Rocks and drift wood for my tanks

[burtonboy_001]

I went 4 wheelin and I brought back some rocks. I soaked then scrubbed them down. Do I have to bake them, they are Quartz I'm worried they will shatter. I also brought back some drift wood. I washed it and baked it.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k485/rwr907/ab7f0abb.jpg
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k485/rwr907/911df7f4.jpg

[infernalis]

I use creek rocks all the time without ever trying to bake them.

[burtonboy_001]

Cool thanks for the info

[burtonboy_001]

Crb tank setup
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k485/rwr907/911df7f4.jpg

[burtonboy_001]

Ops lol
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k485/rwr907/4d6b57de.jpg

[RandyRhoads]

I use creek rocks all the time without ever trying to bake them.


Just in case you aren't aware. If you heat up creek or river rocks , such as baking, they will explode and can potentially kill you.

[burtonboy_001]

Depends on the type of rock not all will explode. U ever put a rock in a Bon fire it just gets really hot it doesn't explode like a pipe bomb

[ilovemypets1988]

quartz or granite is a bugger for shattering during a baking session but as for most other types of rock, they will just get "white" hot but you can also do the same as baking with using very hot water instead.

[infernalis]

Just in case you aren't aware. If you heat up creek or river rocks , such as baking, they will explode and can potentially kill you.


Wow, I never knew that. Learn something new every day :rolleyes:

Sorry man, I'm in a weird mood.

40+ years of living with a creek in the back yard, I have made plenty of campfire rings out of those, I rent out camp sites for a living so I get to watch "city people" learn that (even after I suggest that they don't)

Science quiz - why does it happen? ;)

[ilovemypets1988]

Wow, I never knew that. Learn something new every day :rolleyes:

Sorry man, I'm in a weird mood.

40+ years of living with a creek in the back yard, I have made plenty of campfire rings out of those, I rent out camp sites for a living so I get to watch "city people" learn that (even after I suggest that they don't)

Science quiz - why does it happen? ;)

becoz rocks are great heat conductors and as they heat up, the molecules inside the rock vibrates, as the rock gets hotter and hotter, they vibrate more vilantly until they cant contain the energy made by the vibrations and the rock simply explodes to release the energy.

[Lankyrob]

and in addition to the above occassionnally you can get a semi porous rock that has water in the middle that heats up and expands causing the rock to crack.

[infernalis]

and in addition to the above occassionnally you can get a semi porous rock that has water in the middle that heats up and expands causing the rock to crack.


Bingo!

Sedimentary rocks contain water, the water boils and the steam achieves great pressures within the rock. BANG! "boiler explosion"

[Coffee Black]

I've never had any explode when baking but then I've never gone over 200F when doing it, don't know if that matters. I know water boils at something like 212F, yes? I'm not entirely sure what kinds of rock I use. Normally I dig them out of the ground in the woods. My paranoia level has increased now haha. I actually have a VERY large piece of driftwood, about 5 feet, and it needs to remain that size. Was wondering how to clean/disinfect/prep it for cage use. Any ideas? Never had to do a piece this big before.

[stephanbakir]

I haven't had any rocks explode on me in the past, but i dd have a fire set against a cliff face to reflect heat, and a shard of the cliff about 4 feet by 3 feet cracked off an fell on the fire during the night.

[Lankyrob]

I've never had any explode when baking but then I've never gone over 200F when doing it, don't know if that matters. I know water boils at something like 212F, yes? I'm not entirely sure what kinds of rock I use. Normally I dig them out of the ground in the woods. My paranoia level has increased now haha. I actually have a VERY large piece of driftwood, about 5 feet, and it needs to remain that size. Was wondering how to clean/disinfect/prep it for cage use. Any ideas? Never had to do a piece this big before.

Soak in boiling water, then soak in a water/bleach solution, then again in boiling water, then again in bleach then two or three times in boiling water to ensure all remnants of bleach are gone.

[Coffee Black]

I figured I would have to do something like that. Totally going to suck and take forever haha. oh well.

[FauxMako]

Scub everything down with a bleach/water mix to get all the loose stuff off. Then spray it down good with bleach/water so it's dripping wet and then wrap it in black plastic trash bags so it's sealed up pretty well and then sit the whole thing out in the sun. It'll heat up and get everything good and clean. The black plastic in the sun will heat up the inside pretty well and it'll be like a steam cleaning.