# Quarry Rock



## Bliasuk (Aug 12, 2010)

Hi,

I have a quarry close to where i live and was thinking about going there to source some rocks for my aquarium. Is this advised? could different rock types affect Ph?

thanks in advance


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## brutalmonk (Jun 28, 2010)

i googled it... and there was a thread here somewhere about aquarium safe rock... try to find it! usefull!

so here is the list:
Safe Rocks:

* Crystalline Quartz
* (Rock Crystal, Amethyst, Citrine, Rose Quartz, Smokey Quartz)
* Granite
* Jade
* Lava Rock
* Microcrystalline Quartz
(Jasper, Agate, Chalcedony, Sard, Carnelian)
* Onyx
* Petrified Wood
* Quartz
* Slate 

Unsafe Rocks:

* Coal
(Commercially harvested coal is treated with an oil by-product to reduce dust)
* Coral
* Dolomite
* Fools Gold
(or any other rock with metallic veins--Acid Producing)
* Fossils
* Limestone
* Marble
* Sandstone


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

I really must question the validity of that list. Most hard sandstones are very safe aquarium rock. Here in Texas almost everyone who keeps Rift Lake chiclids uses "holy rock", a native limestone that has lots of holes and cavities in it.

The safe list includes petrified wood, but the unsafe list includes fossils. Petrified wood IS a fossil!

--Michael


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

@ Michael. Holy rock, as mentioned, is limestone. It will raise the dissolved solids in your tank. Chiclids like hard water so I can see how it would not affect them. I believe the OP was referring to rock that is inert and will not effect pH, GH, & KH. Planted tanks don't react well to hard water.

@ Bliasuk - get yourself some muratic acid (available at pool stores) and put a little on the stones. If it bubbles then it will dissolve into your tank water. If you get no reaction the rock is safe. Be careful with the acid. Some people use vinegar but it's not a strong enough acid to tell for sure. What you do know is that if it reacts with vinegar then you know you don't need to use the muratic acid.


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## jlroar (Jun 21, 2007)

I respectfully also disagree with the suggested safe and unsafe rock list. Depending on what you want to do some of them are perfectly safe while others listed as safe may be very dangerous.

Granite and Lava Rock are known to contain heavy metals so for the most part these rocks really shouldn't be used in our tanks. I'm sure their are exceptions to this rule however for the most part these 2 rocks are not considered safe.

Rocks like Texas Holy Rock, Fossils, and coral can raise PH which is not always what we want to happen. Many plants we like to keep need a neutral PH. However these rocks can be used to help keep PH stable so although many suggest they shouldn't be used if used correctly they can help keep the PH stable however the problem with this is if they are overused they can cause the PH to increase way to high. So for the most part this is why these are considered not safe.

Petrified wood is NOT wood or made out of calcium but is wood that has slowly over many many thousands of years been replaced by Quartz that has mixed with other minerals to give the unique appearance we see. Quartz is considered to be safe in the aquarium in most cases.

Ultimately taking a rock from a quarry may be just as safe as getting it from the store but then again it may also kill all your fish. If this is acceptable to you then go ahead however IMO it's not worth the risk.

Best wishes,

James


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