Rocks off a beach

[Dave]

Im looking for ideas for my 48" tank. I was thinking of using rocks but as im sure u all know they are very expensive, well for a rock anyway. So I was thinking what about the thousands I see on the beach. Will it be ok for my tank if I boil them?

 

[dolphin]

Hi Dave.

You have to be carefull that it is legal to remove then. I know that on some beaches down here it is ilegal to remove then.

Depending on the type of setup you have. You need to check that the rocks will not affect the chemistry of the tank.

You can pour vinager on to the dry rocks. If they fiz then do not add them.

 

[Tanked]

to expand on what dolphin said...if they do not fizzle I would boil them for at least 20 minutes, soak them over night and repeat the process for a week or so to be sure you have removed any sediment from them that may be harmful to your fish.


hth


richard

 

[Dragonslair]

Dave, if you're in Scotland, you can't be too far from a freshwater loch. Assuming you can get to a freshwater loch, then the skies the limit. Make sure you disinfect the rocks first with aquarium disinfectant and then throughly clean them off. Better still, if you know where your water source is, then taking rocks/stones from there won't alter the hardness of the water. Just a thought. I know when I was staying at Bala in Wales, my friends had a tank and built his aquascape from the local rocks at the lake. Lovely place and a lovely tank too.

 

[teknikz]

ive read somewhere THAT U SHOULD NEVER EVER USE ROCKS FROM THE BEACH IF ITS FOR A FRESHWATER SET-UP

now im not as experienced as the others but i deffo read that somewhere....but coz they are more experienced they might know better but i deffo read that

any rocks u use MUST NOT have lime in them.....it kills fish...so try the vinegar test but always try identify the rocks u want to use first just as a precaution

Tek

 

[Dave]

Thanks everyone. I quite like dragonslair's idea. I never thought about f/w lochs before. I have to go and have a look for some rocks there. I live next to a beach but there are several lochs a small drive away.

Not sure what aquarium disenfectant is though? Should I still do the boiling thing what about the vinegar test?

 

[Tanked]

vinegar test, always when pulling rocks from nature, boiling is always a good idea to for at least 20 mintes to be sure that you get all of the sedment that may be in microscopic cracks out.

 

[teknikz]

ive just found this....

The most natural décor for aquariums are rock formations. However, before you dig up your neighbor's backyard, or haul the most colorful ones from the beach, consider that unless you really know rocks, there is the possibility that you will be decorating your tank with something poisonous to your fishes. The best place to acquire rocks is your reputable local fish vendor.

rocks for tanks


Tek

 

[Jamnog]

im not shure vinigar is a strong enough acid. my dad likes to use sulfuric.