tee-em Posted September 28, 2006 Report Share Posted September 28, 2006 Ex live rock been out of water for a few months. Previously been in a reef tank for a few years. Do I need to cook the rocks? If yes then do I first start curing them... then cook them to get some bacteria going first before it will cook? Or can I go straight to this method http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66551 Any thoughts or tried and tested methods on previously used rocks welcome. chrs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted September 28, 2006 Report Share Posted September 28, 2006 I'd just give them a good scrub and wash then throw it in the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghostface Posted September 28, 2006 Report Share Posted September 28, 2006 would pay to cure them in your sump for a few weeks, you will get less algae on them when you put them in your display. the algae takes ages to die off and discolours the rock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted September 28, 2006 Report Share Posted September 28, 2006 personally i wouldnt do either of the above. i would cook them for around 6 weeks first. if they were in a tank for several years, there will still be a heap of crud in them which you need to get out and have them nice and porous again. after you've cooked for around 6 weeks chuck them in the sump. that will get the nitrifying bacteria populations built up without the unwanted algae growth. then chuck in the display. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted September 28, 2006 Report Share Posted September 28, 2006 The cooking process works because of the denitrifying bacteria. It's a specific way of curing rock. So cook it, then chuck it straight in the display. I also suspect the cooking (if done fully) will take a lot longer than 6 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskisteve Posted September 28, 2006 Report Share Posted September 28, 2006 HOLY COW i side with Iduncan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted September 28, 2006 Report Share Posted September 28, 2006 I Duncan? Has he changed his name to Iayton? I also suspect the cooking (if done fully) will take a lot longer than 6 weeks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossco Posted September 28, 2006 Report Share Posted September 28, 2006 It still intrigues a mere mortal like me that you can cook rock in a tank for 3 months (even with a bit of light), put the stuff in your display tank under pretty lights, and the b"**%* stuff decides to host all sorts of crap stuff! The wonders of nature I suppose... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted September 28, 2006 Report Share Posted September 28, 2006 gigitty gigitty goo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted September 28, 2006 Report Share Posted September 28, 2006 I Duncan? Has he changed his name to Iayton? 6-8 weeks is the norm if you read most articles on it. guess the longer you leave it the more crud you will get out, to a point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tee-em Posted September 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2006 Thanks, cooking it is... for "denitrifying bacteria" to take hold do I need to do anything special or will NSW hold some of this or is it always present in the dead rock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted September 28, 2006 Report Share Posted September 28, 2006 The bacteria that need to be there will get there by themselves, there's not much extra you can do to help them along. All it needs is time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted September 29, 2006 Report Share Posted September 29, 2006 How long to wait depends what you want to do. To get clean as, cooked rock, will probably take quite a few months. However the basic nitrogen cycle, up to the nitrate stage, is done in about 6 weeks, at that point you can put in the tank & carefully begin stocking. If the rock was cycled in the tank, because of all the stuff that went on, IMO it is a good idea to do a 100% water change to make a fresh start before stocking. At this time ammonia and nitrite will be getting processed, it will be several more months before nitrate is being reduced properly. However most organisms can tolerate a fair amount of nitrate, at least temporarily. If you start stocking at 6 weeks, provided you go slowly, and skim at max, the rock will continue to "cook" ie clean it's own pores out, you need to keep the tank nice & clean so the rock is "unclogging" faster than it is "clogging". There are some people who have the patience to spend 6 months cooking rock before putting anything in the tank, I'm not one of them, but they have my respect! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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