Wild Rock

Hey everyone. My dad found this rock in a local creek. I put some vinager on it and it didnt bubble one bit.

So from the pics does it look like something I could put into my aquarium. It would look really good with my plants and teracotta pots.

I really appreciate any advice

 

I get all the rocks I use from beaches and fields. I have never had any problem.

That's exactly where suppliers to stores get them....

 

Honestly, I don't think it will look good in an aquarium. Like NavigatorBlack, I also get mine from river beds, lakes, and beaches.

 

Bump

I would do some research and try to figure out what kind of rock it is before I put it into my aquarium..you can never be too careful, some rocks are completely safe but will change water chemistry in a closed system, which some fish wouldn't like.

 

Ok thank you all. And I do have BN pleco so idk if that would be a good mix.

 

If you think it is bone you can lick it to see if it sticks to your tongue (bone is porous so it will stick while rock will not), I say this because the shape makes me think of a jaw bone - bone is safe in aquariums as long as it has been cleaned and you don't mind a potential ph increase from the calcium.

 

It looks fine to me. If it didn't fizz, I'd just boil it for 10 minutes and see if anything comes off. It'll sterilize the rock of most things that could be on it, so it should be safe after that.
I've used rocks outside in my tanks and I've never had issues as long as I did the vinegar test, boiled them, and made sure the place they came from was never in contact with pesticides.

Nice rock.

 

Cool thanks guys. And would a bleach solution work instead of boiling. Its a little big and I don't think it would fit in any pot I have.

 

Yeah, when I saw it I thought some type of bone, too. But if it didn't fizz I think it should be OK.

 

No its not bone lol. At least I don't think so. My dad was thinking it was kind of calcium. But idk. And so that's a yes that a bleach mixture would work? And also there is some sharp parts so should I use some sand paper or something to smooth out the edges. It looks like something from mars lol and I really want it in my tank. Just don't want to kill all my fish.

 

I frequently do the fizz / boil / soak test and add many "wild" rocks. That rock looks great, it certainly looks like some kind of product of lava. I'd go look for more.

 

You may also considering soaking in in dechlorinated 5gal bucket of water and using your API kit on that water to see if it does anything funky to your numbers.

I agree that it does kinda look like bone, but I wouldn't lick it! Lol

 

In my head I see a bunch of people standing round a single person holding the rock, chanting "lick, lick, lick..."

I think you should lick it.

I wouldn't want it in my tank cause it wouldn't match my set-up, but if it goes with yours, it is a very cool looking rock.

I'd go with soaking it in a bucket for a couple days to see if it alters your parameters.

 

looks fine to me.
will look beautiful as well

 

Omg haha. You guys are great. Its tempting but I think I'm going to pass on licking it!

And that's an excellent idea about soaking in dechlorinated water and checking the numbers.

Alright so plan goes as follows:
Soak in bleach mixture.
Boil
Rinse, rinse, rinse,
Soak in 5 gal bucket
API check
Place in aquarium
Post pics!!

Does this plan sound good?

 

Omg haha. You guys are great. Its tempting but I think I'm going to pass on licking it!

And that's an excellent idea about soaking in dechlorinated water and checking the numbers.

Alright so plan goes as follows:
Soak in bleach mixture.
Boil
Rinse, rinse, rinse,
Soak in 5 gal bucket
API check
Place in aquarium
Post pics!!

Does this plan sound good?

Honestly other than the acid test, I've only boiled rocks. If they pass the acid test then there is no carbonates to alter the pH. If you don't have a pot large enough to boil it, put it in a large enough container and add boiling water, drain and repeat. You could always put it in an oven. (The old exploding rock boogey man isn't really as dangerous as the internet makes it out to be, boiling them would result in the same thing). Slowly heating it up and slowly letting it cool reduces the possibility of it cracking (exploding) from trapped air pockets. I've baked and boiled literally hundreds of pounds of rock. My kitchen is still in one piece.

It does not have to be baked at a high temperature or even boiled. Hot tap water and a clean scrub brush is usually enough. Sunlight alone will kill almost all fish pathogens. Unless you're taking it straight out of a lake and directly into your aquarium, hot tap water will most likely be fine.

Where did you find this rock? I really like it, it looks like volcanic or eroded zebra rock. I would try to find more and sell them! It's like a more colorful ohko stone, I could do a lot with that rock.

 

yeah just what I thought vulcanic not sedimental rock. Orrrrrr maybe a meteorite from out lof space.

To be honest I drop all natural stones simply in hahaha.

 

Honestly other than the acid test, I've only boiled rocks. If they pass the acid test then there is no carbonates to alter the pH. If you don't have a pot large enough to boil it, put it in a large enough container and add boiling water, drain and repeat. You could always put it in an oven. (The old exploding rock boogey man isn't really as dangerous as the internet makes it out to be, boiling them would result in the same thing). Slowly heating it up and slowly letting it cool reduces the possibility of it cracking (exploding) from trapped air pockets. I've baked and boiled literally hundreds of pounds of rock. My kitchen is still in one piece.

It does not have to be baked at a high temperature or even boiled. Hot tap water and a clean scrub brush is usually enough. Sunlight alone will kill almost all fish pathogens. Unless you're taking it straight out of a lake and directly into your aquarium, hot tap water will most likely be fine.

Where did you find this rock? I really like it, it looks like volcanic or eroded zebra rock. I would try to find more and sell them! It's like a more colorful ohko stone, I could do a lot with that rock.

Ok cool. I guess I get over paranoid with my fish lol.

And it was in our friends back yard creek. About a 20 minute drive from where I live. And my dad is the one who found it so I'm gonna see if we can find more

Do you really think I could sell these? And about how much for the cost do you think?

 

Ok cool. I guess I get over paranoid with my fish lol.

And it was in our friends back yard creek. About a 20 minute drive from where I live. And my dad is the one who found it so I'm gonna see if we can find more

Do you really think I could sell these? And about how much for the cost do you think?

Rarity and demand can set your price. plus how neat it is can make people want it more.

 

How could I look up exactly what typr of rock it is?

 

It looks like it could possibly be a piece of jasper (a mineral). But often rocks found in bodies of water are just ordinary river rocks.

 

You'd probably find someone who can id it near you or send in a sample to a geologist...

 

Not sure where you're at, but if there is a local college check the natural sciences department. No college, check with your local high school. Sometimes the science teachers can be a big help. Also check for local rock/gem collecting clubs. Good luck!

 

Awesome thank you again all so much.

 

I mean you could sell it anywhere from 4-10$ (or more) a pound depending on rarity and quantity, for very dramatic interesting pieces you can sell them for substantially more. it all depends though.

You could turn to a geology forum. Where in the world are you located, that will help with the ID.

 

Looks like a nice chunk of petrified wood there.

 

I posted it on the geology sub-reddit for a possible ID.

 

I posted it on the geology sub-reddit for a possible ID.

Wow awesome!! Thank you

 

Be really interested to hear what it is, very odd looking rock.

I tend to collect interesting rocks I find and put them in my garden or in my fish tank. Lots of big red jasper(I think) rocks, but I also have a sandstone sphere I found in a river bed about 10 miles from any kind of civilization.

 

Wow awesome!! Thank you

knowing where geographically you're located will help. They're asking the same on my subreddit post

 

I am in northwest washington us

 

Any word yet lol. I'm excited

 

oh wow I knew it, i'm from oregon, I used to find tons of similar rocks with all kinds of ammonite fossils in them (in washington), it's surely chert then

 

Is there any value to it? Or just something I should throw in my tank.

 

Heres a few I found in washington

 

I mean you could sell it anywhere from 4-10$ (or more) a pound depending on rarity and quantity, for very dramatic interesting pieces you can sell them for substantially more. it all depends though.

You could turn to a geology forum. Where in the world are you located, that will help with the ID.

Throw it on eBay and see what happens

 

Is there any value to it? Or just something I should throw in my tank.

You surely could sell it. Especially nice smooth eroded large pieces like that

 

A search on google with your location and 'geology' will usually return a lot of info. Then you look for s of the types of rock mentioned, and start identifying.

 

Your piece might of started off as something like this and was eroded/weathered by the river into the nice piece you have.

 

Wow guys super helpful thank you.

And gorgeous finds by the way along with the pup

I might just get out of the house more lol!!