Curing rocks

[Lowflyer]

Hey guys

I found 2 nice rocks at the beach. They look like lava rock coz they have shells embedded in them and the rock itself is grey in colour. I need to cure them before putting them in the tank and was wondering if boiling them and leaving them in a bucket of freshwater for about a week would do the trick...

Any and all advice is welcome here:)

Thanks
Luke

[Sean J]

Pour some vinegar on them. If the vinegar starts bubbling, then don't add them to your tank. If it doesn't then it's safe. But yes, boil them for a while first, before adding them to your tank.

[Lowflyer]

Thanks Sean J. What does the vinegar expose about the rock if I may ask?

[Sean J]

If the vinegar bubbles, then it means that it's going to buffer your water. It's going to harden your water. So it would not be a great idea to use it in a fish tank.

[Lowflyer]

Oh ok thanks:)

[wrenchy]

Sean J doesnt it have something to do with the calcium in the rock??

[Henk Hugo]

Just so that you know it is illegal to collect rocks etc from the beach.

[Vis]

Be very careful of boiling rocks, they can explode.

[Sean J]

@Sean J (http://www.tropicalaquarium.co.za/member.php?u=122) doesnt it have something to do with the calcium in the rock??

Yes. The vinegar reacts with calcium in the rocks.


Just so that you know it is illegal to collect rocks etc from the beach.

Quite right.


Be very careful of boiling rocks, they can explode.

Huh? Serious?

[Lowflyer]

I would be lying if I said I wasn't aware of that Henk Hugo but buying rocks is so expensive

[azurekoi]

A R50 permit from your municipality or Post Office(where you buy your angling/bait collection permits) will allow you to collect 10kg rock or 10kg sea sand per day.... Lot cheaper than LFS rocks...

If that rock of yours has shells embedded in it,I can almost certainly say that it is from a limestone base and will buffer your water...but seems like you guys in EL hav naturally hard water anyways...so it's effect on your aquarium water will be negligible....and since you keep livebearers in their - it is a good thing anyway...

[Henk Hugo]

azurekoi - no more rocks whats so ever.

[Vis]

Yes. The vinegar reacts with calcium in the rocks.



Quite right.



Huh? Serious?

Yes, rocks can have pockets of air, gas and even water in them. We all know what happens to these when you heat them, they expand.
So in effect you have a little presure cooker. It might just decide to come appart when you pick or move it.

[azurekoi]

Sorry Henk - did not know of new legislation - was at coast last year - bought my permit and collected my rocks... no problems then...

[Reedfish]

Be very careful of boiling rocks, they can explode.

Yup, I have heard of this too. Not sure how true it is, but why take a chance?
Use very hot water, rather than water that is actually boiling.

[Lowflyer]

Ok guys. Tried the vinegar thing and there were tiny bubbles coming from the rock. But like azurekoi said, I have mainly livebearers in the tank with two cory's and one hilstream loach and plants.

Will any of these be affected negatively by the slightly harder water?

[Reedfish]

Ok guys. Tried the vinegar thing and there were tiny bubbles coming from the rock. But like @azurekoi (http://www.tropicalaquarium.co.za/member.php?u=1190) said, I have mainly livebearers in the tank with two cory's and one hilstream loach and plants.

Will any of these be affected negatively by the slightly harder water?

The livebearers won't mind the harder water.

The Corries and Loach would probably prefer softer. But it all depends on how hard the water actually gets.

[Cookie]

Also would like to know this! Will ask a couple of questions here instead of starting a new thread.. Hope you don't mind Lowflyer :)

Had no clue about collecting rocks from beaches so.. We got some rocks from an unspecified area :wondering: also, is there any other way to test than vinegar? This may sound strange but we don't have any (unless balsamic vinegar will work?) .. Not very big on vinegar lol

And am I right saying:

- Test rocks with acid
- Give them a good scrub
- Soak in hot water then leave for a few days

Umm.. also, are shells okay to go in? If so, how would they be cleaned? Just boiled?

[Lowflyer]

No problem at all Cookie. I went and bought a bottle of vinegar just to test the rock hahahahaha

[Cookie]

Lmao! Am far too lazy right now lol, if anything we have handy now is fine then I'll use something else :) If not I'll go get some tomorrow lol, excited to see if they're usable!

Will bathroom cleaner work?