Bleached rocks

[myfrostymember]

About a week or so ago I bleached the crapbout of my previously alive buy lately dead rocks. I rinsed them very well and then laid them out to dry. Since them I've rinsed them half *** a few times and still had them layed out to dry. They still smell like chlorine. Is there a way to tell when they are reef safe again and ready to start my cycle?

[geaux xman]

i am always uneasy after bleaching my rocks too. but supposedly, when you let it dry, the bleach dissipates, evaporating away.

Just make sure to let it lay out to dry real good for a few days, then resoak them in ro/di or water from your WC. Then let it dry one more time and you should be good to go.

if you like, when soaking them in the RO/DI, you can add some Prime to eat away at any chance of residual bleach remnants on the rock. however, there should be none though.

[myfrostymember]

Even though they still smell like they are covered in chlorine?

[bertoni]

Bleach doesn't evaporate until it converts to chlorine. It's sodium hypochlorite, and it was sold in solid form for a long time. I would use a lot of dechlorinator on the rock. The smell of bleach is a very bad sign for adding something to a tank.

[myfrostymember]

Well it smells like chlorine really not bleach I didn't know that was a difference-- I got some "prime" I'll soak it for a few days and rinse for a few more

[bertoni]

Well, my sense of smell isn't so well trained. I don't know whether I could tell the difference between bleach and chlorine. :) Both are bad for a tank.

[myfrostymember]

Possible not I sniffed the bleach a lot when I put it in - I don't think it's still bleach but I'll keep rinsing them an use prime and see what happens- if u can smell anything at all that's bad right? I should wait till I can't smell anything and then put the in and start the cycle ?

[ToLearn]

An hour soak in dechlorinator would likely be enough. I've used prime in the past, but recently picked up a brightwell product that is supposed to act as a dechlorinator with out horrid the smell! I believe it's supposed to work instantly and doesn't need to soak for days.

[bertoni]

If the rock smells strongly like bleach or chlorine, I'd keep adding more dechlorinator, but it's also safe to cure the rock now, assuming you don't mind waiting for the bleach to dissipate, assuming you're starting a new tank. Adding them as is to a running tank could be a disaster.

[myfrostymember]

So if I'm using them to start a new tank cycle an all it wouldn't be a big deal? What if I was using a few pounds of live rock to start the cycle? Then the chlorine/ bleach left over would kill everything on the live rock introduced wouldn't it

[bertoni]

The bleach will act to prevent bacterial growth until it all reacts with some sort of organic or otherwise disperses, so it might slow the process. You could add some liquified shrimp to help, I guess. :)

[Lynnmw1208]

rinse and dechlorinate until it smells like "seaworld" again. I did this when I worked at Petco all the time. this is why their rocks don't have algae on them