Mushroom tanks No More!!! Need to cook rocks

[Klewis]

My first experience with a catastrophic crash; I came home from work to foul smell in the house.:Yikes: I freaked out and quickly checked my main tanks in the living area and they were fine, then I checked behind the tanks to see if anyone had a bad idea to relocate, no problem. The only place left was the basement tanks that I hadn't checked for a few days. Bingo!!! I had a nice display of mushrooms, but the GFCI tripped and the pumps were shut down for a possible 3 days, I guess the hot summer weather was just too much. I had a 20 gallon and a 30 gallon tank in the basement with a nice display of blue, purple, green and metalic red mushrooms; unfortunately life has been crazy lately and with 2 reef tanks and 1 fowler upstairs the mushrooms in the basement suffered.:frown::frown: Out of site, out of mind, like an overflowing RO/DI bucket. All the mushrooms dissinigrated, the bristle worms unsuccessfuly tried to make a mass exodes, and the water had a horrible smell. Now I have a bunch of smelly rocks, that need a good cleaning. Any links to helpful threads would be great.

I just ordered a 100 gallon stock tank and I'm looking to cook and cure the rocks for a future tank upgrade.

1)Should I let the rocks dry out first or can I go right to cycling them in the stock tank with a protien skimmer and canister filters? If I have to dry them is baking in the sun the best way, how about on the BBQ grill or the oven?:tongue1: I'll just wait for my wife to go to work. :splitspin

2)Do I have to use salt water in the begining or can I use RO/DI water to start the cleaning process? If I have to use salt water, will it slow the process alot if I use tank water from water changes? The rocks were teaming with life so for now they are nothing but toxic waste.

3) How long does this process usually take?

Any other info or personal experience would be helpful, thank you.

If anyone that I've traded with has an extra Green mushroom or two they would be willing to donate to me it would be appreciated. :hug:

Thank you
Keith

 

[qy7400]

Every time I've done this I used WC water to both scrub and hold the rock. Scrub and clean the rock in a 5G pail, use a second to rinse and then place in cooking tub; replacing rinse bucket as needed. I'd say let the rock sit and do its thing for at least 5 or 6 weeks, enough time for a full cycle to occur at which time I'd check the water; if waters good I start playing musical rocks, take some from the tub and replace a few pieces in the tank. This should re-seed the cooked rock nicely with life for when you upgrade.

 

[masterswimmer]

Keith, I'm so sorry to hear about this. I know it's difficult to say and hear because no crash is a good one, but from the sound of it, the best one to crash, did.

I would let the smelly 'shroom rock cure outside for a few months. Believe it or not, there is probably more life on those rocks than you can imagine. Two months is not likely to be enough time. Let it go for three months and be sure of it.

Best of luck and now you have something to look forward to in the fall. Lets make some lemonade from those lemons

Russ

 

[Bob 1000]

Sorry to here about your loss... Socting Oxydator.. If you had one you would have been in a lot better situation..

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

I would leave them in a covered bucket outside for a few months until it gets cold. Then try to cure them.

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

Sorry to hear.

If you plans to make the rock as "clean" as possible, drying it under the sun is very effective. Dark colored rock turns white after couple times of Sun/Rain/Sun sessions-especially after a very hot sunny day.

But I don't believe all things on the rock are just bad stuff. Both good and bad things die in the rock so both bad and good things survived the crash in the rock. If you found no apparant bad stuff in the rock before the crash, after curing, you should expect very similar things to happen after your recure them, Example, the place where there were coraline, there will be coraline again. However, if you dry them under the sun and such, the rock will be so clean that, after you cure them, the life growing on the them will change drastically after you reput them in the the display.

So for me, if algae infested rock-I dry them under the sun, clean with brush if there were tuff rigid algae, then cure again.
Good rocks after crash-I clean them with water and starting curing right the way.

 

[Klewis]

Russ you're right, if it was any of the other tanks I'd be talking my wife of the roof instead of writing this thread.:lol2:

So the advantages of drying out the rocks prior to curing them is No Undesirable life.
The disadvantage is longer time cooking and longer time curing.

The advantage to cleaning and curing without drying the rocks is shorter time for them to be display ready. Possible softcoral growth.
The disadvantage is possible undesirable life in the rocks if they were present before.

Any thing I"m over looking?

 

[TimberTDI]

I copied this from RC a couple of years ago, (I think the member's name was SeanT?)

Sure thing.
But before I do I just want to say that Bomber instructed me how to do it several months ago and it works great. So it is his process that I am trying to make popular and cause fellow hobbyists a lot less heartache in the long term.
The purpose of "cooking" your rocks is to have tha bacteria consume all (or as much) organic material and PO4 stored on, and in, the rock as possible.

The first step to this is commitment.
You have to be willing to remove your rock from the tank.
It doesn't have to be all at once, but I feel if you are going to do this do it all. In stages if that is easier but make sure that all of it gets done.

The new environment you are creating for your rock is to take it from an algal driven to a bacterial driven system.
In order to this, the rock needs to be in total darkness to retard and eventually kill the algae's on the rock and to give the bacteria time to do the job.

So basically you need tubs to hold the rock.

Equipment needed.
1. Dedication.
2. Tubs to cook rock in. And an equal amount of tubs to hold the rock during waterchanges.
3. A few powerheads.
4. Plenty of buckets.
5. A smug feeling of superiority that you are taking it to "the next level."

Here are the steps, if you have any questions I will try my best to answer them. What I don't know I am sure Bomber can/will instruct.

1. Get into your head and accept the fact you will be making lots of salt water if you aren't lucky enough to have access to filtered NSW.
2. Explain to significant other what is going on so they don't flip out. This process can take up to 2 months. Prepare them in advance so he/she can mark it on the calendar and that they won't nag about it until that date arrives.
3. Setup a tub(s) where the rock is to be cooked. Garages are great for this.
4. Make up enough water to fill tub(s) about halfway and around 5-7 buckets about 60% full.
5. Remove all the rock you want to cook at this stage. (The rock can be removed piece by piece until you are done.) I suggest shutting off the circulation beforehand to minimize dust storms.
6. Take the first piece of rock and dunk it, swish it, very, very well in the first bucket. Then do it again in the 2nd bucket, then the third.
7. Place rock in the tub.
8. Repeat steps 6 & 7 to every piece of rock you want to cook at this time. The reason I suggested 5-7 buckets of water will be evident quickly...as the water quickly turnsq brown.
9. Place powerhead(s) in the tub and plug in. Position at least one powerhead so that it agitates the surface of the water pretty well. This is to keep the water oxygenated. You can use an air pump for additional oxygenation if you wish.
9. Cover the tub. Remember, we want total darkness.
10. Empty out buckets, restart circulation on main tank.
11. Wait.
12. During the first couple of weeks it is recommended to do a swishing and dunking of the rocks twice a week.
What this entails is to make up enough water to fill up those buckets and the tub the rock is in.
First, lay out your empty tub(s) and fill buckets the same as before.
Then, uncover tub with the rock in it. Take a rock and swish it in the tub it's in to knock any easy to get off junk.
Then, swish it thru the 3 buckets again, and place in the empty tub..
Repeat for all your rocks.
Then empty the tub that all the rocks were cooking in, take it outside and rinse it out with a hose.
Place tub back where it was, fill with new saltwater, add rocks and powerheads, and cover.
Wait again unti the next water change.
You will be utterly amazed at how much sand, silt, detrius is at the bottom of the tub and every bucket. It is amazing.

How it works:


Some FAQ's.
When re-introducing the rock to my tank, a month or two from now, should I do that in parts to help minimize any cycling effect(s)...if there are any?
I never have. Really after a very short while, the ammonium cycle has been extablished. That's not what you're worry about though, it's the stored phosphates and that you have to wait it out.
When they are producing very little detritus - you'll know - then I would use them all at once.

Would running Carbon filtration and/or a PO4 reducing media help/hurry/hinder the process?
I wouldn't fool with it. You don't want the detritus to sit there long enough to rot, release water soluble P again. You want to take it out while it's still locked up in that bacterial detritus.




I hope this helps you out.
It really is a "miracle" and a low cost one at that.
The only monies spent are for salt and electricity for the powerheads which are nominal. Especially to rid yourself of Bryopsis.
Time and effort is all it akes. And really not that much effort.
I would say that 85% of my exposed rock had Bryopsis (hair algae) covering it.
There isn't a single visible strand on andy rocks in the tubs now.
Remember, the key is patience. Let this process run its course.

And a few last minute tidbits I remembered.
Your coralline will die back, receed etc.
My thoughts on this are GREAT!
Now my rock is more porous for additional pods, mysids, worms etc.
Coralline will grow back.
Throughout this process the sponges, and pods on my rock have not died off.
Everytime I do a waterchange they are there and plentiful.

If you have any questions please ask.

 

[Klewis]

Hey thanks for the quote on cooking the rocks.

 

[cthoughts1]

Hey Keith,

Sorry to hear about your tank bud.. Unfortunately I never got a green shroom from you, or I would have definitely hooked you up with one back.. Wish you luck with the rock curing man...

-Ed

 

[bad coffee]

if you're going to use them in the near future, start cooking them now.

Scrub off all the dead stuff you can. Shrooms, algae, any other dead stuff.

Rinse in a bucket of water change water.

Put rocks in a tub covered with waterchange water.
*here's the trick*
take non-scented household ammonia, and add enough to the tub to hit 5ppm. This will jump start the nitrate/nitrite/ammonia cycle.

Do a water change after two days. Then again in a week or so. Once your nitrates hit 0ppm, you've got cycled rocks.

B

 

[tomtoothdoc]

If anyone that I've traded with has an extra Green mushroom or two they would be willing to donate to me it would be appreciated. :hug:

Keith

i have bunch of green with green dots, superman, and blue/purple i can frag for you. plan your next trip to queens on mon., wed., or sat. between 10-6. my office is in flushing a mile off the 495 main st. exit. lmk.

I just ordered a 100 gallon stock tank and I'm looking to cook and cure the rocks for a future tank upgrade.

if you're not already committed to this tank, get two rubbermaid brute 44 gal. containers instead (even with the optional wheels, they are still cheaper than a 100 gal. tank and no worry about dropping the rocks in it). just switch from one container (rinsing each rock in 5 gal. buckets in between) to another for water changes.

 

[Klewis]

Thanks for the thought Ed, if I do get one back, I'll remember you when they grow out.

Thanks Bad Coffee for the ammonia tip,

TomToothdoc, thank you for the offer, my wife will be so excited because she always wanted to see your tank. Everytime she see's a coral she wants all i hear is "Who is this Tomtoothdoc he get all of the good stuff!" :splitspin
Yes, I've already to committed to the 100 gallon rubbermaid. It'll probably work out better this way, I already have some other ideas for it when I'm done. Eventually I'll upgrade my 75 to a 120 and need a comfy transition for my Lion, Tang, and Fox face.

 

[tomtoothdoc]

TomToothdoc, thank you for the offer, my wife will be so excited because she always wanted to see your tank. Everytime she see's a coral she wants all i hear is "Who is this Tomtoothdoc he get all of the good stuff!" :splitspin
Yes, I've already to committed to the 100 gallon rubbermaid. It'll probably work out better this way, I already have some other ideas for it when I'm done. Eventually I'll upgrade my 75 to a 120 and need a comfy transition for my Lion, Tang, and Fox face.

if your wife wants to see my tank, you'll have to come to jersey. my flushing office only has a nano with 3 fish, mushrooms and a bunch of majano anemone.
tell your wife...you snooze...you lose....lol. yes i've been acquiring quite a bit of corals lately. 270 gal. tank still look kinda empty 'cause most of the corals are frags. i've lost some colonies due to tank transfer and had a black out recently. lost a 10" clam i had for 3-4 yrs. some of the sps are still brown.:frown:

 

[Klewis]

Tom sorry to hear about you're losses too. If you keep up the pace you have been collecting frags you should packed in no time.:tongue1: Funny thing is I have to drag her kicking to a family function 3 towns away, but to see another persons tank and have an excuse to buy more fish from your LFS in Jersey she would be sitting in the car already saying hurry up to me.:inlove: I

 

[tomtoothdoc]

Tom sorry to hear about you're losses too. If you keep up the pace you have been collecting frags you should packed in no time.:tongue1: Funny thing is I have to drag her kicking to a family function 3 towns away, but to see another persons tank and have an excuse to buy more fish from your LFS in Jersey she would be sitting in the car already saying hurry up to me.:inlove: I

well the tank is getting there....i still have plenty of room now. but when and IF they do grow i'll be way overstocked....hopefully then it'll be free frags for everyone...
you and the wife are more than welcome to come by whenever you're in jersey.....my tank looked much better 3 weeks ago though. right now it's 65-70% of what it was but improving.any time you plan to be in jersey just let me know....especially if you'll be going to ocean galley....i can always go there. try to plan the trip for tues., fri., or sun....i'm usually around on those days.
-tom