Stones

[furry catfish]

Hello everyone I just found some really nice smooth stones in an old flower pot left by the old owner of the house.They are quite old and some are a little dirty,Can I put them in my tank if I wash them? Sorry if this is an obvious question








Chris

 

[samiam9818]

i think it should be fine as long as you make sure they are super clean. I think i remember reading that they should be boiled first, but you may want to wait for someone else to verify that. Congrats on the find!

i just read on another post similar to this to put a drop of vinegar on the rocks and if it fizzes it's bad for the tank, but if it doesn't fizz it can be used. hope this helps.

 

[lee337]

I am very new to tropical fish but I had some stone in my garden which I washed with boiling water and added them to my tank when I first set it up and I haven't had a problem with it.
Maybe just luck so you better see what the expert have to say about it

 

[waterdrop]

Stones should be fine if they pass the vinegar test.

DON'T boil rocks! In rare cases they might not be solid rock and might explode, hurting people. Just wash them.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[divegirl]

erm....What's the vinegar test

Lisa x

 

[Jdubz]

i just read on another post similar to this to put a drop of vinegar on the rocks and if it fizzes it's bad for the tank, but if it doesn't fizz it can be used. hope this helps.

erm....What's the vinegar test

Lisa x

As above ^^^

 

[divegirl]

Cool.....thank you!!!!

Lisa x

 

[leeandstacie]

Cool.....thank you!!!!

Lisa x

I use some hot water and a wire brush to give them a scrub then once clean leave them to soak in a bucket with some of your tank water.
I tried boiling some once and I went back to them bout an hour later and they were still scolding hot - boiling them is nasty

 

[waterdrop]

Also, if you scrub them with a vinegar and hot water combo (use rubber dishwashing gloves!) then your "vinegar test" will be even better, giving off some fizz if there is an unusual vein of calcium carbonate or something running somewhere through one of the rocks, if not then you should be home free.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[gogfumble]

I found some good rocks in our garden so did the vinegar test and gave them a good clean with boiling water (I didn't boil them though...I think my mum might disown me if I started boiling rocks in her pans plus it is quite dangerous as said above). Glad I did as they look really good in the tank.

 

[leeandstacie]

I went to the beach and robbed it for my stones - got some real good ones but when I got home the Mrs went nuts and told me it was against the law. oops

 

[SchottayB]

I went to the beach and robbed it for my stones - got some real good ones but when I got home the Mrs went nuts and told me it was against the law. oops

Hahaha! Didn't you say your borrowing them?! ...I'm sure you will take them back, just... 'when' you have finished with them?

 

[furry catfish]

Thanks every body!









chris

 

[Dogson]

If you're taking rocks out of your garden be sure to remember you have a Dog (if u have one)! I scrubbed and boiled mine (stones not the dog) popped them in the tank, did a water test, Ammonia off the chart
The Dog is still alive as it was my stupid fault forgetting the back yard is the Dog's toilet

 

[waterdrop]

If you're taking rocks out of your garden be sure to remember you have a Dog (if u have one)! I scrubbed and boiled mine (stones not the dog) popped them in the tank, did a water test, Ammonia off the chart
The Dog is still alive as it was my stupid fault forgetting the back yard is the Dog's toilet

Do we have any geologists around here? Do some stones absorb things and others don't??