Diy rock cave.

[Sharkbait54]

Wanna do a DIY rock cave looking something like this. Anybody know where I can get some rock cheap and what type of rock is best. I don't wanna raise the ph. Thanks.

 

[smileyface9]

Idk where you could get the rock for cheap if you were to buy it, but maybe go to a river or a stream near you and pick out the rock you want there. Just make sure to boil the rock or heat up your oven to 350 and put the rock on a cookie baking sheet then in the oven for at least an hour to kill all the bacteria on it so it's safe to place in your tank.

 

[Sharkbait54]

Well a friend of mine said that all the slate rock in TN is or contains limestone which supposedly raises ph. I guess I could get some and test the ph rise in a bucket.

 

[guppy371]

Never never never never never never boil rocks!!!!!! The chemicals or pockets of air and water that may be trapped inside the rock can cause an very very dangerous explosion.

Simply test the rocks by placing drops of vinegar on them. If it bubbles do not use them. If no bubbles simply rinse them in water before use.

 

[smileyface9]

What's TN? And maybe have a bucket of your fish tank water at the ph u normally have it at and then place the rocks in it..then measure the ph of the water the next day and then maybe again the next few days too to see if it affects it too much or at all?

 

[Sharkbait54]

What's TN? And maybe have a bucket of your fish tank water at the ph u normally have it at and then place the rocks in it..then measure the ph of the water the next day and then maybe again the next few days too to see if it affects it too much or at all?

Tennessee. And yep sounds like a plan!

 

[smileyface9]

Never never never never never never boil rocks!!!!!! The chemicals or pockets of air and water that may be trapped inside the rock can cause an very very dangerous explosion.

Simply test the rocks by placing drops of vinegar on them. If it bubbles do not use them. If no bubbles simply rinse them in water before use.

Oh man, sorry! I didn't know that. Thank you soooo much for telling me! I read on here a long time back on someone else's post to boil it. Thanks soo much.

 

[smileyface9]

Never never never never never never boil rocks!!!!!! The chemicals or pockets of air and water that may be trapped inside the rock can cause an very very dangerous explosion.

Simply test the rocks by placing drops of vinegar on them. If it bubbles do not use them. If no bubbles simply rinse them in water before use.

So after checking it with vinegar if it doesn't bubble all you have to do is rinse it? I'm planning to add rocks to my tank from a stream near my house that i liked.

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

Go to a hardware store (Home Depot, Lowes, maybe even Walmart) and you can find slate like this. Even tile stores or if you have it in your area, landscaping stores. But... right now isn't the season for it. I had a hard enough time trying to find gravel. So, I would say wait until spring and they will be everywhere.

 

[Readingexcalibur]

Your local specialty fish store will Cary it, most do! There is a news video on YouTube about a person who tried to boil a rock for an aquarium, it exploded and killed 3 people. Be safe and good look, post a pick when your done!

 

[Sharkbait54]

Your local specialty fish store will Cary it, most do! There is a news video on YouTube about a person who tried to boil a rock for an aquarium, it exploded and killed 3 people. Be safe and good look, post a pick when your done!

Omg.. Well the fish store sells them real expensive so I'll go to homedepot thanks for the help guys. I will post pics!

 

[Derekkaine]

Its the same thing as putting river rocks into a fire. It can cause a lethal explosion with rock shrapnel.

 

[kdpuffer]

You could use foam cut to shape and coated with concrete which will effect ph or use sikatop which is a polymerized concrete which won't effect ph. Then silicone the "rocks" together and put sand on the exposed silicone while it's still wet.

 

[Razorbackfan]

I'm in Nashville, too, and I've had good luck buying small purchases of stone for crafts and my aquarium at Jones Stone (in the Berry Hill area) and The Rock Place (in Smyrna). Both places are nice about letting you buy a few handfuls of stone, and it's really very affordable.

You would want to make sure the rocks are safe for the aquarium, and takes you back to the boil/bake discussion--sorry, I don't know anything about that!

 

[Sharkbait54]

I'm in Nashville, too, and I've had good luck buying small purchases of stone for crafts and my aquarium at Jones Stone (in the Berry Hill area) and The Rock Place (in Smyrna). Both places are nice about letting you buy a few handfuls of stone, and it's really very affordable.

You would want to make sure the rocks are safe for the aquarium, and takes you back to the boil/bake discussion--sorry, I don't know anything about that!

Thanks alot I'll check them out.

 

[adadkins1]

I went down to Cherokee Lake here in E. TN and collected some rocks. They will not change pH and my Plecos, Kuhli Loaches, and Ghost Shrimp appreciate it. You can silicone it together, but I was able to stack my rocks so that they were sturdy without any adhesive.

May not be exactly what you want, but who can argue with something that's free?

 

[smileyface9]

I went down to Cherokee Lake here in E. TN and collected some rocks. They will not change pH and my Plecos, Kuhli Loaches, and Ghost Shrimp appreciate it. You can silicone it together, but I was able to stack my rocks so that they were sturdy without any adhesive.

May not be exactly what you want, but who can argue with something that's free?

Looks good!!

 

[Sharkbait54]

That's exactly what I want very nice!

 

[o5otato5o]

this is my diy rock cave/aquascape i got the rocks from a local river left the rocks to soak after cleaning them an boiled for 30 minutes free and easy looks the bomb

 

[o5otato5o]

it hasnt affected my ph at all by the way suppose its down to the rock comeing from your natural eco system