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I am finally getting to the garden nursery to pick up some rocks (is this a good place to get rocks?) this weekend and i was wondering how do you know if the rocks are gng to be too heavy for your tank?
i dont want them to fall through the bottom.. or created leaks in seals (ive read this before!)

i have a 55g tank with peacock cichlids and a bn and need some hiding places as they are getting territorial ...

also what type of rocks would i need to raise the ph ?

thanks!

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

The rocks should be OK providing you/they do the testing to make sure they are aquarium safe. As far as weight it totally depends on the size and type of rock.

You tank should be sitting in a solid base as well as a 15-20mm styrene foam base.

What also can be done is place a 10mm styrene sheet on the base of the tank from the inside, this keeps the rocks directly off the botom glass.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

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The best rock for raising Ph and hardness is Limestone. I'm not sure what tests Keithgh has in mind to test aquarium-safe rocks, other than the vinegar test which limestone will fail, as it's supposed to because you want a rock that reacts with acid to make the water more alkaline. Testing for toxins and such is beyond the average home-aquarists capabilities.

A sheet of styrene on the bottom of the tank is a good idea. Consider that your tank is currently holding about 450-500 lbs of water, gravel/sand, and equipment. You should be able to put an additional 20 or so lbs of rock in there without problems. Make sure when you stack them that they are stable and won't go toppling over. Using some aquarium silicone or epoxy putty might be a good idea if this is a concern.

Hoping that there must be a word for everything I mean...

An additional point to the ones which have already been pointed towards (does that make sense to anyone else but me )...is that the rocks want not only a good sturdy base to keep from falling over (and YES!!! use silicone) but also to help further spread out the weight of the structures you build so it's not directed towards one point on the glass.

^_^

thanks for all your replies!

i will try and spread them throughout the tank...
i remember when i started the tank (it was a second hand tank) it only came with very minimal styro foam which we spread on the bottom.. however thinking about it now im wishing i had made sure the bottom of the tank was fully covered

what is the silicone used for ? glueing the rocks together?
sorry but ive never used rocks before or bothered to aquascape!

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

You are right on. It is for holding the rocks in place. That way if you have fish that like to dig you have less chance of them crushing themselves.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

thanks.. i wouldnt have thought of that.. i would have just balanced them as best as i could ...

thanks for all your help! hopefully ill get my hands in there in the next couple of weeks and will post the results!

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

Very cool. Pictures are great!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Hi carpe_diem
I have a quite a few river stones in my 298L (79g) and a very heavy limestone rock in the middle. My tank hasn't suffered at all for having these in it. They have been in for 2 years now. You can really make some nice landscaping with rocks including shelters/caves. Have fun! Post some pics when your rocks are in place.
Cheers
BubbleLover

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My Fish like swimming all day long,
They love my bubbles 'pop' on their bum!
http://photos.yahoo.com/shedevil_90

thanks bubbles
you have a really nice tank by the way!

i tried to get some rocks from the plant nursery on the weekend. hoping they would have pond rocks but they didnt
so will hopefully get to the aquarium this weekend to pick some up...

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

If you can't find any rocks at your plant nursery, try a soil supplier, that's where I got my river stones....
I cleaned mine and had them soaking in a bucket of tank water for about a week before putting them in my tank.
Had no problems.
Cheers
BubbleLover

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My Fish like swimming all day long,
They love my bubbles 'pop' on their bum!
http://photos.yahoo.com/shedevil_90