Are river rocks safe for a tank?

ARE RIVER ROCKS SAFE FOR A TANK

 

do you mean ones from a store or just picking up rocks in a local river? whenever you pick up things in 'nature', you have to be extra cautious since you don't know what kind of bacteria or diseases you could introduce to your tank or what kind of toxins might get released. for rocks, I think you have to boil them and test them with vinegar.

 

yeah rocks can affect water hardness; boil the rock and place it in water conditioner and avoid putting rocks with sharp ends.

 

I have bought river rock from my lfs and all I do is wash it in a bucket and then put it in my tank never had any problems. That is the way I done it anyway

 

River rocks work great for tanks. Quartz (I think that's how you spell it!) is also one of the "recommended" rocks. Limestone will raise your ph but is safe for fish who need the ph to be higher anyway. I use a stiff cleaning brush (which I use only to clean fish tank stuff) and make sure the rock is really clean, then I rinse it really well. I've heard that it's good to boil it but personally I never have and haven't had a problem.