Using rocks and wood from outside

Can I use these rocks and pieces of wood from outside? I read that both bleaching and boiling rocks is dangerous, could I just put them in then? I really can’t spend money buying rocks and wood so it’s really my only option. I’ve been letting them soak for about 2 weeks, I’ll try and test the water to see if it effects anything. I know nothing about wood or rocks and don’t know if these are safe or not. I already did the vinegar test on the rocks and they were fine from that

 

You can totally do this, but keep an eye out for a few things.

If your rocks passed the vinegar test and have been rinsed off they're fine to put into the tank. I haven't ever heard of bleaching rocks being dangerous though, and have done so many times without issue. Do you know why that is/where you heard that? Curious if I've been doing something wrong this whole time.

As for wood, you'll want something that is completely dead and dried out or actual driftwood from a body of freshwater. Some wood will decompose very quickly underwater so look for hardwoods and ideally wood that's already turned into driftwood. I like that shorter piece you have in the bucket, it looks safe, but those longer sticks might just decompose. I recommend removing all of the bark if you can unless you're ok with it flaking off and during into woodchips and gunk on the bottom of your tank.

 

You can totally do this, but keep an eye out for a few things.

If your rocks passed the vinegar test and have been rinsed off they're fine to put into the tank. I haven't ever heard of bleaching rocks being dangerous though, and have done so many times without issue. Do you know why that is/where you heard that? Curious if I've been doing something wrong this whole time.

As for wood, you'll want something that is completely dead and dried out or actual driftwood from a body of freshwater. Some wood will decompose very quickly underwater so look for hardwoods and ideally wood that's already turned into driftwood. I like that shorter piece you have in the bucket, it looks safe, but those longer sticks might just decompose. I recommend removing all of the bark if you can unless you're ok with it flaking off and during into woodchips and gunk on the bottom of your tank.

Thanks for the reply and the help!

For the bleaching rocks, I had read a comment that said that it can cause whatever’s in the bleach to leech off into the tanks water for a few weeks but I don’t know how true that is.

I found all the wood laying on the ground already and they looked dead and dried out. The shorter piece I found a few weeks ago and have been soaking it in water but I just found all the longer ones today. I have no idea what type of wood or what trees they came from but they look like 2 different types. I’m pretty sure both are hardwood. I’ll try and take off all the bark, really hope I can use them because they’re cool looking

 

Only thing I'd worry about is pesticides.
I throw in rocks and wood without boiling, bleaching, nuking, radiating, etc....

 

I boil. I was told as a child you can use quarts and granite type rocks safely but you should boil them. So I have been boiling ever since.
Wood I like to boil to try to get a helping or few of tannins out before they go in the tank. It still goes black water but not for as long.
As was pointed out driftwood has mostly had the tannin issue dealt with. Unless yo wanted to do a black water tank.

I do know that one day I will build a royal pleco tanks and for that I will go and harvest old sunken logs and throw them in live AKA no boiling. This should make sure the food for the royals is better.

I also want to turn my bar into a high flow river tank. This would involve harvesting rocks and wood from local streams and putting it in live for the aufuchs.

Unless there is a reason like those, I boil. With "stove crusher" I can boil some really big things.

 

Wood I like to boil to try to get a helping or few of tannins out before they go in the tank. It still goes black water but not for as long.
As was pointed out driftwood has mostly had the tannin issue dealt with. Unless yo wanted to do a black water tank.

Ive been soaking the wood in a 2.5 gal bucket and the water only turns very slightly brown. Theres not much tannins at all. Is there any worry of harmful bacteria or anything else? Just a bit paranoid I dont want anything bad to happen to my fish or it ruin the tank.

 

Ive been soaking the wood in a 2.5 gal bucket and the water only turns very slightly brown. Theres not much tannins at all. Is there any worry of harmful bacteria or anything else? Just a bit paranoid I dont want anything bad to happen to my fish or it ruin the tank.

I wouldn't conclude low tannins just yet. My driftwood tree just arrived and soaking it caused the same, very pale brown water as yours did. However when I boiled it holy moly! That water looked like tea! I'd recommend boiling it, there's no harm in doing so.

 

Where do you think the rocks in the store come from?

I usually put the stuff I collect in a storage tub, then dump boiling water in over top of it. I get 2 or 3 big pots going all at once, and sometimes it takes several rounds of pots to get enough water in there.

I let everything sit for a good hour or so in that hot water. I don't know if this method is foolproof or not, but I haven't run into trouble with anything yet. This way I can also do it outside, which my wife appreciates. Boiling old wood can be smelly.

 

Where do you think the rocks in the store come from?

I usually put the stuff I collect in a storage tub, then dump boiling water in over top of it. I get 2 or 3 big pots going all at once, and sometimes it takes several rounds of pots to get enough water in there.

I let everything sit for a good hour or so in that hot water. I don't know if this method is foolproof or not, but I haven't run into trouble with anything yet. This way I can also do it outside, which my wife appreciates. Boiling old wood can be smelly.

Oh cool, I appreciate the outside method. I wish I'd thought of that before making my apartment smell like forest log.

 

The rocks, I would think if you cleaned anything off them and gave them a scrub with a little soak in boiling water would be fine.