If I were to collect rocks from the ocean and boil them, can I put them in my tank to just take up space? I know I cannot just put them in there live, but if I boil them real real good, then can I??
I wouldn't. There's just way too much complications that can arise. Boiled rocks will kill most anything, but a lot of dead and possibly toxic compounds may still reside, embedded in the rock's matrices. Most rock from the ocean is not good candidates for reef tanks as they are not aragonite-based. Good live rock is the backbone of a healthy reef tank.
it depends on where you are geographically, and what the composition of the rock. if its a calcium based rock, then chances are its going to be considered "live rock" and make collection illegal. Also, rocks from the beach probably will have more chemicals in them from anthropogenic sources than rocks from a couple miles out.
That being said, if you find decent rock that you are comfortable collecting, why bother boiling it when you can bleach it just as easily? IMO bleach and freshwater are much easier to work with than boiling water.
