Kill it or add it live? (Update ? 3/10/13)

Adding 30lbs of fully cured LR to a 125g tank will have no adverse effect.

 

I boiled all my rocks outside in a 5 gal deep fryer pot over propane heat. It smelled something fierce! I can't imagine doing it in your house! Unless you want your house to smell like a crab shack's dumpster.

 

Thanks Mr. Bill, I didn't think so but I wanted a second opinion first.

Thank you

If I were to boil I would do it outside as well. I'm going to completely cute it before I add it.

 

It's a toss up, you already know the pro's and con's, take your pick!
Agree on bleaching vs boiling. Hadn't heard about the problem mentioned however, just a better way to kill off the algae, bac., etc.


and,
Dechlorinator?

When the bleach dries, even after washed with regular tap water, and let nearly dry, no problem with any chlorine.

do bleach it with about 1 cup/gallon tap water though, that's still pretty strong.

I and others wash their filter bags/socks in a bleash/tap mix, rinse it with tap, let it dry and good to go

 

So now my mind is racing and I don't know what to do. I am leaning more toward bleaching it. What would be the downside to adding the rock to my system non living. I know my existing rock and sand would reseed it. Would I experience an extreme amount of algae growth on the newly added rocks? Would this cause a mini cycle? I am just concerned that I don't know exactly what is growing in the rock and would rather be safe than sorry. Please keep in mind that I do have an established system with minimal to zero nuisance algae. So what would you do?

 

I kind of forgot from the earlier posts.

Is the rock still wet, proper temps and water to keep it Live?

Or did it die off some? Cause if it did, you put that back in, you'lll gonna get some degree of cycle, depending on how much decaying matter is on it.

If it's still live, critters or not, etc., you put that in and it shouldn't cycle much if any at all, it will still be LR. - with any potential critters.

 

Well right now it is in a tub in in the back of my truck (getting my tires done) not in water just wet. I will be home in an hr and that is what I'm trying to figure out what I want to do. Do I cycle it or bleach it. Bleach will rid of any potential pest I do not know about. I'm just concerned that cycling it before adding will still be adding pests. I'm just trying to get advise on the best course of action. I have live rock in my system so I'm not worried about reseeding. I am worried about adding pests and if bleaching what the unlive rock will do in my system.

 

If it's not in DT like water now, it's already dieing off some, it will cycle if put in now, to varying degrees of cycle, etc.

Like someone mentioned, put it in a tub with good water, heater, flow, and see what might come out for a week or two. It couldn't be that bad then.

Or, soak in in water about 1 cup bleach/gallon for a while, then scrub with a brush, rinse well, and put in yout tank. If it has decaying matter still on/in it, it will cycle some.
Some also choose to cycle it for a few weeks at this point too- also a good idea.

 

I guess I keep leaning toward bleaching. Looking into otty's receipt. There are a ton of visual tube worms on the rock that I do not want in my system. Other than Otty's receipt what is a good way to nuke the rock. I don't want to take any chances.

 

Otty's receipt?

Something like this?

'Or, soak in in water about 1 cup bleach/gallon for a while, then scrub with a brush, rinse well, and put in yout tank. If it has decaying matter still on/in it, it will cycle some.
Some also choose to cycle it for a few weeks at this point too- also a good idea. '