Fishkeepa Posted April 21, 2006 Report Share Posted April 21, 2006 Hi People Can i use rocks from the beach in my tropical freshwater community aquarium? I know to pour vinegar over it to test for lime (CaCo3) but is their anything else. I picked up some drift wood from a stream at a family picnic a few years back. It has sat in the garden but looks good otherwise. Could this be use if it was scrubbed/cleaned and waterlogged? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted April 21, 2006 Report Share Posted April 21, 2006 I think both would be OK. I have 3 large chunks of weather worn marble in one of my tanks and neither the plants or the fish seem to mind too much,including discus, neons guppies etc. I don't know what the hardness is as I have never tested it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishkeepa Posted April 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2006 hardness is the amount of caco3 (calcium Carbonate) molecules per million molecules it is measured as dh and in degrees less than 15degrees is soft and above that is hard (i think) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoandWilly Posted April 21, 2006 Report Share Posted April 21, 2006 Theres to types of degrees of hardness Kdh which would be the amount of carbon dissolved in the water i think.... and Gdh which is the amount of metals dissolved in the water i think, so Kdh would be for the CaCO3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted April 21, 2006 Report Share Posted April 21, 2006 Hardness is the amount of calcium present and is measured in parts per million expressed as calcium carbonate. The tap water in Christchurch is 45 ppm or milligrams/litre expressed as calcium carbonate. I still don't know what my tank is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted April 21, 2006 Report Share Posted April 21, 2006 boil both rocks and wood if you are worried about, personally I dont bother, bit of a scrub to get rid of the worst and put in the tank. if you have problems cleaning the coraline algae (pink stuff) or tube works etc off the sea rock, soak them in white vinigar over night it will help break down the calcium. (brown vinigar works but not as fast). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 I get my rocks and driftwood from beaches. Never had a problem. Never boiled any of it either for that matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishkeepa Posted April 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 Ok general concensus that it should be ok Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishkeepa Posted April 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2006 I boiled the driftwood and the water went all yellow like weak tea. The rocks are in but the woods on hold for now. Is the yellowness bad and can i get it out of the wood? Thankls everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted April 28, 2006 Report Share Posted April 28, 2006 Pretty sure its just leaching and should be fine.. Probably boil it a few times until the waters clear otherwise your tank will go light brown.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted April 28, 2006 Report Share Posted April 28, 2006 i LOVE tannins (the browny tinge to your tank). they look real natural to me and certain fish really like it. it will get less over time so dont worry but if it annoys you a few extra water changes wont hurt or just keep boiling it until it doesnt leach much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickie Posted April 29, 2006 Report Share Posted April 29, 2006 I have just been told this evening that carbon in the filter helps get the tannin out of the water....I have just put water logged drift wood into my aquarium and have tea like water, nothing too bad though and I do know that the fish like the tanin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newtman Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 same as with caryl, I've had no problems with wood or rocks which have come from beaches... all I do is give them a good scrub if they need it,waterlog the wood and rinse the rocks...easy as that.. just recently i have been seting up a very large amazon tank and the wood i have in there has made the water a nice brown'ish' colour,and IMO it looks realy good!!,gives the tank such a natural,amazon like aspect to it. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 have been seting up a very large amazon tank Hmmm...did I miss a post with pics of this...hmmm....did I??? :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 no i dot believe we have had one yet caper....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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