Starting Over

yogoshio

yogoshio

New member
So, after this long bout, this weekend is clean-up. I've decided its best to just re-do EVERYTHING. I've taken my sump down and cleaned it. Going to hard-plumb this time instead of tubing.

Cleaning off all rock, rinsing the sand really well, and just completely starting over. I don't want any trace of whatever is causing my water issues left in there.....

This weekend (with my wife's help), we are draining, spraying, rinsing, and redoing everything.

Other than hosing it down, any other tips on cleaning off rock and sand? should I rinse it in vinegar?
 
If you wany nothing to remain on or in the rocks I would say a good scrub follwed by a bleach bath. A few tablespoons per gallon of water followed by a good rinsing and PLENTY of time for the rock to dry out.
 
I would have to assume chemical. The toxin a pink sea cucumber leaches when it dies. It's "biological" in that it was made by the sea cucumber, but technically it's just a chemical.
 
So the pink cucumber desimated your tank when it died? Is this to be expected with cucumbers? What's the point on having one in the tank then? I was about to pick one up but maybe not anymore.
 
I've read too many stories of dead cucumbers destroying tanks so I have passed on everyone that has caught my eye, even when offered for free.

Sorry about the troubles, but i totally feel your pain. At least you won't have to do it alone....and we will be with you all the way.
 
Unless you are a chemist and are certain that bleach will chemically counteract and negate the toxins then I wouldn't use it. I would rinse everything especially the sand and run a LOT of GAC as Randy Holmes Farly suggested in the quick research I discovered.
 
Yeah, going to be rinsing thouroughly. If it wasn't so darn expensive I'd just buy new sand, but its not in the budget. And I'm not a fan of bleaching anything. I'd be wayyy too worried that was lingering too....
 
yogoshio said:
Yeah, going to be rinsing thouroughly. If it wasn't so darn expensive I'd just buy new sand, but its not in the budget. And I'm not a fan of bleaching anything. I'd be wayyy too worried that was lingering too....
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Gus is selling some or you can look into "dry" sand, it's cheaper.
 
Hey if you need a hand.let me.know I'm close and could swing by if you need anything also I'm seeing his sunday so if you want some sand ill pick it up for ya and bring it back
 
There's a couple threads on RC about "cooking" rock. I'll be finishing up the process shortly. I started with bleach, then let it sit in reg water, then U can go straight to a muriatic bath (be very careful and read up completely on it before attempting). If you were concerned about phosphates, you can go a step further and lanthanum chloride the rock while you cycle. Lots of threads for "cooking", but I can't really link em.
 
jayjigga said:
There's a couple threads on RC about "cooking" rock. I'll be finishing up the process shortly. I started with bleach, then let it sit in reg water, then U can go straight to a muriatic bath (be very careful and read up completely on it before attempting). If you were concerned about phosphates, you can go a step further and lanthanum chloride the rock while you cycle. Lots of threads for "cooking", but I can't really link em.
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Sounds like some crazy stuff!!!
 
Wow, muriatic bath? That's hydrochloric acid.... That's beyond intense, and could do some serious damage.... Never doing that, lol.
 
Just finished hosing/scrubbing. Fillin up a rubbermaid full of RO/DI to let sit overnight with a pump to clean out the nooks and crannies.

Preparing to get the sand out to begin rinsing. This is going to be the fun part....
 
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