live rock contamination, leeching

Discussion in 'Live Rock' started by bawest, Mar 16, 2008.

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  1. bawest

    bawest Fire Worm

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2006
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    Location:
    Texas
    So, back to the original question, maybe I was too vague and asked too much information. How long will phosphate leech into the tank from live rock? If I cure live rock for 3 weeks, will it all leech out? Is that the purpose of curing?

    If a rock has been in a tank that has high nitrates, will this rock continuously leech out nitrates?

    Will the bleach actually get rid of this stuff if I nuke it? I know the bleach will kill the living items, but will it remove chemicals like phosphate, copper, nitrates?
     
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  3. Tangster

    Tangster 3reef Sponsor

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2006
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    I had PO4 to take almost 8 months before I got it under control that was with a ferric Oxide reactor running 24/7 and changing the medias weekly. My Rocks were loaded from well water and a poor R/O and had soaked in the PO4 rich tank for 2 yrs. I let them dry then soaked and sterilized them totally. Soaking and cleaning them will not pull out the PO's you have to keep the water PO4 free so the water can extract the stored Phosphates slowly over months Thats also hold for Iron Coppers and any element nitrates .. The hight P.H and skimmer will help bind the PO4's up a bit also. But you have to keep the water free of everything you want to remove .. Lower the amount of saturation in the water of any element the faster the water can get the contaminate into solution to be extracted or bound up by the proper media.. And NO! the bleach will not get rid of that stuff all the bleack will do is kill off any bacteria outside and inside the rock and any algae spores and what ever on the rocks ..
     
    Last edited: Apr 6, 2008