Mudguard Posted May 6, 2014 Report Share Posted May 6, 2014 I'm trying to get bits of stone for my tank. I stopped by a landscape supply place and got some fragmented pieces of a schist paving stone. Is the processed schist ok to use? The pieces have some sharp edges too. Is there a good way to soften the edges? Or am I better off just trying to find the stone in its natural form? Are quartz, pumice, mica stone, or the stone out of the local river (sandstone?) ok, too? I read that a good test is to see if the stone fizzes when vinegar is applied. How about cleaning the stone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calculator Posted May 6, 2014 Report Share Posted May 6, 2014 Yea the vinegar test is a good way to see if it is likely to react in water, another way is to leave it in a bucket of water for a week, and see if the pH of the water changes over the week. Paving stone is generally ok, but I would be careful about putting sharp edges in the tank as fish can hurt themselves on it. As for cleaning stone just rinse it off with a hose, and if it comes from a location you don't trust boiling it in water, or cooking in the oven can work to sterilise it, just be caefull about using that as some stones can explode in heat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted May 6, 2014 Report Share Posted May 6, 2014 I'm trying to get bits of stone for my tank. I stopped by a landscape supply place and got some fragmented pieces of a schist paving stone. Is the processed schist ok to use? Yes. The pieces have some sharp edges too. Is there a good way to soften the edges? Sandpaper, or a thick coating of apathy. Or am I better off just trying to find the stone in its natural form? It pretty much is in its natural form, a bit broken up or polished but that's it. It's not as if they pressure treat it with murder and evil. Are quartz, pumice, mica stone, or the stone out of the local river (sandstone?) ok, too? Yes, yes, yes and yes. I read that a good test is to see if the stone fizzes when vinegar is applied. Waste of time imo. Unless it's a very light color which means it might be limestone all vinegar is going to do is make it wet and smell funny. How about cleaning the stone? Hose. I wouldn't worry about boiling or sterilizing it, if anything your fish are going to give the rock a disease rather than the other way around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted May 6, 2014 Report Share Posted May 6, 2014 Nothing worse than a evik, apathetic, diseased, sharp edged stone to cause problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudguard Posted May 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2014 :f77: The schist stone surface looked pretty glossy, so I had my doubts...Anyway, sounds like applying 80 grit sandpaper to the wet stone might smooth off sharp edges. For pumice, I read in another thread here that boiling it, and then dunking the stone in ice-cold water will make it sink. I guess pumice is probably pretty good for some plants to grow on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted May 6, 2014 Report Share Posted May 6, 2014 For pumice, I read in another thread here that boiling it, and then dunking the stone in ice-cold water will make it sink. I guess pumice is probably pretty good for some plants to grow on. Or just weigh it down with something for a week or two should do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilobite Posted May 6, 2014 Report Share Posted May 6, 2014 Schist is fine, the glossy look is just the shiny mica minerals lined up (since schist is formed in high pressures, the minerals line up and form "layers" in the rock) Pretty much anything that has no calcite in it is safe. I'd do the vinegar test on sandstones because a lot of sand and mudstones can contain calcite depending on where you get them (even if they look dark). You dont need to do the vinegar test on igneous rocks though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted May 6, 2014 Report Share Posted May 6, 2014 I had large marble rocks in a tank for years without a problem. Calcium carbonate will only be a problem in acid water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted May 10, 2014 Report Share Posted May 10, 2014 I had large marble rocks in a tank for years without a problem. Calcium carbonate will only be a problem in acid water. and the water wont be acidic after a week or two Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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