Help with Stones!

[TehTANK]

Stones, stones and more stones! I am not sure what would be best for a fish tank that wouldn't hurt my levels or my fish. What do you guys think and use?

Michigan Sandstone (1'-2" irregular wallstone)

Michigan Sandstone (2"-3" irregular flagstone)

Canadian Flagstone (1&1/2 to 2" thick irregular)

Canadian Wallstone (4" to 8" thick)

Chilton Flagstone

Chilton Wallstone

Tumbled Chilton Wallstone

4" Finshed Wallstone (uniform thickness)

Weathered Limestone

Blue Slate (3/4" thick-irregular)

Cut Blue Slate (3/4" thick - cut on 4 sides)

Black Slate (3/4" thick - cut on 2 sides)

Granite Flagstone (2" - 3" thick irregular)

Dove Grey Flagstone (1-11/2" irregular)

Mint Mist Flagstone (1-11/2" irregular)

Rusty Flagstone (1-11/2" irregular)

Black Knight Flagstone (1-11/2" irregular)

Steel Gray Flagstone (1-11/2" irregular)

Aqua Blue Flagstone

Carderock Garden Wall

Carderock Veneer

Pennsylvania Antique Wallstone

Pennsylvania Irregular

Cut Pennsylvania Bluestone (12"-36" pieces)

Tumbled Blue Stone (smooth Irregular)

Tumbled Pennsylvania (1"-2" smooth irregular)

[Lady Hobbs]

NorthernBoy posted you the other day a great post about stones. Did you see it?

[Incredulous_Ed]

I like slate the best, and it won't affect water quality. Just don't use limestone

[NorthernBoy]

i disagree. if you have a cichlid tank limestone is very good. it works as a buffer. penn. bluestone is good. most sandstone is fine but check with the quarry/landscaper on the composition of the rock. most of the rocks you named are not actual rock names but names the landscape business gives rocks to make them sound better. tumbled stone is great as it is rounded at the edges so the fish have no sharp edges to cut themselves on. I use penn. bluestone that is tumbled in my tank and am happy. As the landscaper if they have a random piece box. You can usually get fragments for about $0.10 a pound. Thats $5 for a whole lot of rock!!!

[TehTANK]

That is what I am going for. A lot of stone for little cost. That is why I want to go to a landscaper to begin with. Yes Hobbs I read it but I am very very leary about this whole ordeal. I don't know why but I just really want to make sure and that is why I reposted to see what others had to say. I figured this was a forum for comfort and information. That is what I am looking for here in my second post. I am just going to have to do the viniger test and hope for the best I guess. Thanks for all the help guys. I appreciate it. I am thinking about going tomorrow and finding some rock. I have bid on a some driftwood on Ebay that I really hope I get. It is a really sweet piece with two large loops of root for the fish to swim through. It is just the peice I have been looking for. Anyway, I will keep you all updated. Thanks!

[Lady Hobbs]

You're doing things just the right way......researching. Saves a bunch of bucks in the end to do it the right way in the beginning. You'll do fine and your tank will be The Bomb!

[f1oored]

If you are talking about south american cichlids, like oscars, you don't want your rocks to buffer your pH. South American fish like acidic water and you will want to find inert rocks. But Northern Boy is right if he was (and I'm sure he was) refering to African Cichlids which like a higher pH. If you are setting up an African Cichlid tank then rocks that bubble under vinegar are probably good and limestone would be perfect.

[TehTANK]

Well I got my stones. They are freaking awesome! I am gluing them right now with Aquarium Safe Silicone. It is pretty sweet looking. I will post some photos as soon as I get it in the tank and what not. I also have a piece of driftwood coming to me in the mail that I got off ebay. I am going to be soaking that for a few days though just to be safe. They said it is aquarium ready but I want to be safe just in case. Anyway, just wanted to let you guys know.

[NorthernBoy]

Congrats!!! We are all excited to see the tank.

[Lady Hobbs]

Don't hold out on us now. What kind of stones did you get? You got me all excited here and then didn't say nuttin' honey.

I love your excitement over this tank and can't wait for the pictures to come rolling in. Driftwood will lower the pH.......so it claims. Altho I have driftwood in my tanks and it didn't drop the pH at all.

[TehTANK]

The wait is over! Here are some pics of the tank with the rock in it. I took me a little while to set it up the way I wanted and to get them glued together but Here is the final product. Tell me what you guys think!!

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/ffanzone/TankwithRocksandfish.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/ffanzone/TankwithRocks.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/ffanzone/Bubba5.jpg

[f1oored]

That looks really good. I'm glad it turned out so well.

[TehTANK]

Thanks man! I appreciate that. I am almost done with the set up. I just have to get a piece of Driftwood. I am working on that though. What does everyone else think???