s3xtcy Posted January 15, 2011 Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 Hello All, yesterday I went to the beach and found some rocks that I think will look pretty cool in my tank, my question is, are they all safe? Do certain types of rock have chemicals that leech out of them over time? Do they need to be cured etc? I can post pics up shortly, or just given a hot water scrub? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted January 15, 2011 Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 it depends what the rocks are made from - they should not have chemicals in them but the ones made by mudstone will break up in the tank and make the water murky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted January 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 Thanks, heres a picture to give a brief idea then a link to the album page - its got the fullsize images http://s306.photobucket.com/albums/nn278/st-wepn/Fishies/New%20Tank/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshlikesfish Posted January 15, 2011 Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 Pour a bit of vinegar on them. If they fizz then there is limestone in it? Somebody back me up on that please haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted January 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 Pour a bit of vinegar on them. If they fizz then there is limestone in it? Somebody back me up on that please haha Google backs you up - Limestone will Fizz when vinegar is added or applied. What does that mean though? is limestone bad? Can the vinegar have any affect on the aquarium? Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoon Posted January 15, 2011 Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 limestone will buffer the water - increase ph and hardness not necessarily a bad thing depends on what fish you have in the tank to me those rocks look fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted January 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 limestone will buffer the water - increase ph and hardness not necessarily a bad thing depends on what fish you have in the tank to me those rocks look fine well at the moment Im having a low pH problem - not incredibly low, my LFS says its all over town - must be the main supply, im just doing regular water changes but the fish dont seem to mind. Current fish are 2x angels 1x clown loach 5x odessas 4x tiger barbs 1x swordtail 1x bristlenose pleco (hopeless at cleaning - he must think hes still on holiday 8) ) plans are to increase the number of odessas, tigers and clown loaches, and eventually get into saltwater, when im allowed :facepalm: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshlikesfish Posted January 15, 2011 Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 Unless your pH is having dramatic swings, those fish are happy in low pH water Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoon Posted January 15, 2011 Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 try the vinegar thing just to be safe none of your fish like a high ph if it does fizz a little you could give it a crack anyway with a couple of rocks at a time but test ph after 24 hrs it may help to stabilise your ph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted January 15, 2011 Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 Give them a bit of a scrub to get any dirt off and throw them in. It's not as if there are piles of cyanide rocks laying around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted January 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 Thanks everyone, just attacked them with white vinegar, no fizzing happened at all, so i guess thats pretty conclusive! :happy2: so just a scrub in some warm water with a coarse-ish brush? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted January 15, 2011 Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 Thanks everyone, just attacked them with white vinegar, no fizzing happened at all, so i guess thats pretty conclusive! :happy2: so just a scrub in some warm water with a coarse-ish brush? Cold water, warm water, hot water, doesn't matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted January 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 Thanks for the replies everyone, Just to let everyone whos interested know, heres my proposed layout : :bounce: more pics on the album in the link further up. Just need the tank now! :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ally07 Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 Personally I think it looks a bit artificial, simply because of the placement of the rocks. From the angle of the photo it looks like the driftwood is supported by three points, all of which are "conveniently" secured by rocks. IMO the best driftwood/ rock tanks look completely random, as if the water just happened to put this driftwood awkwardly over time. Perhaps try adding some smaller groups of rocks to balance out the big rocks? Just an opinion.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted January 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 yeah, the only one that is bracing the wood is the one on the right hand side, but it looked wierd with the others not there, yeah I need some smaller ones, I guess I will just see what it looks like in the tank, ideally I would like it without the rocks supporting the wood, and the rocks tumbled up in the corner. all opinions are looked at and Im after feedback! the last thing i want it to look like is artificial!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ally07 Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 OK, how about this? Instead of using the middle rock to support the back portion, turn the driftwood (according to the pic) forward so that it leans on its two branches. It should look like an airplane, with the main trunk being the body of the plane. Then, put all three rocks on the left side of the driftwood, doesn't need to be on top of the driftwood (or that could get dangerous), but just clumped haphazardly (but securely) on the left side of the tank. On the middle/ right side, put groups of smaller rocks, but in descending sizes - ie it should go from big group of rocks to medium to slightly smaller.. --> That would give it a sense of 'flow' from left to right. Picking the right gravel will help you complete the river look. Hope this makes sense to you.. I'm very hands-on with my rock/ driftwood arrangements, so I was staring intently at your picture trying to imagine a layout. Hope it actually works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted January 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 Thanks for the ideas, i will certainly try it, ive bought my gravel, its midnight express, so not really a river theme, i was thinking about going with the sand substrate but was told no... Anyway Ive just been to my LFS and got some more fishies and while i was there I was told that the rocks will NOT be safe because they are from the beach, that they will leech alot of salt, etc and that will screw around with the pH, he told me do not, under any circumstances put rocks from the beach into a freshwater aquarium........ Is he in the wrong here and everyones responses are correct? has anyone actually done this? - taken rocks from the beach and are currently using them in their tank? Did you have any problems when they first were added? I just dont want to kill any fish when I put it all together!! Thanks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshlikesfish Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 My uncles mate had a cichlid tank full of rocks from the beach. I'm not sure if the rocks themselves buffered the water but the shells that were on them would have. These rocks are now sitting in my garden as I shut down the tank when I got it. The guy in your LFS was just probably trying to get you to buy his rocks :lol: You could go to a landscaping store if you want to. There is some good rocks there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted January 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 hmmmm thanks Josh, anyone else done / doing it? Cheers oh ive had another play with the wood / rocks, ill take a photo soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 that they will leech alot of salt Define a lot? Barely any salt, especially if you rinse it first which you should do anyway. It all dissolves easily in water and gets rinsed away, that's how it got there in the first place! And the traces that are left...Salt is not poisonous, it doesn't cause cancer, it doesn't hurt fish in small quantities, it's even GOOD for them sometimes! Who cares about a few traces of salt? And you may end up with it slightly increasing your PH if you get sand that has a lot of shells in it. Get sand without a lot of shells in it. Problem solved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted January 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 Thanks Ira, you have put my mind at rest 8) :happy2: New idea? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 +1 Ira got some nice hideyholes with that arrangement. Would look good with plants along the top like Blueeyes had in her tank in another thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 I don't exactly like that layout idea, but those rocks are awesome I'm so jelous :happy1: !drool: Plus that piece of wood is very cool :happy1: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted January 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 Thanks joe, plenty more at Mt Maunganui Beach how would you do it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 It's a good arrangement. The wood joins the stones together to make one whole piece and it leading to the middle from off centre is pleasing to the eye. The rocks make for some good placement of plants and you could leave the foreground with very low growing plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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