bleaching live rock.

ive followed a guide on here on how to bleach my live rock. my quesiton is, do i need to follow ALL the instructions if im going to be using it in a vivarium not a saltwater tank? (30 gallon tank crashed due to a broken heater) the vivarium will have plants and a frog or two. so far ive done:

bleach two days
soak two days in RODI water
soak another two days in RODI water.

do i need to follow throught with the baking soda, or should i just skip right to drying it?

thanks,
Gexx

 

I always skip the baking soda step anyway...

 

For a viv I think you would be good the way you have it. Did you use straight bleach or watered down?

 

i used a very diluted bleach. like 7/8 water to 1/8 part bleach. its doesnt stink and all the rock is white, so i think it worked.

 

Alright cool. I personally would have used a stronger solution but if it smells like a swimming pool then you are probably good to go. Plus 2 full days of contact time will normally kill anything that would regrow to kill plants and frogs.

What kind of viv are you making? You'll have to share because I am thinking of making one for some dart frogs. Do a build thread on it. If no one else likes it, I will, LOL.

 

im actually gonna start out with just a jungle themed terrarium, then hopefully add a pacman frog in as the terrarium matures. dart frogs would be cool, but there rather expensive lol.

 

so do i really need to wait for it to dry before i use it? or can i start placing the rock now?

 

I always let it dry out thoroughly... I just do though...

 

You can get a luec for $35. What can that buy you in the salt water hobby? lol Check out dendroboard.com - I spent a week there researching, then my wife told me no more tanks, lol.

I would let the rocks dry out first just in case you reactivated a mold spore or something that letting it dry out would kill. I hear mold is an issue with vivs so letting it dry out is easier than trying to get rid of a mold problem. You could always throw them in the oven for a quicker responce.

 

they are officcially dry. but the still smell like bleach. is this normal? im putting up the viv today, but the rocks dont need to be in there for quite some time. i just dont want to bleach the little woodland creatures and plants that will inhabit this tank in a couple weeks