I'm sure there are many articles out there that cover what Rocks are safe for Aquariums? Here in the rockies we have these riverbeds that are a collectors dream? I know many retailers would like you to pay big bucks for approved rocks which are fish safe? I know you have to watch what you use because many fish come from say very akaline water or vice versa. I look at it this way trout and salmon are a very sensative fish and in most cases if they are thriving in a particular river then its a pretty good chance its safe for my fish. I remember as a boy in Maine we used to collect hugh pieces of Pink and white Quartz (I mean the stuff is beautiful!!) I was at a show not long back and do you know how much they wanted for a large piece of Pink Quartz ($$$). So for those of us who are cheap or just love to use it as a excuse for a day collecting on a beautiful riverbed somewhere is there a easy rule to go by if a particular rock is safe?
Rocks for Aquariums?
- Thread starter hawkerw
- Start date
I am pretty sure any rock you get from a river bed or any source can be safe as long as you clean the rock before you put it in your aquarium.
Rinse, bake and boil. Rinse, bake and boil. That should be it. Sometimes, you don't even want to bake. Hight temperature should kill anything the rock harbors.
Thanks for your reply, I love the fish in your Avatar what species of fish is it? What is there temperment like? Are they hard to find? Just Lots of questions thats a neat looking fish!!!! Sorry off subject. Yes I do boil them, I just wondered if certain rocks may mess with your water parameters such as lime based rocks etc? And I was wondering if there is a way to tell looking at them? Here the rockbeds along rivers seem to go on forever you find one you like then you will see three more. I know I've said this before but if you truely want to see some knockout fish some of the Trout species are just beautiful they will match almost anything you can find.
i agree many native fish are overlooked for fish-keeping.some sunfish i catch have every color in them.i know what you mean about trout and salmon also have fished for them.i rock hunt in rivers too. wash'em,wire brush,boil.if and rust,shiney spots,or unnatural smell stay away from those.
IIRC that is more to determine if they will drive your pH/hardness up, if they bubble they're probably fine for use with rift lake or central america cichlids.
TBH I just give them a scrub, let them dry out completely and put them in. Boiling something like driftwood that absorbs water/nasties and is kinda porous and/or has lots of holes/crevices etc makes sense, but for something round and inert like a rock it seems overkill to me.