Important and easy idea: Check your railroads!

[Pugsnstuf]

You ever walk over to a railroad and look at all those rocks surrounding the tracks with perfect geometric shape? They look something like this: (?)

I would suggest using these for a new aquarium to make caves. As long as they don’t have pesticides, and you aren’t trespassing, you can use these all you like. They’re usually perfect for caves, especially for loach tanks (my loaches love how smooth they are), and can also look natural in the tank itself. I have literally seen a small pond of tadpoles that had these as well as a sand substrate, and they were fine. This is of course a suggestion.

 

[itiwhetu]

Like that, these should be fine as they are usually very stable. Be careful of ones that have been around for a while as they may have diesel or oil residue. Try to find a stack somewhere that hasn't been laid.

 

[Pugsnstuf]

Like that, these should be fine as they are usually very stable. Be careful of ones that have been around for a while as they may have diesel or oil residue. Try to find a stack somewhere that hasn't been laid.

Yep. That’s what I did, and my tank is much better than what it originally was. Who knew something manmade would look natural as well.

 

[itiwhetu]

Yep. That’s what I did, and my tank is much better than what it originally was. Who knew something manmade would look natural as well.

You just need a tyre track eel in there now

 

[Pugsnstuf]

You just need a tyre track eel in there now

Wish I could get one lol

 

[itiwhetu]

They are great. We imported some, they were meant to be xtra small. but arrived xtra large. They were about 2 feet long we had 50 of them. They kept climbing out of their tanks. and would end up everywhere in the quarantine room apart from where they were meant to be.

 

[Koglin]

That's a good idea. pretty rocks by your tracks. Not sure what rocks are around my nearby tracks. Might drive into the country following the track and check rocks out there instead of rocks here in my city, maybe they would be more risk free.

After a good cleaning, might also help to put them in some RO water for a few days and test it after to see if the rocks are changing anything (kh gh and ph particularly).

Better safe than sorry with anything you find outside, good idea though I'm gonna have to go look now

 

[Pugsnstuf]

That's a good idea. pretty rocks by your tracks. Not sure what rocks are around my nearby tracks. Might drive into the country following the track and check rocks out there instead of rocks here in my city, maybe they would be more risk free.

After a good cleaning, might also help to put them in some RO water for a few days and test it after to see if the rocks are changing anything (kh gh and ph particularly).

Better safe than sorry with anything you find outside, good idea though I'm gonna have to go look now

Actually, this is an example. I’m in Wisconsin, and I do not know where this is, but most railroad rocks look like this.

 

[Koglin]

Actually, this is an example. I’m in Wisconsin, and I do not know where this is, but most railroad rocks look like this.

Oh right on. Makes sense seeing as to how there's only X many major railroad companies in the u.s. anymore. Cheaper to buy in bulk or with contracts with the sheer amount of rock they would need, especially when the rock suits the purpose.

 

[Pugsnstuf]

Oh right on. Makes sense seeing as to how there's only X many major railroad companies in the u.s. anymore. Cheaper to buy in bulk or with contracts with the sheer amount of rock they would need, especially when the rock suits the purpose.

True again.

 

[Utar]

Yes I totally agree I have done that picking up rocks along my local railroad tracks, these are perfect for aquariums. They are very hard rocks, they need to be because the reason that they are laid out along railroad tracks is to help control ground erosion.

 

[kwi]

In the UK you would be trespassing unless using a crossing point and they are usually paved.

 

[mcordelia]

Genius idea. Better watch out for the railroad authority now, they're clearly going to have a problem with hordes of aquarium enthusiasts taking so many rocks that the railroads become unstable...

 

[ClownLurch]

Do you have beaches over there?

 

[Utar]

Genius idea. Better watch out for the railroad authority now, they're clearly going to have a problem with hordes of aquarium enthusiasts taking so many rocks that the railroads become unstable...

I don't believe there are that many aquarium enthusiasts living that close to any railroad tracks.......lol....