How do I clean petrified coral?

[rdefino]

My neighbor just gave me 3-5gal buckets filled with coral he used in his tank. There are some huge fantastic pieces. How do I clean them. They are dusty and a little dirty. He said he did clean them before with bleach before putting them in his tank. How should I clean them now? I will be using this in a saltwater tank.


thanks

 

[tank125]

If they are small enough you can soak them a bleach solution, say 1:10 parts water for about a half hour. After that, rinse thoroughly and let air dry for a couple of days or longer due to the tendency of coral to have many cracks and crevices.

 

[Dan F]

A hose with a spray nozzle will help blast out dust and lint. I prefer a diluted vinegar solution for cleaning coral, it works great. As with bleach, soak them in freshwater and then air dry afterwards.