Bleaching Live Rock

[afsportsguy000]

So I just bleached about 20lbs of live rock and let it sit for 3 days then filled it up with fresh water for 2 days, Is there anything else I need to do with this rock before it can go in my tank? Its WHITE and RED haha alot of the rock is this neat red color.

I am going to Clean it off one more time with fresh water put some prime in it, then set it in some RODI water and use that in my DT which I will rebuild this weekend with sand and rock as many of you know.

Just want to make sure I am not setting myself up for a disaster in the long run. Do I need the rock to dry out completely in the sun before putting it in RODI water and starting to cure it?

 

[beelezebubba]

i never got a satisfactory answer as to whether sodium hypochlorite breaks down completely when it evaporates, but it seems like it should break down into sodium, chloride, and oxygen. but i'm no chemist.

i would let the rocks dry completely and then hit them with prime again just to be on the safe side. you could also give them an acid bath if they're old rocks that might have sequestered some phosphates in the surface layers. i believe the acid would also drive off any remaining bleach. there's a big thread on rc about it.

 

[firstimer]

i've done this many times. let it sit in bleach water for 3 days. rinse it out. put it outside for 2 days. then refill it with water and pull some prime into it. sit 1 day take it out and good to go.

 

[asing]

What ratio of bleach/water is good? I plan on doing this myself as my rock has become overrun with aiptasia

 

[afsportsguy000]

What ratio of bleach/water is good? I plan on doing this myself as my rock has become overrun with aiptasia

I did like %10-%20 I let only sit one day and I have a small bleach smell still so I will put them in water with prime today when sun goes away

 

[afsportsguy000]

I still have a very slight, Chlorine smell from the rocks, I have used prime and its been sitting in RODI water now for 2 days after drying for 3 outside and sitting in bleach for 2.

I was wondering if this is ok to place in the tank (No fish, All Dry rock and Saltwater, or if this will cause harm down the road) I have not done a cycle yet either, only been up for one day