Dead Live Rock
- Thread starter BuddaTurk
- Start date
McCrary
Always Learning
Yea, you can wash it out with tap water if its dead, there isn't anything on it thats going to be affected by the tap water. It should start to grow coralline after a couple months, but don't expect it to grow as quickly as rock that wasn't totally dead.
cumminz
Reefing newb
Correct me if im wrong, But you can clean it with 3 parts water to 1 part vinegar. That is what i use for my tank glass, but i dont know if the rocks will soak it up or not?
RyanG
Reef enthusiast
It will start to dissolve the rock a little(which isnt necessarily a bad thing) think its called cooking the rock. If the rock was slightly contaminated it will remove it unless by chance it was treated with copper which will leach regardless
cumminz
Reefing newb
I only use Vinegar-Water to clean my tank glass, and I think it would be the same concept
RyanG
Reef enthusiast
The vinegar is a mild acid the rock is calcium carbonate. The fizzing you hear when you put vinegar on live rock or coraline algae is the calcium carbonate dissolving. Thats why everyone recommends cleaning used tanks with vinegar is because of the disolution that happens.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
There really is no need to use vinegar on it, as McCrary said, if it's dry it's dead and there's nothing for the vinegar to clean off. Water should be sufficient.
:bounce: Cleaning base rock, or old dead live rock as if it has been contaminated is a good thing. You will only loose a little of the surface of the rock, not substantial amounts. Some people even check all live rocks they receive from other people for copper as lots of people do threat with copper in their main tanks. Not recommended but hey do it anyway. The treatment with vinegar or hydrochloric acid in water will remove the surface layer of the rock which has absorbed the copper. The acid in water will also etch the rock well enough to remove filth that will just not rinse or soak off. It is a worth while project and takes not that much time or expense. See Johns (jhnrb) write up in the articles section https://www.livingreefs.com/articles/removing-copper-from-rock-t387.php :^:
