I've been thinking about redoing my aquascaping lately. I wanted to buy a bunch of dry wall (BRS) and do my aquascaping outside of the tank to my dire look. After that I want to remove all my old rocks and throw them in my fuge and place my new aquascape rocks in the display. My biggest worry is nuking my tank with all that new uncured rock. Anyone have input on it?
Adding lots of new uncured dry rocks??
- Thread starter hnguyen
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That's pretty much what I did.
I got a box of dry and pre built my rock work using a plastic rod in the center going through them to give it stability.
I fought off the mini cycle with a small bottle of seachem stability and never looked back.
I got a box of dry and pre built my rock work using a plastic rod in the center going through them to give it stability.
I fought off the mini cycle with a small bottle of seachem stability and never looked back.
Yes! That's exactly what I was hoping to hear. Now keep in mind I still have about 60 pounds of cure live rocks in my tank now that I will move over to my external 40 breeder fuge. So I won't be taking any good rocks out, just adding a lot of dead ones.
I'm actually in the process of putting together a tank and I picked up some dry rock from a member here. From what I researched is that the dry rocks will leech out phosphates. So, now I just have them sitting in RO/DI until I'm ready to do my scape.
I know a lot of crap will leech out into the water while curing dry rocks, but I believe the BRS reef savers dry rocks are a lot cleaner then what you will get from a member since it's already been bleached and cleaned. That's not to say it's perfectly clean and pure, just less leeching of bad stuff. I'm also hoping my over rated skimmer and extra water volume helps offset the imbalance during the curing process. I have a 90 gallon display but have over 160 gallon in total water volume.
The best time to do it is during a WC so that you can rinse it off in the dirty tank water. If you don't, you will have white debris floating everywhere. There will be die off even though you are just moving the rock from the display to the fuge. Once it hits air, the die off starts. So yes you will do a mini-cycle as stated above.
Hnguyen, BRS reef savers "Pukani" dry rocks have great ratings and only "allegedly" leeched Po4 from unconfirmed hobbyist. I'd put my money on the hobbyist as the culprit for the Po4, not the rock.
Additionally because it's dried there will be no die off from it. Only thing you have to worry about is the contaminants that have found there way on to the rock from the storage facility, shipping and your possession..... Which all is likely very slim to none. But because of the remote possibility I would simply place it all in a large enough bin to soak and rinse a few times in RO water then use. Extra special caution you could following the soak and rinse use water change water from the tank, a small power head and a poly filter for a few days and then use.
Simply as that, don't fret to much about it.
Additionally because it's dried there will be no die off from it. Only thing you have to worry about is the contaminants that have found there way on to the rock from the storage facility, shipping and your possession..... Which all is likely very slim to none. But because of the remote possibility I would simply place it all in a large enough bin to soak and rinse a few times in RO water then use. Extra special caution you could following the soak and rinse use water change water from the tank, a small power head and a poly filter for a few days and then use.
Simply as that, don't fret to much about it.
BRS dry rock is what I used when I started my system. I really like their rocks and like the idea of no pest. I want to do all my aquascaping and glue/tie them all together outside the tank to my liking before I out it in the tank. That said, it's extremely hard for me yo find a bin or bucket large enough to hold it for me to cure before putting in the tank. Think I'm just going to have at it and wing it.
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I disagree here. There are tons and tons of people who have had that problem with pukani rock. When I gave mine a muriatic acid wash, the stench was almost unbearable and there was brown foaming over the sides for over an hour. I then power washed it all and the nastiness that came out was so surprising. Took me almost two hours to clean all the crap out even after the bath. If that stuff were to go in your tank there's no doubt you'd have long-term leaching.
All that said, it's the best rock I've used yet.
No pests in my wife's 30g and I did the rockscape outside the tank with chisels and rods and it was very easy to work with. Just have to know what you're getting into.tonymission;1002881 wrote: I disagree here. There are tons and tons of people who have had that problem with pukani rock. When I gave mine a muriatic acid wash, the stench was almost unbearable and there was brown foaming over the sides for over an hour. I then power washed it all and the nastiness that came out was so surprising. Took me almost two hours to clean all the crap out even after the bath. If that stuff were to go in your tank there's no doubt you'd have long-term leaching.
All that said, it's the best rock I've used yet.
Not that I ultimately disagree but I must point out that the use of muratic acid will yield those results with the cleanest rock or even rock that previously was jus cleaned with muratic acid. Reason being is Calcium Carbonate(live rock/coral skeletons) is a very basic(high ph). Acid is by definition very low PH....acid+Base=reaction. During a muratic acid bath you are also by a percentage dissolving the actual rock as well. If you soak for too long you'll lose half the rock.
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Yeah that's why you do the bath to strip the outer layer of the rock which has the most potential to leach all that stuff. The point remains that you should not just add Pukani rock to a tank without one of the two recognized treatments and it has nothing to do with the "quality" of the reefer. Id hate for someone to do that after reading this thread.
This isn't me guessing or using anecdotal evidence that my driveway stunk and dead **** kept washing out with the PW. Guys have tested 0.0 po4 water in a bucket and then added a new pukani rock to it. It no longer tests 0.0 days or weeks later. Pretty easy.
I agree with everything here except the leech of which I think is just a difference in definition. I associate leeching with chemicals and compounds within. Die off with organisms on the exterior.
That's what anecdotal is, small sample that can not possibly represent the totality of typical cases. Thats also assuming I'd value the results from those who've done it. As aside from doing it myself or an actual lab I'd (we'd) be assuming the "tester" knew what he/she was doing to begin with.
At the end of the day it is certainly possible but I have not seen enough first hand cases to subscribe myself to the claim. Plus most "claims" and bucket test always follow post similar to, "help my live rock is leeching". To me any test or studies generating from that person should be subject to rejection. No telling what their husbandry looks like prior.
But again I'm not saying it won't happen or that yours was not the best decision to wash. Quite honestly I'm more like you with placing new additions of anything in my tank. I go 10 steps beyound stupid to make sure I've covered my bases. Only I know I'm crazy and try not to subscribe everyone to my own madness.
Thinking outside the box....
Untreated rock would possibly have a layer where all leaching has already occurred. That layer encapsulates the inner portion of the rock. Now give it a bath removing that outer layer and exposing inner layers which than would leach. As I said, just exercising my mind (which doesn't happen often). Right or wrong?
Untreated rock would possibly have a layer where all leaching has already occurred. That layer encapsulates the inner portion of the rock. Now give it a bath removing that outer layer and exposing inner layers which than would leach. As I said, just exercising my mind (which doesn't happen often). Right or wrong?
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I guess the theory is that the outer layer has absorbed the most ... either way it worked for me. I don't run GFO on my 30g and only algae issues are the typical new tank bloom stages.
As far as I'm aware muriatic acid nor any cleaning release bound po4 to rock. What it does do is removes dealth, decay and matter from the surface. Muriatic acid should NE the last resort for "IMO" bryopsis, buubpe and hair algae complete removal... Or overzealous refers like tony and myself Muriatic acis is no joke and must be treated with professional capable hands.
Muriatic acis is no joke and must be treated with professional capable hands.- Messages
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Or idiots like me!
Lot's of good info guys, thanks. I guess to be on the safe side, I will have to do my aquascaping in 3 sections and cure them for about 2-3 weeks in a tub I have. I was hoping to be able to do it in less sections but I guess I can just pre-drill where the pieces come together and stick an acrylic rod in it.
I think the hardest part is removing all 8 of my RBTA from the rock they are on now!!
I think the hardest part is removing all 8 of my RBTA from the rock they are on now!!
