All my rock is frozen in bleach. Now what?

[nmbeg]

I am trying renew all my rock as I rebuild my 125g. I am following the directions in this thread: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1914426

I put all my rock in a bin outside:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7335/11010616884_01ccc9e63c_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/108482216@N05/11010616884/)

Filled with water and bleach:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3699/11010537566_d5777cce74_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/108482216@N05/11010537566/)

about 10 hours later, I have this:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7417/11017481335_0b630a5ba6_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/108482216@N05/11017481335/)

It's all frozen. Now, in my defense, the directions never said "do not attempt this is 18 degree weather."

Luckily, it's a thin layer of ice at the top only. But my powerhead line, which was exposed above water level, froze, so there is no more water movement, and I fear the ice will quickly spread down. And night is coming. And I have to go to work.

I live in Milwaukee. The thaw will come in April, if I am lucky.

Any advice?

[blanden.adam]

grab some friends and drag it inside?

[cakemanPA]

I would recommend dumping it or pumping it out and get it in a garage of someplace warm. Now… You can't use the defense "the directions never said "do not attempt this is 18 degree weather."" You live in Wisconsin… EVERYTHING FREEZES :beer:

[evsalty]

Can you get the hose off the powerhead at least and get it working again? Then perhaps add a heater if you cannot get it inside?

[nmbeg]

Can you get the hose off the powerhead at least and get it working again? Then perhaps add a heater if you cannot get it inside?

That's exactly what I did, and now I'm at work till 7am. Let's see what happens.

[evsalty]

If that doesn't work then move to a warmer state :D.

[nmbeg]

I feel like Shackleton trying to survive the polar winter. Need to go hunt some walrus for blubber.

[evsalty]

So how did the rock bin do last night?

[nmbeg]

Ummmm no comment.

It's supposed to hit 30 degrees Monday so we will see what it is like tomorrow.

[evsalty]

Maybe you are discovering a new technique for renewing rock.

[OrQidz]

well, certainly it will be free of aiptasia and other problem hitch hikers once you set it up again....

:)

[Peter Eichler]

Silly cheeseheads :p

[Sethjamto]

If that doesn't work then move to a warmer state :D.

That was going to be my recommendation! It's a GOOD thing to live on the Gulf Coast! ;)

[nmbeg]

At least I don't have to worry about a chiller for my tank--just open the window!

[Spyderturbo007]

It's all frozen. Now, in my defense, the directions never said "do not attempt this is 18 degree weather."


That is freakin' hilarious! :lol:

Good luck with your rock!

[nmbeg]

After over a week in the deep freeze, I tried to revive the rock today. It hit 41 degrees outside, so the ice was soft and starting to melt. I put three heaters in there, for a total of 600W, but after several hours was only able to melt about 25% of the ice, and did not even manage to dislodge one rock.

The lowest tonight will be 28 degrees, and in the 30's tomorrow, so I will keep the heaters on overnight and hope to make more headway tomorrow.

thanks for the support.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5471/11161761075_0409a57d7f_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/108482216@N05/11161761075/)

[NastyZ]

Why not boil a big pot of water dump it ontop of it to help thaw it out or connect a hose to your hot water outlet under the sink and run it over the water

[nmbeg]

I thought about the boiling water thing--that's a good idea and perhaps the next step. I thought the heaters would have done the trick on a 40-degree day so that's why I didn't try it yet.

I don't have a hot water line with a hose adapter. I thought about just running cold water from the garden hose over it, as cold water is warmer than ice--again possibly a next step.

[nmbeg]

I also considered an iron or a hair dryer, but I'm not quite ready for electrocution yet.

[aandfsoccr04]

Lol this is absolutely ridiculous! Get a couple of friends and drag the tub inside silly! If not just boil some water and pour it over top to melt the ice and get that thing out of the freezing tips haha.

[CoralReeForrest]

Lmao wow! It's been freezing here at night but my bin and rock has been sitting in my garage with a heater in it. Definitely not 14 degrees though. Good luck!

[Saltydrip]

Just run a hose on it and thaw it out until you can drain enough out to bring it inside. It's just going to keep freezing every night so make sure there is no unfrozen water in it if you leave it out

[Hudzon]

if you plan on leaving it outside in freezing temps then you will need a pond de icer
farm supply companies carry them or find them on amazon, a fish tank heater is not designed to heat freezing water.

[Rancherlee]

I guess that's one way to setup a "cold water" reef :D................ Always wanted to do an Antarctic Reef!

[Clamagore]

Add a bunch of salt maybe?

[Kyuss]

I live in Milwaukee as well and have a koi pond in the back yard. While the majority of it freezes, I keep a heater designed for heating water troughs in the bottom and a de-icing ring that floats on top to keep a hole in the ice on top for gas exchange. The de-icer does a good job at keep a hole in the surface, but the water trough heater really does a killer job at keep a good portion of the rest of it unfroze and the koi survive the winter in torpor just fine. The water trough heaters are relatively inexpensive too. The pond is approx 2500 gallons for reference.

[Nina51]

survive the winter in torpor just fine.

you just gave me an idea! i'm gonna go home from work today, sorta hang almost-upside-down, see if torpor would work for me. i'm pretty sure it will. i'll let you know in april.

[nmbeg]

look what i woke up to this morning!!! woo-hoo!!! the 600W of heaters did it!

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5477/11175528493_83d4828838_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/108482216@N05/11175528493/)

[nmbeg]

and not a moment too soon.... my neighbor has started construction on his annual ice rink.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5548/11175872933_cf88e48071_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/108482216@N05/11175872933/)

[evsalty]

look what i woke up to this morning!!! woo-hoo!!! the 600W of heaters did it!

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5477/11175528493_83d4828838_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/108482216@N05/11175528493/)

That rock looks like it went bad. Send it to me and I will dispose of it for you :p

[RileysReef]

throw it in your garage. if your car is warm from running it should thaw.

[evsalty]

throw it in your garage. if your car is warm from running it should thaw.

The op's ice has already melted and the problem is fixed lol. But I guess better late than never right? :lmao:

[nmbeg]

You will be happy to know, the rocks were successfully thawed, rinsed off, and acid-bathed. They are now all a toasty 78 degrees back in my tank.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5471/11177559254_282559f58e_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/108482216@N05/11177559254/)

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3786/11177563036_6ddaf59290_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/108482216@N05/11177563036/)

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5540/11201153965_07c0a4c24d_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/108482216@N05/11201153965/)

We can call this lesson in idiocracy now closed.
Thanks for the support!