Rock Safe? Need opinions, should I use these rocks in my 10GL

[Mantis_22]

Hello everyone, Today I was looking at some rocks our family bought a long time ago. And just got an Idea why dont I just use these in my aquarium to make nest boundaries and such. The thing is I dont know if they are all that safe to use *They look no diffrent than the rocks down at the LFS. I took pics of them and they are at the bottom of this post. I know if I wash/rinse and scrub them really good everything should be well. Or boil them along with that. Most of the rocks I have here I want to use look safe (No limestone minerals as I can see) and so on. But im going by everyones vote, should I use these rocks/rock in my aqaurium.

BTW, we bought these rocks somewhere on vacation in Arizona.

http://www.imahosting.com/sigs/may0401.jpg
http://www.imahosting.com/sigs/may0402.jpg

[wetmanNY]

All rocks are safe in the aquarium, with two exceptions. Metal ores, and carbonates.

Boiling rocks won't make soup. Isn't that a folklore saying? Serbia? Chinese?

[famman]

Carbonaceous rocks are usually easy to spot, use your Aquarium Pharmeceuticals Nitrate Test bottle #1. It's hydochloric acid, and a few drops will fizz when dropped on any bad rocks.
The rocks you are showing should be safe.
good luck
:)

[Mantis_22]

Thanks guys for the replys! :D

[Decz]

i've used many rocks from all over the place in my tanks... lakes, rivers... etc...

if you don't have a nitrate test kit, you can use white vinegar instead... just drop a few drops on the dry rocks and if they fizz or bubble then they wouldn't be good...

good luck!

Decz :)

[elgecko]

Be very careful with your rocks. When I set my tank up over 2 years ago, I found some rocks that I like outside. I boiled them and did the vinegar test on them. They passed the test. I monitored the tank, everything was ok. The ph had not changing, hardness, etc,etc. The stone was releasing something into the fish tank. I was killing, believes this or not, Zebras. And like I said all the tests of my water said that nothing was wrong. I then removed those rock and have not had a problem since.

[wetmanNY]

Elgecko, you didn't take the rock in to your local college geology department and find out what kind of rock it was? The rest of us are none the wiser till we know what kind of killer rock you're talking about. Iron pyrites?

[mr magoo]

An easy way to tell if they will effect the water chemistry is to put the rocks in a clean container of water. Test the water at the start then in a week of so re test the same water. if nothing changes the rocks are probably fine :)

[elgecko]

wetmanNY, The rocks I had in my tank that were killing Zebras was in the tank for 2 months. Like I said the tests said nothing was wrong with my water. Would Iron pyrites in the rock have changed some of my parameters, or just been toxic to the fish?

[carpguy]

The carbonates WetMan mentioned, things like limestone, will alter KH and pH. Metal Ores, things like Iron Pyrites or copper ores, can be badly toxic at levels too low for hobbyist tests that most of us don't use anyway -- they won't fizz up in the presence of an acid and they won't bat around your water parameters at the end of a week (or two months or two years).

Iron Pyrites is "Fool's gold".
http://www.gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/minerals/pyrite3.jpg

Copper ore will likewise tend to be an attractive nuisance and is extremely toxic to fish.
http://www.usoe.k12.ut.us/curr/science/sciber00/7th/earth/images/copper.jpg

So while it may not ferret out all of the bad stones, a new rule: No Pretty Rocks!

[Mantis_22]

yeah, theres always luck and plain old trial and error..

[somefinnfishy]

I'm allways woried about what was sprayed on a rock at some point in time ferts,insecticides,herbicides,fungacides.most of these would soak into most rocks beyond the point of a simple boiling makeing them safe.
I run most of my new rocks in the dishwasher loaded with vinegar.Dont know if it helps but they sure are clean :D