Petco RockGarden Sculptured Lava Rock - safe?

[don_chuwish]

Hello,

So in the store with the 10 year old daughter recently, she really wanted to get one of these pieces with the "swimming hole" carved in it. Doesn't exactly match the LR we have but hey, it's really her tank so we got it.
Now I've done a search of course and have found many threads about "lava rock". Some saying avoid it for fear of metals, some saying it's fine.
Petco's web page for the product claims "Safe for all aquarium habitats". Can we trust that? We definitely want inverts eventually.

Thanks in advance,
- D

 

[CleverBs]

I personaly would never put any of the rock they have at petco in my tank. Mainly because I don't trust it because it looks strange and doesn't have a natual look to it imo. But they have healthy inverts in their tanks with that rock.

 

[don_chuwish]

I agree it isn't the ideal look but it's pretty hard to argue with a cute 10 year old! I'm already borderline (past it maybe) taking over what was her b'day present. Had to let her do some choosing. I must admit, the little fake coral she wanted doesn't look so bad in the water either.
So if the lava rock won't hurt anything I guess we'll let it go in.

- D

 

[Sniperhank]

I have some LR from petco in my tank. Had no issues with it. Came with a ton of great hitchhikers. Can't complain about the LR. I've also grabbed coral and fish from petco. 1 of my 3 fish from there currently surviving and the one coral I had been watching for 4 months. It had been in their tank for longer than any of the employees had been working there.

 

[Ricksreef]

I had two pieces of the lava rock with the hole through them when I switched over to reef from freshwater in my 46 gallon bow front.I used them in the reef with no problems for years.They of course became live and actually became a good place to set corals in.

 

[don_chuwish]

@Ricksreef - thanks! That's a good sign.