Adding Ornaments/Real Looking Plants/Rock to my cycled tank Saturday... Need opinions

M

Mantis_22

Blue Dreams Webmaster
Mar 24, 2003
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Somerset, KY
www.blueskyff.s5.com
Today I went to my LFS and looked around at the rock ornaments and artificial plants they have in the store. I came across these small oval and blac looking rocks which look good for 2$ a piece. Also Im getting a cave for the cories i'll be adding. And I will be adding a few fake plants to make it look more green. (The fake plants I got are made by seachem/tetra and were 8$ a piece! But they look and feel so real you barely can even tell, especially the breeding grass and sword.

My questions are this...

Those black oval rocks I was talking about, before I add them are there procedures other than washing dust off and such to make sure they are safe for my tank?

Also, by adding the rock cave and the sword plant and etc. Will this effect my water chemistry largly? I mean I dont want to put them in if they are going to effect my tank to a point where PH is like off the scale?. BTW all the ornaments say they will not mess with PH if added. Just the rocks say nothing?

Im mainly worried about those two questions because along time ago I fount a rock outside in a river and brought it in and then boiled it, then I droped it in my tank and it messed everything up (I think it had lime in it). Can someone help me out?

Thankies...

Mantis_22 :)

Pics of the tank are on my website listed in my sig, check it out to get an idea...:D
 
Other than rinsing it, you could boil it as another precaution against any bacteria. None of the things will effect anything in the tank.
 
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Just rinse them off, you'll be fine. If bought at the lfs then you can
be pretty sure their fish and water safe.
 
I really don't have much of a answer for you :( but I just recently changed my 55 gal. tank to rocks I got from outside. I had about 30 fish in it. I took larger rocks from outside and washed them with Dawn dish soap and rinsed in very hot water then I also put smaller rocks from outside and just rinsed them. I have not lost any fish nor has the ph or anything changed in my tank. I would say not to boil them but I guess that is my opinion :confused: I hope everything goes good just wait it out the tank will settle itself. ;) hope that helps a lil Dawn
 
Originally posted by NJ Devils Fan
What are you talking about, I answered you already, hence, no one else saying anything.
Click to expand...

MEOW!!! Sorry, that's the first thing that came to mind. NJ has a point, many times others won't answer if they agree with what is posted already. As long as the stuff says aquaria safe (fish safe) all you need to do is rinse it off.
I (and I'm sure many others too) would say NOT to wash them with soap. Yes, as long as you rinse very well and remove all the soap it would be o.k., but any residual soap (not removed) could be a problem for your fish. If you want to check rocks (real rocks, not plastic!) you can put a little vinegar on them to see if it fizzes. If it does, minerals from the rock will dissolve into your tank over time which will alter water chemistry (generally not a good thing), if it doesn't fizz, it should be o.k.. HTH
 
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