CHoffman

Hey folks,
I found out my rocks were not safe from my scientist buddy..they had pyrite in them..go figure. ...At least I found out before I put fish in there..I took a piece of rock to him to let him inspect it..So all of it is out and I'm back to just sand..I went to the local landscaping company today and got 300 lbs of River rock...Awesome pieces..they are flat and oval and will work perfect for stacking...Anyway..Guess how much I paid......Give up...$15.00..My husband thought that was WAY to cheap so he paid $30.00..lol....He said he didn't want to rip the guy off so if we need some again he'll give us good deal. Anyway..We paid 30 dollars for 300 lbs of rock.(could of paid 15.00)..Not bad huh??..

cerianthus

any pics? Maybe perfect for mbunas as in their natural habitat, Lake Malawi?
Pyrite? Iron, Huh, you have a friend who is geologist? Cool!
BTW, $.10/lbs, what a good deal?

agabr123

that's awesome!!!!! i bought rocks for my 20 gallon and that probably cost me about fifteen bucks

CHoffman

I don't have any pics right now, They are still loaded up in the back of my mini van..lol..Hubby had to go back to work and I'm not carrying them in by myself. .....This tank is for mbuna's so it should work out perfect. He's not a geologist..Actually I'm not certain what he is..lol..He works at our State Wildlife and Parks Department he works with fish and all state lakes and rivers and what not..But he is obsessed with rock.

cerianthus

Cool! Even as hobby, it help you save fish as high Iron content would def pose a threat to fish. Would not leave 300lbs sitting in mini van for long either. Hush! Dont let them find out what you are using for otherwise price might jump DRASTICALLY, lol!

Lucy

I find this interesting, how does one tell there is pyrite in rock?

CHoffman

I didn't tell them for that reason exactly...But I did tell him after the fact, I guess if your not in the aquarium hobby you don't know how expensive it is. I did some research on Pyrite and found out about the iron, I guess it can lower pH, and often times if there is pyrite it can also release copper and lead...Yikes..So I took it down to him to check it out before I put fish in there.

CHoffman

Well I noticed there were sparkles in the rock and thought nothing of it but It became more apparent after It was in the tank...Here is my thread about it. Rocks safe for aquarium use??

It ended up being pyrite..There is a link in there that I posted with info on pyrite.

Lucy

Thanks Cesch
There was a time when I was younger that I could tell different rocks a part. Those days are long gone. lol

cerianthus

I know what you mean,lol

cerianthus

Not just Iron can form Ferric cid and Ferrous acid, just high lelvel of metal could be fatal to fish, i would think! It was a good move to check it out.
Can you just imagine what could've happened if used on tank? Sigh!

CHoffman

Hmm...Was I still suppose to know..lol...I sure didn't..I think I forgot all that stuff about a month after I learned it..lol..I really thought it was nothing but decided to be safe..I'm glad I did.

CHoffman

Could have been a bad deal for sure.

MissMTS

You got such a great deal on the rocks! I wish I had done that when I set up my african cichlid tank. I was collecting rocks from fields and loading them into my dad's truck, lol. For $15 I could have saved myself a lot of work!

capekate

There are a lot of great deals on rocks if you go outside the Pet/fish store to buy them. I happen to love the look of Pink Quartz rock and when I went last week for five rocks for the new tank, which were 7 lbs. It cost me less than a dollar, I couldnt believe it! lol.. I bought them at the local garden center. I need to go back and pick up a few more...
Cesch, like the rocks you bought, saw them in another thread.. I like to make caves out of those flat rocks too.