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Can I use Pea Stone in my tank if I rinse and boil it?
I have a 155 gal. I'm setting up. Tank gravel is going to run me $75-$100 at my LFS, and the pea stone would be $20-$25 from Home depot/Lowes
Thanks

Rinsing and boiling it should certainly get rid of any dirt/contaminents etc.. I think your main concern would be if the stone will affect the pH of your tank. I think the proper procedure is to place a sample in a glass and pour an acid over it (vinegar). If it bubbles it will raise your pH. If you can't get a small amount from the store maybe just buy the smallest bag you can and try it. It is pretty cheap. Buying substrate from Home Depot/Walmart etc is a great way to cut your costs for setting up a new tank but just be careful and clean it really well to protect your fish.

lioness, thanks for your reply.
I did grab a handfull the other day and has been sittig in a glass of water. I did rinse it but not boil it. I did do the vinegar trick with no foam or bubbles. The pH hasen't changed, And also learned another trick for testing rocks! Use a drop of the #1 bottle of your Nitrate test kit, it has Hydrochloric acid in it.

We are talking about new stone and not something on a walkway somewhere right ? .

Pea gravel is fine, I've used it in a number of my tanks. It does tend to be a little larger than aquarium gravel, at least the bag I got from Homedepot was. The only drawback to this is that it's slightly more difficult in a planted tank.

Another option is Shultz's Aquatic Plant Soil. I know Homedepot has it, not sure I ever found it in Lowes. Usually kept indoors where they have all the big pots, but they might have it outside as the weather warms up. More expensive than the pea gravel but the two can mix (to a certian extent) and is better for planted tanks, much cheaper than the plant soils and I think it's better than standard aquarium gravel.
Good luck .

^_^

As an alternative, check out your local landscape supplier or bulk soil/gravel supplier.

We got 40 kg (almost 90lb) of 3-5mm gravel for the same price as a 4 kg bag from the LFS or a 10kg bag from the hardware/garden store. And it wasn't even on sale!!

They will usually have a small sample out for display and should be happy for you to take a handful home for testing / colourmatching etc. They will also usually be able to tell you where the gravel came from and be able to tell you if it is likely to be safe for use in an aquarium. (Believe your own test above all advice from retailers though - just like your LFS they are in business to make money not be your friend)

Happy shopping. GT

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.

Thank you all for your help!
I did go to Home Depot and buy the Pea gravel, it was under $4 for a 40lb bag. I have some boiling right now.

Generally, pea stone or Chattahoochee stone for construction use has a plastic coating on it and I read in a magazine not to use it because of the coating. Maybe that why Babel says its difficult to use in a planted thank.

Djrichie
"Don't Panic"

Djrichie
"So Long, and Thanks For All The Fish" Douglas Adams

No plastic

I have the pea stone from HomeDepot on several of my tanks. It looks great under normal lighting and it is fairly cheap. The major draw back is that some plants will not root in it what so ever. Other wise, I recommend it!

"There is also a Clown Pleco in this tank some where. I am telling you, HE IS IN HERE."

Never seen plastic on the stuff from the hardware stores, did notice a coating on the gravel I bought from the LFS.

The reason it's a bit 'difficult' in a planted tank is that, the one I bought anyway, the stones a bit bigger than the gravel you purchase from the LFS. Larger spaces sometimes make plants a little uncomfortable as they like to really have their roots in. Also if you've got fish that really enjoy a bit of digging they tend to uproot plants in HD gravel easier. Once the plants are firmly rooted neither of these issues should be a problem. To help prevent issues you can try heaping the gravel up a bit more around any new plantings.

My pea gravel may have been different sized from what you bought.

^_^

The coating is not something you can see, it is a very fine film. I got this info from "Aquarium Fish International", I'm trying to find which issue. They did state that plant have difficulty in rooting to it because of the film, it make the rock smooth by filling in all the little pores. But hay, if it works, it is what it is. I was just responding with info I read.

Djrichie
"Don't Panic"

Djrichie
"So Long, and Thanks For All The Fish" Douglas Adams