# Is this rust on rock?



## catsgrave (Jul 14, 2007)

Hi guys,

I am starting a new nano tank and I read that I can use railway ballast or rail rock for my aquascape.

I found some lying around my station and there are some red stuff on the rocks. I was wondering if I can use them and if they will affect my water chemistry.










thanks guys,

Cheers,

catsgrave


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

I would not trust that rock in an aquarium. 

'Rail Road Rock' is probably whatever local rock they could get in large quantities, or even from somewhat farther away, if the quarry was right next to the tracks.


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## default user (Feb 9, 2010)

It could be.

What I did with my rocks was soaked them in bleach and water over night, then scrubbed then with a hard bristle brush to get anything off. Then let them soak in some hot(as hot as I could get) water to let any excess bleach leach out. Then let them dry and soak them in some tap water with water conditioner over night to get rid on any bleach left over.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Bleach will kill most aquatic hitch hikers if you found the rock in a wet area (pond, stream)...
...but will not help if the rock has a vein of metalic ore through it.

I have used rocks that have a rust spot on them, but these are large rocks with very small rust spots, in a large tank. Net result is not enough iron even to feed the plants. All together all the rust spots on my aquascaping rocks are maybe 1" -1.5" in diameter. In a 125 gallon tank.


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## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

It might be iron... but what you really want to know if this thing would change your water quality. So I always soak them for over night or a few days in a cup while I have another cup of water with not thing in it and test it out and compairing those 2. PH Tester is what I use to tell weither the water change or not. If it is Iron or rust just to see if there is a color chage after a very long time of soaking...


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Testing the rock in a small volume of water is a good way to figure this out. Test with all the aquarium tests you have. Since the Q is rust, test with the iron test kit. 

If the Q was water hardness or pH related test with GH, KH and pH tests, these three are often related, though sometimes just one will change.


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