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NFC: Boiling Gravel - Quick consensus


   Hello Folks

   I have been lurking on this list for a few months now, and find it
great...

   I have a question to which I need an answer.... quickly


   It for the Aquarists...    I started a ninety gal tank about a year
ago in which I keep mostly Centrarchids  and some assorted shiners,
crawfish, etc., and have experienced much...  

 this August,  upon leaving the house for a couple days, (not accustomed
to leaving Air conditioning units running),  I was surprised to come
home to a tank of very poached bass and sunfish....   room air temp was
above 90* F

   I disposed of the victims , and repeatedly filled and emptied  the
tank  to  remove the water....

  With an upcoming 3 1/2 week  trip, I decided not to re-establish
anything until after.

   With the cold weather coming in, I have been in a rush with the
season to "pick up " something  most substantial beside golden shiners
for the winter...

   Today's warmer temps have afforded me an opportunity to get the
flyrod out, and have procured a small bass, which is waiting  in the
wings for a new home...

   here's  the question: The gravel, along with some residual detritus
and enough water to keep the bottom half of the gravel wet has sat in my
tank for 2 months....   a couple surviving crawfish are burrowed in the
back......  

   I was told yesterday  that I should boil all the gravel before
starting the tank up again,  so to kill any bacteria.   

 I was wondering if, by not 'sterilizing"  the gravel, I might avoid the
normal  nitrogen spike  that occurs when starting a tank and waiting for
the proper nitrogen processing bacteria  to establish colonies in the
under gravel grids.  Last year saw a good share of parasite and the
likes, mostly anchor worms and ich.... so perhaps some of theses gems
are lurking in there, too...

   Do I boil?   what would I risk if I didn't?  Is it at this point ,
with a basically empty tank, that I should clean completely?  the
resident bass in waiting can't wait long...

   any suggestions for proceeding to re-establish at this stage would be
welcome..

 TIA

Stephen
-- 
                         Stephen  Di Cerbo
                        mykiss at albany_net
        http://www.albany.net/~mykiss/stormtree.htm

         "A society that will trade a little liberty for 
       a little order will lose both, and deserve neither"
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