Using Rocks in the Aquarium?

R

rmarrandino1

Large Fish
#1
Oct 31, 2004
130
0
0
Chicago
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#1
OK, this might seem like a dumb question....it does to me.

I understand driftwood and the procedures for preparing it for the tank, but what about rocks?

Do I have to use aquarium safe rock decorations from the LFS?

Can I use any rocks that I find outside or at the quarry, if so what do I need to do to prep them for the tank?

What would be a safe limit on the weight of the rocks for the aquarium?

Thanks again everyone!!!!
 

BigDaddy420

BigDaddy420

Large Fish
#2
Aug 23, 2005
410
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48
bellaire, ohio
#2
everyone seems to do things a little different, i have very limited space when it comes to cleaning big rocks, (small pans and sink) so what i do is i clean out the sink, and i scrub the rocks all down with a scrubbrush and water, no cleaners for obvious reasons. then i take the biggest pot i can find, usually my sketti pot (spaghetti), a tea pot and ill get my 5 gallon bucket, boil some water in the tea pot, and after im done scrubbing the rocks down i put them in the sketti pot fill it with water and let it boil for awhile, after about 20-30 minutes i take them and put them in the 5 gallon bucket and put new rocks in the sketti pot, then i use the boiling water from the teapot and pour it on top of the rocks in the 5 gallon bucket and keep doing this until my bucket is full. then after everything is cooled down i dump the water and double check the rocks just in case and then off to the tank they go. i havent had any problems yet and I decorate all my tanks with rocks from the CRICK (haha).
 

Seleya

Seleya

Superstar Fish
#3
Nov 22, 2004
1,384
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59
Cape Cod, MA
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#3
Just make sure the rocks are safe - no metallic veins and that they don't fizz when you drop some vinegar on them. Some people even use the acid from their test kits since vinegar isn't very acidic. (be careful!)

I scrub them outside with a plastic scrub brush (make sure it isn't treated to be antibacterial), then I soak it in a bucket with bleach, rinse well and soak in plain water.

People who use a lot of rockwork sometimes use eggcrate (plastic grating used on shop lights) under their rock to distribute the weight. I couldn't tell you what is safe weight-wise, tho keep in mind how much live rock reefers use pretty regularly.
 

cybersymes

cybersymes

Large Fish
#4
Nov 3, 2005
426
0
0
'serendipity' tank
#4
BigDaddy420 said:
everyone seems to do things a little different, i have very limited space when it comes to cleaning big rocks, (small pans and sink) so what i do is i clean out the sink, and i scrub the rocks all down with a scrubbrush and water, no cleaners for obvious reasons. then i take the biggest pot i can find, usually my sketti pot (spaghetti), a tea pot and ill get my 5 gallon bucket, boil some water in the tea pot, and after im done scrubbing the rocks down i put them in the sketti pot fill it with water and let it boil for awhile, after about 20-30 minutes i take them and put them in the 5 gallon bucket and put new rocks in the sketti pot, then i use the boiling water from the teapot and pour it on top of the rocks in the 5 gallon bucket and keep doing this until my bucket is full. then after everything is cooled down i dump the water and double check the rocks just in case and then off to the tank they go. i havent had any problems yet and I decorate all my tanks with rocks from the CRICK (haha).
Click to expand...
hey there...i gotta ask...
are you a fish-keeper...or a rock-keeper... :):):))
 

hyunelan2

hyunelan2

Large Fish
#5
Jun 1, 2005
684
1
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44
Near Chicago, IL
#5
To be more specific, avoid rocks with calcium-carbonate compostions (i.e. Limstones). These rocks, over time, can raise the PH of your tank. The safest rocks for the tank are igneous (volcanic) rocks or metamorphic rocks, such as slate. Sandstone is also usually an acceptible choice. Since you're near me, I can tell you that most of the quarries around here are for limestone (bad) used in construction or crushed for making concrete. I would say about 90% of the rocks you'll find laying around N. Illinois are going to be limestone, with some sandstones.

As for how many rocks (weight) a lot of people will put foam 'eggcrate' at the bottom of their tanks so that the weaight does not press down on one spot in the glass and cause it to crack. If you're just putting in a few rocks, or a bunch of smaller ones there is little cause for concern.
 

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