Are landscape rocks safe for aquarium use?
- Thread starter 88GT
- Start date
I use flagstone/fieldstone in my African tanks. I bought a pallet of it (about 1 ton) and have been using it in my aquariums for over a year. I paid about 200 for the whole pallet.
The benefit with the pallet was that I got to go through the whole thing and pick out what I thought were perfect rocks.
The downside is that I have over a thousand lbs of rock. You have to find something else to do with it. When it warms up I am gonna rearrange a section of my dug pond and create a wall in it with about a 2 foot drop.
The benefit with the pallet was that I got to go through the whole thing and pick out what I thought were perfect rocks.
The downside is that I have over a thousand lbs of rock. You have to find something else to do with it. When it warms up I am gonna rearrange a section of my dug pond and create a wall in it with about a 2 foot drop.
Just make sure you don't buy any rock with Pyrite (sp?) in it, aka Fools Gold. It will kill all aquatic species!
I went to a place that only sells rock for landscaping, ponds, etc. A hell of a selection. I bought 180 lbs. of rock for like $28. Now how much would that have cost buying the rock from your LFS? A LOT!!!
I went to a place that only sells rock for landscaping, ponds, etc. A hell of a selection. I bought 180 lbs. of rock for like $28. Now how much would that have cost buying the rock from your LFS? A LOT!!!
This is where I got my rock from:
http://www.beasleysyard.com/index.html
He gets rock from all over the US and Canada too.
http://www.beasleysyard.com/index.html
He gets rock from all over the US and Canada too.
There is a garden nursery near my house.. They sell scrap slate. I usually go and ask them how much for all the tiny bits and pieces (6-18"), and they look at me funny.. Like why would you want those?
So since they look at them as loose junk, they cut me a deal and give me all I can fit in my trunk for $5.. I have only had to make 3 trips over the years..
Look around, you can find good deals on 'scrap'.. I have heard black slate is the best, or red slate.. Just make sure it dosn't leech anything. Copperish and Goldish shiny colors can sometimes be bad, as well as limestones. I have heard boiling rocks is a good way to test their conductivity, if it froths and bubbles or turns the water cloudy, it's likely bad.
So since they look at them as loose junk, they cut me a deal and give me all I can fit in my trunk for $5.. I have only had to make 3 trips over the years..
Look around, you can find good deals on 'scrap'.. I have heard black slate is the best, or red slate.. Just make sure it dosn't leech anything. Copperish and Goldish shiny colors can sometimes be bad, as well as limestones. I have heard boiling rocks is a good way to test their conductivity, if it froths and bubbles or turns the water cloudy, it's likely bad.
My bro has a Malawi cichlid tank. He just went to a nearby creek and collected all of his rock. No money, just a little time.
I wanted some of the smooth river rock like Fishman has in his 300 gal tank he is selling, so I just went to that landscape place and bought what I wanted.
If the landscape place you are going to has ponds setup, then look and see what they used and if the fish are alive then your good to go.
I wanted some of the smooth river rock like Fishman has in his 300 gal tank he is selling, so I just went to that landscape place and bought what I wanted.
If the landscape place you are going to has ponds setup, then look and see what they used and if the fish are alive then your good to go.
I've always collected rocks around my house, lake or stream and never had any problems. Make sure there are no metals as the others have said.
Most common rocks to avoid are anything containing lime. (Like Limestone )
Easy way to test is to pour a bit of vinegar on the rock. If it fizzes and bubbles it is lime. Great if you want your water hard and alkaline for your African cichlids, bad otherwise.
Most sandstone, slate, volcanic basalts and quartz type rocks are fine.
I collect my rocks from local rivers and beaches, just give them a good wash and drop em in.
Cheers
Ian
)Easy way to test is to pour a bit of vinegar on the rock. If it fizzes and bubbles it is lime. Great if you want your water hard and alkaline for your African cichlids, bad otherwise.
Most sandstone, slate, volcanic basalts and quartz type rocks are fine.
I collect my rocks from local rivers and beaches, just give them a good wash and drop em in.
Cheers
Ian