Beach Rocks for my Aquarium

[shine17]

Last weekend I went to the beach to give my deceased RCC a burial, then I ended up picking up rocks.

1. Would I be able to use these rocks in my brackish tank?
2. How do I go about cleaning?
-Another concern with cleaning, since the fallout from the Japan reactors, will my rocks have absorbed that fallout?

They are so beautiful and would like to place them in my tank, but if there is concern for radiation contamination on my rocks then I don't feel comfortable using them.

If anyone can help me, it would be greatly appreciated.

[Northernguy]

Just give them a good scrub with a wire brush under warm water.
If fall out is a concern I would get a Geiger counter.lol
There is not enough fallout to do you any harm.As far as I know.lol I highly doubt it will be a problem.

[TazManiac]

I have to agree. Too much media about the japan thing has everyone worried for no reason. The levels of radiation being observed are not dangerous to anyone in the USA.

[Rue]

You could do the acid test too...just remember that vinegar is a very weak acid and may not bubble up, even if there are issues with the rock.

Re: limestone raises pH...

[mermaidwannabe]

Shouldn't those rocks be boiled to kill any harmful microbes that might be on or in them?

Would boiling them discolor them in any way?

I would want to be sure they are germ-free before putting them into any aquarium.

Since they are beach rocks and may have initially come from the ocean, could there be a certain amount of salt content in them? They're going into a brackish tank, so that wouldn't matter unless it was excessive (?).

Am I correct, or off base, here?

-- mermaidwannabe

[TazManiac]

Boiling rocks can be really dangerous. Air pockets in the rocks expand and can make the rocks explode, causing boiling water and hot rock to fly all over the kitchen.

[mermaidwannabe]

Good thing we have that settled! Not a good idea, at all!

I won't be doing it, and no one else should, either.

Thanks, Taz.

-- mermaid

[TazManiac]

To add to my statement, instead of boiling I would use a soak in a mid strength bleach/water solution for an hour to kill any bacteria/hitch-hikers and ensure it is rinsed off thoroughly (with hot water). I would also add enough dechlorinator to the tank to dose the whole tank before placing the rocks in there (bleach = chlorine).

[shine17]

I haven't placed the rocks in since I initially posted this. I did however try pouring boiling water over the rocks, that took out those little hitch-hikers and dirt and what not.

Thanks for the advise.

PS Yes it is brackish so it wouldn't matter with the salinity.