Cleaning driftwood and rocks question

[Bearchumjs]

My husband found some driftwood for me down by the river. How do I go about cleaning it for my aquarium? And rocks too. He's going to find me a lava rock.

 

[torres]

Let both soak for couple days. More for the driftwood to take tannis out.
When you start soaking the driftwood, change the water from time to time, it will help to take the tannis that came from the wood to the water out, and so on. You will notice that the water will become cleaner while you are soaking it.
Use Hot water for soaking if you can.

 

[Bearchumjs]

Let both soak for couple days. More for the driftwood to take tannis out.
When you start soaking the driftwood, change the water from time to time, it will help to take the tannis that came from the wood to the water out, and so on. You will notice that the water will become cleaner while you are soaking it.
Use Hot water for soaking if you can.

Thanks!!

Should I boil it at all?

 

[randy86]

I would college the above listed steps but I would also put all of it in the dish washer right befor putting it in my tank. Also as others here have recommended use some steel whool and scrub off the excess bark and loose drug form the rock and the wood. After soaking it I would rinitz through the dish washer mist definatly that will be your boiling process

 

[Paxdaddy]

I boiled my driftwood. I have read people say just soaking it you should let it soak for a week or more. I just boiled a few times changing the water. I have read you should absolutely NOT boil rocks because gas pockets can make the rock explode causing serious injuries.

 

[Paxdaddy]

Can you post pics of the driftwood? I always love seeing different pieces.

 

[torres]

Thanks!!

Should I boil it at all?

Sure if you want to. I use the bathroom water so it already come warm enough.
I didnt use my dishwasher because there was already soap added on it.
But i think using dishwasher might be a good idea too, if you know you can use it only with pure water.
I would say be careful with the temperature of the water too.
keep asking if you have questions.

 

[Bearchumjs]

Can you post pics of the driftwood? I always love seeing different pieces.

Sure! I'll post some. ?

 

[Bearchumjs]

Can you post pics of the driftwood? I always love seeing different pieces.

Here they are!

 

[Bearchumjs]

Here's the tank I am going to put the weird shaped wood in. I'm going to remove the jug decoration. I'm also going to get some java moss and a lava rock to put in it. And some micro sword (I think is what it's called.)

 

[paytertot]

If it were me, I would boil it, changing the water when it gets dark and removing it when the water remains clear, then give it a run through the dishwasher.

 

[Paxdaddy]

Here they are!

Nice looking. I like the funny shaped one a lot

 

[Mab2000]

Never heard not to boil rocks. Just got done boiling mine, glad I didn't get hurt.

 

[Paxdaddy]

Never heard not to boil rocks. Just got done boiling mine, glad I didn't get hurt.

I've never tried it. I've just heard from people that it has happened before. But I've also seen a lot of people doing it without issues. Maybe it depends on the type of rock

 

[Bearchumjs]

So... I've been boiling my driftwood. I've noticed that it floats... Cause it's wood. So how am I supposed to get it to stay on the bottom of my aquarium?

 

[Mab2000]

So... I've been boiling my driftwood. I've noticed that it floats... Cause it's wood. So how am I supposed to get it to stay on the bottom of my aquarium?

Soaking it in a bucket of water until it is saturated. Once this happens it should sink.

 

[khartig]

I would not boil the rocks, especially is you going to use lave rock. Lave is quite pourus with a great number of air pockets. Lava can explode if heated too much. River rock is much more dense than lave and can usually be boiled with not much concern. A friend of mine had a tropical kind thing going in his backyard and used lava as the outer stone for his bbq, used as a shell so it wasn't exposed to direct heat, The first time he fired it up the lave exploded and took out two windows on his house. Good thing no one was standing near it or serious injury could have happened.

 

[Bearchumjs]

Soaking it in a bucket of water until it is saturated. Once this happens it should sink.

Thanks!

 

[Bearchumjs]

I would not boil the rocks, especially is you going to use lave rock. Lave is quite pourus with a great number of air pockets. Lava can explode if heated too much. River rock is much more dense than lave and can usually be boiled with not much concern. A friend of mine had a tropical kind thing going in his backyard and used lava as the outer stone for his bbq, used as a shell so it wasn't exposed to direct heat, The first time he fired it up the lave exploded and took out two windows on his house. Good thing no one was standing near it or serious injury could have happened.

I boiled the pebbles for the tank- no problem there. Now you've scared me of boiling the lava rock when I get one. If I can't boil it how should I clean it? Maybe I can find one for sale at a fish store....

 

[Mab2000]

I boiled the pebbles for the tank- no problem there. Now you've scared me of boiling the lava rock when I get one. If I can't boil it how should I clean it? Maybe I can find one for sale at a fish store....

I nave heard of people running it through the dishwasher without soap. All the rocks I have had have been solid, so I boiled them. Never used lava rock.