# Aquarium Safe Rock/Stone



## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

I was just wondering what type of stone/rock I can add to a cichlid tank?

I was thinking of going to homedepot to check out what they have tomorrow.

I got flagstone from them for one of my tank and it seems fine. Not sure what else can go in.

Thanks


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## Philip.Chan.92 (Apr 25, 2010)

Fish_Man said:


> I was just wondering what type of stone/rock I can add to a cichlid tank?
> 
> I was thinking of going to homedepot to check out what they have tomorrow.
> 
> ...


I have tons of aquarium safe rocks, I used them all at one point or another to get a certain look. The rocks can be seen here
http://gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14480, first picture. I am selling rocks of many sizes for $1 per pound.


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

Philip.Chan.92 said:


> I have tons of aquarium safe rocks, I used them all at one point or another to get a certain look. The rocks can be seen here
> http://gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14480, first picture. I am selling rocks of many sizes for $1 per pound.


Thanks for the offer Philip but those aren't the type of rocks I want. Also that doesn't help answer the question of which type of stone/rocks are aquarium safe 

Nice tank tho


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## Philip.Chan.92 (Apr 25, 2010)

Thanks but I redid my entire tank so it looks nothing like that right now . It really depends what you're using the rocks for. If they are for plants then use lava rocks and such, easier to take root. Test your rocks by using vinegar, if it fizzes, don't use it. If it doesn't fizz, it is safe to use but some rocks change the pH so you may want to look into that. Most rocks are safe for aquarium use, it all depends where they came from and what pH you're aiming for.


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

Philip.Chan.92 said:


> Thanks but I redid my entire tank so it looks nothing like that right now . It really depends what you're using the rocks for. If they are for plants then use lava rocks and such, easier to take root. Test your rocks by using vinegar, if it fizzes, don't use it. If it doesn't fizz, it is safe to use but some rocks change the pH so you may want to look into that. Most rocks are safe for aquarium use, it all depends where they came from and what pH you're aiming for.


Take some new pictures on the new design!

Using vinegar only test for chalk in the rock/stone. chalk = raises PH. That is what I've read.

I also read that some rocks/stone change the pH that is why I'm asking which is good for a cichlid tank for those people that do know which rocks/stone are good.


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## Philip.Chan.92 (Apr 25, 2010)

Fish_Man said:


> Take some new pictures on the new design!
> 
> Using vinegar only test for chalk in the rock/stone. chalk = raises PH. That is what I've read.
> 
> I also read that some rocks/stone change the pH that is why I'm asking which is good for a cichlid tank for those people that do know which rocks/stone are good.


Cichlids mostly like neutral waters, only certain specialty fish require different pH. The rocks I use are granite, which is completely neutral, my pH is the same as the tap water pH. What rocks are you looking for? I have a huge variety, varying from a few of the rarer pinkish orange ones to grey and combinations of the two. You can't go wrong with these rocks since they do not affect the pH at all and won't mess up your balance.


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

Philip.Chan.92 said:


> Cichlids mostly like neutral waters, only certain specialty fish require different pH. The rocks I use are granite, which is completely neutral, my pH is the same as the tap water pH. What rocks are you looking for? I have a huge variety, varying from a few of the rarer pinkish orange ones to grey and combinations of the two. You can't go wrong with these rocks since they do not affect the pH at all and won't mess up your balance.


really? I read that cichlids like higher pH around 7.8 - 8.8. Not that they can't handle neutral or lower pH but its ideal at higher pH.

Do you have cichlids besides the ones you've just got?

Also do you have pictures of your huge variety of rocks/stone.


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## Philip.Chan.92 (Apr 25, 2010)

I will upload pictures later today. Of my new tank and my rocks


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

Philip.Chan.92 said:


> I will upload pictures later today. Of my new tank and my rocks


sounds good

thanks


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## trailblazer295 (Mar 7, 2010)

Quartz and granite rocks won't alter your water chemistry. Other types may raise your PH which depending on your fish is fine.


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

trailblazer295 said:


> Quartz and granite rocks won't alter your water chemistry. Other types may raise your PH which depending on your fish is fine.


GBR is what I'm keeping in it.

Where is a good place to get quartz or granite?

Thanks


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

The rock I've been using for decades are from the area around Prince Edward County...
http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&sour....952788,-77.048492&spn=0.255071,0.609741&z=11

mostly from near the end of Long Point Rd.






















































hmmm...I should take some more full tank shots.....


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

Fish_Man said:


> GBR is what I'm keeping in it.
> 
> Where is a good place to get quartz or granite?
> 
> Thanks


find a local landscape place and ask to buy their scrap pieces....ask for a discount maybe?


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

Riceburner said:


> The rock I've been using for decades are from the area around Prince Edward County...
> http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&sour....952788,-77.048492&spn=0.255071,0.609741&z=11
> 
> mostly from near the end of Long Point Rd.
> ...


amazing pictures, fish, and decoration!!

where did you buy the stones?


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## trailblazer295 (Mar 7, 2010)

I got a bag of granite pieces from betz cut stone on warden. They said pick out what you want and it cost me around 7 bucks for 50lbs.


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

trailblazer295 said:


> I got a bag of granite pieces from betz cut stone on warden. They said pick out what you want and it cost me around 7 bucks for 50lbs.


50lbs !! for only 7 bucks? how long ago was this??

haha I'll drop by today. whats the exact address or can I find it online?

Thanks


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

Fish_Man said:


> amazing pictures, fish, and decoration!!
> 
> where did you buy the stones?


thanks.

...see top of post...Prince Edward County by the lakeshore.


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## trailblazer295 (Mar 7, 2010)

was 3/4 of clear plastic bag they give you, it had some solid weight to it. It was a month or two ago, they were building a granite wall and these were scarp pieces left over. They address is online its warden and finch area.


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

thank you both Riceburner and trailblazer295.

I will visit both today if I can make it there after work.

Thanks!

Found the address

2947 Kennedy Rd. Hope that is right


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## trailblazer295 (Mar 7, 2010)

Sounds right my mistake, it is Kennedy not warden.


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

trailblazer295 said:


> Sounds right my mistake, it is Kennedy not warden.


ok thanks

hope I can get me some granite


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## Philip.Chan.92 (Apr 25, 2010)

Fish_Man said:


> ok thanks
> 
> hope I can get me some granite


I double checked with the guy where I got them from, all my rocks are granite and are completely neutral, will not mess with your pH. Here is a pic of them, I bake them in the sun and they get burning hot, this kills all the bacteria and microbes then I clean them with a strong water pressure washer to clean them , overkill I know, but I don't take risks when it comes to my fish and other people's fish  . They range from the size of a tennis ball to the size of a volleyball (size of 4 fists). I am selling them $1 per pound. Here a pic of some.  I just cleaned my backyard today so some leaves and such flew onto the rocks, no biggie though, just soak these rocks in a warm water for a few minutes when you get home.


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## bae (May 11, 2007)

Fish_Man said:


> really? I read that cichlids like higher pH around 7.8 - 8.8. Not that they can't handle neutral or lower pH but its ideal at higher pH.


Rift lake African cichlids and central American cichlids come from moderately hard to very hard, moderately to very alkaline waters. African riverine cichlids and South American cichlids mostly come from soft to very soft acidic to neutral waters. That said, most but not all cichlids are adaptable to non-optimal pH and hardness as long as they stay relatively steady. Toronto tap water (Lake Ontario) isn't particularly hard or soft, and only mildly alkaline, so most cichlids do well in it, although some black water species may need softer water to breed successfully.

The most important issue is to keep the water clean and parameters like hardness and pH steady.

Rams come from the Orinoco and prefer soft water. The will do fine in Toronto water, so don't go out of your way to change pH or hardness.


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## bae (May 11, 2007)

Most of Riceburner's rocks (the more or less flat ones with rounded edges) appear to come from the Black River Limestone Formation. I have some similar ones I picked up near the train station in Kingston years ago. The pink rock in the bottom center of the full tank pic is granite.

Philip's rocks are typical glacial till from southern Ontario, containing rocks of many origins. They are often sold for landscaping. While most of them are granitic, more or less, I can see several that are probably limestone, so it wouldn't hurt to do a vinegar test if you want to add them to a tank with fish that don't prefer hard water.


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## Philip.Chan.92 (Apr 25, 2010)

bae said:


> Most of Riceburner's rocks (the more or less flat ones with rounded edges) appear to come from the Black River Limestone Formation. I have some similar ones I picked up near the train station in Kingston years ago. The pink rock in the bottom center of the full tank pic is granite.
> 
> Philip's rocks are typical glacial till from southern Ontario, containing rocks of many origins. They are often sold for landscaping. While most of them are granitic, more or less, I can see several that are probably limestone, so it wouldn't hurt to do a vinegar test if you want to add them to a tank with fish that don't prefer hard water.


You are free to do any tests for the rocks at my house, just make sure you bring w/e it is you need to test them with. These rocks are mostly granite with sometimes a bit of a mix of limestone but not enough to significantly affect the pH, I've used most of those stone before and they didn't make my pH even budge.


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

some nice stones you got there. But I already went to the stone yard today and got myself some granite. Only .49 cent / lb  End up paying only $34 for 64lbs of rock.

now to figure out how to break it into smaller pieces.


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

it will be hard work breaking the granite pieces.

some of my African tank...









and the other side....with a rock I've had since I was a kid....








...my Alien rock.


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

any suggestion on how to break it?


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## bae (May 11, 2007)

Fish_Man said:


> any suggestion on how to break it?


Whatever you do, WEAR SAFETY GLASSES!

For random pieces, hit them with a sledge. Wrap the stone in a rag first, to minimize flying shards. You might be able to make more controlled breaks with a small sledge and a cold chisel. Get the kind of cold chisel that protects your hand if you miss. WEAR SAFETY GLASSES!


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## Philip.Chan.92 (Apr 25, 2010)

bae said:


> Whatever you do, WEAR SAFETY GLASSES!
> 
> For random pieces, hit them with a sledge. Wrap the stone in a rag first, to minimize flying shards. You might be able to make more controlled breaks with a small sledge and a cold chisel. Get the kind of cold chisel that protects your hand if you miss. WEAR SAFETY GLASSES!


Lol you have to break them? Problem with that is that you're not gonna get the shapes that you want and the rocks will not be rounded, they WILL have sharp edges so watch out for that. Never broke rocks before lol but best of luck and be safe


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

+1 to bae's suggestions. Then use it to clean up any really sharp edges.


I prefer rough pieces, not sharp though, not round as it aids in stacking....lots of grip points


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

I wouldn't want round stones either.. not the best way to stack.

Anyone with a sledgehammer I can borrow


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

Some rock advice:

1. use lighter rocks that are porous. For several reasons. If your tank is already overstocked, adding a lot of rock decreases the amount of water in your tank severely then your 29g which was overstocked becomes a 19g that is absurdly overstocked. Remember that pollution/dilution thing. Second, the total weight is less, while giving you that rocky look. Also porous rocks host beneficial bacteria inside. I like the red lava rock. I used to buy it from Mike at finatics rather than big als. Cheaper that way.

2. use the fluorescent-light-diffusers 1"-squares plastic grid stuff commonly referred to as "egg crate" (no, it's not the stuff your eggs come in!) on the bottom of your tank, then add gravel over top. It costs about $8 for a 2 foot by 4 foot piece, at any home improvement store. This will prevent a rock that falls 4" to the bottom of the tank (possibly knocked over by a boisterous fish) from cracking the bottom of your tank.

W


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

If you're keeping Blue Rams in a tank it's not considered a cichlid tank (I dont know why... Why is red licorice called licorice when there's no licorice in it? Exactly!). "Cichlid tank" is Malawi/Victoria/Tanganyika. Why?  but just remember because people will be confused and advise you as to stuff that will actually not be ideal for your setup. 

Betz is the place to go. You should try to stick to soft rounded rocks. A really good choice for rams for their spawning habits as well as it's attractiveness and range of sizes (plus they're round) is mexican beach pebble. Another great looking rock IMO is pink granite. If that's not your thing there's also a white/grey granite.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

Why wouldn't keeping Blue Rams be considered a (South American) cichlid tank? 

When people say cichlid tank, I usually ask for clarification whether they mean African or South American


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

thanks for all the information  

already got the gray granite last week.


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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

AquariAM said:


> Betz is the place to go. You should try to stick to soft rounded rocks. A really good choice for rams for their spawning habits as well as it's attractiveness and range of sizes (plus they're round) is mexican beach pebble. Another great looking rock IMO is pink granite. If that's not your thing there's also a white/grey granite.


I agree with Aquarium here... Betz is a great place.. Also so is arnts on Brock road north of rossland... I went in there and got a nice pink granite rock and a whole bunch of nice river rock/creek rock and it looks awesome... 135 lbs of nice size flat pieces for $16.40


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

fish_luva said:


> I agree with Aquarium here... Betz is a great place.. Also so is arnts on Brock road north of rossland... I went in there and got a nice pink granite rock and a whole bunch of nice river rock/creek rock and it looks awesome... 135 lbs of nice size flat pieces for $16.40


how did I end up paying $35 for 60lb of granite


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## Byronicle (Apr 18, 2009)

Riceburner said:


> The rock I've been using for decades are from the area around Prince Edward County...
> http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&sour....952788,-77.048492&spn=0.255071,0.609741&z=11
> 
> mostly from near the end of Long Point Rd.
> ...


are those live plants you are keeping?


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## Byronicle (Apr 18, 2009)

Fish_Man said:


> any suggestion on how to break it?


yea definitely wear safety goggles, i had a chip of rock lodged into my cheek. it wasn't fun but at least my eyes were protected


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Darkblade48 said:


> Why wouldn't keeping Blue Rams be considered a (South American) cichlid tank?
> 
> When people say cichlid tank, I usually ask for clarification whether they mean African or South American


Cichlid tank is a Tanganyikan/Malawi/Victoria tank. That's it. 
That's if we're using universal terminology.

CA or SA Cichlid tanks are not considered cichlid tanks. Why? I don't know. Why do you get six buns and five hot dogs?


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