Baking rock

R

RyanM

Guys and Gals,

I have purchased some tonga rock from an individual that is getting out of the hobby. His tank crashed due to something strange he indicated - not really sure.

I have about 50 lbs. of this rock that he had mosty dried out in a plastic container and need to know how I should treat it. I did read something about baking it, but don't know what the term baking is truely defined in this hobby.

I would wonder what my wife would think if she came home with 50lbs of tonga in the oven cooking. Maybe it's not all that crazy.

I know that I need to scrub the HECK out of it and something else.

Any advise so I don't get the previous owner's COODIES in my tank?

Thanks in advance!
 
Was it "baking" or "cooking" you read?


I believe it was "cooking" and all that it means is to place your rock in a barrel full of mixed salt water with a pump or two to keep it circulating and let it cycle. If it is very cold outside you might want to add a heater. The idea is to let anything that has died go through its decomposition cycle and cause the nitrogen cycle to occure. That way it will be all set to go when you are ready to add it to a tank. This can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. The only way to know for sure is to measure for amonia and nitrite.

Hope that helps
 
i would let it dry out in the sun for 2 to4 weeks and then cure it as the post above said or you can put it in a pot of water and boil it for 45 minits or so and then cure it . DO NOT just put it in your tank or it will start a cycal that will be extrem and last for 3 months. it will cure for 3 months to make the dead rock live agan. and the boiling will kill off anything that mite have crashed that mans tank. i dont think it will help with copper so be carfull. check the amonia after one week to make shore it is cycling. you mite have to put in a peace of shrimp to start it off and just leave it in there. but it should cycal with out it. depinds on how good you cook it. the term live rock refers to the masive about of serfise airea in the rock for bio to grow on but it isnt live rock antil the bio is living on it. how this helps
 
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