jesp Posted July 5, 2010 Report Share Posted July 5, 2010 Ok, so I found a bunch of great rocks that I like from the river by my house. They have been boiled and scrubbed and ready to go.........but are they safe? I read that red means iron, blue or green means copper, and yellow means sulfur. What does purple mean? Some mix? I also read that sand stone (which is yellowish), is fine. I am considering a vinegar test which I understand can tell you things about acidity, but I heard that if they bubble it is bad and I know that calcium will bubble and that is not bad for a tank, (not necessarily). Can anyone give me the run down? If possible, I would like to avoid having to do a bunch of chemical tests on these rocks to use them. Thanks everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted July 6, 2010 Report Share Posted July 6, 2010 Sedimentary rocks will eventually fall apart in water - they tend to be softer and layered, and will add their 'stuff' to your aquarium the fastest. Igneous and metamorphic rocks are much safer. The vinegar (or muriatic acid if you can find some) will help you know if it will dissolve in acidic water. I've used so many different 'fieldstones' in ponds and aquariums over the years, that I really don't worry too much; but I do stay away from rocks that are too veiny and fall apart easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alterego Posted July 6, 2010 Report Share Posted July 6, 2010 I'm not sure if this helps but here's a link for you. Suitability of Rocks in the Aquarium. I'm using River Rock in my 55 and have had it in tanks in the past with no ill effect. Brendan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesp Posted July 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2010 Thanks for the responses. Alterego,that link was great. They really go over everything dangerous, which it turns out is very little. Now I don't have to go out and buy a bunch of rocks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb3k Posted July 14, 2010 Report Share Posted July 14, 2010 Thanks for the responses. Alterego,that link was great. They really go over everything dangerous, which it turns out is very little. Now I don't have to go out and buy a bunch of rocks! I grabbed some rocks along the river in Cochrane and they've gone through the boiling process (x8 times) and a vinegar test. No ill effects from what I've seen in my tank after 1.5 months. It beats paying $3 for a rock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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