FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Gang,

Before I even go into details, do you know if a stone called “Terrapin Green” is good for a <= 7 ph freshwater tank? I tried to find out more on the internet but all I found is that this stone is used by various masonry companies. I tried the vinegar test, but unfortunately we have only white wine vinegar at home. It didn’t bubble at all.

I would like to use these rocks in my 125G tank.

Under the assumption that it is good (it better is ) I bought 135 lbs of it, various pieces with different sizes and shapes. I arranged some of the rocks to what I think will be my centerpiece area, as I cannot find any decent driftwood anyway.

Another question would be if I have to worry about the weight. I am planning on using about 200lbs of gravel, then the 135lbs (maybe not all of it) of rocks, and – of course – the water which I would estimate at about 1000lbs to 1100lbs. The bottom of the AGA is tempered.

Thank you for your opinions and information,

Ingo

LITTLE_FISH attached this image:

There are 4 individual rocks on each side.

Last edited by LITTLE_FISH at 18-Sep-2005 17:34[/font]

---

Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Littlefish,

So your doing an "Iwagumi" rock only layout w/plants. Nice choice.

You shouldn't have any problem with the weight. I had a 25 lb boulder-type rock in my 46 w/about 100 pounds of eco and had no problem. It's on the left side in this pic of my old setup.

tetratech attached this image:


Where did you find those rocks? I'm still deciding if I want light grey type rock or petrified wood. Both will constrast with my new eco when it arrives. Suppose to be here by Tuesday.

Littlefish, this is also an interested thread of a good who did a nice job with a rock layout as his main focus. It's different because it's one big rock, but interesting to see what he did.


http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/showthread.php?t=8874

Last edited by tetratech at 18-Sep-2005 18:30[/font]

My Scapes

tetratech,

Thank you so much for this link. His tank looked best when it was not full of plants. Did you read that he ended up removing the rock?

Also, thanks for the weight information.

I am not sure if I will stick with stone only, or if I will at some point go back to wood, or maybe even both combined. It all depends if I ever will find a piece of wood that satisfies my high standards .

Where did I find the rocks? Well that is a nice story.
First I went to a garden center here in NJ and looked around their stone collection. That’s were I found these rocks, but I didn’t buy them directly. Instead I took a little sample piece that I tested with vinegar later at home.
Then I went to the masonry supply store but they were closed. While backing out with my car (SUV), I hit with my back bumper a concrete barrier that they have around their sign that is in the middle of the lot ]:| ]:|. I swear I couldn’t see the concrete as it was only as high as the bumper itself.

Well, later today I went back to the garden center and digged through the pile of rocks for just the right shape. About 30 min later I had my collection (some better than others). And I was pretty dirty .

Do you have any idea what kind of rock that is anyway (Terrapin Green)?

Ingo

---

Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Yes, that's true, he did remove the rock and put smaller ones in.

I really like that simple clean look. His end product looked like one background plant and one foreground (moss covered rocks). This look makes a large school of small fish really stand out, but to each their own.

Not sure about Terrapin Green. I had picked up some moss stone at my garden center that I used in my yard and did use one in my tank.

That's really funny about the way you found the rocks.





My Scapes

Ingo, I'm thinking the weight won't be a problem, just add it slowly and check and by all means don't drop any of it into the tanki know my 55 had close to uh 400 lbs of substrate and rock, and it's not as big and sturdy as the 125you should be good to goas far as what kind it is? heck if i know, it looks nice though Have fun and good luckheidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

Man , I would kill for nice pieces of rock like that

The ones in the pic are very similar though, are they all like that ?

Not much of problem though you can change the "shape" by covering with plants.

On the driftwood situation actually thopse rocks may help you.It is very difficult to find that perfect piece of driftwood. If you are going for the branchy look though it can be a lot easier. Having a big rock structures you don't need a big driftwood specimen. You can use a lot of individual braches or a couple of so-so pieces of wood. You can have the branches rest on the rock and other branches, leaning on one another, kinda like the supports on a tee-pee. Most of the structure is hidden behind plants and rock, all you see are the branches poking out and pointing. Amano and others do this all the time. A lot of pics you look at are actually a few regular pieces of driftwood, rather then 1 super duper piece

Last time I counted I had 8 pieces of driftwood in my tank even though it only looks like 2 or 3.

---

Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

The mind boggles as what could be done with shapes like that.
Have a look in [link=My Profile]http://
www.fishprofiles.com/interactive/forums/profile.asp?userid=6741" style="COLOR: #00FF00[/link] for my tank info

[link=My Betta desk top tank photos]http://photobucket.com/albums/b209/keithgh/" style="COLOR: #00FF00[/link]

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Thanks Guys,

I take it you like the idea.

Bensaf – Rocks are not worth killing for (except diamonds of that size). Just like you explained the magic that is done with driftwood to make 8 look like 3, I did the same and made 8 look like 2 (you must have missed my footnote under the picture). I attach a picture where I numbered the individual rocks. You can see that they are not equally shaped at all.

Keith – yeah, my mind is boggled too, as I have been playing with them for hours yesterday. It is so much fun creating new arrangements and groupings.

Heidi – Thanks for the info, given what you had in your 55G I should be fine.

All – Still no idea what kind of rock “Terrapin Green” is?

Thanks for the input,

Ingo

LITTLE_FISH attached this image:

---

Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Littlefish,

I don't think 'Terrapin Green' is a natural stone, I believe it to be dyed. Whether it's safe for aqua I don't know. It's good that your using smaller stones, because if they need to be cleaned (algae, etc.) you won't have to scrub them in the tank. The big ones could be really difficult to remove.

My Scapes

Ah ....gotcha now. The pic was of all 8 rocks ...DUH

Like them even more now. Could do a lot with them

Sorry haven't got a clue what Terrapin Green is.

---

Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.