Preparing Rocks for Tanks?

[Carapar56]

So I decided I wanted to add some large round river stones to my 10 gallon tanks. Well problem is they came from my garden and are covered in dirt, small plants, moss, and other debris.. I wanted to know is there any special way I should wash or sterilize them. Also will adding the stones effect my pH and harm my fish?

[Honey Badger 1]

Give them a good scrub under hot running water. Pouring a little vinegar on them will tell you if they will alter the pH, if the vinegar fizzes they will, if not, they won't. This doesn't test for heavy metals or other reasons the rocks may harm your fish, but river stones are probably safe.

[Greentoads41]

I don't believe round river stones would harm the fish nor pH. To clean, I would scrub and scrub for as much as you can, and if you aren't satisfied with the amount of debris still left on them, you could boil them. I would assume they are not porous, so you would have no risk of them exploding on you. I have done this method over and over, even with rocks that look like they might be porous, and rocks have never exploded on me. After that, just wait for them to cool and pop them in the tank I have never put moss in my tank from the outside world, but I have put lichens, and they didn't change a thing.

[Carapar56]

Okay thankyou both and they're these kind of stones they're about the size of grapefruits, some smaller river-stone.jpg

[Strider199]

Those are some large rocks to be putting in a 10 gallon tank but hey, it's your tank.

The rusty stains look like iron. Google iron and aquarium and see what you get.

[Carapar56]

Well that isn't a picture of my rocks, just a sample I found on google of what mine look like. Mine are good sized and will fit nicely in my 10 gallons don't you worry. Going to go clean them now. I'll put up pictures of the tanks later tonight after I do a waterchange and add the rocks.

[Carapar56]

OKay I got a picture of the rocks that I'm using. I just finished scrubbing them. I'm not going to boil them but I'm going to boil water, cool it for 5 minutes then add the rocks. Would it be alright if I added a small bit of bleach? Then reboil more water and let them sit in that with some dechlorinator? WP_000135.jpg

[talldutchie]

Well.. it's not like these things carry the plague. As long as you don't use pesticides in your garden these rocks really will be fine. Anything still alive on there will be fish food.

The one on the top left really needs the vinegar test though.