Best way to clean up and try to save lr...

[Morrigan]

I was just about at the end of the cycling process with my 10gl nano when I moved to a different apartment. In the midst of the move and move of jobs my nano just kinda of got lost in it all. So, now that everything has calmed down, I'd really like to get it up and going again.

I have about 15lb of lr that's been sitting half-in and half-out of water for a couple months now, and it's very obvious that all of the larger critters have died off. I'm planning on scrubbing down the rocks to get rid of all the decay, but I think all I'll have left is some coralline algae if I'm lucky.

Will it matter much right now if I scrub and rinse them the easy way with just de-chlorinated water, or would it be worth it to mix up a batch of salt water just to rinse with?

As far as the sand, should I just throw it out and start over with some fresh sand, or do you guys think it would be ok to leave the old stuff in there?

Also, if my lr is beyond help, what is the best way to re-seed it?

Thanks in advance for any advice you guys have for me. :}

 

[Florida8]

1st you would be surprised at what you might have left ... I had purchased some tanks from a AA member, and he gave me a big 5gal bucket of substrate, he had rinsed it well and then I also rinsed it well... I stuck a hose in the bottom and turned it on med and let if run for a couple hours, stirring a lot, until it ran clear...

I filled the tank, added that bucket of substrate and then later that night with the actinic lights on I saw LIVING PODS on my glass! I have no idea how they handled rinse after rinse with city tap water and living only moist in the bucket - I have no idea how long the sub was bucketed... but I know this... I had no LR and I know what pods look like LOL... so that sand was very alive for a long time under not the most desired storage and care for being 'live'.

So I say with clean SW, keep you rock submerged, clean it lightly removing obvious decay, but don't over do it...and refill with fresh mixed and let that rock and a dead cocktail shrimp cycle your tank...