You can then add layers of substrate to your clean fish tank. Place the rocks in an aluminum, non-coated pot and fill with water. Natural Slate Stone. Snakes are quite strong, and will pry at things. Another top choice for freshwater aquarium rocks is the Small World Slate and Stone Natural Slate, which is packaged in… To submit your vote please sign in or sign up, it is free and takes a few seconds. Step 3. Abaigeal Quinn works as an international entertainment broker in the United States. Test the pH and hardness initially, and then let the water with rocks sit for a week and test again. Let’s go! When you clean fish tank rocks without care, you could damage them or endanger your fish. But never ever leave it alone, and check it frequently. [CDATA[ Rock gravel is designed for easy cleaning and waste coverage. You can use natural river rocks but it will be necessary to properly sanitize them before use. You could also use lava rocks, Okho stone, smooth river rocks, or any other porous-type rock. I scrubbed my rocks in conditioned hot water with a 3M dish scrubby (brand new, never touched soap) and scrubbed each rock very very throughly then boiled them in conditioned water for over an hour. Works like a charm, 100% of the time. Place a large clean sieve, at least 6 inches across, over the bucket. To make sure they are not reactive, you can pour a little vinegar on them. Chemical reactions can take a while. 3. Scrub the rocks' surfaces and allow the rocks to sit in solution for 30 minutes. Lithia is User account menu. If it’s taken directly from a river, then I’d be worried about pathogens or parasites that could be transferred to the aquarium. Bring water to a full boil and allow the rocks to boil for 30 minutes to sanitize and remove any remaining bleach residue. She is a former news editor and insurance agent who began writing for a daily newspaper in 1995. Household cleaning items may kill the pathogens but can also be poisonous to your pet. Cleaning an aquarium rock only takes a little effort and knowledge. Some people are fine with sponge-bob, and others are fine with rocks from their yard, and sticks from their stream. Pour water over the gravel in … To a certain extent I’d agree about ocean driftwood, but I would think that if well disinfected, any lingering salt would be no more or less than the salt you might introduce into your tank through softened water, and for fish that prefer brackish, it should be okay. Of course, part of the appeal of river rock is its natural appearance, which inevitably will include dirt, but when you want your landscape to look clean and crisp, that old river rock … 100% Upvoted. save hide report. I'd put it in vinegar solution for at least 3 hours. Rinse the rocks with plain water and soak overnight in non-iodized salt water--1 cup of sea salt to every gallon of water. For example, mix 9 cups of water with 1 cup of bleach. If it fizzes, don't use the rocks in your aquarium. Sterilizing ocean driftwood and river rocks for your aquarium, By clicking 'Submit' or otherwise submitting this form you agree to the, By entering this site you declare Make sure the bucket is very clean, as even minute traces of chemical residue can harm fish, according to Fish Tank Club.A bucket or container that has been dedicated exclusively for use by your fish since it was new is the safest option. ":"&")+"url="+encodeURIComponent(b)),f.setRequestHeader("Content-Type","application/x-www-form-urlencoded"),f.send(a))}}}function B(){var b={},c;c=document.getElementsByTagName("IMG");if(!c.length)return{};var a=c[0];if(! Remove the rocks from the salt water the following day and rinse. I wouldn’t use ocean driftwood with any fish that is sensitive to salts, as there might be a residual amount of sodium that would only come out over a length of time. Cooled them off in conditioned ice cold water for an hour before letting them dry. It shifts easily and tends to have a non-porous surface that can prevent biological material adhesion, making it easy to clean and remove. Steve, I agree wholeheartedly, one must make decisions about what to put in the ecosystem we’ve created in our tanks. The CFKJ Large River Rocks make a great additional to any aquarium where you need some larger decorative stones. Choosing live rock for your aquarium is based on appearances as well as best value and cleanliness. I can’t think of any problems with what you say. I did put a couple of guppies in a bucket with some ocean driftwood for 48 hours, to see if they would exhibit any signs of distress but they seemed to be totally unfazed by swimming among the pound or two of ocean driftwood. (You know you’ve eliminated the bleach when it no longer smells of bleach). The Texas holey rocks are around 5” – 7” long. Step 5 Take the fake rocks out of the bleach water and rub them down with a toothbrush or soft sponge under running water. If the rock is too big for the pot I have stuck one half in, boiled that and then turned it so the other end was submerged and then boiled that. Follow these tips on how to disinfect aquarium rocks. Fill a bucket or other clean container with water from your aquarium and gently transfer fish to the bucket using a net. ");b!=Array.prototype&&b!=Object.prototype&&(b[c]=a.value)},h="undefined"!=typeof window&&window===this?this:"undefined"!=typeof global&&null!=global?global:this,k=["String","prototype","repeat"],l=0;lb||1342177279>>=1)c+=c;return a};q!=p&&null!=q&&g(h,n,{configurable:!0,writable:!0,value:q});var t=this;function u(b,c){var a=b.split(". I'm currently having it soak in a bucket, but I a... Soak it in a mild bleach solution for a time and follow up with a long soak in high potency, de-chlorinated water so as to eliminate the bleach. 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