Adding Stones

[envious]

iv been thinking of adding a few stones and pebbles to my tank but dont want to pay for them, iv read that if i want to use stones i find i should test them with vinegar and if they bubble i cant use them. does this mean any that dont bubble are ok to use. obviously after a good clean

 

[Randomitity]

I would say even with the vinegar test it still might not be safe but that is just me

 

[micko]

I have found the vinegar test to be quite accurate. If it bubbles them hoof it in your garden.

 

[James9114]

The pebbles you get from builders supplys are fine to use, the ones that are like tennis ball size if thats what your thinking of

 

[Monty-2010]

normal stones/pebbles are fine just make sure you do the vinegar test and give em a good clean

 

[Bignose]

I think that all this testing is overkill. If your water is hard and/or has a high pH already, so what is a rock is also alkaline? I think that all that really matters is that the rock is clean. If it has been in a body of water that fish live in, I'd clean it with an old toothbrush, and then make sure it dries out completely -- which makes sure that no fish parasites could be carried in on it, and then pop it in the tank. Unless you have very soft acidic water and very sensitive fish, I wouldn't worry too much about some rocks. The risks of pH are generally greatly overstated -- fish can adapt to a very wide range of pH and live long and happy lives in a wide variety of waters.