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Should I scrub my rock?

A

Absinthe

My new live rock has been in the tank for a few days now. I am noticing that the muddy residue hasnt gotten pushed off the rock like I hoped it would...but rather is just sitting on the rock.

Should I bother scrubbing the rock? Would it be a good idea to remove the silt mud or just leave it?

I am tempted to just leave it but I dont know if that will hinder corraline growth.
 
Phyl

Phyl

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
I'd probably remove it, with my thinking being that it could feed hair algae in due time. I'd rather start without that disadvantage, personally. Will a turkey baster solve the problem?
 
A

Absinthe

I tried a turkey baster but some of this stuff is really caked on. I wish I had been more diligent when I was first putting the rock in.

The way I have it set up I could probably reach in and scrub it while it is in the tank.

That would cause a sand storm (or silt storm) and the stuff woudl re-collect...but at least THEN I could use a turkey baster.
 
C

Carlo

Try a combination of an old toothbrush and the turkey blaster. You should be able to get the outside of the rocks pretty well with the toothbrush. You might be surprised how much stuff collects inside the rocks too. Hold the turkey blaster right up to some of the holes and squirt it. You'll see stuff come out of other holes.

Chances are, most of it is just old crusted dirt but some of it could be organic. The more you get off the better. You probably don't have to go nuts on it. Just scrub off as much as you can.

I would think the rock will look better getting the dirt off it. Plus you'd have to figure the coralline will attach and grow better on the rock this way over time.

Carlo
 
A

Absinthe

OK

So last night I did something similar to what you suggested.

I brushed the rock and used a turkey baster...while it was in the tank.

My skimmer is going crazy and my MJ1200 for water movement is picking up a lot of dust in the foam prefilter.

I plan on doing this every night for another week or so. It is just easier than removing all the rock and starting again.

There wasnt as much as I had thought once I got to scrubbing it.

Anyway...next week I am going to do a 25% water change and siphone off the very top layer of sand where this stuff settles. I will also make sure to really scrub the rock hard before I siphon the water.

A lot of this is old dead plant material that didnt survive the trip. Plus Im not using my lights so I am letting it all die off.
 
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