# Holey rock out of the bleach



## Shahlvah (Dec 28, 2011)

Good morning all:

Finally I have my holey rocks out of the bleach, I washed them and they don't smell like bleach anymore, but I do have a question: they look not so white, is this normal? they where like ivory color when I bought them and now they look like beige. 
I know by now that the bleach won't make them whiter, though it clear any other intrusive stuff that they might be there before. 
I scrub them good, so nothing else is coming out. Is this the color these rocks will be forever? 
Please advise.
Thank you.


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## Woodworm (Jan 3, 2009)

I have been playing around with holey rock lately and found the same thing. I think it has to do with the composition of the minerals in the rock that gives it the off white color. I collect my own both from the "wild" and from a local landscaping supply place and have been thinking that I should start keeping track of which piece I got from where so those that have the off white look so I can avoid it.


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## Sub-Mariner (Dec 7, 2011)

Different holey rock, different colors. Not all holey rock is stark white.


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## Shahlvah (Dec 28, 2011)

That makes sense, 
These I got where white when I bought them, after the bleach, they are beige. Don't get me wrong, they are very nice, lots of holes, I was just wondering.


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## Shahlvah (Dec 28, 2011)

I just got a word that If I let them be a day or 2 in the sun they will turn white again...so I am waiting for the sun to come back and I will keep you posted.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The sun might bleach them again, or the algae that was growing on the rock might have stained it. Bleach can't get everything out.

In any case, more algae will grow so you could stop fighting nature and go with the natural look. :thumb:


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

I was in the Natural Bridge Cavern in San Antonio, Tx recently and it was like being inside a big 
Texas holey rock. None of it was bleached white. Mineral deposits certainly do play into it.



















Here's a site with some info and pics of the different caverns in Texas.


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## Shahlvah (Dec 28, 2011)

They did not have any algae, I bleach them to kill any bug or malady they might had before putting them in the tank, as the chlorine evaporate, they returned to their beautiful ivory color. I think a little algae don't hurt since I read mbunas like to eat algae..correct? Not to much that look nasty but just a bit here and there for the kids would not hurt.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Shahlvah said:


> I just got a word that If I let them be a day or 2 in the sun they will turn white again...so I am waiting for the sun to come back and I will keep you posted.


What happened? Did they turn back white?

I ran into kind of the same thing yesterday. My brother gave me 3 large texas holey rocks and two of them were slightly beige with some white but mostly covered in algae. The other rock was really white but also covered in algae but you could still see the bright white underneath.

Anyways....I boiled them in some bleach/water solution for about 20 minutes per rock and ALL the algae just boiled away with almost no scrubbing. However when I rinsed them off even the rock that was really white turned beige just like what happened to you.

I have them soaking in a large container quadruple dosed with prime(seachem safe actually). I plan on dumping the water tomorrow and rinsing them again to see if they still smell like bleach. If not then I will let them dry for a couple days in the sun if that worked in your case.

So....did putting the rocks out in the sun for a few days make any difference?

Also...what is it about the sun that causes the rocks to turn back white? Is it the UV rays or just the heat? I was wondering if putting them in the oven or even broil them in the oven will do the same thing? It is supposed to be rainy and cloudy for the next several days. If the oven will do the same thing I am thinking about going that route.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The oven will not work, the sun has a natural bleaching effect. Maybe it IS the UV rays, not sure.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

DJRansome said:


> The oven will not work, the sun has a natural bleaching effect. Maybe it IS the UV rays, not sure.


Okey dokey...raining today and probably cloudy for the next couple few days....I am not going to rush anyways...going to get some black sand.


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## vann59 (Jun 20, 2011)

13razorbackfan said:


> Okey dokey...raining today and probably cloudy for the next couple few days....I am not going to rush anyways...going to get some black sand.


Sunlight does have an oxidizing effect as does bleach. It may be that the outer layer of minerals were more oxidized and white and as you wash that away it shows a slightly darker mineral underneath. As for bleaching, peroxide is a much biologically safer type of bleach than chlorine.

But alas, the new growth will cover it anyway, so no big deal.

Razor,

Are you setting up a new tank, or remodeling one you already have?


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

vann59 said:


> 13razorbackfan said:
> 
> 
> > Okey dokey...raining today and probably cloudy for the next couple few days....I am not going to rush anyways...going to get some black sand.
> ...


Just rearranging my current tank...again...

Just did it recently with PFS however my brother yesterday brought over all his holey rock and gave to me. That is what I have been wanting for a while. I am going back to the way I had a tank set up many years ago....holey rock and black sand. Always liked that look.

It will be a while before I can afford a 125g or larger.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Ok....they are drying out now and looking pretty good. I think this formation looks ok in my 4' tank....any thoughts:


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## vann59 (Jun 20, 2011)

Nice looking rocks. Apparently the color shading has to do with whether it's wet or dry. Like how concrete looks darker when wet until it has time to dry out.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

vann59 said:


> Nice looking rocks. Apparently the color shading has to do with whether it's wet or dry. Like how concrete looks darker when wet until it has time to dry out.


Yeah...that is what I was thinking. I like how it came out though. I am just trying to figure out how best to arrange it as my current layout allows me to get in and around all my rocks...the way I posted above it would be hard to get in and get all the poop even with swirling the water trying to get the poop to float out behind the rocks.


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## lucid_eye (Apr 12, 2009)

First of, as Prov said, having lived in the region for years the color of holey rock varies. I have found that the rocks I pull out of the ground are often stained on the outer layers by dirt and what not. Sand blasting and acid dips will eat off this outer layer and will brighten the rock if the the natural color has been stained. As a side effect it also enlarges the holes.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

lucid_eye said:


> First of, as Prov said, having lived in the region for years the color of holey rock varies. I have found that the rocks I pull out of the ground are often stained on the outer layers by dirt and what not. Sand blasting and acid dips will eat off this outer layer and will brighten the rock if the the natural color has been stained. As a side effect it also enlarges the holes.


Yeah...I have some other limestone that is a darker shade. This rock however looks even better today after sitting out in the sun for a couple days. Going to look good with the black sand. Then add some live plants for a green contrast with the black and white.


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