# Can I use bleach to clean Rocks and driftwood?



## GraphicGr8s (Apr 4, 2011)

Sure you can add bleach. First I would soak the driftwood like you're doing but do a water change every day until it doesn't smell. Then bleach it all.


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## miogpsrocks (Sep 3, 2015)

GraphicGr8s said:


> Sure you can add bleach. First I would soak the driftwood like you're doing but do a water change every day until it doesn't smell. Then bleach it all.


Sounds good. 

Yeah, I guess the problem is that I soaked it in water, put a lid on it and left it there for like 2 weeks. 

I guess if it did it everyday it would have not been as bad. 

I can't imaging that in my aquarium. 

Thanks


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## WickedOdie (Aug 15, 2015)

Wouldn't bleach soak into the wood and when you put it into your fish tank later wont it leach that bleach into the water?

I'd personally boil it all.


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## retcheto (Jun 19, 2015)

I boiled the rocks I found. It will kill everything


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## miogpsrocks (Sep 3, 2015)

WickedOdie said:


> Wouldn't bleach soak into the wood and when you put it into your fish tank later wont it leach that bleach into the water?
> 
> I'd personally boil it all.


What if it was left out in the sun for like a week afterwards? I think I read somewhere that bleach is unstable and will break down into common elements. I think that is why the containers are design to never allow light in. 

There was some nasty stuff on that wood after soaking for 2 weeks.


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## WickedOdie (Aug 15, 2015)

miogpsrocks said:


> What if it was left out in the sun for like a week afterwards? I think I read somewhere that bleach is unstable and will break down into common elements. I think that is why the containers are design to never allow light in.
> 
> There was some nasty stuff on that wood after soaking for 2 weeks.


I think i read somewhere that if it dries out it will be fine. But that would defeat the purpose of soaking it, lol. Is it too big to boil? Boiling will help release any excess tannins as well. I'm sure boiling it will kill whatevers on or in it.

I personally wouldn't take my chances with bleach, but that's just me. It's the same reason you can't use copper medicines in a tank with driftwood. It will soak up that copper and your tank will never be able to facilitate inverts.


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## miogpsrocks (Sep 3, 2015)

WickedOdie said:


> I think i read somewhere that if it dries out it will be fine. But that would defeat the purpose of soaking it, lol. Is it too big to boil? Boiling will help release any excess tannins as well. I'm sure boiling it will kill whatevers on or in it.
> 
> I personally wouldn't take my chances with bleach, but that's just me. It's the same reason you can't use copper medicines in a tank with driftwood. It will soak up that copper and your tank will never be able to facilitate inverts.


If you boil it, does that mean you can skip the month soaking? 

Thanks.


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## WickedOdie (Aug 15, 2015)

I boiled mine, and then let it sit for a week in a bucket of dechlor water. But that was just because I wasn't ready to put it in. The soaking process really is only to water log it to allow it to sink easier. As long as it sinks, it should be fine.


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## Dantrasy (Sep 9, 2013)

Cleaning rocks with 5% household bleach is fine. I do it before a rescape. 

Not sure if I'd do the same with dw. Just scrub it. How dirty can it be?


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

I've bleached dw at times. The color can get a bit weird but other than that it is not a problem.

{On another note you asked about ammonia and you asked about bleach so I just wanted to remind folks that you shouldn't mix these things.}


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## GraphicGr8s (Apr 4, 2011)

Boiling the wood is more to kill parasites, etc that may be hiding in the pores/cells.

I've never boiled driftwood myself but I have left it sit in water way too long. And got the smell you did. Wasn't intentional though. Seems life got in the way after I started.

The chlorine will dissipate on its own after a spell. A day or two should do it. If you want to be double sure add some dechlor.

I've had driftwood soak for over a month and it still floated. Now I don't even try to get it to sink I get stainless steel screws and attach it to slate. It ain't going to float. Most of the time anyway. 



BruceF said:


> I've bleached dw at times. The color can get a bit weird but other than that it is not a problem.
> 
> {On another note you asked about ammonia and you asked about bleach so I just wanted to remind folks that you shouldn't mix these things.}


Makes nice mustard gas IIRC.


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## WickedOdie (Aug 15, 2015)

Seems that you use bleach to recharge purigen, so if you do use bleach, rinse off the DW, then put it in a bucket full of water with some prime, let it sit for a day or two, should get rid of the bleach.

That's what my research says anyways.


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## Argus (May 22, 2013)

miogpsrocks said:


> If you boil it, does that mean you can skip the month soaking?
> 
> Thanks.


If it is like Mopani drifitwood with lots of tannin, boiling it first may shorten the required soak time, but wont eliminate it. You will need to soak it until it stops turning the water dark (unless you want a blackwater aquarium). 

Watch it daily as it soaks. When the water turns dark, change it for fresh water. Repeat until it no longer gets dark. 

If you put it in your aquarium too early and it still darkens the water, use Purigen to clear it.

If you don't want to use bleach, you can use hydrogen peroxide. It is a bit safer than using bleach. 

If you do use bleach, read the directions for regenerating Purigen using bleach. They talk about how to purge the bleach after treatment.


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## iceburg (Jan 30, 2015)

If you use bleach on rocks I wouldn't let them soak very long. A few minutes should be enough. I tried doing this with some beautiful reddish ricks but left them in for a couple hours and it bleached most of the color out of the surface. I imagine it would bleach the colors of driftwood even faster.


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## Argus (May 22, 2013)

iceburg said:


> If you use bleach on rocks I wouldn't let them soak very long. A few minutes should be enough. I tried doing this with some beautiful reddish ricks but left them in for a couple hours and it bleached most of the color out of the surface. I imagine it would bleach the colors of driftwood even faster.


I would worry about putting those rocks in an aquarium. If they are affected by bleach it probably means they could leach minerals into the aquarium water. Did you give them the vinegar test before using them?


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## iceburg (Jan 30, 2015)

Argus said:


> I would worry about putting those rocks in an aquarium. If they are affected by bleach it probably means they could leach minerals into the aquarium water. Did you give them the vinegar test before using them?


Yeah, I did the vinegar test and those rocks passed. I also tested whether they affected the water pH and they didn't. I didn't have a TDS meter at the time, but it may be worth taking one of the rocks out and seeing if it affects the TDS of some test water. I haven't noticed any problems but it would probably still be worth testing some more.


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## KPSRA (Apr 23, 2016)

miogpsrocks said:


> Hello.
> 
> I have a lot of Rocks and driftwood that I want to disinfect.
> 
> ...


This is my experience...I have had my 4 pieces of Mopani soaking in water for 5 days...the leaching was starting to diminish. I wasn't going to boil but decided to anyways to see how much more would come out..well a lot did...I am on my 3rd boil for 2 pieces. The 3rd one I did nothing but soak in water and the 4th was boiled once but now I have added bleach to that bucket along with the one that has only had water. I added 1/2 cup to a 5 gal pail. The bleach doesn't worry me at all. I have a 50 gal that the fish all died over a period of years and was considering saltwater...to keep it sterile I added at least a 1/2 cup of bleach if not more..of coarse the tank went pristine. Due to my indecisiveness it took over a year for me to finally decide what to do with the tank..and I went with staying freshwater again. During that time I added bleach over and over to keep it clean. Then when I was thinking about bringing it back I stopped the bleach..maybe a month of more? Filtration was maintained at all times also. Here is what I did...50% WATER CHANGE, changed all the filter carbons and pads...added dechlorination an extra amount...waited a day or 2 then started adding bacteria...let it sit a week or two..tested for chlorine with strips the whole time....added fish..its 2 years later and have all my Angels and Rams..a few others died but due to an bad ick attack not related to anything but getting a sick fish for a big box store. So I do not think the bleach is a problem at all..I fact I am more worried about boiling as some woods (I have heard) once the pores are open stay open..if they were tight and soaked in cold water it would leach slowly but you would not happen. IDK if that is true or not just a thought! And the only problem I have with the bleach is it cant leach way into the wood so no way can you get all the tannin's out except for what soaks into the surface areas. Again this is just my thoughts! And since I am doing this as I post I just checked..the 2 boiling IN the water are a lot lighter but its still has a way to go..I boil for about an hr then redo. The others in cold water buckets and bleach show nothing but clear water so no idea if anything is happening. I assume Ill find out when they all go into the tank (a new 75 gal).


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