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I just found a really cool rock that I am going to put in
my aquarium. I know that "standard procedure" is to boil
the rock for a while, but what else is there to do?

I have boiled the rock for about 30 minutes already. Is
there something elese I should do besides scrub it?
Thanks!


~Morgan~

If you dont want it to raise the ph of the aquarium, then i suggest you test it with vinegar. If it bubbles, then it willraise the ph.

For even better, you can put a covering of silicone on the outer layer, just enough.

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Is there any chance that there'd be pesticides or herbacides or fertalizers used in your yard either by you or the previous owner if you've moved in recently? If so I'd say give it a very good scrub with aquarium salt.

Boiling will kill any nasties that may be living in a crack in the rock somewhere, it's usually more important for wood than rock but rock soup never hurt anyone.

The vinegar test is important for some fish that are sensitive to fluctuations in the PH.

Sounds like you found a good find always great to get the free aquascaping materials .

^_^

Thanks for the ideas!

I already have a high PH (8.2) so would it rise the PH anymore or not (if it tests + for the vinegar)?


~Morgan~

Just out of curiosity what type of rock is it?
If you don't know then a description of the rock or location of where you live may help to identify it. I collect all of rocks and I put many in my fish tanks.

-Vincent

The rock tested negitive for the vinegar, so it won't
raise my Ph.

Babel: no there was no pesticides used here. But just to
be safe, how would you scrub it with rock salt? could I
just dissolve some rock salt in a tub an then let is soak?

Budzilla: I don't really know how to describe the rock but
I will post a picture soon.

Hey, just now I got a great idea! My rock is shaped
like a dragon's head, and it even has a little dent/hole
where the eye would be. I think I might silicon a glassy
rock in there so it would look more like a dragon! I do
have dif. color rocks so I will take pics for the dif.
colors and then you guys could say what looks best.

Pics coming soon!


~Morgan~

Here is the link:
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m99/MoFish_11525/rocks.jpg
all 4 pics. are in that one link.
I think I might be reconcidering my "great" idea .
After seeing how they look with the stone in the "eye socket"
I think I like 'dragon rock' just the way it is.
BUT I would still like to know all of your opinions.
Thanks.


~Morgan~

That is nice rock for the tank because it has good texture, I think it may be some worn shale but its hard to tell. I don't think you should add the shiny pebble, it would take away from how good it looks on its wn.

-Vincent

oOOoo that is a nice looking rock.

AFAIK shale is usually black, similar to slate but it looks 'softer'...but Franks our resident rocks expert.

The reason for the salt is to have something to scrub with. Not everyone has aquarium salt but it's the best since it's safe for tanks. Just take a bucket with a little water and some salt place the rock in it and scrub with it. It'd loosen any particles. If you don't have aquarium salt baking Soda (arm & hammer or generic) would be safe to help with a scrub. Then be sure to rinse it under the tap well.

^_^

Thanks Vincent and Babel for complementing my rock ()!
Babel, I do have some rock salt that I could use for the scrub,
but I will just use the baking soda and rinse it after.

I will try to get some pictures of it in my tank, but it might
be a while (and no, I am not going to do the "eye".
Thanks


~Morgan~

Shale can be all sorts of colors depending on where it is formed, it can range from light yellowish brown down to pitch black. The darker it is, the more organic molecules it has dou to carbon, also the darker variety tends to form in deeper areas of the ocean. But you find it out of the water because it is brought up by tectonism.
Probably doesn't matter what rock it is as long as it looks good.

-Vincent

Good to learn bud !

Oh and I do agree that it might do better without the jewel. If you decide later you want to add it it'll be no problem. But if you decide you don't like it then it'll leave the silicone mark on the rock for quite some time ...
If you do decide to use the jewel you might want a slightly larger one for the eye .

^_^

Sweet Rock! Looks like a crown to me!

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Thanks everyone for the replys! It is official that I am not
doing the eye 'jewel': I like the rock just the way it is.

I placed it in my tank where the "nose" is facing up because
I couldn't get it to fit! Here are the tank pictures (they
are a little dark but it was either that or a huge glare
from the flash).

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m99/MoFish_11525/rockintank002.jpg

Pretty soon I am doing a makeover for the tank and getting
some live plants. I am also getting rid of the green
gravel and putting black gravel in. It is going to look
pretty neet: I am going to have a 'plant bed' with sand...
it is kinda hard to explain:
here is a link to a basic idea of what it is going to look
like:
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m99/MoFish_11525/20gnew-top.jpg

Any one have any other suggestions? (as far as landscaping
goes)? The Java moss on the back is going to be a moss wall
that I found off of aquamoss.net.

Here are some other pictures the tank that I just had to
take: my fish was actually coming out of her rock cave!

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m99/MoFish_11525/rockintank007.jpg

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m99/MoFish_11525/rockintank006.jpg

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m99/MoFish_11525/rockintank003.jpg

And yes, I know that the fish is too big an active for
that tank, but I did 'rescue' her from her previous owner
who had 2 of those fish in a 10 gallon tank!!! One of them
died, and I rescued her. So she is going it alone in my 20g.


~Morgan~

If i am seeing it right(the light is low) thats a rift lake cichlid that needs to be kept in a tank of about 30 gallons atleast with hard alkaline water. so just moving up in size is not good enough.

-Vincent

I know that I need a bigger aquarium for her, but I just
don't have one nor could I afford one. I have no one that
I know whom I could give it to who has a big enough aquarium.
You still have to admit that it was OKAY for me to rescue
her from being in a 10 gallon aquarium with another fish
her size and bumping her up to a 20, or do you think I should
have just left her there? Sorry for being rude/harsh, but
I did do that fish a favor.

Here is the fish's ID
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=756


~Morgan~

I don't blame you. I would have done the same, I can't stand seeing fish in those conditions, I am just saying in its new environment it will have to have hard alkaline water with mostly rocks that do sizzle under vinegar such as limestone. This probably means the fish will be isolated since most fish would not do as good in that sort of water.

-Vincent

Actually I think it is much more likely that your fish is Melanochromis Johannii rather than Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos. It's much more common. I think it should be fine in a 20 gallon.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=760

Thanks Ethan for the reply,
I still think it is M.Johanii ! But I did look closely
at the pictures, and The Johanii have more of a 'domed' head,
while M.cyaneorhabdos has a slight 'dent' in their heads, like my fish.
And there is also the possibility that I do have a female
and the females of Johanii are orangy/yellow.

Well, I don't think it really matters that much:
He/She is in my aquarium and is going no where (that is
unless I find a sutible owner for 'it')


~Morgan~

Does any one have any suggestion for the landscaping?


~Morgan~