How to prepare lava rock and driftwood.

**GuppyLover** · 19th Sep 2011, 15:56

I have recently purchase a few lava rocks and driftwood but have been wondering how to prepare them. I've read online that you can boil them or bleach them. Would prefer to boil them but I would like to know how long should it be boiled.Thanks

**|squee|** · 19th Sep 2011, 16:02

It's been a long time but boiling rocks for a couple hours should do it. For driftwood I remember you have to boil them till no more tannins are leeching out.

**GuppyLover** · 19th Sep 2011, 16:06

Thanks for replying , how do you know when the rocks are already cleaned ?

**wongce** · 19th Sep 2011, 16:31

pour hot water into a container with your rock/DW in it..let it soak for few days...

change water when the water changes colour...e.g if you soak DW, your water will become yellowish... change water and repeat the soak...until the water is not as yellow or clear(takes many days to months''depend on wood quality and origin'')... i soak for 1 week, it seem ok for me

if you really kiasu, use a tooth brush n gently scrub off any dirt on DW or lava rocks...word of advice asbelow
1)lava rocks are quite soft..vigorous scrubbing will cause your lava rock to crumble and turn to ash...:P
2) Some DW are rotting..so vigorous scrubbing will cause it to break..LOL

**GuppyLover** · 19th Sep 2011, 16:41

Thanks for the advice wongce ! =D
I've added some hot water into a container and added my DW . Now the water seems yellowish. Another question , must I keep replacing the water with hot water or can I just leave it as it is?

**wongce** · 19th Sep 2011, 17:08

erm, depends on the quality of the DW, as i mentioned earlier, some DW are rotten wood.. which can't even tolerate vigorous brushing.. not to say repeat boiling...

for me, i only pour hot water once and leave it to cool down and change the soak water with normal cold water for future water change(when water becomes yellowish)...(total 1 week time)

it very much depends on the wood.. but frankly speaking, hot water does flush out the tannins quick & easy..but u don't want to spoil your carefully selected wood with repeated boiling right...

btw, it is recommended to use the same method on inert sand/lapis sand... as you never know where they gone though....

**GuppyLover** · 19th Sep 2011, 17:21

Okies , will take that in mind. Thanks for the advice.

**marimo** · 19th Sep 2011, 23:13

Driftwood can boil them to make them sink faster, soak also to remove tanning

Lava rocks i am fine, but i read can do a vinegar test

"You might want to do the vinegar test with your rocks to test how much they might alter your water chemistry. Putting a drop of vinegar on the surface of the rock and watching for any 'fizzing'. If it bubbles then you likely have a rock that is going to leech out minerals into the water to make your pH higher. You could also put the rocks in a bucket of water and test the pH then and a week later after the rocks have sat in the bucket."

I just quarantine them for days and test the PH before and after
No change.

**zenus** · 26th Sep 2011, 15:46

very valuable advice.. didnt know must treat the woods and rocks.. I thought just some washing and brushing is sufficient.

**limz_777** · 26th Sep 2011, 16:24

lava rocks should be inert , safe for aquarium use

**marimo** · 26th Sep 2011, 16:58

yep lava rocks are great

i just bleached and boiled my calari rocks and driftwoods
getting ready to sell them as I have no use anymore

**Mystikboy** · 29th Sep 2011, 21:56

i think if you rocks crumble and your wood breaks while scrubbing with a toothbrush, you probably have pretty poor quality materials.
good wood and rocks can weather a scrubbing.