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How would I go about preparing rocks found outside?


Nourhan
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Hello!

I just boil mine for about an hour in a pot on the stove. I would advise against putting them in the oven because they’d be more likely to explode if there are air pockets. You may also want to test the rocks with some drops of vinegar on the outside to see if they fizz at all. That’d be a sign that they’ll dissolve in your tank and release alkaline minerals into the water.

Edited by colo3000
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I just scrub them in hot water, soapy if they’re super dirty (Dawn so it rinses clean), then rinse and scrub some more until I’m happy.  Unless they’re super porous, they’re not really going to hold on to much and soap will clear off most anything.  You just need to make certain the soap is absolutely 100% rinsed away.  I figure if @Dean’s Fishroomsays it rinses clean, it does.

Beautiful rocks, by the way.  Nice find!

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On 9/10/2021 at 9:59 AM, Odd Duck said:

I just scrub them in hot water, soapy if they’re super dirty (Dawn so it rinses clean), then rinse and scrub some more until I’m happy.  Unless they’re super porous, they’re not really going to hold on to much and soap will clear off most anything.  You just need to make certain the soap is absolutely 100% rinsed away.  I figure if @Dean’s Fishroomsays it rinses clean, it does.

Beautiful rocks, by the way.  Nice find!

I actually didn't end up purchasing them. Seller claimed it was 100% sandstone. I got someone properly identify them, turns out it was a mix of different rocks such as granite, and other components. I didn't feel comfortable putting them in my tank because of this, I didn't want minerals leeching in the tank. It's a shame cause they are gorgeous! I guess I'm stuck with pet store rocks. I heard a family pet store that sells good rocks so I will check it out  

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On 9/12/2021 at 7:53 PM, Nourhan said:

I actually didn't end up purchasing them. Seller claimed it was 100% sandstone. I got someone properly identify them, turns out it was a mix of different rocks such as granite, and other components. I didn't feel comfortable putting them in my tank because of this, I didn't want minerals leeching in the tank. It's a shame cause they are gorgeous! I guess I'm stuck with pet store rocks. I heard a family pet store that sells good rocks so I will check it out  

Sandstone is one of those you want to be careful where you source.  It’s a rock that could absorb stuff.  That would be a “boil it” fir me.  Granite is pretty safe.  The pics look more like granite, but you’d have to have some rock experience to sort them out.  Probably best to stick with pet store stuff unless you’re pretty comfortable with ID.

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First I Would blow them with air to remove the fine particulate that may be on them....then rinse them in the sink to remove any stuck on particulate that may be on them.  The take them outside and hose them off with the sprayer.  Then connect the pressure washer and really get them clean. then I would Air dry them out in the dessert sun to bake off anything that might be alive. Then I would bring them in and put them back in water and boil them for 3 days ensuring that they stay at boiling temps to kill of any microorganisms that may have been hitchhiking on them.  Once the boiling is completed I would then irradiate them in the hopes that the radiation would kill of any Alien species of microbes.  We don't want any of those now do we.  Once they have absorbed enough radiation to power a small....ah hell make it a large continent.  We have to let the radiation bleed of for about 20 years to ensure we don't make mutant fish in the tank.....I believe they would be detrimental to the environment if they were to escape....lets not get me started on the problems with our natural resources.....

 

So yeah at that point I think they would be safe.....I would still test the water parms just to be sure though.😁

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This topic reminds me of when I was setting up my first tank.  I had a large piece of petrified wood laying out in the flower bed that I thought would look good in it so I picked it up, rinsed it with a hose, and put it in the tank.

It obviously had a significant void in it, because ants floated up out of it for two or three days afterwards.

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On 9/13/2021 at 11:33 AM, JettsPapa said:

This topic reminds me of when I was setting up my first tank.  I had a large piece of petrified wood laying out in the flower bed that I thought would look good in it so I picked it up, rinsed it with a hose, and put it in the tank.

It obviously had a significant void in it, because ants floated up out of it for two or three days afterwards.

I really do boil all of my drift wood and not just once.  I do it multiple times to get most of the tannins out of them.  I boil it ...let it cool dump the water refill and boil again.....I do this 4-5 times before it ever sees the inside of my tanks just because of the tannins.

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@Nourhan have you found the Aquarium Science blog yet?

He answers most of these questions, and expends a lot of energy and time debunking aquarium myths that many aquarists have tried to make cannon.

Once I found his blog, I was able to reinvigorate my love of fish keeping!

I think someone in here may have shared it before... I might have shared it 🤔

Look up Aquarium Science . org 

Excellent answers regarding how to determine safe rocks for the aquarium, safe wood for the aquarium, and links to peer-reviewed research that debunks a lot of assumptions (hint: almost all rocks are neutral, so can't take pH above 7, and even "base / alkaline rocks" that bubble with vinegar or muriatic acid have a limit on how high they can boost the pH.

I hope it helps as much as it helped me!

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On 9/13/2021 at 11:33 AM, JettsPapa said:

It obviously had a significant void in it, because ants floated up out of it for two or three days afterwards.

Very similar experience with a cherry log that I converted from yard art to a fireplace mantel for a friend.  I'm glad I was working in his shop instead of mine.

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