The Executioner

Is it safe to use those? I can buy them in Home Depo I think. Do I just clean them up by washing them after I buy it? Can someone also explain to me because I really dont understand to "use vinegar" to test the rocks. Thanks for your help.

jsalemi

Put a few drops of plain white vinegar on the rock -- if it fizzes, that means it has calcium carbonate in it and it's no good for most FW tanks because it'll raise the pH as the calcium dissolves. If it doesn't fizz, it's ok.

If it's not rated for aquariums, you need to boil the rocks or gravel for about 5 minutes first, to kill off anything that may be lurking in them. The advantage to getting aquarium gravel is that the manufacturer pretty much sanitized it before packaging it, saving you the boiling step.

The Executioner

Hmm, so true about the aquarium gravel and I will listen to you to buy it instead of Home Depo gravels. On the other hand, is there any "Aquarium Big Rocks" as big as pond rocks?

jsalemi

Oh, yea, there are. You're more likely to find them at a real LFS rather than a PetSmart, but big slate and lava rocks are not hard to find. But unlike aquarium gravel, they still do need to be boiled for 5 minutes, because they're usually sold loose, not tightly packaged like the gravel. So as far as rocks are concerned, where you get them pretty much doesn't really matter.

bandito974

I've bought river rock and other rocks at a local quarry for a very cheap price, The high calcium is good if you raise cichlids, so what kind of fish do you plan to Keep?

The Executioner

Goldfishes, I have college school and goldfishes are very hardy.

bandito974

Gold fish ought to do just fine, check you local hardware store if you want pebble, if you want river rock check a quarry if you are close to one, keep in mind if you go that route be sure to rinse and re -rinse then rinse again!
b