how to test if outside rock is safe

**guzmandevin** · 04-23-2012, 07:42 PM

i know this isent diy but i dident know where else to put it. I got some rock for my new 65 gal that i recently set up i dont know how to test if its aquarium safe besides the vinigar because i heard that doesent work to well. The rock doesent have any shiny specs(visable minerals) and overall looks fine but i dont wanna put it into my tank and all my fish end up dieing.

**Cliff** · 04-23-2012, 09:03 PM

I've always found the vinegar test has worked very well for me in the past.

Where are you getting information stating it doesn't work well ? I would be interested to read up on that.

**190MPH** · 04-24-2012, 02:22 AM

Just because a rock fizzes from such a test, it doesn't make it unsafe. It is only telling you that there is something in it that may raise the hardness of your water. And for those of us who keep African cichlids, that is a good thing! Texas holey rock is basically pure limestone and would fizz like mad when tested, but you'll find it in many tanks.

**Lady Hobbs** · 04-24-2012, 02:57 AM

I pick up rocks here and there and most of the time don't bother testing them at all. I don't live in a limestone area so don't worry about the field rocks I find.

**guzmandevin** · 04-24-2012, 03:01 AM

I am gonna have a mbuna tank xD im just paranoid that ima comr home to all my fish dead after i put rock in xD i alreadt steralized the rock(boiled it) but still not sure if i can put it in

**guzmandevin** · 04-24-2012, 03:03 AM

I think im gonna put one of the rocks in and see if any water paramaters change withen a week

**lizzyuru** · 05-01-2012, 02:53 PM

There are a couple main rocks that would raise the pH of the water of your tank. Limestone and Dolomite (found richly in Midwest America). They are both Carbonates and that is why they fizz in the vinegar. Now sometimes the fizz reaction is not very prevelant. If you want to be super sure that your rock wont change your pH you have to look very closely in bright light for any fizzing. I submerged mine in vinegar. Also I tested every part of the rock if there was another substance making up the rock. But the real way to test the rocks is by using a diluted HCL solution. The stronger acid the better the reaction, the more accurate the results. Now if you had a Cichlid tank that needed a higher pH using these rocks would be perfect (as long as it didnt raise it too much if you already had your water set where you wanted it). Also it is said the carbonate rocks could just raise the pH of the water only by a few decimals. If you really wanted to use one you could always leave it in a bucket of water and leave it for a few days to a week and test the pH to see if it would stay in your peramiters.

Another concern of rocks is iron content. Obviously using Iron Pyrite would be right out. There are many rocks that contain Iron but most are in the oxidized form (rust). In most cases it would pose no threat to the fish, but there are always extreme cases. And rust will discolor your water.

There are many stones you can buy tumbled that would not be suitable and are poisonous to fish as well as humans. Malachite is one of these which are easily dissolved in water and are highly toxic.

And some Shale, though usually crumbles in water, also can give out petroleum in the water.

Now is all of this really necissary? I have no idea. Some people, like me, like to over think things. There are things to look out for but finding your own rocks can be rewarding, and rocks make your aquarium one of a kind (as there are no 2 rocks exactly the same shape) And you can pick and choose your own rocks for your perfect aquascape. It is always frusterating to find that perfect rock is reactive though. If any of this is innacurate I apologize, it is just a summery of my found rock research