Colorful stuff on this rock

Grimmjow

So I decided to clean off some of the rocks I got a while and I wet this one and whatever is on it became colorful.

Any idea what this stuff is before I scrape it off?

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Redknee

Rock lichens. Just like the lichens on trees but those you have prefer rocks.
To bad it's going to be used for a aquarium, it would look perfect in a terrarium/paludarium.

Grimmjow

Any easy way to get them off? a toothbrush isnt working

Redknee

Metal brush! Like the ones used to get rust of stuff .
Still not going to be easy! Those lichens are set on living and there is not much you can do to convince them to die .
Boiling the rock can also do it but as i see most people are fixed on not boiling rocks because they might explode.

Grimmjow

Ya id rather put in the work than have it it explode and destroy a room or me. Metal brush sounds like the way to go, ive got this one rock almost clean after 40 minutes of using a toothbrush, dishscrubbing pad, and a screwdriver.

Redknee

Well if you have the time you can go the toothbrush way to but i'd say metal brush is the short road.
Just be careful not to chip the rock with the screwdriver, it might give the rock a unnatural look.

Grimmjow

I picked up a stripping brush and its working alright, Im not too sure on a metal brush cause I feel like it would scrape up the rock and its smaller so easier to get in the nooks and crannies and whatnot. Either way, Im gettin sick of scrubbing it, so the newer more important question is just how important to get it all off?

Redknee

Hard to say, the lichen might rot in the water, other than that there is no harm done by it.
But it will take it a while to go away for good underwater, first they will turn black(pretty evil looking to!) and in a few months they will be gone for good.
Just wash the rock with hot(hot as in hot enough to not be cold but cold enough to not hurt your skin, about the same hot as you use to wash... dishes?...) to get the gunk out of it and you can just use it.
I doubt the ammount of lichens on that rock can do any damage even if it does rot.

Grimmjow

Ive scrubbed as much as I can of and have them sitting in pretty hot water in a bucket, like steaming hot. Most of what I cant get is in sunken in areas and its white or tan and looks like i guess mud that wont come off, most of the green/orange stuff is gone.

But if it wont really do any damage ill just give it another quick attempt then call it.