Quicky Question

[sxyatsxty1]

I found a great chunk of concrete (at least I think it's concrete) with lots of holes, etc. I was wondering if I washed it off real good, could it be used in one of my tanks?

Let me know ASAP as I'm getting ready to refill the tank and start it back up. Email me at   eclarke@voyager.net  with your comments. Thanks.


EC

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Quicky Question

No....

The concrete needs to be cured as it will raise pH levels and cause it to fluctuate a great deal in a tank.

[sxyatsxty1]

Re: Quicky Question

It appears to be very old. I remember seeing it five years ago when I moved in. Is that long enough to 'sure'?

EC

[sxyatsxty1]

Re: Quicky Question

Oooops, I meant "cure". Too early. Not enough coffee.


EC

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Quicky Question

Well it might be good but curing is better in water.....fill a tub with water to cover it.....monitor pH on and make note....change water every day to make sure the pH does not increase or fluctuate.....then change water for a few more days to make sure.

I use frag plugs for my coral propagation and those tiny little plugs are made of a type of concrete I believe and if not cured those tiny plugs could ruin a tank so with that I imagine a huge rock of it would make teh tank unlivable.

[sxyatsxty1]

Re: Quicky Question

OK, I understand now what you mean by 'curing'. Thank you so much for your time and help. Glad I asked before I made my little critters sick.


Have a great weekend,
EC

[JStrider]

Re: Quicky Question

could it be texas holey rock?

its whitish kinda gritty feeling and has lots of holes  could be mistaken for a weird piece of cement.

[sxyatsxty1]

Re: Quicky Question

Yea..........I went out and that pretty much descibes it. I thought it was concrete. So, would that make it OK to use in the tank?


EC

[JStrider]

Re: Quicky Question

http://images.google.com/images?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&q=texas+holey+rock&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi&safe=active

theres some pics of it

yes people use it in their aquariums all the time... I'm pretty sure its a type of limestone so it may make your water a little harder and more basic... but I dont have any experience using it myself, so you may want to wait for someone who has used it to chime in.

[sxyatsxty1]

Re: Quicky Question

YES! YES! YES!  That's what my two pieces look like. Of course it's been exposed to the elements for 5 years but that's it. YIPPEEEEEE! I am soooooooooo glad I asked. Thank you so much.

EC

[JStrider]

Re: Quicky Question

just blast it clean with a pressure washer or scrub it in hot water to clean it up since its been outside and it should be fine.

[Spot86t]

Re: Quicky Question

fyi...  if it's been out in a flowerbed or otherwise used as a piece of landscaping - beware of pesticides and weed killers that may have soaked into it.

[sxyatsxty1]

Re: Quicky Question

JR said he dug it up five years ago when he moved into his new house and wanted to clean up the yard. It's been sitting in a pile at the back of the house ever since. I've scrubbed it real good with a brush and sprayed it off with the hose. It had and still does some green and red 'stuff' on it.  Should that about do it?


EC

[Nickintex]

Re: Quicky Question

JR said he dug it up five years ago when he moved into his new house and wanted to clean up the yard. It's been sitting in a pile at the back of the house ever since. I've scrubbed it real good with a brush and sprayed it off with the hose. It had and still does some green and red 'stuff' on it.  Should that about do it?


EC

If you really want to play it safe, you can soak it in bleach and water soultion for a day. Place the rock in a different container with tapwater, then use a very HEAVY dose of dechlorinator (plain sodium thiosulfate, rather than a mixed product like aquasafe) to neutralize the bleach.
If that's too much trouble, then place the rock in a bucket of declorinated water and add some expendable fish (feeders) and leave them for a day or two to see if it is safe for your aquarium.

[sxyatsxty1]

Re: Quicky Question

Thanks for the info. I hate to just toss it back in the yard...it's so nice (I think). I wondered about the bleach but didn't know what to do with after I did that.


EC