Can I use rocks from the creek?

[monique]

I got my rocks from the creek across the road from me. Can I put them in my tank if I wash them REALLY good?????

 

[rheann]

I would wash them really well and then boil them or bake them and then let them dry out in the sun for a week or so. There are all sorts of weird things living in creeks. After that I would wash them off again really good.

 

[maja]

yea boil them, or scald them.. i did that with my rocks..

 

[hayley-jane]

I did the same with some flat stones from the beach.

I monitored the water levels closely afterwards and it didn't change any of them.

 

[sharn]

pour a bit of vinegar on them after washing them/baking them thoroughly. if it fizzes dont use them as it contains limestone and it will alter the ph in your tank

 

[jennifer]

Actually, for people who live in areas with soft water, adding limestone rocks to the tank is beneficial. Axolotls like hard water and tolerate pH up to 8 just fine. I would say it's good to know if you have limestone in the tank, because you may need to monitor the pH, and it will make water changes more of a "shock", but it's not necessarily bad.

 

[edward]

A side point on the practice of baking rocks to sterilize them. People need to be aware that if there is any water contained in cracks or pores of the rocks, then when the water turns to steam, there is a pretty good risk that the rock can then explode. The strength of the explosion will be dependent on the amount of water in the rock possibly causing serious injury and/or recking your stove.

The rocks can be well scrubbed and then soaked in a bleach solution. After the bleach solution, the rock can then be well rinsed and then soaked in a dechlorinator for fish tanks and then rinsed again before use.

Ed

 

[alex]

thats a good point!!

but if there were cracks or pores that the water went into then wuldnt the steam cum out of the cracks or pores?? i spose if the heat was so much the steam culdnt get out but i reakon it wuld probly just wistle it wuld be pretty hard to make a rock explode unless the pores or cracks were filled in.

 

[edward]

If there is water in the crack/pore and the entry point backfilled with clay or mud (this may not be visible on examimation as it could be deeper in the rock/stone) the heat would turn the outer layer into a harder/impervious layer allowing for the buildup of pressure.

I have seen stones used as a a campfire ring blow up......

Ed