algae question

I have about 20 lbs of rock that I removed from a nano due to frustration over algae. These rocks have been sitting in a box, dry, for at least 3 months maybe as many as 5. I know they're dead... the algae is dead. Is there any assurance that, if I put these rocks back in water to cure, the algae will not return? I have not scrubbed them/removed the remaining algae on the now dead rock... what course of action would you take to be rid of it? While alive, they had GHA red filamentous algae, also what I believed was halimeda on them.

 

Hi Ashleigh.

If you have a sturdy rubber maid or similar container I would just recycle the rocks for roughly 2 weeks in that separate container.

You do not have to worry about what algae plagued the rocks returning, unless the rock is a source of phosphate or the conditions in your tank still exist that promote algae growth.

 

I can always count on you So I shouldn't worry about scrubbing them to remove the old dead stuff?

 

If old dead algae is present and can not be simply rinsed off with a good strong hosing then yes it will become a source of decay. You can scrub it, myself I have never been that industrious, I just simply recycle it. The old stuff falls ways, provides a source of decay to initiate the cycle and in a week or two the rock is nicely seeded, but not cured that takes weeks longer.

 

This is all fine and dandy, I prefer the lazier route. Not too often we get that choice in this hobby. I plan to use it in a rock/foam background anyway.

Thx for your help!

 

My pleasure.

Will be interesting to see what you do with the rock/foam backround.