How to Bleach Fish Rocks

Pet fish swim around rocks within their tank.

Rocks are a wonderful addition to any home aquarium. They enhance your fish habitat by providing shelter, hiding spots, caves, places to lay eggs on and even grazing space. In addition, they are aesthetically pleasing and come in a wide variety of colors, shape, sizes and types. These rocks require regular upkeep and cleaning, though. The rocks dull in color and collect algae, debris, blood and excrement. So it is important to know the proper method to clean these rocks without introducing any harmful chemicals into your fish tank.

Things You'll Need

• Bleach
• Large bucket
• Measuring cup

Instructions

1. Mix nine parts water with one part bleach in a clean bucket. The bucket should contain no more than 10 percent bleach.

2. Remove the rocks from the aquarium and place them in the bucket.

3. Soak the rocks for 15 minutes.

4. Drain out the bleach solution and remove the rocks. Do not put them back into the fish tank.

5. Rinse the empty bucket thoroughly with clean water only. Refill it with clean water. Place the rocks in the clean water and let the rocks soak for another 15 minutes.

6. Remove the rocks from the bucket and and rinse them with clear, running water. Let them air dry for another 15 minutes.

7. Finish the job by placing the rocks back into the fish tank.

Tips & Warnings

• Never clean live rock, living invertebrates and corals, as it will kill them.

• Never mix bleach with other chemicals, such as soap, aquarium chemicals or other cleaning products. Use bleach only with plain water.

• Use bleach in concentrations of 10 percent or less.

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• Do not soak rocks in bleach for longer than 15 minutes.

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• Skipping steps or not following proper bleach safety procedures can cause bodily harm to you and/or the living inhabitants of your fish tank.

References

• The Everything Aquarium Book; Frank Indiviglio; 2006
• Aqua-Fish.net: Aquarium Rocks