Prepping dry rock

[Mark_C]

Decided to do some new, semi-complex aquascaping in the new pico tank.
Have a few pieces of rock that are too small to acid bath but have old/dead organics on them (algae and such).
I've never used used dry rock and I'm unsure if any type of algae 'spores' and could survive.
Is it worth running a bleach bath, then cycling with them in the tank or will I be OK just scaping them as they are, put them in the tank, and let the organics die off in the cycle?

 

[Trio91]

I am doing the same thing with some dry rock. I have a piece that broke up which had some sponges, and some stuff on it. I can even smell the dead items coming off the dried rock. I aquacaped the items with epoxy and let them dry cure. Basically what my plan is cure the dry rock in a square tub with some freshly made SW. My assumption is that anything on there will die off and with separate water changes I should be able to manage that.

 

[Trio91]

My plan should work (hopefully )

 

[art13]

If I had to guess i would say they wouldn't live outside of water all that long, but as stubborn as some algae is, a bath couldn't hurt. If they are small enough, i know hydrogen peroxide kills off algae and is cheap, maybe soak them in a small bowl of it and then rinse and let it sit out for a bit? I'm pretty sure it goes inert after a short amount of time so the rinsing wouldn't be too necessary but another option.

 

[horseplay]

Build your rockwork using epoxy etc then put it in your 90g for a couple of weeks. It's a smaller amount of rock so your 90 can handle it in the mean time you have the rock cured and populated with pods.

 

[Mark_C]

Thanks all. Went ahead a built the scape on a piece of starboard (pics in build thread). I'll spray with peroxide then cure in the tank (which is currently empty).

 

[mnat]

Also a vinegar soak will help. Not as strong as acid but will get the gunk off.