"Testing" dry base rock

[Floyd R Turbo]

I posted with question on my http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f11/tank-journal-135-fowlr-124418.html thread, but no response so here it is again.

I have 110 lbs of dry base rock, dry for quite some time, and I plan to soak it to make sure there are no decayed organisms that would cause an ammonia spike, rather than discovering this after putting into an existing tank.

So my question, stupid as it may sound, is this: would it be proper to soak the base rock in saltwater or will just freshwater be fine? Either way, it'll be RO/DI water with a powerhead and a heater.

It will just be in long enough to verify that no ammonia is thrown from it, then it's going straight into the tank.

 

[melosu58]

If you are going to be testing it then you`ll need SW so the test kit will operate OK assuming this is a SW test kit. I personally would soak it in SW anyway.

 

[CaptainAhab]

I'd vote for salt too though what you're describing it shouldn't make a difference.. rot is rot.. get some heat in there too. I think (or always thought) that the std ammonia, nitrite and nitrate kits (at least API) work for both salt and fresh. If not. weeeelllllll then I've been doing something wrong for a long time. Inquiring minds want to know

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

API kits have different color cards for FW vs SW for pH, Ammonia, Nitrate, Phosphate, etc, but same one for Nitrite and a few others. Salifert has only one color card for their test kits, so they must be able to test independent of salinity. Or maybe they're only for SW, I don't know. Either way, I have both FW and SW kits.

I agree, rot is rot. I'll do SW just to be on the safe side. Thanks for the input...

 

[austinsdad]

If you have enuf rock in your tank, you should be able to add piece by piece and absorb any ammonia. What, over a week? I'd try it that way. I'd still brush it off vigorously in FW. Heck, the FW can't kill anything more.