Aquarium rocks hides and caves

[Mstansbury0704]

Fairly new to this hobby and just wondering where people are finding the flat rocks and rock caves and hides? I have a 55 gallon new setup and I’d like it to have a deeper marine theme. So I don’t think driftwood hides and things would really blend in too well. Kind of looking for oceanic themed hides. Things like sunken ships and large rocks and caves. My LFS doesn’t have anything for what I’m looking for besides medium sized novelty things for outrageous prices. Mostly cartoony castles and such that are plastic...so online I’ve seen seiryu stones for dirt cheap and then some slate stones that must be infused with unobtainium lol. Just some minor research shows bad things about the seiryu though anyone ever use it?

 

[Back in the fold]

I collect my own rocks. You can use aquarium silicone sealant to glue them together or just stack them up. Go to regular rock shops too. They have some cool and unusual rocks. Hey @Fishmanic what ever happened to our rock of the month contest ?

 

[Mstansbury0704]

I was actually going to ask about going to my local swimming hole and collect some, however I already have hard water, and ph being around 8.0..I know some rocks effect water quality...also I have a python, and have currently been filling 5 gallon buckets for water changes..I use api stresscoat plus. I see other people simply dose for an entire tank with prime then fill right from the tap... can I do the same with api stresscoat?

 

[Fishmanic]

I had bought several bags of rocks to put against my foundation to prevent weeds. I took several of those rocks and broke up a piece of red flagstone I happened to have and siliconed the rocks to pieces of flagstone. You can see my flagstone/rock caves in my video below.

 

[Mstansbury0704]

See I’d be worried about anything being on the rocks and things.. If that’s the case I could just go to Lowe’s and buy a few square of slate tile for what is it like 3 or 4 bucks a square for the cheap stuff with no colorful veins. But I guess that would look really “fabricobled” since they are so thin. There is actually a quarry really near to me. Makes me wonder if they’d sell me a 25 pound chunk. Also on the plus side, just used the python to vac 3 aquariums and fill them. Was SWEET vs the bucket. My water pressure is really high, So it did suck out way too fast at wide open for use on the 5 gallon betta tank, only really got half the gravel before I realized I just got into a 50% water change on him...oops..had to cut the faucet to 1/4 way open to refill or I could only shut the valve for half a second before it started to spray out of faucet adapter. Either way though I’m super happy I can clean and refill 3 tanks totaling 90 gallons in less than an hour.

 

[Fishmanic]

If you have a problem with spray coming out of adapter, just place a facecloth over the adapter.

 

[Back in the fold]

@Fishmanic that's a great tank. Very nice. If I had that tank and you had a feather in your bum we'd both be tickled.

 

[Fishmanic]

@Fishmanic that's a great tank. Very nice. If I had that tank and you had a feather in your bum we'd both be tickled.

That tank you are referring to won TOTM over year ago.

My other tank, the one in my sig , won TOTM in January. The asian fisherman keeps the tank from getting overpopulated. He is sitting on a flagstone/rock cave that I created.


Still hoping we get a few more entries in our present TOTM contest. Click on banner at top of forums to enter!