Safe Crystals?

[LacertaIlla]

Hello hello.
 
I've been doing some reading on crystals that are safe and unsafe for aquariums as I'd like to try and make a "Crystal Garden" themed tank for my crayfish, Nyxie.
 
From my understanding, all Quartz is safe, as well as all forms of Jade.
 
Obviously I want to stay away from water soluble crystals, as well as crystals that contain minerals that can be toxic.
 
So I have a couple of questions...
 
1) What metals/minerals are not safe for fish/crayfish?
 
2) Are there any other kinds of crystals that are safe?
 
Thanks,
Blue

 

[Baccus]

The only crystal that I can say keep well away from fish tanks is Malachite it is poisonous and soluble in water.
 
I do need to ask why are you wanting to add crystals to your tank? Is it just for aesthetics or for any possible health benefits? Agates should be water safe and invert/ fish safe, anything with copper attached I would also avoid. Some crystals contain flecks of copper naturally interwoven with it, stones like quartz are often found in conjunction with copper.
 
Best of luck with your search, a suggestion for which crystals may be tank safe would be to look up crystals for healing, good books/ sites relating to this subject will give the full makup of the various crystals and state if they are water soluble or even potentially poisonous.

 

[LacertaIlla]

I'm one of those looney tunes that do believe in crystal healing, however the want for them in the fish tank is purely for aesthetic purposes. If I/Nyxie/the fish I put in the tank get healing benefits off of it too, its a bonus. The image I have in my head of different crystal clusters and Java/peacock moss along with other various plants and wooden/stone hides is really pretty.
 
Whether or not it actually looks how I have it mapped out in my head is a different story, but I can dream. 

 
Are there any other minerals/metals I should be mindful of minus copper?

 

[Baccus]

Dolomites could be an issue since they will disolve and change the gH and pH, amethyst could be an issue since I think it is made up of calcium and magnesium, but I don't know how "locked" these are in the stone and if they would release over time into the tank water.
 
When my cat had a particularly aggressive fungal infection in her nose I not only used the two prescribed vet applied medications but also used a combo of healing gems in her water, it certainly didn't do any harm and perhaps helped her get over the fungus that was in actual fact life threatening if it had spread to her brain or other internal organs, so I never put down people for believing in alternative health care methods. And this cat had the infection around 10 years ago and she is still going strong to this day.
 
I will have to do some hunting for my crystal healing book and it should have some more useful tips.
 
Java moss and peacock moss can grow pretty insanely and could end up covering all your lovely rocks/ crystals fissiden I believe is slower growing and less invasive and prone to covering everything it encounters. Also being a crayfish (I'm guessing either Redclaw or Electric blue) it will probably eat almost any plants you add unless they are floating and it cant reach them. I found with crayfish what they couldn't or didn't eat they dislodged escavating caves/ crevices.

 

[LacertaIlla]

She already destroys the pieces of Elodea that are in her tub at the moment (however I don't really mind as they're already dying...ish), so I figured she'd (kind of) do some of the trimming on the moss. I do want to grow it and sell it to my LFS, as they rarely have it in stock (whether that's just because lots of people want it or because they do't order much in, I don't know) so I'm happy to trim it back when I do the weekly water change.
 
I don't plan on using dolomite (at least until I know my water parameters...my test kit *should* be coming this week), but amethyst I'll have to look into a bit more. I'll definitely look into the specific crystals I'm putting in, but at the moment I'm looking at clear quartz, rose quartz and the different colours of jade.
 
She is neither an Electric Blue or a Red Claw...I actually have no idea what kind of yabby she is... She's mostly brown, but the tip of her claws are blue with the tiniest bit of red right at the end (not at the side like a Red Claw). I'll attach a picture tomorrow.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I'm one of those looney tunes that do believe in crystal healing, however the want for them in the fish tank is purely for aesthetic purposes. If I/Nyxie/the fish I put in the tank get healing benefits off of it too, its a bonus. The image I have in my head of different crystal clusters and Java/peacock moss along with other various plants and wooden/stone hides is really pretty.
 
Whether or not it actually looks how I have it mapped out in my head is a different story, but I can dream. 

 
Are there any other minerals/metals I should be mindful of minus copper?

 
Much better off just getting some artificial stuff in there then.  Less headaches.

 

[omega59]

Would smoothed tumbled stones still effect the water? I understand the raw forms can break down.

 

[fluttermoth]

Would smoothed tumbled stones still effect the water? I understand the raw forms can break down.

 
It all depends on what the stones are; tumbling makes no difference.

 

[omega59]

like a rose quartz that is smoothed out.

 

[julielynn47]

I have a few crystals in my aquarium. Just for looks, no other reasons.  They came straight from the crystal mine that is not far from my home.  My daughter and son both went the mine on a school science field trip.  They dug them up and I put them in my tank. They have been in there since 2007 and have caused no problems or concerns.  

 

[LacertaIlla]

Julie, do you happen to know what type of crystals they are?

 

[julielynn47]

As far as I know they are just regular quartz crystal. But I will see if I can find out.
 

This is the website url of the crystal mine.  http/wegnercrystalmines.com/   On the website it states that it is quartz crystal.   So that is really all I know.  I know some of what my kids dug up and brought home was crystal clear.  That is what I have in my aquarium

 

[StevenF]

For any type of crystal you can often pull up information on it through Wikipedia or google.  Stay away from water soluble crystals  those will affect your waters parameters.  However those that are not water soluble would work.  Crystals used in cheep jewelry may work.  You might also go to a bead store.  they might have a few small cheep crystals.  Pieces of colored glass may also work.  Geodes and agate  may work but for those your will not know the type of crystal or if it is water soluble.  To test for water stability put the crystal is a bucket of Distilled or RO water and monitor the GH, KH, PH, and or TDS readings of the water.   if these parameters start climbing after the rock or crystal is added minerals are being released into the water and it may not be safe to add to an aquarium.  

 

[Lateral Line]

The vast majority of silicate mineral crystals, quartz, fjeldspars, amphiboles, pyroxenes, olivines etc. are perfectly safe in aquaria, metals present are tightly bound in the crystal lattice and will not leach out. Softer minerals, galenas, pyrites, cassiterites, blende etc. are best avoided. These can partially in time dissolve in water, not much, but enough to kill sensitive species.

 

[LacertaIlla]

Thankyou all so much for the help.

eaglesaquarium, if I could find crystal cluster ornaments I would, but no matter what I search I can't find anything.

So, as long as I stay away from crystals that are blatantly toxic when wet (like Malachite), and crystals that are water soluble, I should be fine?