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DO NOT BOIL ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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256K views 115 replies 82 participants last post by  d4rkd0s  
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
As many of you are aware, a lot of people use rocks in their aquariums. This is fine but there are some things to know before using them. The first is to make sure they are inert. This is done by putting them in vinegar and seeing if they bubble. If they do they will change your tank parameters, most likely your GH but can change your KH and pH drastically. Now, this is wanted sometimes but as a general rule if it fizzes you don't want to use it. The second is: the best way to disinfect a rock is to use alcohol or to pour boiling over it.

NEVER BOIL A ROCK!

Regardless of what it is made of or the type, if there is any water in the rock it can explode and destroy your kitchen or even worse, YOU!

If you want to change your pH with rocks, make sure they are clean and are the right ones before using them.

If anyone has any more ideas for disinfecting rocks for the aquarium please post them. Also, any information on rocks that are specifically used for changing the chemistry of your aquarium for specific fish would be very useful for many members.
 
#5 ·
I wsih I could find the police reports I have seen and the pictures. One of them showed a kitchen with actual holes in the wall and the official report was boiled rock that summarily exploded. The whole thing had 3 reports of deaths associated with it.

Pour boiling water on them in a bucket even. The boiling water is not hot ewnough for long enough to cauyse any trapped water to boil and cause an explosion.

For those that do want to boil them, make sure that the rock is dry. Bake it in an oven at 200F for 4 hours or something.

Oh and obviously, don't take a rock in the middle of winter that is frozen solid and pour boiling water over it. I would bet the chances of the rock exploding goes up by a factor of 10 when the rock is freezing cold. Bring the rock in the house and let it warm up for at least 48 hours before pouring boiling water over it. Either that or slowly heat in the oven.
 
#116 ·
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#7 ·
I've boiled rocks as well, and have had no problems. But I do also think it could be a time factor as well. I wait til the water is boiling, and then with a pair of tongs, I gently place the rock in the boiling water for 20-30 seconds. Then use the tongs to turn the rock over for another 20-30 seconds, and then remove. Never had a rock explode on me, and with the short time-frame, the rock doesn't get hot all the way through it. It's just long enough to kill what's on the surface, kind of like pouring boiling water over it for 30 seconds.
 
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#9 ·
a little something i learned cruising another site...vinegar doesn't detct always do the trick. apparently certain elements don't react w/ it but will still screw w/ ur water parameters. the best thing to test w/ is muriatic acid [the stuff u put in ur pool]. a few drops on whatever ur testing...if it fizzes bad...no fizz...good. only problem w/ this is u don't want to go chuckin whatever it is u tested right into the tank w/ acid on it. i'd suggest mixing up a batch of baking soda and water to neutralize the acid... dip ur test subject in it for a bit, then rinse it off.

as far as disinfecting rocks, i don't really see the need unless u found it in a pile of dog pooh. or perhaps if it's moldy. if so, give her a scrub in a light bleach solution then dechlorinate heavily and let it dry out.

anybody see that episode of mythbusters where they tested the exploding jawbreaker myth....guess what...not a myth. the girl on the show got hurt in the testing. and apparently a lot of kids have had this happen. i guess some ppl put them in the nuker to soften them up and the liquid inside boils...u pull it out take a bite and BOOM...u need many many facial reconstruction surgeries. so i can definately by the exploding rock thingy. same principle.
 
#10 ·
The main reason to disinfect a rock or pour boiling water over it is that most of the time we ar enot looking for smooth rocks for the aquariu. I look for holy, pitted and rough rocks when i look and the more holes the better. The boiling water will kill and oarasites that might be in the rocks in the deep holes we cannot see and will kill the micro organisms that we can't see period.

I also just saw an episode of Survivor Man where one of the rocks he was using for a heat shiled epxloded and threw rock pieces inot the bedding he was using. This rock wasn't even in the fire but was simply beside it.
 
C
#11 ·
In the Scouts we would amuse ourselves on long camping trips by tossing huge rocks in the fire. Would generally take about an hour and then WHAM!! flying debris everywhere. Most of the times we'd pick a rock and then bet whose rock would explode first. Another extremely dangerous game we'd play was to take burning hot rocks from the fire and drop them into 5g buckets of water.

Rocks and heat can be dangerous.
 
#17 ·
well its good to know all that info. i have some rocks i was thinking about adding. now i know wat 2 do. does anyone know how or where to find rocks with a lot of holes in them? the ones around my house are smooth. i havent looked in the forest behind my house yet but is there certain places to look? and do you have to do anything to rocks you buy from your lfs? :?
 
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#19 ·
thanks that is wat i have been doing.
 
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#22 ·
make it a strong shield! :lol:
 
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#26 ·
Some rocks will explode regardless of how fast or slow you boil them. It is an issue of the composition of the rock, how pourous it is and how fast it can relases the gasses from the water boiling inside of them. Water inside the rock will boil and it will build pressure and explode, period. I have seen them experimented with and it simply doesn't matter.

The rest of the water doesn't even have to boil because the rock touching the bottom of the pan can heat it faster than the water and the rock could explode anyway.

As the water INSIDE the rock boils it expands and if the gases can not escape fast enough then the rock explodes. Igneous, sedimentary, composite or whatever it doesn't matter. The only rocks that technically can't explode like this are any of them that are completely non-pourous.

It just simply make no sense to boil them when there are safer ways to do it. Pour boiling water over them, wash them in alcohol, and other ways to make them safe that doesn't put you in danger of bodily harm.
 
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