# Cleaning Lace rock???



## Anthraxx8500 (Feb 11, 2011)

as the title suggest i recently came into a whole bunch of lace rock. however im having some serious trouble cleaning the lichen off it. (fungus looking stuff, grows all over utah where the rock is from) any help or suggestions would be appreciated. so far *** tried toothbrush, and a butter knife to scrape it off but its really not working well.


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## frank1rizzo (Mar 14, 2005)

I would just leave it on. It won't hurt anything. After a few months, the algae will cover it up anyways.


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## ttomp22 (Sep 20, 2011)

I just rinse my new lace rock off with the hose and whatever lichen remains I just leave it on. It has never hurt any of my fish. IMO it looks pretty neat


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

No trouble to leave it but it may continue to die and fall off in the tank. May look a bit messy depending your your outlook??? If you want to get more off, a bleach water soak will help to kill it and make it come off easier. Not easy but better. Rinse and air dry after you bleach.


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## Anthraxx8500 (Feb 11, 2011)

i HATE the way it looks. i may just boil the rocks that are really bad. who knows... either way its too many rocks with too much of it to leave it be. i want my rocks sparkly clean for when this new 125 gets setup.


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## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

I've never seen this. Any chance you have a moment for a picture or two?


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## frank1rizzo (Mar 14, 2005)

either way, lace rock turns brown/green over time. Its pretty hard to keep it free of algae.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

> I've never seen this


Odds are good that you have seen it but just not realized what it was. Many rocks and trees in the woods and parks will have lichen on them. Often looks like black spider webs but there are probably hundreds of kinds that look slightly different.


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## Anthraxx8500 (Feb 11, 2011)

ya i just hate the look of it overall. i dont mind when the rocks develop a little algae but this lichen stuff has got to go. its all over a handful of rocks and doesnt really match the whole theme im going for here


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## DanniGirl (Jan 25, 2007)

Bleach and boil it. 
If you have a pressure washer, use that as well.


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## Anthraxx8500 (Feb 11, 2011)

so far *** bleached and boiled to no avail. may have to take em down to the local car wash to use that awesome pressure washer..  we'll see how that works out.


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## DanniGirl (Jan 25, 2007)

Worse comes to worse, elbow grease. Use an old tool (old because it will be useless after you've used it) or a dremel to scrape the lichen off. It helps if the lichen is water-logged.


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## pistolpete (Dec 28, 2009)

I was going to suggest a pressure washer too, but the one at the car wash may have various soap and wax residue in it since it all goes in the same hose. maybe that's just paranoya, but IMO it's worth looking into renting one from home depot for a couple of hours ( and clean your driveway at the same time)


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## Anthraxx8500 (Feb 11, 2011)

im in an apartment so thats not a viable solution. o well boiling and letting it sit out seems to have worked.. idk we will see once all the rocks goes in the tank. still have a stand to build up


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