# Lace Rock and Shrimp



## Gordonrichards (Apr 28, 2009)

Hi, I'm setting up another shrimp tank, as my last one became an algae infested mess.

This time around I'm doing things right... hopefully.

I ended up buying some lace rock from the LFS. Lots of little holes. Its the volcanicish type looking lace rock.

My shrimp loved volcanic rock, and some algae liked to populate the little cracks.

Does anyone know if the rock changes the ph drastic? Current parameters are around 6.0-6.5 since.

-Gordon


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## JohnPaul (Aug 28, 2006)

Well after doing a little searching online, what I discovered is there are a number of different kinds of rocks that go by the informal name of "lace rock." Some of them are completely inert and won't change pH or hardness of your water at all; others are essentially a calcium carbonate based rock that will lead to an increase in both pH and hardness.

Unfortunately since all sorts of people are calling all sorts of different things "lace rock," I wasn't able to really figure out how to distinguish the one from the other. 

Best advice I could give if you were concerned about it would be to fill a bucket with water, let it sit overnight (initial gas equilibrium with atmosphere), measure pH & hardness (KH/GH), then dump all your lace rock in the bucket, let it sit for maybe a week, and then measure pH & hardness again.


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## Gordonrichards (Apr 28, 2009)

Just put it into the tank. I figured I would have to wait a few days.
It looks cool, I'll have to take photos of my tank for the forum one day.


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## Big Dog (Nov 30, 2009)

Yes post some pictures.


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## wicca27 (Oct 13, 2008)

get some vinager and put a few drops on the rock if it fizzes it will change the ph simple at home acid test. i think it is lime if it fizzes. google it though. i tested some cool rockes this way and was not able to use them for that reason


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## JohnPaul (Aug 28, 2006)

What kind of shrimp? If they are anything from the _Neocaridina_ genus (Red Cherry, Yellow, Blue Pearl, or Snowball) then even if the rock WAS made from calcium carbonate, it probably wouldn't matter since those shrimp all prefer water that is harder and on the alkaline side of the spectrum. I keep several of those species in tanks with a pH 7.6 and moderately hard water and they do quite well.

Now, if you are dealing with Crystal Red/Crystal Black/Bee shrimp, Tigers, Bumblebee, or most of the other _Caridina_ shrimps, then they like softer more acidic water, so the last thing you would want are calcium carbonate based rocks in your tank.


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## Gordonrichards (Apr 28, 2009)

Cherry shrimps!


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## JohnPaul (Aug 28, 2006)

Gordonrichards said:


> Cherry shrimps!


You're fine then, even if the rock does release some hardness & raise the pH a bit, it won't bother your Red Cherrys one bit.


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