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Tank Overhaul

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by ThyRaven, Mar 16, 2014.

  1. Mar 16, 2014 #1
    ThyRaven

    ThyRaven Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    Does anyone close to Cedar Rapids have a 40 breeder I could borrow for a couple weeks? I am planning to shut down the 135 to scrub and blast all of my rock but need some where to home my sailfin, purple tang, and koran angel while I do this work.


    Also looking for someone that could assist me in building a Herbie overflow on my tank. Was looking at possibly adding a 3rd hole for a bean animal but i dont see how I could with the existing holes AJ drilled for me.
     
  2. Mar 16, 2014 #2
    blackx-runner Cedar Rapids, IA

    blackx-runner Administrator Website Team Leadership Team

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    I haven't heard anything from you in awhile. How exactly are you planning on treating the rock? Just cleaning them is probably not going to do a lot for you at this point. I'm sure they're just loaded with phosphates that unless taken care of properly before using again will just lead to more long term problems when you put them back in.

    Its been awhile since I saw your tank, but if I remember your overflow right I think you could easily add a bean animal style overflow You would just have to add an external box and plumb the bean animal using that. Bud built me an internal overflow with an external box. You're welcome to check it out and we can see if we can make something similar work with your setup.
     
  3. Mar 17, 2014 #3
    ThyRaven

    ThyRaven Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    Ive been here just not talkative. Plus work was killing me.
    What is the best way to remove phosphates from the rock? Thought about buying new and letting all of the rock I have dry up before reusing it. Was just planning on scrubbing it with a pool brush then rinsing it a couple times and leaving it in a tub with a pump blasting the water through the pores for a couple weeks.
    Id love to do a bean animal overflow but I have 2 - 1" holes before bulk heads so I dont think I have enough flow for an external box.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 24, 2015
  4. Mar 17, 2014 #4
    Dave Des Moines Area

    Dave Experienced Reefkeeper

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    The best way may be to "cook" the rock but it will likely take months to get the phosphate down if cooking is the only method (it took us 6 months on pukani dry rock to get phosphate down to acceptable levels).


    There are 2 other methods that will get there faster:


    1. Acid bath (fastest): http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1914426&highlight=cooking+rock


    2. Lanthanum Chloride (faster than plain cooking): http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2145395


    In my opinion any of these 3 methods will work much better than drying out and scrubbing alone (I would do that first and then one of these 3 methods). Good luck with whatever route you go!
     
  5. Mar 17, 2014 #5
    ThyRaven

    ThyRaven Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    Would the bleach bath be enough? Not sure I really want to get intomthe acid bath.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 24, 2015
  6. Mar 17, 2014 #6
    Dave Des Moines Area

    Dave Experienced Reefkeeper

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    I would go with acid. It isn't that expensive at Lowes and is a better bet in my opinion. Just be sure to do it outside where it is well ventilated. It is really pretty easy to do.
     
  7. Mar 17, 2014 #7
    hart

    hart Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2099658

    Some good info here. I like Lanthanum Chloride option.
     
  8. Mar 17, 2014 #8
    blackx-runner Cedar Rapids, IA

    blackx-runner Administrator Website Team Leadership Team

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    The acid will clean off the rock for sure, but I don't know that it will do anything about the phosphates that would be locked up in them.
    After cleaning them I would put some of them in a bucket of clean RO/DI, and monitor the phosphates over time to see what, if anything is going to be leaching out of them. If there are excess phosphates leaching out of them you're going to want to get than handled before using the rock again.
     
  9. Mar 17, 2014 #9
    ThyRaven

    ThyRaven Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    Sounds like it might be easier to just get new rock. I'll have to think this through a bit more. Kind of need a tank for my 3 fish to hang out in while I clean up the rock though. Also will these guys start picking on one another with the rock gone?
     

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