Polished marble peices in tank?

[Fresh250]

my dad has a nice pile of broken marble and granite that he used to make a decorative stone wall outside my basement entrance. My question is... could i use these in my 240 to build a cave or two or would they have some kind of negative effect on the water quality... i think they would look so nice i just had to ask to be sure:huh:

[tanker]

Marble is calcium carbonate. I think it will disolve slowly and harden water. OK if you have Africans.

[bushwhacker]

i belive tankers right on the marble but the granite should be ok

[Fresh250]

hmmm... good thing i checked then... its too bad though... it looks really cool.

[BioHazard]

You could use clear acrylic and coat the pieces.

[Fresh250]

You could use clear acrylic and coat the pieces.

:screwy:how would i do that?

[BioHazard]

Use Krylon Fusion Clear spray paint. It's aquarium safe. Just put on a few coats, and it will keep it from leaching into the water. :)

[BioHazard]

Oh, also, make sure you let them 'cure' for a week before putting them in your tank. Just a precaution.

[toddnbecka]

I use marble in several tanks. Over a period of years it has shown some effect, the once-polished surfaces are no longer smooth and shiny. The fish I keep don't mind hard, alkaline water, and I use coral to buffer pH and hardness anyway.
Granite is safe.

[Fresh250]

i had no idea that krylon fusion was aquarium safe??? never would have guessed either. i think i will try that... i have so many peices that would work together to make quite the little cave... should i let it cure in water or just on my shelf?

[rocker92]

on your shelf. good luck!

[67chevelle]

Definitely let it dry out of water. A week seems excessive to me. 24 hours should be more than enough.

[Fresh250]

alright! that sounds awesome... thanks for the input guys, ill post pics of this stuff as i get it done and hopefully it comes out nice

[Fresh250]

Use Krylon Fusion Clear spray paint. It's aquarium safe. Just put on a few coats, and it will keep it from leaching into the water. :)

i could not find a krylon fusion clear spray paint in any of my local stores... i did find just Krylon clear acrylic... is this aquarium safe once cured?

[Fresh250]

any help on this one guys?

[BioHazard]

Hmmm. For in tank, all I've ever heard is Krylon Fusion. Everyone seems very specific about that.

[tanker]

Arcylic is water based and definately no.

Fusion is the only one that is OK, but with the new environmetal laws out===Fusion maybe no longer available.

[Fresh250]

hmmm ill have to keep looking then... or just use the slate that i have for now

[SubRosa]

Marble is composed mostly of the calcite form of limestone. It won't have nearly the effect on ph and hardness as other forms of limestone such as aragonite or dolomite. Unless you're keeping blackwater fish or others that truly require soft water it won't be a problem.

[Fresh250]

well perhaps ill have to try out just one peice of the marble and see if there will be any negative effects.