How to "cook" your rock.

[SeanT]

I think Redwinger is pushing the time envelope on you a bit.
4-6 weeks is usually all I "cook" my rock, but I am very vigilant with the water changes and dunkings (2-3 times a week each).

As for the zoanthids, they will certainly receeded but there is a good chance they will make it.
Frag a few off just to be sure.
Sean

[elephen]

Sean I thought you had disappeared on us! Welcome back

[Andrew]

OK, time for a newbie question.........
What is keeping the good bacteria alive during this process?

Is it the dieing algae bacteria?

[elephen]

Algae and bacteria are apples and oranges... 2 differnet things.

Whats keeping the beneficial bacteria alive is your saltwater, so keep it the same temp as your tank and same salinity.

[gman0526]

The bacteria is feeding on all the nutrients stored within the rock itself, this is the whole idea of "cooking" the rock, have just the bacteria feed on the crap, that's why it should be done under darkness so the algae will be "eliminated", at least most of it.

[realhiphop]

I started cooking my rock on 2/12. I looked at my rock today and it still has hair algae/bryopsis on it. Is this normal? Should I continue to manually remove the algae every time I dunk? How long does it generally take for the algae to go away?

[Andrew]

elephan, you are correct, I meant to say just dieing algae, not dieing algae bacteria.

gman0526, that's how I understood it, my wording of the question was not detailed enough.
I am concerned that I will run out of crap for the beneficial bacteria in the rock to feed on, and it will die, leaving me with dead rock.

[gman0526]

Originally Posted by realhiphop

I started cooking my rock on 2/12. I looked at my rock today and it still has hair algae/bryopsis on it. Is this normal? Should I continue to manually remove the algae every time I dunk? How long does it generally take for the algae to go away?

How often are you changing the water? Obvious question, but.. are you using RO/DI? Have you tested your water for PO4? In the meantime you should manually remove as much as you can.

Originally Posted by Andrew

gman0526, that's how I understood it, my wording of the question was not detailed enough.
I am concerned that I will run out of crap for the beneficial bacteria in the rock to feed on, and it will die, leaving me with dead rock.

Gotcha IMO it's very unlikely you would end up having zero nutrient rock.

[realhiphop]

On average once a week. I use an RO/DI that gives me 0 TDS readings.

[Graham]

When I "cooked" my rock about a year and a half ago, I did so for 2 months and there was still crap coming out of the rocks and some bubble algae still managed to elude my trusty forceps and scrubbers and my eyes - and did not die off. Granted, the largest amount of purging will probably occur in less time (4-6 weeks as Sean said), but if you have rock that was used in a DSB-type system for several years (like mine), this is not enough time to clean them up IMO.

Which I guess leads me to my "problem" with cooking rocks and how it ties into the "properly set-up BB" as described. If we have enough flow in our tanks because we can, as Sean says, why the need to siphon? Then, why the need to cook in a separate tub at all? I can't think of a better way to make sure your tank has the proper flow patterns than to set the tank up with your rocks and "cook" them right in the tank. I realize this might not be possible in all cases where the tank is not new, but rather transitioning.... But if you managed to find a home for your livestock for the time it takes you to cook the rocks in a tub, you could easily do it in your tank. And see how your setup really works before you subject your animals to it. It is still more than possible to remove the rocks and dunk in the early stages (if needed), but you don't need all the extra accomodations and equipment required to set up a remote site. And you don't have to move your rock from place to place.

After that initial 4-6 weeks of heavy shedding, I would aquascape. Then you can tweak your flow, add more, etc while optimizing the removal of shed detritus before you've restocked the tank with your corals and modification becomes more cumbersome. If the tank is truly set up as needed to eliminate detritus, there should be no negative effects, since you are experiencing how the system will actually function. There is no light, thus there should be no algae. The amount of detritus being shed will give you the best insight into how your tank will process it until flow patterns become altered and/or restricted by coral growth.

Since your rocks are going to continue to accumulate detritus after the tank is stocked and running, it's better IMO to make sure your periodic basting/blowing off the rock goes where it needs to go. And I feel this is easier and more effectively/efficiently done by doing it where it will be done long term - in the tank.

One more place where my opinion differs is that of lighting. When you have determined that you are "done" with the cooking cycle. Give the tank light. Give it light for at least 2 or 3 weeks before you restock. This was a serious faux pas I made when I cooked mine. I lost about 1/3 of my corals (some favorites) due to a severe diatom bloom 2 weeks after I restocked and re-lit the tank. This was IMO a result of not lighting the tank until the corals were in it. Don't make the mistake I did. Light the tank before you restock it and watch for algae cycles. Diatoms are one thing that is not at a disadvantage due to "clean" rocks. Adding light creates a whole 'nother cycle that wasn't active when the tank was in the dark. JMO...and experience.

[VWD]

Well Today I took down a reef for a customer that hads had a major hair algae problem for years , The rock was going to the trash and I saved it. I have it in new saltwater with a HOB filter and HOB skimmer and lots of flow, in a pretty dark area. I winder if I need or should keep the filter and skimmer going, Will it be a benifit to the cooking process. It was rock with nice shapes, didn't want to junk out, a freebee for me 50 lbs or more.

[redwinger]

Cook away and it will be good. Just keep up on the dunk and swishing and the waterchanges.

[VWD]

Thanks , Will do

[VWD]

Well I took the rock out early and have it in another tank, Looks great coraline growing on it, I wish I left it in the process longer, But really needed it to get another tank more stable,

[Fly Guy]

Ive got 200 pounds cooking right now and its in its second week. 100 pounds or so of this is going into a BB sps tank and the remainder along with 150 pounds or so in my current systems in a 225 lps dsb tank.

My question is this. You say all you want is one small powerhead running during this process. Am i correct in my thinking that you are not talking about a 75 gallon barrel 1 foot from full??? I have two of these barrels i go back and forth to every water change. I have a rack keeping everything 6 inches or so off of the bottom and am currently running a mag 9.5 and an airstone for circulation/aeration. There isnt such a thing as TOO MUCH flow for this process is there?? I would almost think that more flow would help this process along. Thoughts??