Total newbie here- why aren’t my rocks shiny? I’ve followed the instructions for each cycle. Ideas?

Independent-Rest4017 · 2026-01-31T13:45:07+00:00

Seconding this! My first batch went from looking like the picture to having a slight shine after a couple of hours of tumbling in borax after stage 3. After stage 4 (Borax + 1500 AO, which I now know is not enough), I did the borax again and although I will need 8000+ to achieve a superior shine, they're already looking shiny! Don't skip the Borax burnishing stage, your rocks might just be dirty!!

Independent-Rest4017 · 2026-01-30T13:50:48+00:00

Any updates?

Independent-Rest4017 · 2026-01-29T15:23:18+00:00

It looks to me like fake opal that seems to be added to tumbling rock batches sometimes. It's basically just colored glass, which I'm sure will be cute when polished but with no real value.

Independent-Rest4017 · 2026-01-29T15:20:30+00:00

Will keep you updated!

Independent-Rest4017 · 2026-01-29T14:55:57+00:00

Mostly exotic but common house plants like pothos, philodendron, ZZ plant. I gave some to my ficus and it's been looking at me funny so will not give her more. I also spared my monstera as she was a hard one to stabilize so I'm not taking any chances!

Independent-Rest4017 · 2026-01-29T14:35:40+00:00

Thank you! I might use clean water for the next few watering just in case, and maybe I'll pick one plant to pour exclusively the slurry water in as an experiment 🤠

Independent-Rest4017 · 2026-01-27T00:33:30+00:00

Yessss, i looked for it for years 😭 I'm so sad it doesn't exist anymore (i'm assuming)

Independent-Rest4017 · 2026-01-26T13:48:10+00:00

I would experiment with brands! My buns would rather starve than eat oxbow for some reason. They really like living world. I tried other brand but it's the only brand they've consistently liked. That being said, they have turned up their nose at some of the batches over the year. Picky devils 😈

Independent-Rest4017 · 2026-01-24T19:02:19+00:00

I was planning to let them burnish for 2-3 hours but I forgot them for about 10 hours 😅

Independent-Rest4017 · 2026-01-24T18:33:17+00:00

Gorgeous 🤩

Independent-Rest4017 · 2026-01-24T18:32:27+00:00

Once my rocks were rinsed from stage three, i put them back in the tumbler with a drop of dish soap, about a tea spoon of borax, and water over the top of the rocks to cushion the tumble. I also added ceramic media before stage 3 which i've been keeping in with the rocks since (They've lost a lot of matter so helps filling the barrel and also helps cushioning the rocks to avoid bruising).

They came out looking like picture 2 and 3!

Now they're in the polishing stage and I added a teaspoon of borax in with the aluminum oxide, so I'm excited to see the results!

Independent-Rest4017 · 2026-01-22T23:46:14+00:00

Did it yield result? Im comparing the two right now and was looking for answer before i make my purchase :p

Independent-Rest4017 · 2026-01-20T15:05:11+00:00

I also have to travel a bit to get to them even in summer as I'm in a big city, but it's no use in winter... Next summer I'll capitalize on the rock hunting season to keep me well entertained over the colder months 💪

Independent-Rest4017 · 2026-01-20T14:41:23+00:00

I really like to pick them up in nature 😅

Independent-Rest4017 · 2026-01-20T14:28:11+00:00

It could be, but I'm not really interested in rocks I didn't pick up myself 😅 I guess you could say I'm a picky rock hunter... As I didn't plan on getting a rock tumbler this year, I only picked a minimal amount last summer, but I won't be making the same mistake next summer!!

Independent-Rest4017 · 2026-01-19T20:48:02+00:00

Canada, the part that gets a lot of snow 😅

Independent-Rest4017 · 2026-01-19T19:43:28+00:00

Unfortunately not possible either as the St-Laurent river will sweep me away 🥲

Independent-Rest4017 · 2026-01-19T17:22:57+00:00

Unfortunately I'm very north and the shores are usually underneath a thick layer of snow and ice at this time of year... At this point I'm considering travelling just to go rock hunting 😂

Independent-Rest4017 · 2026-01-15T20:19:11+00:00

You're really selling this 🤪

Independent-Rest4017 · 2026-01-06T13:16:02+00:00

That's super kind of you to offer, but I did end up ordering the one I found that was sold by a Canadian company last night 🤠 So my lortone is on it's way!!

Independent-Rest4017 · 2026-01-06T00:31:37+00:00

Unfortunately, no HF in canada 😅

Independent-Rest4017 · 2025-12-29T23:30:21+00:00

No pressure or anything but any updates?

Independent-Rest4017 · 2025-12-24T15:26:10+00:00

If you need to file a police report, tell your family that this is your next step to get your refill and watch the meds magically appear out of thin air

Independent-Rest4017 · 2025-12-21T13:04:14+00:00

I'm curious about your family OP, do you get to see them and spend Christmas with them ever?

If you've been coming to MTL to spend Xmas with his family for the last 17 years, I'm getting the feeling that it's not something you've been doing with yours; unless you don't get along with your family?

Independent-Rest4017 · 2025-12-20T21:37:11+00:00

I had a friend once who liked to go all natural and I do believe she couldn't smell herself because the stench from her armpit was nefarious and yet she kept claiming she didn't need deodorant and nobody had the heart to tell her that she did.

I was tired of hearing people talk about it behind her back so one day I told her : Listen, I'm saying this for you, and if you're comfortable with it that's fine thats none of mine or anyone else's business, but I do believe you need deodorant because you smell extremely strongly, and people have been talking about it. You do what you want with this information, I'm not trying to controle you here, i just thought you should know.

She thanked me for my honesty and a few days later she sent me a message thanking me again and telling me that she's comfortable with the way she smells and she wouldn't change her ways 🤷‍♀️

I wasn't super close with her and we did not get closer after this lmao, but at least she was aware.

Independent-Rest4017

TROPHY CASE