To buy or not to buy.

Dodger, peroxide does work. I've only used it on individual rocks and it works like a charm. I know there is a way to dose a tank but I'd be afraid to do that. The only thing to keep in mind is that the tank has been running for 7 years and that rock is full of algae so there could be a lot of phosphate and nitrate in that rock. Even if you get the algae off, it could still leach into your system causing algae outbreaks down the road or give you problems in trying to reduce your nitrate levels (this is my own experience) or both. Then you end up trying all sort of things to reduce the levels whereas if you start fresh -nuking the rock or getting new dry base rock with a couple of your existing rocks to seed then you will avoid A LOT of headaches in the long run. That's why most everyone is recommending that you replace the sand bed (to avoid the same thing in the sand).

 

sounds like the best plan. how do you suggest I "Nuke" the rock?

 

I'm sure if you search in the forum, it will give you articles with the "how to". I don't know it off the top of my head. It is time consuming and if I was going to do your tank, I would get dry and use a couple of pieces of live rock. Then, you start out with the best chance for success.

 

Soak them in a high concentration of bleach water for a couple of days. Then take them out and let them completely dry in the sun. Bleach is dead once it is dry. Then do the same thing in fresh water 2 or 3 times....Voila...new dead rock.

 

so you guys think the nuke procedure is my best bet? we are talking at least 200lbs or more of rock. Id like to get this system back up and running as fast as possible. Ive just read so so many mixed opinions. I realize that if I go to nuke route there will be a cycle. especially with replacing the sand. I thought about keeping the fuge as it is now, full of chaeto, sand and rock, and it would help to jump start the cycle

 

That would actually be the quickest way to clean the rocks, which seems to be what you're after. If you started a rigorous maintenance schedule and let nature take it's course as I posted earlier, that could take much, much longer than a cycle; the only benefit is that you would be able to keep all your livestock.

FYI, there are bacterial supplements that help reduce cycling time.

 

looks like everyone agrees lol, dont let this deal slip by !!

 

There's no reason to get rid of the fish, just leve the lights off for two weeks and all the hair algae will die. I left the lights off of my tank for two days and all of it died.

 

I hate to disagree with you Bob since you're from my old neighborhood, but the situation is more complex than that. The tank has been neglected for quite a while, so the rocks and sand are most likely saturated with phosphates and nitrates. Simply killing the algae which is currently feeding on the nutrients will leave him struggling to keep them below lethal levels until they've all leached back out.

 

I think that in the long run or even a short run you'd be better served nuking a majority of the rock. I think that in the time that you deal with the GHA and get the tank up to where you want it you would have already been through a cycle. I also think that no matter what you do your going to have some sort of cycle. When I transferred my well established 80g to my 125g I had to deal with a mini cycle. I recently acquired LR that I was not comfortable adding to my established tank so I nuked it. It was easy and only took a few weeks before it was ready to add to the tank. It has been in my tank now for about 2 months and have not had any adverse effects.
Whatever your decision is I think you will be getting a great deal none the less.
I hope to see a build thread soon.