# new driftwood and rocks



## juanitawolf (May 12, 2014)

i went to the beach the last week and managed to get some rocks and driftwood that i would like to use to decorate the aquarium, but i don't know if i need to do some cleaning process before attempting to put them inside with my fish (i also don't know if its safe). so i was wondering if you knew some tips or links that could help with this task


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## sabrinah (Jan 2, 2015)

I would suggest boiling and soaking the driftwood A LOT for a very long time. You can't boil rocks, but maybe you could soak them in vinegar or something. It's usually hard to get beach driftwood to sink


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## halleyana (May 25, 2016)

For the driftwood boil it for a few hours (change the water when it gets dark), you can also scrub it before hand to clean it a little. If it still doesn't sink you can soak it a tub for a week or so (depends on the wood if it will sink at all). For the rocks you can do the vinegar test to see if they are safe (pour a little vinegar on them and if you hear fizzing/see a reaction they probably aren't safe). I scrub my rocks with the vinegar and a toothbrush if they pass the vinegar test, I also boil my rocks in an old pot if they are small enough, or put them in a roasting pan and pour boiling water over them, for my peace of mind. Even after doing all of this, I wouldn't add the rocks to an established aquarium before quarantining them and making sure they don't change your water parameters first. 

It may take a lot of work, but I have gotten found driftwood and rocks to work safely in an aquarium.


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## juanitawolf (May 12, 2014)

the driftwood already has a grey color, it means it won't leach tannis, right?
some of the rocks have some sort of shimmery look, as if they had glitter, idk if it means it has some minerals that are unsafe...
will a ph tester be enough to test the safety of the rocks?


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## halleyana (May 25, 2016)

The grey color doesn't mean it won't leach tannins, but it probably won't as much. I wouldn't worry about the tannins unless you don't like the color tint they give the water, in which case you can boil/soak it longer after it has been cleaned to decrease them. It's hard to tell without a picture, but the vinegar test will give you a good indication of whether or not the rocks are safe. Make sure you try the whole rock, because I've had ones before that only reacted on a small part of them. pH is what I would be most worried about, but monitoring everything else can't hurt!


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## juanitawolf (May 12, 2014)

i will do the ph test thingy (is the only one i have).
im not bothered about tannis.
the wood has small holes tho...does it need special treatment?


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## halleyana (May 25, 2016)

The holes don't change anything, I would still give it a quick scrub and then boil it. If it still floats after boiling, then you can look into soaking it. It's a great looking piece!


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## juanitawolf (May 12, 2014)

thanks! 
im boiling it now and im surprised by that amount of tannis coming out of it, lol.

i have another question unrelated to the topic, i have white small gravel and it has aquired a brownish tint...is there a way i can ''clean it'' and get its natural color back?


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## juanitawolf (May 12, 2014)

sorry for the double post but i just discovered i don't have much vinegar, is diluting it in water ok?


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## kitkat67 (Mar 10, 2015)

If your bettas are as stupid as mine they will get stuck in those holes...Might want to plug it with something

Edit: those holes are from burrowing marine creatures which highly suggests that rock contains calcium which will bring your pH to the more basic side. Great rock if you have snails.


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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

I would not use rocks and wood found on a beach because you have no idea how much salt these things have soaked up over the years for wood and centuries for rock.


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## haley3k1 (Dec 20, 2015)

I'd boil the rocks to get rid of bacteria, but the shiny parts of the rock are concerning. Most people say to avoid any rocks with shine because of the possibility of metals being added into the tank. Quartz is really the only shiny mineral I can think of that is tank safe. Rocks that contain calcium, fluorite, copper, and even iron are usually recommended to avoid, but you could always see for yourself if you put it in a empty tank and check the parameters. Many of these rocks are said to raise pH or alkalinity. The vinegar test is good, but will not always be completely reliable. To my knowledge, the vinegar test basically just tells you if the rock will raise the pH to above 8 or not. Using hydrochloric acid or muriatic acid is even more reliable than vinegar. I'd also put the driftwood in an empty tank separate from the rocks to check parameters and make sure salinity isn't raised. If it doesn't want to sink you can tie some rocks to it using fishing line. If you're unsure of the rock's safety, you can always coat it in some potable epoxy so that it won't leech into the tank's water. Marineland silicone sealant is a good choice.


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## juanitawolf (May 12, 2014)

im more concerned about the wood right now, i didn't found it, my dad did and i don't know if it was on the beach or in a bog like zone a few meters away, is there a possibility to ''take'' the salt out? i don't own bettas at the moment but the wood offers a great opportunity to get more plants and give the tank a more jungly look.

i did see in some beaches, not necessarily the one where i got the rocks that the sand carried this gold like sand, i think is called fool's gold?


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## juanitawolf (May 12, 2014)

this is the ph of the aquarium







this is the ph of the water where the driftwood has been placed for soaking purposes


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