Rocking ideas...

All rocks in my cichlid tank came from the beach (coney island :D), look in my sig.

To clean, I just scrubbed them with a steal brush, ran them under water to wash away the dirt and then poured boiling water over them a few times.

All rock you find near creeks, lakes, rivers or beaches should be fine to use in a tank, unless you live close to a coal mine.
 
ibr3ak said:
All rock you find near creeks, lakes, rivers or beaches should be fine to use in a tank, unless you live close to a coal mine.
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That's not a good assumption to make. Many rocks end up close to rivers that will mess with your hardness and possibly your pH. It's best to test it first.

For example, I picked up some rocks from the Eel River in Northern Cal, and only about half of them are aquarium safe. After testing, I believe the others to contain high levels of calcium.
 
home depots and lowes. i kinda "borrow" some of my neighbors slate they have around their flowers (no chemicals on em, they dont use fertilizers or nothin:silly:) and use that. you know how to do the rock test right?
put some vinegar on it and if it fizzes or has some wierd reaction its not safe.
i make all of my rock pieces, cheap and you can make it how you want it!
 
Even rocks that 'fail' the acid test can be used in some tanks; it just depends on your initial water chemistry and your fish's needs. I use limestone in my native tanks with no issues, but softwater fish would probably not appreciate it. I suspect many inverts and African cichlids would also like some calcium-laden stone.

If you want to know what the stone will do to your tank, here's the best thing to do: half-fill a bucket with tap water. Test it for pH and the various hardnesses. Add your rock. Test the water periodically over the next few days until the water chemistry stabilizes. And there you have it!

There are other possible concerns with found rocks: some stones contain copper or other metals that could leach into the water and harm your tank inhabitants. If in doubt, consult a geologist; there's probably one at a nearby college who would be happy to tell you about your rock.
 
Yellow pages under "landscape"
 
I got some from river beds and some from friends with tanks.
 
Notophthalmus said:
Even rocks that 'fail' the acid test can be used in some tanks; it just depends on your initial water chemistry and your fish's needs. I use limestone in my native tanks with no issues, but softwater fish would probably not appreciate it. I suspect many inverts and African cichlids would also like some calcium-laden stone.

If you want to know what the stone will do to your tank, here's the best thing to do: half-fill a bucket with tap water. Test it for pH and the various hardnesses. Add your rock. Test the water periodically over the next few days until the water chemistry stabilizes. And there you have it!

There are other possible concerns with found rocks: some stones contain copper or other metals that could leach into the water and harm your tank inhabitants. If in doubt, consult a geologist; there's probably one at a nearby college who would be happy to tell you about your rock.
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even so the bucket test wont do much since some rocks may change chemistry over time.. I guess its either hit or miss
 
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