Cave building with rocks - Aquarium Advice

Electrobes · 11-01-2003, 02:34 AM

Heyeveryone, I am finally back into the game of planting. I will soon have a new tank set up. I currently have a 45 gallon tank (tall) that will be made into a brackish tank (by acclimation for the fish that I will have). The future resident will be non other than the Green Spotted Puffer. My gaol is to give him/her the most absolute best conitions to reach maximum size. With that in mind I was to buil a tank with some caves by siliconing rocks together, also making some wedges for java ferns.
What rocks should generally be used for this situation? Thanks!!

shawmutt · 11-01-2003, 12:03 PM

I used some slate in my tank...nice and flat and easily stackable. Go to a local plant nursery and see if the sell rocks by smaller amounts then by the pallet. My rocks were cheap, about $25 for a big bucket (~50#). Slate will not affect the water quality, and once it gets seasoned, looks really good.

Electrobes · 11-01-2003, 12:30 PM

not sure if I wanna go slate.. in a brackish tank what would look more natural?.. or maybe that is natural and I am being a bum and not know what slate looks like

davoz · 11-01-2003, 12:39 PM

slate is flat. Go to a local landscaping business. They usually sell tons of rocks along with mulches. You can by the rocks by the pound.

Electrobes · 11-01-2003, 04:50 PM

Thanks davoz I wouldn't have thought of that!

madasafish · 11-01-2003, 08:05 PM

I used to be averse to slate... But now I like its look. It's great for caves.

I think you saw my Texas Holey Rock, right? That would be great for your tank, as it naturally increases pH, which the GSPs like. Also, its holes and crevices are perfect caves. Get a few pieces to stack near each other, and you can make larger caves. I stand by these rocks for their sheer "wow" factor. And they are realistic for a brackish-water environment. Much limestone is created in marine environments by the accumulation of calcarious debris (i.e. shells). The THSs are limestone. Mind you.... in truth you probably won't see much of anything but plants and fish in a brackish env. Rocks tend to get smaller and smaller as you reach the mouth of a river because of weathering. When you get the estuary of a river, most rocks are pebbles, sand, silt or clay! Of course, this isn't always true...

Other options. If you're confident enough about your local rocks, you could almost certainly put a nice granite boulder or a few of them, well washed, in your tank. Perhaps look up your local geology to find out whether arsenic and heavy metals are present in your rocks...

madasafish · 11-01-2003, 08:10 PM

[acronym:18608cdcf4="By the way"]BTW[/acronym:18608cdcf4], this *may* be slate in this picture. It's certainly a good example of it if it is. Slate is a layered rock--a silt/clay sedimentary rock made from very small particles. It usually comes in sheets (just in case you were still unsure what it looks like).

http://www.acclaimimages.com/_galler...1408-3045.html

11-01-2003, 02:34 AM	#1
Electrobes Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: May 2003 Location: Greenwood, SC Posts: 1,076 Images: 7	Cave building with rocks Heyeveryone, I am finally back into the game of planting. I will soon have a new tank set up. I currently have a 45 gallon tank (tall) that will be made into a brackish tank (by acclimation for the fish that I will have). The future resident will be non other than the Green Spotted Puffer. My gaol is to give him/her the most absolute best conitions to reach maximum size. With that in mind I was to buil a tank with some caves by siliconing rocks together, also making some wedges for java ferns. What rocks should generally be used for this situation? Thanks!!

11-01-2003, 12:03 PM	#2
shawmutt Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Greencastle, PA Posts: 2,050 Images: 6	I used some slate in my tank...nice and flat and easily stackable. Go to a local plant nursery and see if the sell rocks by smaller amounts then by the pallet. My rocks were cheap, about $25 for a big bucket (~50#). Slate will not affect the water quality, and once it gets seasoned, looks really good. __________________ ~Mike Shaw Shawmutt.com. Blogs and Pictures of the Massively Multiplayer Offline game, Real Life.

11-01-2003, 12:39 PM	#4
davoz Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Atlanta Posts: 65	slate is flat. Go to a local landscaping business. They usually sell tons of rocks along with mulches. You can by the rocks by the pound. __________________ God, let me be a light and let my life show someone your awesome power.

11-01-2003, 08:05 PM	#6
madasafish Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: NY, NY Posts: 2,260 Images: 73	I used to be averse to slate... But now I like its look. It's great for caves. I think you saw my Texas Holey Rock, right? That would be great for your tank, as it naturally increases pH, which the GSPs like. Also, its holes and crevices are perfect caves. Get a few pieces to stack near each other, and you can make larger caves. I stand by these rocks for their sheer "wow" factor. And they are realistic for a brackish-water environment. Much limestone is created in marine environments by the accumulation of calcarious debris (i.e. shells). The THSs are limestone. Mind you.... in truth you probably won't see much of anything but plants and fish in a brackish env. Rocks tend to get smaller and smaller as you reach the mouth of a river because of weathering. When you get the estuary of a river, most rocks are pebbles, sand, silt or clay! Of course, this isn't always true... Other options. If you're confident enough about your local rocks, you could almost certainly put a nice granite boulder or a few of them, well washed, in your tank. Perhaps look up your local geology to find out whether arsenic and heavy metals are present in your rocks... __________________ [acronym:3ff24413a5="Malaysian Trumpet Snails or Multiple Tank Syndrome, depending on context"]MTS[/acronym:3ff24413a5] is a blessing, not a disease.

11-01-2003, 08:10 PM	#7
madasafish Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: NY, NY Posts: 2,260 Images: 73	[acronym:18608cdcf4="By the way"]BTW[/acronym:18608cdcf4], this may be slate in this picture. It's certainly a good example of it if it is. Slate is a layered rock--a silt/clay sedimentary rock made from very small particles. It usually comes in sheets (just in case you were still unsure what it looks like). http://www.acclaimimages.com/_galler...1408-3045.html __________________ [acronym:3ff24413a5="Malaysian Trumpet Snails or Multiple Tank Syndrome, depending on context"]MTS[/acronym:3ff24413a5] is a blessing, not a disease.

11-01-2003, 12:30 PM	#3
Electrobes Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: May 2003 Location: Greenwood, SC Posts: 1,076 Images: 7	not sure if I wanna go slate.. in a brackish tank what would look more natural?.. or maybe that is natural and I am being a bum and not know what slate looks like

11-01-2003, 04:50 PM	#5
Electrobes Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: May 2003 Location: Greenwood, SC Posts: 1,076 Images: 7	Thanks davoz I wouldn't have thought of that!

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