selling my soul for rock!

scmountain

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#1
live, dry, pink, white.... all I need is a LOT of rock, about 100lbs. just as long as it is cured!
Have a very strict budget, so do some cash and yard work, carpentry, IT work... anything really!
 

scmountain

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#4
They were from his FOWLR tank, he says he never added copper to it. anything I should be worried about? (know very little about running FOWLR)
 

Andrew_bram

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#5
Soak it in water run copper test is only way to know for sure. This is not same guy I got mine from.

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scmountain

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#6
Picked it up, nice guy.
It has a lot of dried hair algae on it. What is the best attack? wire brush before soaking it? or soak it in dark place and let nature plus water changes do the work?
 

SynDen

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#8
Yep, scrub off as much as you can. You also do a vinegar, or muratic acid bath (be sure to do outside), although as these are acids they will dissolve a certain portion of the surface of the rock.
Then put in a tub with saltwater, a heater and a flow pump.

For reference. This is the Live Aquaria method(s) for curing rock

Method A: Curing process of live rock for the established display aquarium that already contains fish, corals, or any other marine animals.
  1. Place the live rock in a new 30-gallon plastic garbage can. Consider adding bottom drains to the container to speed draining and water changes.
  2. Completely cover the rock with freshly mixed saltwater, with a specific gravity of 1.021 - 1.025.
  3. Use a heater and keep the water temperature near 80 degrees to speed die off.
  4. Provide constant water movement with a power head or airstone.
  5. Keep the area dimly lit to prevent algae blooms.
  6. Perform 100% water changes twice weekly.
  7. Gently scrub the rock with a new nylon bristle brush or toothbrush between water changes to remove any white film or dead material.
  8. When the water conditions stabilize and ammonia and nitrite tests are zero, the rock is ready to be placed into the display aquarium.
Most live rock will be fully cured in 1-3 weeks, at which time it is safe to add to the display aquarium.



Method B: Curing process of live rock for the new aquarium that DOES NOT contain fish, corals, or any other marine animals.
Live rock may be used to cycle a new marine aquarium. Follow the manufacturer's directions on the installation of all filtration devices and accessories. Fill aquarium with freshly mixed saltwater with a specific gravity of 1.023-1.025. Activate all filtration equipment, check for leaks, and set heater and/or chiller to the desired temperature of 72-78°F.
Note: Mechanical filtration will need frequent cleaning during this cycling process.

  1. Rinse each piece of live rock in a small bucket of saltwater to remove any loose organic matter, debris, or sand.
  2. Place live rock into the aquarium to create a stable foundation for corals or decorations.
  3. Keep the lighting system off during the cycling period in order to reduce the likelihood of undesirable algae growth.
  4. Gently scrub the rocks periodically with a new nylon bristle brush or toothbrush to remove loose white film or dead material.
  5. Perform 50% water changes weekly while siphoning out any organic matter and loose debris that accumulates at the bottom of the aquarium.
  6. Measure and monitor the ammonia and nitrite levels in the aquarium weekly.
  7. When both ammonia and nitrite levels are zero, perform a 50% water change on the aquarium.
  8. After 24 hours, check the pH of the water and adjust as needed to achieve the desired level of 8.1-8.4.
Most aquariums will cycle within 2-4 weeks using this technique, depending on the equipment that is installed.
 

scmountain

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#9
Yep, scrub off as much as you can. You also do a vinegar, or muratic acid bath (be sure to do outside), although as these are acids they will dissolve a certain portion of the surface of the rock.
would you go muriatic over hydrogen perox bath?
 

scmountain

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#10
a little context, he recently broke down his tank (this week), some of the algae was still wet, and my truck smelled like a wharf on the way home. do I still need to treat it Like @SynDen suggests? is this as a precaution or just standard procedure?
 

SynDen

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#11
I'd only use muratic acid if they were really scummy. Muratic dissolves quite a bit of the rock and will likely half the weight on it, so not worth it imo unless the rocks are really dirty.
If it was still wet, just give it a good scrub and put in a dark tub of saltwater for awhile. Maybe add GFO, or lanthium chloride, to help leach any phosphates out. Change the water a few time over a couple weeks and should be good to go
 

Andrew_bram

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#12
If it's still damp re.ove aldae add heat salt water and pump put it in trash can for 6 weeks minimum

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gajake

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#14
live, dry, pink, white.... all I need is a LOT of rock, about 100lbs. just as long as it is cured!
Have a very strict budget, so do some cash and yard work, carpentry, IT work... anything really!
Have you found your rock. I am just breaking down my 55gal tank and have some nice pieces of live rock (some with algae that needs to be scrubbed off, ledge pieces . See photos. Also some dry rock with one very nice piece. I have to be rid of it by Sun the 27th. If you are interested it's free. Let me know
 

scmountain

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#15
Have you found your rock. I am just breaking down my 55gal tank and have some nice pieces of live rock (some with algae that needs to be scrubbed off, ledge pieces . See photos. Also some dry rock with one very nice piece. I have to be rid of it by Sun the 27th. If you are interested it's free. Let me know
I did, thank you.
 
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