boiling rocks

[zoowks]

how long should i boil my rocks for them to be sterile for my tank?

 

[Bk718]

depends on how dirty they are. Can do 2-3 15-20min intervals w/ salt.
many will warn you now "dont boil they can explode".. was there actually a person who had a rock explode on them or is this just a bad rumor...

 

[nickmcmechan]

i think it was a rumour, i heard they dont explode until about 800 degrees

 

[zoowks]

they look pretty 'clean'. i got them from some snowy mountains up in Colorado

 

[jm1212]

you can always just give it a good scrub with some bleach.

 

[OldMan47]

Have you ever heard of popcorn? It is a hard kernel of matter that has had the water trapped inside it start to boil. The pressure build up from water boiling can quickly split a rock. My own experience with exploding rocks has been in a bonfire in the back yard as a kid but there is nothing sacred about doing it in a kitchen.

 

[Lupin]

Better safe than sorry. I simply pour hot water (not boiling) and wash them with salt.

 

[soobie]

I've had them explode in a campfire, too. They were part of the fire ring around the fire, and were sandstone, so pretty porous. The water inside expanded and they exploded.

 

[zoowks]

i think i'm going to go with the hot water...scrubbing well and apply salt and hot water more approach

 

[Mgamer20o0]

i highly recommend NOT boiling ANY rocks, especially those collected near water sources.. rocks can absorb water to a point depending on their mineral makeup, and even have water embedded inside. to boil these rocks could cause excessive pressure to build up from the water inside, thus creating a rock grenade with a nightmare of shrapnel and boiling water. of course, its entirely possible to boil a rock without this happening, but you never know.

jrr doesnt want you to boil rocks.