rocks in aquarium

[tothna]

Is it safe to put rocks I found outside in my aquarium. Is there a special way to clean them before I put them in?

 

[piranha45]

I've always just rinsed off the dirt off mine...

 

[rayman45]

yup
same here
most the rocks i have came from peoples gardens

 

[DeLgAdO]

I wash my rocks to get the dirt of then i boil them for about 2 hours.

 

[guppy]

I wash my rocks to get the dirt of then i boil them for about 2 hours.

I do the same but for only 30 minutes or so, when they cool I wash them again in clean water. I watch for color leaching and surface softening. Avoid sedimentary rocks, and metal ores like galena, also avoid beach rocks unless you soak them in several changes of water after cleaning them as all of these can add bad things to your tank. Garden rocks sometimes carry pesticide residue so wash them well. I like to add semiprecicious stones like sunstone, topaz, tigereyes, chrysophase, and amythest crystals to my tank because I like the way they show up on the dark sand/gravel, but that is just me and cyrstal bundles should be avoided with soft skinned fish, they can scratch themselves.

 

[DeLgAdO]

I do the same but for only 30 minutes or so, when they cool I wash them again in clean water. I watch for color leaching and surface softening. Avoid sedimentary rocks, and metal ores like galena, also avoid beach rocks unless you soak them in several changes of water after cleaning them as all of these can add bad things to your tank. Garden rocks sometimes carry pesticide residue so wash them well. I like to add semiprecicious stones like sunstone, topaz, tigereyes, chrysophase, and amythest crystals to my tank because I like the way they show up on the dark sand/gravel, but that is just me and cyrstal bundles should be avoided with soft skinned fish, they can scratch themselves.

Well said Guppy

 

[AROFREEK2K5]

yeah just wash them another solution is to just soak them in a buck for and hour or 2

 

[DanDanUK]

yeah man just rinse them off under a tap and if your still not 100% boil them.

 

[aquadad]

I Scrub mine with water and a good stiff brush,then bleach them over night rinse and bring them to a boil,then take them out and use them as soon as the bleach smell is gone ,so far that has been when they are dry.Been told to poor a little muratic acid on the rocks i find if it fizzes if it does dont use it possibly will leach out stuff and kill fish. Thats how I do it also rocks are cheap at places that sell rock for building or landscaping.

ps I also take a spray bottle full of water to see how a rock looks under water!


Wm R Kerby

 

[phene4grene420]

ps I also take a spray bottle full of water to see how a rock looks under water!


Wm R Kerby

good thinking