Nuking / Bleaching Live Rock Question

[The_Codfather]

I just got 200lbs of really nice premium fiji live rock.. really big and nice shapes.. but the problem is it has Valonia bubble algae all over it(Too many to manually remove).. Im going to use this as base rock.. but everything what im reading it's really hard to get rid of.. and been reading about nuking/bleaching it for a sure way to to kill all organics .. My question is what ratio of bleach to water do I use?

Sid

 

[9supratt4]

25% bleach solution bath for. 30 min. fresh water rinse until you no longer smell any bleach. fresh water bath with a water conditioner and you are good to go

 

[The_Codfather]

25% bleach solution bath for. 30 min. fresh water rinse until you no longer smell any bleach. fresh water bath with a water conditioner and you are good to go

Thanks for the 20% ratio info! But I think it might take a bit longer then 30 mins with the amount of bubble algae it has On it.. plus i want to make sure all the spores are killed(avg time 3 days in bleach mix as the spores are a bit tougher so it seems).. I want this rock 100% sterilized.. again im going to use it for base rock.. As for the bleach neutralizer I was thinking of getting a few bottles of NovAqua Water Conditioner @ $1.72 a pop .. Everything I have read is pointing this might take a week or so for a 100% Sterilization & neutralization

 

[The_Codfather]

I know a few people reading this are cringing at the thought of me doing this and thinking use emerald crabs but im doing this for three reason.. 1. I don't have a QT tank to hold all this rock.. 2. I will need a million emerald crabs and even that is not 100%..3.I saved this rock from getting thrown in the trash So i see this as saving 200Lb of rock being harvest and wasted from our fragile and depleting reefs.. I hope you understand!

Sid

 

[MadReefer]

Would scrubbing the rock prior to bleaching speed up the porcess? I would break the bubbles and release spores but should die quicker I would think while in the bleach/water solution.

 

[Olivier]

this is what I just did to my rock.
1) Bleach the rock:  1/10 ratio.  1 gallon of bleach to 10 gallons of tap water.  soak the rock for 1 day.  make sure you have pump in your container to move the water around.
2) Acid Dip: 1/10 ratio. 1 gallon of Muriatic Acid to 10 gallons of tap water.  directly dip the rock from step 1 to the diluted acid solution for few minutes.  monitor the reaction.  YOU DO NOT WANT THE MURIATIC ACID EAT ALL YOUR ROCK.  YOU JUST WANT TO REMOVE WHAT EVER OUTSIDE ONLY. 
3) Base Dip: 1/10 ratio.  1 lbs of Baking Soda to 10 gallon of tap water.  directly dip the rock from step 2 into the base solution for few minutes.  and swirl the rock around during the dipping so the base can get into all small hole in the rock.  the base is help to neutralize the acid.
4) Quick Rinse: tap water container.  place rock from step 3 directly into the water container with the pump to move water around for 1 day.
5) Rinse: tap water with water conditioner to remove chloride (LFS sell these product to neutralize the tap water).  Prepare this water container and test for PH.  make sure the PH level is neutral.  add your rock from step 4 and let it soak over night with water pump to move water around.  test PH again to compare with PH level before adding the rock.  if the PH not the same, keep rinse the rock and test PH before and after until the PH the same as before adding rock.  keep repeat the PH and water change until PH stable as neutral.
6) Rinse with RO/DI:  take the rock from step 5 put in the water container that have ro/di and let is soak for 2 days then transfer it to your display tank.

step 2 and 3. mix the acid solution and base solution 11 gallons (1 gallon of acide 10 gallon of water)at a time. discard the solution when it run out it strength.

 

[The_Codfather]

Would scrubbing the rock prior to bleaching speed up the porcess? I would break the bubbles and release spores but should die quicker I would think while in the bleach/water solution.

yeah im going to do that im my slop sink filled with a bleach mix first.. then let them soak in a mix for a few days to a week then neutralize then after that.. rinse,rinse and rinse then sun dry for a few days

 

[The_Codfather]

this is what I just did to my rock.
1) Bleach the rock: 1/10 ratio. 1 gallon of bleach to 10 gallons of tap water. soak the rock for 1 day. make sure you have pump in your container to move the water around.
2) Acid Dip: 1/10 ratio. 1 gallon of Muriatic Acid to 10 gallons of tap water. directly dip the rock from step 1 to the diluted acid solution for few minutes. monitor the reaction. YOU DO NOT WANT THE MURIATIC ACID EAT ALL YOUR ROCK. YOU JUST WANT TO REMOVE WHAT EVER OUTSIDE ONLY.
3) Base Dip: 1/10 ratio. 1 lbs of Baking Soda to 10 gallon of tap water. directly dip the rock from step 2 into the base solution for few minutes. and swirl the rock around during the dipping so the base can get into all small hole in the rock. the base is help to neutralize the acid.
4) Quick Rinse: tap water container. place rock from step 3 directly into the water container with the pump to move water around for 1 day.
5) Rinse: tap water with water conditioner to remove chloride (LFS sell these product to neutralize the tap water). Prepare this water container and test for PH. make sure the PH level is neutral. add your rock from step 4 and let it soak over night with water pump to move water around. test PH again to compare with PH level before adding the rock. if the PH not the same, keep rinse the rock and test PH before and after until the PH the same as before adding rock. keep repeat the PH and water change until PH stable as neutral.
6) Rinse with RO/DI: take the rock from step 5 put in the water container that have ro/di and let is soak for 2 days then transfer it to your display tank.

step 2 and 3. mix the acid solution and base solution 11 gallons (1 gallon of acide 10 gallon of water)at a time. discard the solution when it run out it strength.

What is the acid for? I use that stuff all the time for work to clean concrete I though just the bleach alone would kill all organics.. I know that no copper has touched the rocks if that's what the acid is about

 

[Olivier]

the bleach is breaking down all the organic stuff then the acid further remove the organic residual and heavy metal. with acid you do not need to rub the rock in cleaning

 

[The_Codfather]

the bleach is breaking down all the organic stuff then the acid further remove the organic residual and heavy metal. with acid you do not need to rub the rock in cleaning

As I know how that stuff works it makes sense.. The acid is just taking a very small layer off the rock

WARNING: For anyone else who is going to do this with the acid please wear chemical resistant gloves!!!!!... A 1/10 mix will still give you nasty acid burns and remember all ways read the label first!!!!!!