Will it ever be the same again?!?!?!
- Thread starter pLO420
- Start date
daugherty
part time reefer
yes it will become live again but you are going to have the same problems as before bleach is not a fix for the alage
daugherty
part time reefer
just make shure you soak that rck in fresh water and change the water often to make shure you get all the bleach out of the rock
Rcpilot
Reef enthusiast
I don't know if you'll EVER get all that bleach out of the rocks now. I would NEVER have done that.
If you have hair algae problems you can take the rock out of the tank and bleach it dry in the sun for about 2 weeks. Use a garden hose and a plastic brush to scrub off the dead and dry algae. Let it sit in the sun for a couple more weeks to make sure it's completely dried out. Garden hose and scrub it again.
Now boil it on the stove in a big giant pot for about an hour.
You got sterile rocks now my friend!! :Cheers: No hitchhikers, no aiptasia, no algae.
If you have hair algae problems you can take the rock out of the tank and bleach it dry in the sun for about 2 weeks. Use a garden hose and a plastic brush to scrub off the dead and dry algae. Let it sit in the sun for a couple more weeks to make sure it's completely dried out. Garden hose and scrub it again.
Now boil it on the stove in a big giant pot for about an hour.
You got sterile rocks now my friend!! :Cheers: No hitchhikers, no aiptasia, no algae.
mng777777
Shark Wrangler Wannabe
did you use liquid bleach or place them in the sun? if you soaked them in liquid bleach I would suggest you throw them out and start over. You could try putting them in a tub and soaking them while doing daily water changes for 30+ days but bleach is tough to get rid of and it's a gamble with your livestock if you put them back in.
Rcpilot
Reef enthusiast
Yeah. I got the impression it was liquid bleach. I was SHOCKED :shock: when he said he had used bleach on his live rocks.
It soaks into the pores of the rocks. He'll probably never get it all out. IMO those rocks are worthless now. I wouldn't put them in a tank because they will just leach out bleach for the next 5yrs and poison your tank.
If you want to clean rocks, do like I said in my last post. Bleach them in the SUN and scrub them with a plastic brush. NOT the plastic brush you were using last week in the garage to clean motorcycle parts. A NEW and CLEAN plastic brush thats never been used for ANYTHING. Not even a used scrub brush from the bathtub!! Thats full of all kinds of chemicals too.
Then boil them to kill any rotten hitchhikers and left over algae spores.
When I set up my 90g tank, I'm buying uncured rock and boiling every single piece of it for at least an hour. I've decided I don't want ANY hitch hikers in that tank. If I didn't buy it and put it in there on purpose, I don't WANT it in there. QT every single frag, fish and invert you bring home to be sure you aren't introducing so much a single algae spore or aiptasia spore. It only takes one to ruin your tank.
yote
In Memoriam
At one time I thought about bleaching my rock.And actually bought the bleach to do it.
But once the bleach goes in,all you've got left for a while is expensive base rock.
But once the bleach goes in,all you've got left for a while is expensive base rock.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
I would also recommend soaking it to get all the bleach out. And add dechlorinator to the water it's soaking in. But like others, I'm also unsure if that would get all the bleach out. I would never have done that either...
tankedchemist
Reef enthusiast
In my experience, just removin water won't actually help too much with removing the bleach. For example, if you've ever dyed clothing, no matter how much you rinse it the bleach stays there.
First you need to neutralize the bleach. The easiest way to do it is to get a whole lot of hydrogen peroxide and soak your rock in it for a day or two. That changes the bleach into chloride, more water, and oxygen gas. I'd change out the hydrogen peroxide a few times. once you don't see any bubbles anymore, the bleach is probably mostly gone. THEN use dechlorinated water with lots of water changes for a long period of time-- put an excess of dechlorinator in to remove any choramine that might have formed from neutralizing the bleach.
best of luck!
First you need to neutralize the bleach. The easiest way to do it is to get a whole lot of hydrogen peroxide and soak your rock in it for a day or two. That changes the bleach into chloride, more water, and oxygen gas. I'd change out the hydrogen peroxide a few times. once you don't see any bubbles anymore, the bleach is probably mostly gone. THEN use dechlorinated water with lots of water changes for a long period of time-- put an excess of dechlorinator in to remove any choramine that might have formed from neutralizing the bleach.
best of luck!
yote
In Memoriam
She's smart:Cheers:
daugherty
part time reefer
what he said it is nice having a chemist on here
mng777777
Shark Wrangler Wannabe
sounds like it would be easier to just toss it and make some of that FLR that eddie cooked up in the DIY thread for 0.75/lb considering the cost of peroxide, dechlorinator, water, and time. He has 70lbs to fix... that's a lot of peroxide!
tankedchemist
Reef enthusiast
thanks yote :D but you left off the part after smart... @$$ hehe
mng777777
Shark Wrangler Wannabe
Where's OP? did you really use liquid bleach or are we on to our second page of talk about something that never happened?
tankedchemist
Reef enthusiast
depends how much bleach he used. Tell me how much bleach you put in, and I'll figure how much peroxide you need. MOst likely, he could dilute the hydrogen peroxide and not need nearly as much.
BUT, it will be some work to make it useable, that's true.
And that's a really good question, mng.... hmm.
dcantucson
Reef pro
Who posts a question and truly needs answers, yet never responds to any questions of additional information being needed? Has the original poster passed or maybe they're in a comma?
Come on there... we need some more information!
By the way Tanked your a God(dess)!
Come on there... we need some more information!
By the way Tanked your a God(dess)!
yote
In Memoriam
tankedchemist
Reef enthusiast
I hope I can choose the paranthetical one... if I have to be a deity, I'd like to keep my gender the same. :D But thanks dcan, just glad I can help people too. :)
ok guys sorry for the dLAY.... was having computer issues.... but status on the rocks are after i let them soak in RO water for a few days changing the water out everyday and still smelling bleach i hooked up my old xp2, loaded up with carbo ran that for a good 24 hours and then put them in my tank 2 clowns 1 chromis a BTA african xenia and rose coral are A ok and its been about a week maybe 2.... good thing i didnt have my computer.... would have been adding peroxide and all that mumbo jumbo but big thanks for the efforts guys.... but now we know just a day of carbon gets the bleach away.... happy reefing
ps. when i did bleach them it was 5 gallons of RO and 31/2 gallons of clorox liquid bleach
ps. when i did bleach them it was 5 gallons of RO and 31/2 gallons of clorox liquid bleach
mng777777
Shark Wrangler Wannabe
Welcome back. I truly hope your luck holds, but I would keep a watchful eye on that tank for the next several weeks!
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