Need advice: what to do with "hair algae" rock?

[pjr]

Hey folks... looking for some advice regarding some live rock that is infested with hair algae. I purchased it after it was in a lights-out tank; PO was making the effort to kill it off. Well, of course, once we got it here under lights it bloomed algae like mad!

We've removed the rock, placing it in an empty five gallon bucket. It's been there for a month, just sitting in the basement. I pulled off the cover tonite.... it's cool, still feels kinda damp, and doesn't smell bad at all.

So... not sure on the next best steps. Should I just scrub it and put it in the tank? Or is the algae likely to bloom once again? Do I need to take other steps?

[tazzy695]

do you need to use it as live rock or would it be safe to kill the rock to kill the algae

if you don't mind it going into the tank as dead rock then I would say boil it as it will kill any algae on the rock

other wise scrape it clean as you can but it is very possible that the algae will bloom again

or fill the bucket with sw and get the mg up to about 2k in the bucket just in case it is bryopsys or some other demon grass

[XSiVE]

Id guess there are still some sort of cells living in there.. maybe rinse it off really well first.

[vittleking]

I got some of this also when I started my tank. Just a few pieces, I ran it under hot water and scrubbed it and it's been gone ever since.

[pjr]

I don't need the rock to be "live" at all. Just don't want to introduce new algae into the tank!

So... to boil it, what do I need to do? Is this some unsavory task that I need to do in the kitchen when my wife is out? ;)

[XSiVE]

So... to boil it, what do I need to do? Is this some unsavory task that I need to do in the kitchen when my wife is out? ;)

camp stove or the side burner on the grill is always a good idea inplace of the kitchen stovetop ;)

[tazzy695]

to boil put in large pot of cold water and bring it up to boil or near boil

I would say yes when the wife is gone unless you have a large pot that is claimed for the tank

[pjr]

Thx... after brining to boil, how long should I let it sit in the hot water?

[tazzy695]

once it is at a boil I would let it boil for a min or two and let it all cool naturally

once cool rinse really good and maby let sit and dry out in the sun for a while

[pjr]

Thx guys!!!

[tazzy695]

remember that if you go from hot strait to cold or cold strait to hot you have a major risk of making the rock explode or break violently