# quick question about slate rock...



## magic_marty (Feb 3, 2007)

Hi all..
Today i got some red slate and some rainbow slate as well as a couple of rainbow stones.My question is will adding these rocks to my aquarium affect my PH level? Cause i don't want to mess with the PH levels in the tank..

Thanks a bunch..


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## Donut (Jan 28, 2007)

I have a 30gal with about 30lbs of black slate in it. I also have a 10gal planted tank with no rock. Both have the same pH.

From experience, I'd say no it won't affect it.


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

I agree with Donut. Slates are perfectly safe.


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## magic_marty (Feb 3, 2007)

the rainbow stones if i rub them when they are wet the make a chalky film on my fingers..Is this going to be a problem you think??

I scrubbed them with a brush in very hot water and also let them soak in a bucket of hot water for about a hour...


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## Donut (Jan 28, 2007)

As with all rock (and really anything you put in your tank), you should rinse them off before you put them in. They suggest you boil some things, but if it's slate you bought from a lfs, you're probably ok to just rinse it off to remove all of the rock dust.

Edit: Ooops... shoudl probably read your whole post. You probably loosened parts of the rock with the brush.


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## musho3210 (Dec 28, 2006)

rinse and scrub the dust and rubble off, boiling is reccomended as was stated earlier, take some vinigar and place a drop of it on the rock, if it fizzes then dont use it as it will effect the PH, if it doesnt fizz then place it in your aquarium


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## magic_marty (Feb 3, 2007)

ok thanks, i had forgotten about the vinigar test.The vinigar i have is kind of old, prolly 2 years or so will that matter?


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## daisycutter (Jan 4, 2007)

slate is basicly fossiled mud and sometimes it may disintergrate into small particles but it still remains inert


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## magic_marty (Feb 3, 2007)

3 of these rocks i don't think are slate, but that is what they were labeled as.
I'll take a picture and post it here and maybe it will help..


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## magic_marty (Feb 3, 2007)

ok, here is a good picture of the stones with a ram posing for the shot... :wink:


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## musho3210 (Dec 28, 2006)

did you silicone the pieces together, ive heard of cave ins and stuff with people whos rock werent steady enough and fell on fish


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## Donut (Jan 28, 2007)

Just use common sense when stacking them...

I've never had a cave in. Siliconing them together makes it a pain in the arse to change it up.


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## magic_marty (Feb 3, 2007)

I'll prolly later on silicon some suction cups to the back of the flat one on the top to give it more support.As of now they are just sitting there, after sitting them there i gave them a bump and tap and they are good and stable for the time being.


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## daisycutter (Jan 4, 2007)

a way of making good caves is to use clay flowerpots then hide them with the rocks


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## GobbleDog (Mar 6, 2007)

I recently took a bunch of rocks that I found along a river in the North Carolina to make a bunch of caves in my tank.

I was worried there might be some bacteria or something that would hurt my tank, but after a quick rinse off they don't seem to have had any effect. My only problem is those rocks are so dang heavy, I'm worried if they accidently fall (from either a fish bumping it or just accidently dropping one during setup) they could crack the glass on the bottom of the tank.

As for the caves... my fish love it. My puffer hangs out under the rocks 75% of the time, but in this picture he just happened to be out on a walkabout:


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