rock question

[Chuck_T]

ok i have what i think is sandstone but the thing is it may have been from from or by the ocean, would that kill my fish like driftwood from saltwater? or rocks dont absorb water like wood does so nothin would leach out after they are washed?

[OldMan47]

Sandstone will absorb salt and other chemicals quite readily. It is a very porous rock. If it was in the salt water, it will probably leach salt for quite some time. If it came from a clean place well above the high-high tide line it might be OK. I would want it to be from at least 10 vertical ft above the high tide line since ocean storms can sometimes move the water that far above normal high tide levels.

[Chuck_T]

yea i washed them earlier and soap was coming out the rock forever so i'll get some different ones

[GuiltyPleasures]

All but one of my tanks have rocks that I've found at the beach by my house (I live on the Oregon coast) as well as drift wood from the beaches there too. I've had no problems at all, I just wash them really good in hot water and soak them if they are really bad. I've had them in one of my tanks for over a year now and not any problems with it or the driftwood. I have a lot of different types of rocks I've found including what i believe is sandstone.

[soobie]

yea i washed them earlier and soap was coming out the rock forever so i'll get some different ones

I wouldn't ever wash anything that you're going to put in the aquarium with soap.

I've used gravel and driftwood from the beach in my tanks, and had no problems at all. I rinsed the gravel well, and soaked the driftwood for several days (until it sank) in plenty of water changes, and they didn't have any noticeable effect on my tank. I was quite confident that the beach they came from was clean, though. I'd worry more about chemical pollutants than the salt. The driftwood pieces have Java fern growing all over them now.