tank restart, clean rock and sand?

[eyegoggler]

I have a tank that has sat pretty dormant for ~9months. Please help with suggestions on how best to clean rock/sand etc.

(Background: as best I could tell - anemone died, killed cucumber both poisioned tank and all inhabitants died, algae exploded due to deaths and no algae eaters etc. I did masive water changes etc at the beginning and just couldn't get the algae under control so I've just left for a while)

So, now I'd like to start over. However the tank is basically a giant algae farm (joke with friends the cure for cancer exists somewhere in the experiment). Any suggestions on how best to clean everything and prepare to start anew?

I was thinking of laying all the rock and parts on plastic a blasting with a water hose (outside) then soak it and the powerheads etc in vinegar water for a day or so. For the sand I've heard of heating it in the oven (~350F) for 10-20 minutes?

Specs: 70gal, 100lbs rock, 80lbs sand, plenum etc.
Thanks for the thoughts.

 

[aquarist=broke]

Do you have any pictures. It might be easier to gauge the damage before a suggestion is given.

I thought that cucumbers released toxins which would kill anything(animal) and that you'd be doomed.

 

[BradR]

I wouldn't do anything to the live rock except scrub it and rinse in saltwater. Trash the sand. Start with new tropical playsand. It's cheap. Seed it with some live sand if you've no amphipods/fauna in your algae farm currently. However, where there's algae, there's usually lots of pods.
GL

 

[eyegoggler]

Thanks for taking time to respond. I've attached a couple of pics to show what the tank looks like today. The front glass is covered in a film, the rock is consumed in a plasticish looking slime. The araganite base is also covered in slime and has long thin strands of hair algae.

I have been thinking of moving from the 4" sea floor special grade araganite base w/plenum to a 6" dsb with southdown or something and nixing the plenum. So maybe I should just trash the gravel and all.

And Broke, your right. I'll never put cukes in my tank again. The anemone's death I think would have been recoverable; but I think that is what made the cuke puke its toxins - which I attribute to everything else dying. Once it's toxins are in a tank is it ever roverable or do I need to throw everything away? Maybe a topic for another post?[/img]

 

[eyegoggler]

oops, apparently the attached images are not viewable. I'll see if this works.

 

[eyegoggler]

1 more, smaller size file, with pic of the sand covered

 

[reefann]

I would not do anything with the rock except remove it scrub it then rinse in salt water. Then i would remove the sand clean it very well. Reseed it with some live sand. Only a little is ok. Then do a huge water change like 50% or a little more. Make sure to use ro/di water! If you would use the steps you mentioned you will kill all beneficial life in your rock and sand!
Hope any of this helps
JJ
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Honda Ridgeline

 

[eyegoggler]

thanks all for the input. I did want to kill everything and start new. But after reading your suggestions and thinking about it more I did just blast the rock thoroughly with water (interestingly the areas exposed, where the algae formed seemed almost stained green - and red in some places - and distinctivly different than other parts of the same rock. I assume this will die off/be covered with new algae in the future).

Also, I rinsed the agraganite as best I could with plain water. It was chunky and even almost rockish in some parts. Do you think that is due to calcium participating out? Lack of sifters? Wonder if that had something to do with why I couldn't ever get beyond the cuke toxins?

Anyway I'm starting anew, but am beginning to wonder if it is worth the risk to keep the rock/substrate (in case it still has some toxins or something in it). Closing down for tonight. Thanks again.

 

[Anonymous]

Brad R,

what's up with abs?

 

[reefann]

I to was wondering about the abs
JJ
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Skin Problems Forum

 

[BradR]

Heh, I have just 2 hobbies. Reef aquariums and working out. If you wanna get in shape, check out http://www.cbass.com
Oh, I like fast cars too and am waiting for the next vette due out in 727 days!