Dis-colored Live Rock

[pds802]

So I have been one to never throw anything away and I have some pieces of old live rock that I have kept in a box. Alot of the pieces now are a green color. I have boiled them in a pot of water and they still come out green. What is a way to turn them back to a nice white?

[newfisher]

Sears Weatherbeater, eggshell? J/K

Have you had them in heated ,circulating salt water recently? Mabey some good light. I have left mine in a covered bucket and it gets lighter when I keep it outside with the lid off.

[Saltfinsax]

I think bleach and water might get it white again then you have to let it completely dry out again, so the bleach will evaporate. I think that is what I have heard people do, but check on that as i have never done it.

[dsoz]

The green color could be from algae that was living just under the surface and in the pores of the rock. Once it all dried out, the algae would have mostly died (maybe some spores will be alive still). When the rock is put in water again the dead algae will decompose and cause an ammonia/nitrite/nitrate spike.

 

Once you bleach it, you can use de-chlorinator like the FW folk use to treat tap water.

 

Make sure you rinse it well, let it dry, re-rince it then soak it in a bucket of dechlor.

 

It will need to re-cycle once you put it back in your tank.

 

dsoz

[pds802]

thanks!! That sounds pretty simple