Lake Rocks

[squiremaster]

I went to the lake that I live near and I looked at the rocks there and I was thinking I could make caves with those rocks there and I also thought that I might plan on getting ADFs in my aquarium. so I wanted to ask if I cleaned the rocks well (because they got dirt on them) If I could make lake rock caves my aquarium?

 

[fatheadminnow]

Yup, you can use them.

This is what I did with rocks that I found outside. I put them in a bucket and then I poured boiling water all over them. The boiling water will clean and kill off any bacteria that lie upon the rocks.

DO NOT boil the rocks in water however. Small amounts of water within the rocks will begin to boiling, and when water boils it gives off steam. Well, if the water inside the rocks give off steam, and the steam has nowhere to go, the rock will go KABOOM! Bad! People have gotten seriously injured from this, and it could be fatal as well.

So, just pour boiling water over the rocks.

Then, after the rocks are clean, pour a couple drops of vinegar on the rocks. If the vinegar fizzes, then you do not want to use the rocks, as those rocks will mess with the pH of your water. If when you pour vinegar on the rocks and the vinegar does not fizz, then the rocks are safe to use.

-FHM

 

[LauraFrog]

I also use rocks from the 'great outdoors' in aquascapes... I suggest letting them dry, and stay dry, for two or three days after the boiling-water treatment, as this will help further reduce the chances of introducing something undesirable to your tank. If you're going to use silicone to make the caves, make sure you scrub them very thoroughly because if the silicone is stuck to dirt on the rocks (rather than the actual rocks) the whole thing will be unstable, and a falling rock cave can crack a tank.