# Fizzing Rocks?



## alexisonfire92 (Apr 10, 2009)

I found some river rock in a nearby plaza and decided to help myself. I gave them a quick rinse and then threw them into a bucket full of hot water and white vinegar. When I put them in a bunch of them starting bubbling and fizzing as can be seen here 



I recall reading somewhere that if the rocks fizz when vinegar is poured on them, not to use them. Are these unsafe to put in my tank?


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

Fizzing could just mean that the rocks are made of limestone, which will affect your water chemistry (raise pH and KH).

If you found the rocks at a plaza, I'd have some concern about them having been in contact with pesticides or car fluids.


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## alexisonfire92 (Apr 10, 2009)

would there be anyway to clean them which would make them safe if theres a chance they were in contact with something?


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## alexisonfire92 (Apr 10, 2009)

at a closer look i'm concerned some of these rocks may contain fools gold. how do i know for sure?


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## alexisonfire92 (Apr 10, 2009)

bump. more info please!


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

alexisonfire92 said:


> at a closer look i'm concerned some of these rocks may contain fools gold. how do i know for sure?


I believe only a lab can tell for sure. The link below has some low tech tests that will give some clues.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2095330_spot-fools-gold.html

Regarding the potential contact they've had with chemicals you can start by soaking them in some plain water. If you see an oily film on the water surface after a day, that's probably not a good sign.

River rocks are pretty cheap so if the ones you found don't work out, I wouldn't think it's a big deal to get others. I bought about 500 lbs of the stuff last year for something like $30 and gave a lot of them away to another fishkeeper.

PM me if the ones you found don't work out and I can point you to the place I picked mine up from in the GTA.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

I am going to be honest...if it were me and I questioned the rocks at all I would not use them. It would drive me nuts in the back of my mind thinking that there maybe something wrong. I have spent too much on fish and getting the right combo's to take any kind of chance like that. just my $.02


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## chmey (Apr 29, 2010)

From an unscientific and uneducated standpoint, I would say this is nothing more than tiny small air pockets within the rocks (yes, rocks can have small air pockets in them). 
My rocks did the same thing. 
If the bubbles last less than 10 minutes, my guess is air pockets.


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## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

chmey said:


> From an unscientific and uneducated standpoint, I would say this is nothing more than tiny small air pockets within the rocks (yes, rocks can have small air pockets in them).
> My rocks did the same thing.
> If the bubbles last less than 10 minutes, my guess is air pockets.


Did you watch the video? it seemed like a constant flow of air bubbles. too much to be air pockets.


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

I've seen rocks do that when they've had air pockets within. Regardless, I'd suggest you return them from where you found them and go to a landscape supply and buy some. You've probably got $2-$3 worth of rocks there.


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## masonv (Mar 27, 2011)

What's wrong with having *Fool's Gold* in your rocks?


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## karmafish (Feb 26, 2012)

I read somewhere that soaking in vinegar was a means to test rocks for metallic substances and if the rocks fizz it is not good. I do this test on rocks I put in my aquarium and if they fizz they don't go in the tank.


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

karmafish said:


> I read somewhere that soaking in vinegar was a means to test rocks for metallic substances and if the rocks fizz it is not good. I do this test on rocks I put in my aquarium and if they fizz they don't go in the tank.





masonv said:


> What's wrong with having *Fool's Gold* in your rocks?


See Suitability of Rocks for answers to both.


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## Shahlvah (Dec 28, 2011)

When in doubt....discard....better safe than sorry, the advise to go to a rock yard and bu some sound so much better, I bought like 350 pounds of Colorado River Rock for $18.00 just a couple of weeks ago.


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## karmafish (Feb 26, 2012)

Some metals present in rock may just raise the PH which is a good thing for cichlids. Though Lead, zinc, copper, cadmium even iron are toxic to fish. Fools gold (pyrite) is a mineral iron sulphide. Its acidifying effects will lower your PH as well it sometimes contains small quantities of dangerous heavy metals. Because it acidifies the water it can unlock heavy metals into their toxic free ionic forms which will poison your fish..... Its fools gold that is the active agent in the problematic acid-mine drainage. So if your rocks fizz when you add vinegar to it chances are the metal will only raise your PH but as shahlvah stated above "when in doubt throw it out." And I would avoid fools gold for sure.


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## karmafish (Feb 26, 2012)

Above is a quick explanation of the link above that, very informative pro356.
I'm going to take a trip to a local river and pluck some rocks right out of the water. I plan to scrub them and boil them to save a few bucks. I will make a field trip of it the kids will love it


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## sprigsss (Sep 17, 2003)

The fizzing is nothing more than Calcium Carbonate (limestone) reacting with acid and releasing Carbon Dioxide.

I'm a chemist in an oilfield lab and I deal with calcium carbonate scale everyday. Rock fizzing in acid, DOES not mean there are certain metals present.

Find any piece of holy rock in any aquarium, put it in acid, and it will fizz. I found a small rock with small holes in it last weekend while turkey hunting. I soaked it in 10% acetic acid overnight to open the holes up a little more. Its been in my aquarium for a week with no problems.

After you've soaked it in vinegar just keep rinsing with freshwater until you can put it in a bucket of freshwater without the pH dropping.


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## alexisonfire92 (Apr 10, 2009)

Ok so against mine (and everyone else's) best judgement I decided to go ahead and put these rocks in four days ago. Yesterday I had one death (a relatively new fish) and decided to remove the rocks immediately. This afternoon I had another dead fish. I'm really upset that this happened especially since its totally my fault and I should've listened to everyone here. 
I just did a large water change (60-70%) What other precautions should I take to hopefully save the rest of my fish?


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

alexisonfire92 said:


> Ok so against mine (and everyone else's) best judgement I decided to go ahead and put these rocks in four days ago. Yesterday I had one death (a relatively new fish) and decided to remove the rocks immediately. This afternoon I had another dead fish. I'm really upset that this happened especially since its totally my fault and I should've listened to everyone here.
> I just did a large water change (60-70%) What other precautions should I take to hopefully save the rest of my fish?


Water changes always help. I have done back to back 80% water changes when I had a similar problem with a contaminant in the tank. I didn't have any deaths but wanted to be sure I didn't.


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## alexisonfire92 (Apr 10, 2009)

Is there such thing as too many water changes? I don't want to start a mini cycle. Is there anyway to test for contamenants? Anything else I can do? Please help!


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

alexisonfire92 said:


> Is there such thing as too many water changes? I don't want to start a mini cycle. Is there anyway to test for contamenants? Anything else I can do? Please help!


Water changes are not going to cause a mini cycle. The beneficial bacteria does most of its work in the filters. I would do another water change and this time do about 70% or so. As long as the water going back in the tank is close chemistry/temperature wise then you will be ok.

I did a 85% on my tank today and I do between 75-80% usually every 4-5 days.


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## alexisonfire92 (Apr 10, 2009)

Alright great. Thanks for the tips. At what point/how many water changes can I assume that everything is safe? I'd like to replace the two fish that I bought but obviously not until I have this under control.


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

alexisonfire92 said:


> Alright great. Thanks for the tips. At what point/how many water changes can I assume that everything is safe? I'd like to replace the two fish that I bought but obviously not until I have this under control.


I would give it a few weeks to ensure that the other fish are all healthy.

You mentioned that the first fish that died was relatively new and the second one had been in the tank for a while. I would want to rule out that the cause of death was not some illness introduced by the new fish.

Are the remaining fish behaving normally?


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## alexisonfire92 (Apr 10, 2009)

My yellow lab is dying now too. Ughhhh. I'm so stupid. I hate this.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

alexisonfire92 said:


> My yellow lab is dying now too. Ughhhh. I'm so stupid. I hate this.


Sorry to hear this.....


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## alexisonfire92 (Apr 10, 2009)

Would it be safe or stupid to drain out all the water and fill it up all fresh just keeping the old filter pads and slime on the walls?


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

alexisonfire92 said:


> Would it be safe or stupid to drain out all the water and fill it up all fresh just keeping the old filter pads and slime on the walls?


What I would do is take the fish out in a large container with some old tank water. Drain the tank completely and refill and try to get the temp the same as the water the fish are in. Then add them back.


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## Shahlvah (Dec 28, 2011)

Is it that those rocks really poison the fish?
I am so sorry to hear that some of your fish are dying. I hope everything gets back to normal with the water changes.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Shahlvah said:


> Is it that those rocks really poison the fish?
> I am so sorry to hear that some of your fish are dying. I hope everything gets back to normal with the water changes.


I was wondering this myself....just hard to know for sure.


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## alexisonfire92 (Apr 10, 2009)

I was talking to someone about it and she suggested the possibility that the rocks were sprayed with some sort of chemical to keep algae from growing on them since they were in the landscaping of a grocery store? I really regret putting them in. I should've listened to everyone here instead of hearing what I wanted to hear. My electric yellow did in fact die but after a 90% water change last night the remainder of my fish seem to be doing ok. Fingers crossed.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

alexisonfire92 said:


> I was talking to someone about it and she suggested the possibility that the rocks were sprayed with some sort of chemical to keep algae from growing on them since they were in the landscaping of a grocery store? I really regret putting them in. I should've listened to everyone here instead of hearing what I wanted to hear. My electric yellow did in fact die but after a 90% water change last night the remainder of my fish seem to be doing ok. Fingers crossed.


Well....it will get better....keep your hopes up and don't let this discourage you.


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