w/ live rock. Is MB7 about the same? just speeds up the cycling period...
Also - what do you guys use to do the acid bath - a new garbage can? what kind of tub...?
Thanks so much!!
Cheers.

don.ald · #5 04-21-2013, 02:52 PM

My point being, if you are going to cook your rock for a couple of months you don't need microbactor7. Or acid??
Me , I wouldn't use the acid....just not my way of doing things....I will leave that explanation for ckmullin.

Aquattro · #6 04-21-2013, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by don.ald

Me , I wouldn't use the acid....just not my way of doing things....I will leave that explanation for ckmullin.

Agreed. If you're cooking it for months, no need for the acid. If you're using acid, no need for cooking.

DSlater · #7 04-21-2013, 03:00 PM

ohhh - so I could just cook it with a skimmer running for a few mths. We're in no hurry to set up - we're in the middle of renos and my husband's going to plumb the sump into the crawlspace w/ the ro system... but if I cook it, then I could slowly start reseeding it before putting into the new tank?