I Found These Rocks On My Farm!

[sangah10]

I found these rocks just today on my farm but I'm not too sure if it will be safe for my aquarium. I think it might be sandstone and reading the 'rocks for aquarium use' topic, I assume it will be safe to be put into the aquarium. What cleaning protocols should be used?

So far I have cleaned it with a brush, and poured boiling water on it. What else should I do?

Here are some pics to see if you can see what type of rock it is.











and if the links dont work try this http/img683.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=p2060029.jpg


thanks ;D

 

[lordofthesea]

they look calciumy to me.... which is fine for hard water fish but...

if you live on a farm, and use sprays/ fertilisers, I definately wouldn't use them. residues on them will kill your fish.

 

[sangah10]

hmm hardy fish but it will still harm them wont it? it looks like sltate though.

and i found these on the empty piece of land infront of my farm that hasnt ever been used to grow anything.

 

[Bebobb]

You can tell if it will raise the pH by using the vinegar test. Take a drop of vinegar and put it on all of the rocks. If it fizzes, don't use it. It will alter your pH. If it doesn't fizz, then you can use it in your tank. I would boil them for an hour or two to make sure that there isn't anything harmful on them.

 

[sangah10]

Yeah I've done the vinegar test already. It was so confusing because I did it when the rocks were on the ground and I heard fizzing. Turns out it was fizzing from the ground and not the rocks haha. and I'm pretty sure you shouldnt boil it according to the 'rock for aquariums' thread because it can be quite dangerous and explode.

 

[Honeythorn]

They won't explode from boiling. They may crack or possibly explode in some form if you drop them into cold water directly after boiling them. Which is of course a silly thing to do.

Just give them a realy really good scrub in plain warm water with a new scrubbing brush( not one that has had any detergents or chemicals on it ever ) and then boil them for approximately half an hour, and leave them to cool in the pan. Then rinse them in cold water when cool, and you can put them in your tank.

 

[chesterscot]

agreed ^^^
scot