Cleaning Frozen/Dead Coral

[salty27]

It's me again! I've been making some big changes to my current FO setup (replacing CC with sand, new live rock, investment in RO/DI system), and I was hoping to use a piece of dead coral I've had in my previous setup. However, all my previous pieces/rocks have been infested with a brown and green algae that won't scrub off. Here is one piece I would love to get back into my display:

And a close-up:

This coral used to be a beautiful off-white color. Now, it's covered with this stuff. I've tried scrubbing with a brand new toothbrush and clean sponge, but the stuff won't come off. Any ideas how I can bring this piece back to it's original luster? (I've posted about this stubborn algae in the past, resulting in my re-vamping).

 

[Hara]

I usually put them outside in the sun for a month or so and they will bleach back to pristine white.

 

[afilter]

I usually put them outside in the sun for a month or so and they will bleach back to pristine white.

Works great, but for those less patient:

50/50 bleach and water 12-24 hours until desirable white. Rinse completely several times. Dry completely preferrably in the sun.

The coral will eventually turn off white-brown again after seveal weeks/months in the tank unless you repeat the process. This is actaully a good thing as it means the coral is turning into LR over time. If you do not want LR you can repeat the bleaching, but it does become a pain over time.

HTH,