planning phase of a new 180 tank ???

[cracker]

Well the gyres decided to rearrange the sand bed. I'm sure once I "finally" get more rock in there it will calm down.

 

[cracker]

Alright ! Finally the rock I've been cooking for " 5 months " is dropping in Po4 & No3
Barrel 1, No3 <.02 Po4 .02 Barrel 2 readings are No3 >2 , Po4 .o4 . I have learned this method works given proper time. Let's see ,anything else new? No not really.
On Ya having issues with the 75. All the corals don't have any color. It's either lights are too strong or I have very low No3 & Po4 levels. I think the lps I have need some more. How do I get more in there?
I'd be happy to give any details ,lighting levels, current levels, livestock Ya want. Thank's and have a good day tomorrow !

 

[anarchy]

Alright ! Finally the rock I've been cooking for " 5 months " is dropping in Po4 & No3
Barrel 1, No3 <.02 Po4 .02 Barrel 2 readings are No3 >2 , Po4 .o4 . I have learned this method works given proper time. Let's see ,anything else new? No not really.
On Ya having issues with the 75. All the corals don't have any color. It's either lights are too strong or I have very low No3 & Po4 levels. I think the lps I have need some more. How do I get more in there?
I'd be happy to give any details ,lighting levels, current levels, livestock Ya want. Thank's and have a good day tomorrow !

Dose sodium nitrate. Know quite a few guys doing this with success.

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[cracker]

Not familiar with sodium Nitrate. sounds like another research venture ! Thanks a lot , just what I needed . more research ! LOL

 

[anarchy]

Not familiar with sodium Nitrate. sounds like another research venture ! Thanks a lot , just what I needed . more research ! LOL

Some people use stump remover because it's the same thing but id suggest the medical stuff because that's what was recommended to me by a well known sps company in Wisconsin that has battle in their name lol

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[cracker]

Thanks Anarchy, I checked out Sodium Nitrate for the aquarium. I personally am old school on this. I'll feed some more ,maybe add a couple of fish. I'm a little shy of all the new techniques !

 

[cracker]

It's getting close ! The old rock I'm cooking is almost ready ! So I have 2, 40gl barrels. Barrel 1 has all the larger rock including most of the Haitian. No3 < 2 Po4 .02 .
Barrel 2 has all the smaller miscellaneous rock. No3 2 Po4 .04 .
So Dave, Do I have to wait for Zero's ? Come on Man, have mercy on me ! LOL

 

[spiraling]

Hey Cracker, I need to cook some rock. Can you let me know how you are doing it and what you are measuring for? Why is your Phosphate so high? Is that from absorbing things over the years?

 

[cracker]

Hello Spiraling. I believe the Po4 was so high due to absorbing stuff over the years, just like You say.
So I put the rock in those grey brute garbage cans. I think any container that will keep out the light will work. In the beginning my rock looked terrible. Every algae known was growing on this rock ! I scrubbed it as best I could. Rinsed in saltwater and put in the barrels. I filled the cans with fresh made saltwater ,put a little power head to agitate the water surface and put the lid on it. I tried to keep it as dark as possible. After a week the water stunk and was all nasty. I scrubbed the rock rinsed out the barrels and refilled with new salt water. I repeated again and again and again etc. LOL So after a while( several months) I didn't have to scrub the rock. and started testing for No3 & Po4. As advertised , these nutrients started slowly dropping. So it works for sure, just takes a long time ! Now I'm sure the condition of the rock will determine how long it takes. Good luck !

 

[cracker]

The cooking rock is getting close ! I've gotten over the impatience thing. The 75 has "The 1 year old issues". Working now on getting nitrates to a decent level. Meaning to" add "some nitrate . So I started dosing Potassium Nitrate. Started 5 days ago. Last night I overdosed. This is the 1st night I will not dose. we will see tomorrow eve.

 

[cracker]

Sorry I haven't dropped in for a while . nothing new to say ! Testing the cooking barrels right now. I promise this rock will finally end up in this new tank ! On a side, I got my nitrates in the 75 bumped up a little bit. Po4 is still real low. A few corals seem to be coloring up. The open brain definitely is.

 

[cracker]

OOHH Folks, I can say cooking this rock has been the most time consuming ,pain in the rear I have ever been thru since getting into salt aquariums. Over 30 years ! When I started this over 6 months ago, I knew it could take a very long time. I was determined to see this experiment thru to the end. If anybody wants to do this be prepared for a very long wait. Now I admit a smaller amount of rock might not take so long. So No3 was around 2 or 3in both barrels. The po4 was at 0.1 in both. It's probably good to go but after soo long I'm going to wait and see if I can get zero's.
I'd like to add that I have used dry base and 6 months later the rock looked like a Chia Pet rock. So even dry base can be full of nutrients before it even makes it in the tank. So instead of absorbing and breaking down excess nutrients in the water it only adds to the problem !
Again if this endeavour was easy it would be boring !
Also thanks for the confidence Nano & Squatch !

 

[StirCrayzy]

You are stronger than most, in your resolve to do this right. to patience

 

[cracker]

Thanks Stir , I'll drink to that ! In fact I already started . LOL

 

[Squatch XXL]

Also thanks for the confidence Nano & Squatch !

You are welcome!

I vaguely remember replying to this post or another one about this the other day...and I cannot find it.

It was about a vinegar bath prior to the cooking....and I cannot find it leading me to believe that I had not posted it at all. It may have even been a dream.

 

[cracker]

Hey Folks, Sorry I haven't been around for a while. Life stuff has put the tank build on hold. I "think "the rock is done cooking just need the time to set it all up. See Ya'll soon !

 

[Florida Sunshine]

Looks like I dropped in at the right time.
I can't wait to see this tank filled with rock and then life.

 

[cracker]

OH My I can't believe it's been a month. I need some op's . So I 've been cooking my live rock since July 4th 2016. Ya , over 7 months. Every 2 weeks I change out the water. For the last 2 months I get around the same No3/ Po4 readings. So just now I have around No3 < 2 Po4 < or around 0.2
This is killin me ! Do I wait until I get zero's or is it good to go ? Have mercy ! LOL

 

[mtsully71]

I think those numbers look respectable..........take the plunge my friend. Enjoy the build

 

[Pat24601]

I think those numbers look respectable..........take the plunge my friend. Enjoy the build

Sully and your opinion means way more than mine, but based on what I've read about this, I'd go.

Have fun!