Slate Rock from Home Depot - Safe once cleaned without soap? (with picture)

DavidBeoulve

DavidBeoulve

Medium Fish
#1
Apr 2, 2003
61
0
0
48
Florida, United States of America
www.gamersgonebad.com
#1
I bought some slate rock from Home Depot, and they said it was safe for use in a fish pond; they just said to rinse it off real good or it would cloud the water. Is the slate rock safe?
(click to enlarge)

Also...
:confused: Where can I find Driftwood that does not cost a fortune from the store?

:D yes, I'm niave, but I do my best to learn fast.
 

Avalon

Avalon

Superstar Fish
#2
Oct 22, 2002
2,846
10
0
Ft. Worth, TX
www.davidressel.com
#2
Yes. If you really want to be on the safe side, place it in a container of some sort, add some bleach (1 capful per 5 gallons), let it sit overnight, rinse, add dechlorinator (or do the sniff test), and add to tank.

Hey, you live in Florida, we should be asking you to find us some driftwood! Seriously, look in the marsh areas (or wherever there is wood) and find a piece you like!
 

Scrumpy

Scrumpy

Large Fish
#6
Oct 22, 2002
214
0
0
London, UK
#6
I scrub and boil rocks and wood. My bog wood I had to boil pretty much non stop for a week with millions of water changes to get some of the tannin out. It still leaches... but it was hygienic anyway. ;) That would get rid of salt on driftwood too.
I was advised to bake rocks in the oven to sterilize them...but DON'T. They explode! :eek:
 

G

geoffgarcia2

Large Fish
#8
Oct 22, 2002
347
0
0
#8
I got slate from home depot and just threw it in the tank....
the guy there was right:) it does cloud up something wicked:)

its that white powder dust nonsense....whatever, it'll go away in 3 days
 

lauraf

lauraf

Superstar Fish
#11
Jan 1, 2010
2,181
0
0
Vancouver, British Columbia
#11
If you want to test suspect rocks, do the vinegar test - if you pour vinegar on them and they fizz, they are not tank-safe; if the vinegar doesn't fizz, the rocks are inert and therefore won't change your aquarium water make-up.
And I always think that boiling the s--t out of anything is a good idea.
 

nanu156

nanu156

Large Fish
#14
Mar 8, 2010
745
0
0
Detroit, Mi
#14
The rocks exploded? Really? that likely happened because there was some sort of gas or liquid inside of them. They really shouldn't have exploded....

The slate will be fine just give it a good wash and toss it in. Here in michigan you can buy slate in sheets attached to some meshy stuff for 8.00 a sheet there are like 6 pieces per sheet, but you have to chisel the glue off them and it's a bit of a pain.

Driftwood.... There are a variety of places to buy it online, or just shop around for a large piece in a pet store you are talking 20-30.00 Its a bit of a pain but you only need to buy it once. I just soak it in hot water then let it sit over night, maybe give the drift one more rinse in hot water then toss it in. I don't usually have a ton of tannin leaching off. I like Malaysian drift the best. :)
 

H

HEADIN

Large Fish
#16
Aug 9, 2010
178
0
0
#16
I got a lovely big chunk of wood for £5 outa my local pet shop. Bargain 4 the size of it n lovely shape to. Still have to get it into my tank. Had it soakin 4a while and no browny water at all so pre treated. Lovely. Just havent got round to putting it in. Mite try n carve it a bit more to make a little bit of a hide overhang bit underneath.

Check ebay 4 cheap!
 

T

Thyra

Superstar Fish
#19
Jun 2, 2010
1,891
0
0
Yelm, WA
#19
I'm a little confused here - when I wanted to use some clean ocean sand that was thoroughly washed, I was told it wouldn't work, yet the sand particles would not absorb the salt, but certainly any driftwood from ocean beaches would and I don't know how you would ever get the salt out of the wood.
 

O

OrangeCones

Elite Fish
#20
Feb 27, 2009
4,395
0
36
#20
It's not the salt that is the issue, its that the sand will raise the pH of the water over time. Unless you are keeping rift lake cichlids or a brackish/marine tank, sand from the ocean would not be a good idea.
 

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