Taking rocks from outside

[BigTim15]

I am going to be taking rocks outside for my Discus or African tank..(dont know which one yet)..What do i have to do to treeat the rocks?

 

[Angler]

You could boil them if they are small enough. If they aren't small enough to boil, you can soak them in some water with a little bleach in it. If you go the bleach method, soak the rocks a few more times without bleach and then rinse them off very well until you can smell no bleach.

 

[killerfish]

I would Power wash the rocks if you have a pressure washer or you can just give them a good scrubbing first then either do what Angler said or if you don't wan't to use bleach use a strong slat sollution

 

[snoopy65]

First you need to test them to make sure they are ok for your aquarium. Use white vinegar. Pour it on, if it bubbles, it isn't safe for fish. Then I just scrub them really well with a new scrub brush and a new toothbrush. Make sure you get in all of the nooks and crannies. NO SOAP, just warm water. I don't boil them, but if you decide you need to boil them, let them sit for quite a few days after before putting them in the tank as rocks hold heat for a very long time and will raise your water temperature if you don't.

 

[gobucks1]

All the advice given is good, but I don't think its really necessary. I have just been plucking rocks up out of the yard or the river and just rinsing them off. Hell, if theyre clean, i don't even do that. And i've never had any problems the year and half i've been doing this.

Not saying i recommend doing what i do, but if your area isn't horribly polluted, you shouldn't have to boil or bleach them.


PS. I would put the rocks in the african tank.

 

[Camshaft Ramrod]

When I was the aquatic manager at Petsfart I had hundreds of pounds of rocks to clean every week. We would take them and soak them in cold water and bleach. Then give them a good scrub. After that we would soak them in hot water and water conditioner.
Unless we were going to have a visit from Corporate, then we would pressure wash them all at once in back. It sucked.

 

[Toodleypops]

yeah what i usually do is bleach soak for a day, scrub, then soak in HEAVILY dechlorinized water for a day, then dry for a day. works for me

 

[nfored]

I have used lots of rocks from outside, I did two things first I used the API liquid NitrAte #1 to test the rock. Then boiled them for 30 minutes, fro the bigger rocks I boiled them in sections.

 

[nfored]

yeah what i usually do is bleach soak for a day, scrub, then soak in HEAVILY dechlorinized water for a day, then dry for a day. works for me

What is heavily dechlorinated water? once the chlorine is removed its gone, dossing it a second or 3rd time with a dechlorinator does nothing.

 

[Lupin]

First you need to test them to make sure they are ok for your aquarium. Use white vinegar. Pour it on, if it bubbles, it isn't safe for fish. Then I just scrub them really well with a new scrub brush and a new toothbrush. Make sure you get in all of the nooks and crannies. NO SOAP, just warm water. I don't boil them, but if you decide you need to boil them, let them sit for quite a few days after before putting them in the tank as rocks hold heat for a very long time and will raise your water temperature if you don't.

The only reason is it could alter the water chemistry which the discus will certainly not appreciate but which the Rift Valley cichlids certainly will.

Do not boil the rocks. Pouring hot water though is fine. Boil the rocks at your own risk.