Acid bath for old rock???

[DownwardDawg]

I have some old rock that sat in a lightless tank for 4 years. I rinsed it in fresh water and sat it out to dry for a few days. It's been in a rubbermaid container with no water for about a year now. I also have some old live rock that I removed from my 20 gal tank when I moved this summer. I want to use all this rock to start my new 125. What should I do with the rock before I place it in the tank? Acid? Bleach? Water???

[mrabolli]

1 to 10 ratio or stronger bleach bath for 24 hrs with a powerhead. After completely! rinsing bleach out of rock cover rock with water and add muriatic acid being VERY careful to not get it on you or breath it in. Need a light wind outside and stand upwind or use a fan outside. add one or two gallons/bottles to induce foaming. let sit. when foaming stops (15-20min) add more to induce foaming. repeat for about 3 hours. need about 6-8 gallons. When done neutralize with alot of baking soda and dump water. rinse rock alot. dry. now you have dead rock that also has released all or most of the bound up phosphates. good luck.

btw. always add acid to water not the other way around. and use the powerhead with the acid bath as well.

[DownwardDawg]

Thanks! That's what I was looking for. I want to start with as low phosphates as possible.

[mrabolli]

I'm not a chemist but I believe acid + base = salt + H2O. That being said it's safe to dump on the ground but only after you neutralize with baking soda. Since your not using any real measurements just use lots of it. Just be really really careful with that acid as it's very nasty stuff on human tissue including your lungs. Use outdoors with a proper breeze and away from cars etc. You should wear a full length smock and chemical gloves with a respirator preferably. At least a face shield otherwise. When I did it and inhaled some fumes (no respirator) I learned to hold my breath while pouring. You want to open the bottle so it pours well and try to minimize gurgling and slapping as that will take longer standing there and cause splashing. Pool stores carry the acid. Maybe home depot also?

Btw don't skimp on the 3 hours or so for the acid bath stay for the whole time and don't mix the acid and bleach. Might want to buy more rock as this process dissolves away some of the rock and leaves you with less than what u started with.