Rocks

[fishieperson321]

What kind of rocks are safe for goldfish? Can I get rocks from the creek behind my house? Would they be safe? How would I prepare them for use?

[plah831]

I have two suggestions on how to treat "wild" rocks. First, soak them in a dilute bleach solution (1 part bleach to 10 parts water). That will kill anything bad on it, like algae, bugs, germs, hitchhikers. After the bleach, rinse it very well in tap water. Then perhaps soak it in a bucket with extra dechlorinator in it to remove any excess bleach. Bleach is just a concentrated chlorine compound, so it will be neutralized by tap water conditioner :) If you don't want to deal with this hassle, you could also boil the rock real well.

Then perhaps test it for pH-altering properties by dropping some vinegar on it. If it bubbles and dissolves, that means the rock would likely raise the pH/alkalinity of your tank.

I have heard that vinegar is too weak an acid to do this test reliably, but stronger acids are pretty hard to come by to most consumers.

[fishieperson321]

Thanks very much!!! Also, can I get underwater plants from the creek? Will it hurt my fish. :dive:

[plah831]

I don't think the plants will hurt your fish, but there are too many unknowns. You might not know its identity or how to care for it, and it might contain hitchhikers. You might want to ask the question about plants in the Plant forum :)