should I soak new large rocks before adding them to aquarium?

[stephybabe88]

I got some new large rocks - do I need to soak them before I add them?

Also, they are too big for anything I have to soak them, can I put them in the kitchen sink? I am worried about soap/cleaning agent residue.

 

[Mr.Catfish]

I just rinse mine off under running water. Then put them in tank. If you collected them yourself make sure all the dirt is off.

 

[lethalcustoms00]

i have collected river rocks for several tanks and all i ever do is rinse them with hot water and a scrub brush. Ive never had any problems

 

[stephybabe88]

cool - thanks

 

[spypet]

you might want to wipe some vinegar over them to see if it bubbles.
this is how you check for calcium carbonate (limestone) in the rocks,
so you will know if they can make your water harder (higher GH) or not.

 

[Khemul]

It really depends on what type of rock and where you got it. Kitchen sink should be fine. If you want to be sure, rinse out the sink very well before rinsing the rock.


Store bought you can probably just rinse it.

If you collected it outside, flat rock without any crevice or deep holes you can usually rinse and just scrub off the dirt/algae. If it has a lot of crevices/holes then you probably want to use something with some pressure (garden hose or shower head) to make sure you wash out all the dirt/leaves. If you collected the rock with lots of crevices/holes from a body of water soak it in water with a little bleach for a day or more. It can be surprising just how much stuff lives deep within rocks, even in freshwater, and how well that stuff manages to survive even when the rock is out of water for a while.