I want to add a rock to my tank. It does not change the water PH after I've had it submerged for a week. API Nitrate test bottle 1 does not producbubbling. It does have some road tar on it. Will that harm any fish I want to add?
Rocks.
- Thread starter BJBart
- Start date
ClownLurch
Fish Gatherer
Me neither
Aspen35
Fish Crazy
Not sure what you mean about the nitrate test… ? It’s good that it hadn’t affected the PH, but if it has residue on it I would strongly reccomend against putting it into your tank. Better to be safe than sorry
Uberhoust
Fish Herder
It would really depend on the age of the road tar. If it is reasonably new it will have a large amount of volatile hydrocarbons that may leach into the water. If it is old there will be hardly any VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) left in the material, and it would likely be OK, but you would never be 100% sure and anything that goes wrong you may incorrectly attribute to the rock.
If it was me I wouldn't use it or I would take a rock chisel and remove the tar, but that is because of an over abundance of caution (plus I collect rocks so I literally have tons)
In the 60s before silicones were popular people and companies used tar for setting the glass in aquariums, I myself had an chrome steel and tar fish tank until just a few years ago.
It is a risk, I believe it would be low, but it is still there.
If it was me I wouldn't use it or I would take a rock chisel and remove the tar, but that is because of an over abundance of caution (plus I collect rocks so I literally have tons)
In the 60s before silicones were popular people and companies used tar for setting the glass in aquariums, I myself had an chrome steel and tar fish tank until just a few years ago.
It is a risk, I believe it would be low, but it is still there.
Thanks. 50 years ago you never tested rocks. You seen a nice one and put it in.
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Keep in mind the only and best way to know about a roch is to test it with hydrochhloric acid that will detect any limestone or chalky rock where vinegar and lemon juice are ineffective.
And no, I would not take the least risk. Fishes will suffer the consequences.
And no, I would not take the least risk. Fishes will suffer the consequences.
I would be more concerned about the tar that might be on it. You could put it in a container of water and see if an oily film appears on the water surface. if it does, then the tar is leaching into the water and the rock should not go into an aquarium.
To test rocks for calcium, pour some vinegar on the rock and see if it fizzes or bubbles. If it does, the vinegar is reacting with the calcium in the rock.
Rocks that have calcium in will raise the pH and slightly raise the GH. Limestone and sandstone have calcium in, most other rocks do not.
To test rocks for calcium, pour some vinegar on the rock and see if it fizzes or bubbles. If it does, the vinegar is reacting with the calcium in the rock.
Rocks that have calcium in will raise the pH and slightly raise the GH. Limestone and sandstone have calcium in, most other rocks do not.
Thanks.
API nitrate bottle #1 contains 14% hydrochloric acid (look at the safety data sheet on API's website).
Acids react with carbonates in the presence of water, liberating carbon dioxide. Using an acid, usually acetic acid in vinegar, is a way to test for calcium carbonate in rocks. Colin_T mentioned using vinegar, but any acid including API nitrate bottle #1 will work.
If you have any bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) in the kitchen, try testing it for yourself. Bicarb/baking soda is sodium hydrogen carbonate.
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