Rocks!

[Netherways]

Rocks!

Right, my girlfriend decided that my bedroom tank "is too boring for the poor little fishys" and so she bought me a lovely rock from her local store. Its one of those moon rock type things with all the perforations and looks a little bit like a cheese grater on one side. It was far too big to go in the tank so I've had to cut it down. Now this is where I *think* I made a bit of a mistake.

It was covered in rock dust from all the cutting and so I took it in to wash it. Put it in the sink and got all the dust off now its all nice and clean..... now...was I supposed to wash it in some "tank water" rather than tap water because of the chlorine? The rock has been sat in the sun drying since Sunday but it's still holding water and I don't want to put it in the tank if its going to poison my fish with its chlorine (Plus the fish are very young and the tank only finished cycling a couple of weeks ago)

Bit of advice? Should I have cut the rock at all? would the correct thing to do be have taken it back to the store and exchange it for a professionally cut smaller rock?

Many thanks for your time,

Alex

 

[BuntbarschXXL]

Hi.

Just clean it with tap water- you don`t have to worry about chlorine because it will be gassing out fast.

BTW, you can get the chlorine out of water just by aerating it.

I have to add one thing: These rocks hydrogenate your water. So check the KH.

 

[Bignose]

Chlorine will gas out in a (relatively) short amount of time. Chloramine, much more stable -- which is why many water treatment plants are using it today, will not gas out. But, I am sure you have some water conditioner that you use regularly... if you add an appropriate amount to your tank at the same time it should be fine. If you are really worried, let it sit in a bucket with treated water for a while.

But, also take into account what buntbarschxxl said about it changing your water parameters... if could adversely affect your water by dramatically increasing the hardness. Some fish will be indifferent, some will be greatly affected, check the rock and check your fish.

 

[David]

You might want to do the same thing with the rock as most people do with wood... soak and/or boil it before placing it in your aquarium.