can you take a cool rock from outside and wash it and place it in your aqaurium? Cause the big rocks at the store are expensive. How would you wash it, what may be some effects of putting it in with your fish?
Generally it's OK
Only thing to watch is that the rock is not limestone, that can mess with the tanks pH and hardness. Although if you live in an area where limstone rocks are laying about, chances are you already have hard/high pH water anyway, and the rock will have no effect on it.
Just make sure it's not contaminated with anything nasty (oil, weed killer etc), give it a good scrub and put it in the tank. Don't worry about "germs", your tank is full of bacteria, algae and other microscopic critters already. It's an Aquarium, not an operating theatre.
All my tanks a furnished with "found" rocks and driftwood.
Otherwise a garden landscape place is a good source of rocks. You can generally get slate and other cool rocks there, and they sell it by the pound. Truth be known, that's probably where the pet shops get theirs from, and put a huge markup on each rock.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
Ian
yes you can but remember some rocks contain chemicals that could make your fish sick, like iv heard Geo's have limestone in it and makes fish sick. But if you do put a rock in the water, rinse it, scrub it make sure it wont Disolve in water, put it in a bucket for 3 days .. see if the water changes color or looks gross ..... i have Ocean rocks in my tank, i soaked them and scrubbed and its a freshwater tank and its fine.
if you find a rock you want to put in your aquarium first you have to do 4 things:
1. Make sure it does not contain limstone or other rocks that will alter your ph.
2. Make sure it has not been sprayed with pesticides or chemicals
3. Boil it for a long time before you put it in.
4. Test it in a bucket taking water parameter readings before and after.
if it passes all these tests you can put it in your aquarium
you can as the other said if its not limestone, just soak it to get rid of water (no soap it will kill them) and then scrub it a little and boil it do kill anthing i have a big piece of coral i found in mine,
actually that depends. pour vinegar on the rock if it bubbles, than NO. if not yes. if its safe, boil it to rid of unwanted para cites.
no not at all i have 2 rocks i found at the beach. just wash it thoroughly
