# using dead rock help



## monk21 (Dec 5, 2012)

So setting up my new 75g marine I will use rock from 3 places. Live rock from a guy's tank, live rock from my 20g tank and another 10 to 15lb more dead rock I have sitting for a couple of weeks now in an empty and dry bucket. Do I need to prepare that last rock somehow before I put it in the tank or not?

Thanks


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

First scrub the dead rock clean and let it soak in RO/DI water for a day and test for NO3 and PO4. If the PO4 is greater than 0.1mg/L and NO3 higher than 5mg/L, then dump the water and refill w/RO/DI and continue until levels are below those levels. If you have a refugium incorporated into the sump and/or GFO Rx, keep the lights off (the "white") or at least a few hours per day, this will minimize the problems with problematic algae.

HTH


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## monk21 (Dec 5, 2012)

What happens if I have no rodi for now. No sump refugiums etc either. No tests yet except for ammonia nitrates and nitrites


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

If the dead dry rock is new and has never been in a tank (like Marco rock) then just put it in the tank, it has no contaminants and will become seeded with life.

If it used to be in a tank, regardless how long ago, then do what Wilson (wtac) suggests. Just so you know, he is one of the most respected reefers in all of Ontario. If you've got some time to kill, just look for his posts on RC. Start by searching for the tank build thread of a user named "nineball" and see where Wilson comes in. 

If you have no RO/DI water then use tap water treated with Prime. I have no idea what the TDS of Toronto water is, maybe it is or isn't viable. Anybody else know?

And get yourself the Phosphate test kit. You'll want to keep a handle on that little bugger. Trust me


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

my TDS is 121 and I gave up on RO/DI since I don't own a unit anymore.


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## Torx (Jun 16, 2013)

121 :0 ??? Crazy high

Phosphate kit is important to help control algae issues...a good kit, not api. Try redsea algae control kit, great testing kit.

Sent from my SGH-T989D using Tapatalk 4


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## monk21 (Dec 5, 2012)

Since when is api a bad kit?

Anyway since rodi water is not enough to fill 75 gallons and soak rock in I will clean the rock with dechl. Water and put it in.


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## Torx (Jun 16, 2013)

If you are doing coral...then get away from api as it is just not accurate enough. I test my phosphates as low as 0.08. Api is good for fish only or fresh water imho.

Sent from my SGH-T989D using Tapatalk 2


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

monk21 said:


> Since when is api a bad kit?
> 
> Anyway since rodi water is not enough to fill 75 gallons and soak rock in I will clean the rock with dechl. Water and put it in.


API tests are not very accurate.

The reason you should first soak the rock in a bucket of RO/DI water is because when it is in a tank (from previous use) it will have absorbed phosphates into the rock itself. Then when you put it in your tank, it will just leach it into your nice new water and you'll get a big algae bloom. That's why Wilson recommended you to soak those phosphates out beforehand.


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## monk21 (Dec 5, 2012)

And how long should they remain soaked? Would dechl. Water do as well?


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

50seven said:


> If it used to be in a tank, regardless how long ago, then do what Wilson (wtac) suggests. Just so you know, he is one of the most respected reefers in all of Ontario. If you've got some time to kill, just look for his posts on RC. Start by searching for the tank build thread of a user named "nineball" and see where Wilson comes in.


Just to clarify, I'm not Shawn Wilson, aka Mr.Wilson, but my first name is Wilson . I've know Shawn since 1990 when we worked together at PJ's Yorkdale.


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

monk21 said:


> And how long should they remain soaked? Would dechl. Water do as well?


I don't know, but I would think it would be much better than nothing. I used plain tap water (I'm on a drilled well) once to clean ~200 lb. of live sand and it worked fine.



wtac said:


> Just to clarify, I'm not Shawn Wilson, aka Mr.Wilson, but my first name is Wilson . I've know Shawn since 1990 when we worked together at PJ's Yorkdale.


Oops LOL now how did I mix that up???  I guess there were 2 Wilsons that both knew their stuff and I just put 2 and 2 together... Please take it as a compliment then, but know that your advice is still very well respected!


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Torx said:


> If you are doing coral...then get away from api as it is just not accurate enough. I test my phosphates as low as 0.08. Api is good for fish only or fresh water imho.
> 
> Sent from my SGH-T989D using Tapatalk 2


API is fine. No need to spring for the more expensive testing kits when you're just starting out. Buy one or two of them and when you know what you're doing, just buy the better test kits for parameters that matter (ca, alk, mg, etc).


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