vero
Aquarium Advice Activist
Hi,
I'm new at aquariums. I bought a book to help me out. It specifies that one should buy the decoration stuff (gravel, rocks, wood, articicial plants, etc.) from a pet shop. Their point being that anything coming from a non-specialized place could deteriorate the water, leaching bad chemicals.
I don't know for you, but to me it's seems silly to buy a normal looking sandstone that will disolve slowly in the water from a pet store for 40$ while I have a bunch of nice rocks at home for free! Can't I just wash it really well, rinse it really well and maybe even bake it a while in the oven to make sure I kill any bacteria?
How about gravel? I think I'd like to get something that looks natural (the colored gravel is out of the question to me... anyways won't the color dissolve and deteriorate the water?). Could I buy something at Home Depot or similar store?
Maybe wood is a different matter... do you think the pieces sold in a pet shop for 25$ have something special done to them?
I'd just rather spend more money on good and nice fishes and on good filters and equipments.
Thanks for your opinion
Vero
I'm new at aquariums. I bought a book to help me out. It specifies that one should buy the decoration stuff (gravel, rocks, wood, articicial plants, etc.) from a pet shop. Their point being that anything coming from a non-specialized place could deteriorate the water, leaching bad chemicals.
I don't know for you, but to me it's seems silly to buy a normal looking sandstone that will disolve slowly in the water from a pet store for 40$ while I have a bunch of nice rocks at home for free! Can't I just wash it really well, rinse it really well and maybe even bake it a while in the oven to make sure I kill any bacteria?
How about gravel? I think I'd like to get something that looks natural (the colored gravel is out of the question to me... anyways won't the color dissolve and deteriorate the water?). Could I buy something at Home Depot or similar store?
Maybe wood is a different matter... do you think the pieces sold in a pet shop for 25$ have something special done to them?
I'd just rather spend more money on good and nice fishes and on good filters and equipments.
Thanks for your opinion
Vero