Rock/bleach/ vinegar question

LAreefguy

LAreefguy

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So I bleached a bunch of rock recently and dried it out for a week still smelt a bit like bleach so I gave it a 24 hour vinegar bath and let it sit out for 5 days. Now it all smells like vinegar.

Question is, will that be ok to add to my reef? Or could that just be masking the bleach smell oooooooor could the vinegar smell in the Rock cause problems in my tank? Its about 40 lbs of rock. Thanks!!!!!


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C

CoralsAddiction

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If the rock is dead now it's not worth the risk putting it in the reef tank. Your tank will go through major cycle.
I am actually in the same boat. I got about 30 LBS of LR with lots of bubble algae on it from another hobbyist and friend a week ago. The rock is dead now since I just kept it on the balcony in a bucket. Once I remove the bubble algae I plan on putting the LR in a cheap tote from Home Depot with saltwater and nitrifying bacteria.
 
LAreefguy

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CoralsAddiction said:
If the rock is dead now it's not worth the risk putting it in the reef tank. Your tank will go through major cycle.
I am actually in the same boat. I got about 30 LBS of LR with lots of bubble algae on it from another hobbyist and friend a week ago. The rock is dead now since I just kept it on the balcony in a bucket. Once I remove the bubble algae I plan on putting the LR in a cheap tote from Home Depot with saltwater and nitrifying bacteria.
Click to expand...
I guess I gotta go that route also, I'll just water from a change that should get it done in a couple weeks...........I hope


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C

CoralsAddiction

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Some people add a 3-5 pounds at a time every 4-5 days to their reef tanks to slowly seed dead/new rock with bacteria. I've done it once and it didn't work. Added a 3.5 Lbs rock to a 30 gallon nano 3 years ago. The system went through mini-cycle for 3-4 days. Ammonia reading was 0.5. I lost some SPS frags. So I just seed the new rock with bacteria. There are couple of ways to do that. All should be done in a separate container or tank, not reef.
1. Add commercially available bacteria like Dr. Tim's One and Only Bacteria; or
2. Seed a sponge with bacteria in your reef tank for a several days. Then run the sponge through an HOB filter; or
3. Use established live rock from your reef with your new rock to seed it with bacteria.

As far as smell, I am pretty sure it will go away with time.
 
LAreefguy

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Yea, I'm just going to have to be patient. That's the hardest!!!!!!! I appreciate the advice.


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ssericz

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If the rock is dead it won't cause a cycle only if it's "live" bc the live stuff in the rock not all of it will make it during the transition and that is what leads to a cycle... U can add as much dry rock you want without any effect to a running system
 
LAreefguy

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ssericz said:
If the rock is dead it won't cause a cycle only if it's "live" bc the live stuff in the rock not all of it will make it during the transition and that is what leads to a cycle... U can add as much dry rock you want without any effect to a running system
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That's interesting, I thought the same thing but added "clean dry rock" a while back and had a spike in my nitrate for the 1st time in years. I figured it was the rock. So your saying rock becoming live rock doesn't cause water chemistry issues?


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Greaser9999

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LAreefguy said:
Yea but he doesn't mention if dry rock cycle can cause boost of nitrate:(


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From my experiences clean dry rock will cause a small nitrate cycle, but dirty rock or rock that just recently die will cause a nasty ammonia cycle. Been there done that on both counts lol minus cleaning the rock with ammonia & vinegar
 
Fly5150

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Dipping rock in bleach, then vinegar doesn't make the rock "clean". If the rock has been previously live, dried, then added back to a system, you better believe it will cause your tank to cycle. The organics that have died in and on the rock will break down in the salt water and cause a cycle in an existing tank.


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LAreefguy

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Fly5150 said:
Dipping rock in bleach, then vinegar doesn't make the rock "clean". If the rock has been previously live, dried, then added back to a system, you better believe it will cause your tank to cycle. The organics that have died in and on the rock will break down in the salt water and cause a cycle in an existing tank.


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Yea, I'm just gunna set of a Rubbermaid with my reef water and give it a couple weeks. What's the lowest I can keep the temp?


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Justkeepswimming

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I'll throw in my personal experience here. When setting my tank back up I used rock that I purchased from different sources. I decided to dry it out in the sun, bleach it, vinegar bath and then fresh water bath. I put it in my tank with dr tims and let it cycle for a week then did a large water change. I though everything was good but battled organics leeching out of the rock for several months. I had some red slime and a film layer accumulate in my fuge. After a month of weekly large water changes my Sps are growing and coloring up but only after I had a huge die off. Moral of the story, Take it slow to not overwhelm your tank. Lol
 
ndrwater

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Fly5150 said:
Dipping rock in bleach, then vinegar doesn't make the rock "clean". If the rock has been previously live, dried, then added back to a system, you better believe it will cause your tank to cycle. The organics that have died in and on the rock will break down in the salt water and cause a cycle in an existing tank.


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Hey Adam [MENTION=7697]LAreefguy[/MENTION] Matt is 100% right on this one. Dead is relative, but gone is another thing. Dead organics will absolutely lead to a cycle/spike. I think your idea of Dr. Tims and some time in a Rubbermaid is a good idea. Give it some time, water change in the Rubbermaid after checking Ammonia etc levels before adding to your display.
 
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