jjohnson3 Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 I just bought some dried base rock from ebay to go in my reef tank. My tank currently has 3 fish. 2 false percs and a firefish. There is some live rock but I bought some base rock also. It will be here Wednesday. Can I just put the rock in my tank and let it go or any reccomendations on how I can accomplish this. Do I have to clean it or cycle it? No corals currently. Link to comment
HecticDialectics Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 I'd let it soak in some ro/di in a bucket for a few days... swish it around and try to get as much crap off it as you can... I'd do that at the least. Best case scenario would be to let it soak in a bucket of saltwater with a powerhead for water movement for a few weeks-month with some live sand or a lil piece of liverock from your tank. A heater too if the temps in your house/apt arent very stable. Link to comment
smedge Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 I would put in in circulating salt water a day then add it. It probably doesnt have anything on it that would contribute to harming your water quality but better safe than sorry. If you wanted to be really anal you could leave it in there for a week and test for ammonia and nitrites at the end. That would almost certainly be unecessary though. Link to comment
psykobowler Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 I just bought some dried base rock from ebay to go in my reef tank. My tank currently has 3 fish. 2 false percs and a firefish. There is some live rock but I bought some base rock also. It will be here Wednesday. Can I just put the rock in my tank and let it go or any reccomendations on how I can accomplish this. Do I have to clean it or cycle it? No corals currently. Saltwater is quite corrosive so soaking for a day will help clean it if you are unsure. Link to comment
HecticDialectics Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 most all dry base rock is rock that was once live rock... now its just dry, which means its covered in dead crap, even if it looks nice and white definitely clean it and give it a few days and swish it around in water and stuff... Link to comment
Phixion Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 most all dry base rock is rock that was once live rock... now its just dry, which means its covered in dead crap, even if it looks nice and white definitely clean it and give it a few days and swish it around in water and stuff... Sounds like a job for a power/pressure washer. I've wondered the same though as I'm contemplating using some myself, dryrock that is. Link to comment
lakshwadeep Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 Saltwater is quite corrosive so soaking for a day will help clean it if you are unsure. It depends on the type of base rock. Saltwater is basic, so it won't harm things which are made of calcium carbonate. Link to comment
jjohnson3 Posted December 13, 2008 Author Share Posted December 13, 2008 Base rock from ebay It depends on the type of base rock. Saltwater is basic, so it won't harm things which are made of calcium carbonate. Above is a link to the rock I purchased. Thanks for all your help!!! Link to comment
lakshwadeep Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 Yes, actual rock from reefs (live or dead) are likely to be made of coral skeletons, which are calcium carbonate. Link to comment
jjohnson3 Posted December 13, 2008 Author Share Posted December 13, 2008 Yes, actual rock from reefs (live or dead) are likely to be made of coral skeletons, which are calcium carbonate. So I should place the rock in saltwater for a day or two and then put it in my tank? Link to comment
jjohnson3 Posted December 13, 2008 Author Share Posted December 13, 2008 So I should place the rock in saltwater for a day or two and then put it in my tank? bump? Link to comment
HecticDialectics Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 bump? Yes... And before you stick it in the tank, don't just put it in saltwater then tank it out and stick it in the tank. Blow it with a powerhead, swish it around in the water real hard, etc. Link to comment
jjohnson3 Posted December 13, 2008 Author Share Posted December 13, 2008 Yes... And before you stick it in the tank, don't just put it in saltwater then tank it out and stick it in the tank. Blow it with a powerhead, swish it around in the water real hard, etc. Alright. Sounds easy enough. Will this rock eventually become covered in coralline? I think ive read that somewhere. Link to comment
HecticDialectics Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 As long as your tank's setup is able to grow coralline, then yup! It'll cover that rock too. Link to comment
jjohnson3 Posted December 13, 2008 Author Share Posted December 13, 2008 As long as your tank's setup is able to grow coralline, then yup! It'll cover that rock too. Ok. Thanks!!! Link to comment
SWFFAN Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 I added the same rock to my tank. Just didnt get it from ebay. I boiled the crap out of it all in a pot several times and then let it soak in salt water for a few days. Rinsed it with fresh RODI water then into the tank it went. Has been there for over a year now and is fine. I prefer the rocks I got from Marco more just because this Caribsea rock is very dense. Just my opinion as we all do have our own. Link to comment
jjohnson3 Posted December 14, 2008 Author Share Posted December 14, 2008 I added the same rock to my tank. Just didnt get it from ebay. I boiled the crap out of it all in a pot several times and then let it soak in salt water for a few days. Rinsed it with fresh RODI water then into the tank it went. Has been there for over a year now and is fine. I prefer the rocks I got from Marco more just because this Caribsea rock is very dense. Just my opinion as we all do have our own. Did you get a 50lb box as well? How many peices were in the box? Link to comment
reefone Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 if it was me id soak them in sw for a couple days then test for ammonia ect. Link to comment
xJoshx Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 wow u people go extreme i use a pressure washer or even the sink with LACE rock and just put it in Link to comment
Phixion Posted December 20, 2008 Share Posted December 20, 2008 Is rock that's been sitting OUTSIDE on a balcony safe to add to a tank? Of course after all the above boiling or rinsing, sitting in S/W for a few days and rinsing again... Link to comment
grave Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 to be completly safe I would throw them in a bucket with a powerhead and some live rock for a couple days(to try to remove/dissolve as much dieoff as possible), then put everything in a new bucket of saltwater for a couple days, then test ammonia levels, I wouldnt add them untill ammonia has fallen to, or, is close to zero. an ammonia spike can crash your tank so you should be cautious, base rock is covered in dead things, even if you cant see them on the surface, their interior is filled with dead bacteria. Link to comment
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