River Stones in Tank

[The Trooper]

Hi guys,

I'm doing a build at the moment and want it to look as natural as possible.

I have a substrate of sand and several silk plants on the way (i'm terrified of snails so real plants are out of the question).

My plan is to simply go down to the local river (stream) and get some nice shaped stones and build some decor, i'm thinking about boiling them and bleaching them, would this be sufficient to kill any nasties? If not what can i do?

Thanks team!

Will

 

[phishfriend]

That would do the trick. I would suggest you only do a lite beach water mix then a good rinse should do it.

 

[The Trooper]

Would 10/1 be sufficient?

 

[phishfriend]

Yeah, I think the boil will do all the work really. Also, boiling rocks can do funny things so use so caution. don't boil on high etc. I know that sounds crazy but I'v heard strange stories

 

[The Trooper]

Yeah, I think the boil will do all the work really. Also, boiling rocks can do funny things so use so caution. don't boil on high etc. I know that sounds crazy but I'v heard strange stories

Thats sounds ominous... Care to clarify?

 

[Masha]

Boiling some rocks can vitalize them, changing them into a sort of primal egg, which, if your PH is high enough, can cause Seachem Prime to act as a fertilizing agent. Fertilized rock-eggs can then hatch--

Naaaa


I think what PhishFriend might be aluding to is that some rocks can explode if you boil them. Water, or even air, trapped in the rock expanding and "boom".

I would just rinse them down with boiling water, if you really want to use boiling water

 

[Sk3lly]

Thats sounds ominous... Care to clarify?

I think stones and rocks can go bang if boiled. I dont know this for sure but i think ive read it on this forum

 

[Aqualady40]

I found a nice quartz looking rock in a creek. The first day I soaked in hot tap water after scrubbing it with a wire brush. The next day I scrubbed them, then, I took some tank water and soaked them overnight, test for Ph changes the next morning...nothing changed EXCEPT water was lil brown.... So the next night I took my box cutter scrapping in the crevices, glad I did, and got more dirt out, then boiled water and let them soak overnight again. They do not look like the same rocks, the work paid off...

 

[Wiggles24]

There is no need to boil rocks. Just buy a scrub brush and use hot water! I've done this for all my 8 tanks and my fish are just fine

 

[phishfriend]

lol, I wasn't there to witness this but this is what apparently happened. A friend of mine had the same idea. Well, he said he started the boil and went to do something. About 10 mins. Later he hears this boom! goes in the kitchen to find water covering the stove and floor. looks in the pot and apparently one or two of the rocks had exploded or popped and broken into pieces and blown half the water out of the pot.

 

[Sk3lly]

lol, I wasn't there to witness this but this is what apparently happened. A friend of mine had the same idea. Well, he said he started the boil and went to do something. About 10 mins. Later he hears this boom! goes in the kitchen to find water covering the stove and floor. looks in the pot and apparently one or two of the rocks had exploded or popped and broken into pieces and blown half the water out of the pot.

Sorry not really relevant to origional post but thought id mention it anyway. I was making something from copper pipe and i was soldering on a concrete slab. The heat from the blow torch was enough to make the slab pop in the area that had the heat near. I had little shards of concrete slab hit me in the face. Luckily none went in my eye but this lesson was enough for me to know concrete and heat dont mix. Dont know if this applies to rocks as well

 

[Aqualady40]

lol, I wasn't there to witness this but this is what apparently happened. A friend of mine had the same idea. Well, he said he started the boil and went to do something. About 10 mins. Later he hears this boom! goes in the kitchen to find water covering the stove and floor. looks in the pot and apparently one or two of the rocks had exploded or popped and broken into pieces and blown half the water out of the pot.

Wow! See hearing this story and many more I have heard....that's why I poured semi-boiling water in a bucket (hotter than tap but not a rolling boil)....but either dirt wasn't caked onto my rocks or I was scrubbing good...neither here or there the soaking has made it really easy to get the dirt off that I did not realize was dirt...hahahhah it blended in so well....but I agree NO boiling rocks.....op take care in whatever way you do it...

 

[The Trooper]

Ok so i'm not going to boil them, don't want any explosions - i doubt mother would approve.

So, i just hot water, pour it over the rock and then scrub, do i then bleach it?

 

[phishfriend]

Yeah scrub with bleach

 

[The Trooper]

Will any old household bleach do (without perfume)?

 

[phishfriend]

Yeah should work fine

 

[freckles]

This may or may not be helpful to you, but keep in mind that rocks will look a lot bigger in your aquarium than sitting out by the creek next to stones two feet wide!

I too picked up some beautiful rocks from a river, being careful to pick rocks that I considered 'small,' only to find once I stuck them in my 20 gallon tank that they looked enormous and ridiculous!

 

[Thumper828]

This may or may not be helpful to you, but keep in mind that rocks will look a lot bigger in your aquarium than sitting out by the creek next to stones two feet wide!

I too picked up some beautiful rocks from a river, being careful to pick rocks that I considered 'small,' only to find once I stuck them in my 20 gallon tank that they looked enormous and ridiculous!

That's a good point!!

 

[The Trooper]

Got them, cleaned them, put them in the tank, just need to add water now - i think it looks quite cool

 

[Rafy0126]

In regards to boiling rocks I have boiled all my rocks even Lava Rocks all the time with no issues. I just boiled them no more than 30 min.