FishProfiles.com Message Forums

hey i was jsut wondering if pickin a rock out of a stream or anything will give your tanks any bad bacteria or disease the fish. also if you have to clean the rock. how do i go about it. thanks

Hi,
Without going "geological" on you, you need to do
a couple of things to each rock befoe you place it
in the tank.

First, scrub it clean with a scrubby pad or brush
to remove all algae and critters that might be on it.

Then dry it.
Then scrape the surface of it so you get a fresh
area of the rock and drip a couple of drops of
regular vinegar on the fresh surface. If it bubbles
then the general opinion is NOT to use it in a
freshwater tank. If it bubbles, it is what is called
a carbonate, and over time will affect the hardness
and pH of the water. IF you are keeping Rift Fish
that like "hard water" pH 8+, then it is safe to
use in that tank.

The last thing to think about is the surfaces of the
rock. If they are worn smooth and have no sharp edges
then, yes it is "safe" for the tank. Keep in mind
that most fish have never seen "lava rock" or other
sharp edged rocks. If they are startled or driven
by another agressive fish to dart about the tank,
they could run into the edges and gash themselves.
That would result in infection or worse.

Frank


[span class="edited"][Edited by FRANK 2004-08-12 17:40][/span]

-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--