Thanks guys.... I've really had fun doing this, but I am a little frazzled... just tired a little.
By now my husband and other family members, I'm sure, are getting tired of stepping over rocks and me... though they haven't really complained. In fact I've had some help with lifting some of the heavier ones.
I've been meticulously careful to protect the rocks from any incidental exposure to anything that might possibly be harmful to the aquarium environment.
I used bleach water but then oceans of clean dechlorinated water to soak the bleach out...
I had the rocks on clean new drop cloth on my driveway to protect them from oils that may be on the driveway. I got a new, huge, plastic bin from Wallyworld to use as a rinse tub.
Then, I've covered them up with dropcloth to keep blowing bits of leaves, seeds, pollen, etc., off of them.
The big ones are on a pallet I made from plywood scraps on top of bricks, to keep them out of the dirt and grass, and they are covered with a drop cloth.
I've sprayed water down every nook and cranny and even used a looooong aquarium plant tweezer to reach down in these holes to pull out clumps of dirt and roots...
Many times I have wished I had one of those fiber optic endoscopes with the tiny llittle camera, like they use to run up your nose, or down your esophagus, or to peer into other anatomical locales, so I could run it aound in some of those tunnels and see where they all go.
Right now my dining table is covered with the mid to smaller sizes, after having two days of photo sessions with these rocks....
There are two more large ones, a 35 pounder and the other I think is around 65 pounds, that I haven't photographed yet.
Some more assorted mid and small pieces are still soaking (deep tunnels with dirt still hanging on in there) and haven't been photo'd yet.
Once I finish posting pics, and find out who all wants what... I'll try to rest a couple of days and then start packaging up the rocks. In fact I think I'm done for the evening and won't do more pics and uploads untill tomorrow.
I can't wait to see pics of tanks of AC members with some of my rocks in there!! That will be so cool.
I found out, today, from a guy at work, that there is a business nearby that does sandblasting. I thought, out of curiosity, I would call and find out how much it would cost to sand blast some holey rock.
If it's not expensive, and maybe by doing several pieces all at once it may not be, perhaps some might like to have that done.
I could check on prices and let you guys know what I find out.
I mean, if it cost only a few bucks maybe some would want that. I don't know.... just a thought. It may be cost prohibitive anyway... I don't have a clue what that costs.... It's just that I've seen some of the stuff online that has been sandblasted and it sure is pretty...
Anyway, please PM me with your 1st choice and 2nd choices. If something is already chosen by someone else you could pic out something else.
Jinks gave me some information about shipping and I'm going to check with the post office about the big pieces that way 80-85 lbs.
When you PM me, please give me your zip.
