Killing live rock

[KeepOnReefin]

I am restoring a friends tank. The green algae bloom is soooo bad (rock, sand, glass, equipment covered) that starting over is the only answer. What is the best way to kill the live rock to cure again so the green algae doesnt bloom? Thanks for your input.

Hi Kyle :)

[Husky_1]

If you want everything dead, and I mean dead, stick it in a bucket of bleach over night, then let it sit in the sun for a few day. Finally you will want to soak it in some de-chlorinator to make sure all the bleach is gone.

[KeepOnReefin]

I have heard to use vinegar instead. Any ideas?

[Husky_1]

I am sure this will work too, I am just telling you my method that never fails for me...I cannot imagine that vinegar would work better than bleach, and the chlorine from the bleach will evaporate off.

[KeepOnReefin]

what kind of de-chlorinator do you use?

[mr_o98]

Seachem Prime is a good de-chlorinator

[discocarp]

Do a search on "rock cooking". You may not need to kill it all. This will wipe out the algae completely while leaving bacteria laden rock ready to go. Even if you bleach it there is going to be a ton of die off in the recure, which is fine, but why not just cook it to start with?

[Dr Begalke]

i agree with discocarp, the best thing to do would be to boil it. plus you don't have to worry about residual chemicals leaching from the rock.

[jerryz]

Hr didn't mean to boil the rock. He meant to put it into saltwater with an elevated SG and let it "cook" for a while. The increased salinity will kill off everything but the beneficial bacteria in the rock


<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10779956#post10779956 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dr Begalke
i agree with discocarp, the best thing to do would be to boil it. plus you don't have to worry about residual chemicals leaching from the rock.

[wooden_reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10778569#post10778569 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by KeepOnReefin
what kind of de-chlorinator do you use?

For bleach, sodium thiosulfate. Na2S2O3. This is the stuff available as "hypo" in photo shops in the old days. Don't know if
it is still used.

I don't use it anymore. I don't need to keep anything sterilized anymore. Other things I just rinse thoroughly.

[discocarp]

I did NOT mean to boil it. Please, do a search on "rock cooking". Its a technique for purging organics out of rock. You basically cure it in the dark, doing a 100% water change weekly and swishing the rock during the water change. Its works wonders and reboots the rock to a nice, clean state.

And yes, I hate the term "cooking" too. :) Needless confusion. I didn't name the technique though. :)

[cayars]

When I want everything dead I stick the rock in the over at 400F for an hour. Rinse and re-use. No parasites, nothing survives.

If it was full of life (good or bad) you will need to cure the rock again as you'll get a cycle but you'll know nothing bad made it.

Carlo