austinb82

Hi. I have an aquarium I have not used in a while and I'd like to reinstate it. I recently went on vacation to the san juan islands in north western washington and collected some very colorful smooth rocks that I would love to be able to use in my aquarium. I am not very experienced so I would rather start with a freshwater aquarium because they are easier. I heard you can't use rocks from saltwater in a fresh water aquarium. Is there anything you can do to make these rocks usable in a fresh water aquarium? Any way to neutralize the salt? Would boiling them help? I would really like to use these rocks if at all possible because they are so naturally colorful and much better than anything i've seen in a store. I will probably not be purchasing any expensive fish to start with so its not a big financial risk. I was just wondering if there were any tricks or anything at all that could make those rocks usable. Thanks.

efitzgrld

Hello. My rule is, the smoother the better. Smooth and shiney, like river polished rocks. Only because they can be cleaned easier and the algae has a harder time attaching. Also anything I find outdoors, I always scrub and rinse any loose dirt and put in a bucket of hot water with a couple tbs. of bleach (use your better judgement on how much bleach) for at least 2 days, to kill of any parasite or bacteria. Then after 48 hrs. I will get a brush and scrub any remaining dirt or loose particles that may come off in the tank. Then rinse thoroughly, and then rinse thoroughly again to remove the bleach. This is what I do and I've never had any problems. Hope I could help.

aquarist48

Welcome to Fish Lore Austin. Some great tips from efitzgrld I see no reason that you can't use rocks from the ocean in your freshwater tank. You can use 1 part bleach to 19 parts water and it should kill any cooties that may be on the rocks. People use driftwood from the ocean all the time in freshwater tanks, so I don't see why rocks would be a problem either. We have a few geologists as members so I'm sure you'll get some more responses.

Here is some information that is crucial to fish keeping. Check it out before you start and it will save you a lot of heartache. If you have more questions by all means don't hesitate to ask
http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm
Have fun and hope you can share some pictures of your aquarium along the way.
Ken

austinb82

Thanks guys, you have re-assured me that I am not completely wasting my time trying to use those rocks. They are extremely smooth round rocks so I guess that is even better. I heard that since they are porous they soak up the salt water but I thought if I soak them long enough that it would eventually dilute to the point where I can use them. I've already been soaking them in a bucket overnight. I'll change the water tonight and add a little bleach to it. I guess I don't have too much to lose for trying it as long as I don't spend too much on fish initially huh?