Dry rock

[sasharotty]

Just purchased 200 lbs of dry rock.The guy told me its been out of water for 6 months.Can i just drop it into the tank or do something to it first.I have heard of cooking the rock but unfamiliar with its process and what this means.Tried a search but really didnt come up with anything.The rock is white and dusty.If it had a phosphate issue leaching how would you get it out of the rock also.I want no problems when i kick this tank off in motion.Thanks

[sasharotty]

:bounce3:

[rayn]

White dry rock
<a href="http://s496.photobucket.com/albums/rr321/dougcobb/?action=view&current=7c04d4a3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i496.photobucket.com/albums/rr321/dougcobb/7c04d4a3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
does it look like the two on either side and not the ones in the middle? I just rinsed mine out and cleaned them with a brush to get all the dirt and crap out of them. If phosphate is gonna leach, there isn't much you can do about it besides a reactor, that I know of.

[cameron91806]

you could put it in the tank but dont put fish or coral in it or its gonna die let it cycle for about a month

[neoalchemist74]

Probably alot more than a month. you could seed and cycle it in a separate container that way you won' stink up your living room.

[crvz]

here's a basic guide to "cooking" rock.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3478937#post3478937

If it's truly dry rock, it's unlikely that you'll notice any nutrient cycle when you add it to the tank. if that's the case, don't be fooled into thinking you're ready for livestock. you'll need to seed the rock and give it a good amount of time to establish a solid bacteria colony before your tank will support much in terms of fish or corals. I'd say wait about 3-4 weeks after seeding it before adding anything, and even then only add one or two fish or some inverts (snails, crabs, etc). You'll want to be patient.

I, personally, would "cook" the rock for a handful of months, if nothing else than to help seed it as well as hopefully remove any phosphate build up from previous use.