Volcano rock.

Hello I found some volcano rock in my garage from past aquariums. I wanted to put it in my new salt water tank, but I have heard that it contains metals. I bought it from a petsmart a long time ago so it might be fake volcano rcok... I don't really know. Am I right about the lava rock containing metals?

 

Yes. IMO I wouldn't use it if you don't know if it's safe or not.

 

Dude, just get live rock, better yet, base rock. The other things you have in your tank now, and want to add are going to make your tank a disaster. YOU NEED ONLY ROCK THAT IS REEF SAFE, NO PLASTIC, NO LAVA, just dry rock or live rock.

Look at this rock BRS sells, any of this would be great for your tank. Only this stuff anything else will be problematic.
Saltwater Aquarium Fiji Dry Live Rock / Eco Rox | Bulk Reef Supply - English

 

Thank You!

 

What about the slate rock they sell at the lfs? I have like 8 slabs of rainbow slate.

 

Then would you recommend buying Some live and then base rock also? SO that it isn't too expensive?

 

idk how i can put it any other way dude...


ONLY REEF ROCK SHOULD BE USED IN A SALTWATER AQUARIUM

what you have is for freshwater set ups. Not only does it not look like something found in the saltwater reefs we try to replicate it might leach out "stuff" if it was used in a freshwater set up before, or who knows.

please just do yourself a favor, and get live rock or baserock ONLY

 

Look at my 75... all but one of those rock was bought live, every other was dry at a lfs.


We call live rock not because it has lungs and eyes. but becase the bacteria living within the nooks and crannies, allows ammonia to be converted into trites, and trates.

Baserock is just rock, it will become "alive" in time because bacteria will colonize. If i was you just buy all dry rock from here on out the one piece you have in there now will seed some bacteria on the others, given time.

 

Haha ok. I will buy some live rock and then base rock. So like you said in your other post about getting like 30 lbs of lr? Is that much really needed? Also, I have the little fake plants in there, so would you suggest taking them out? I am concerned about my coral bubblier... It has a air line running running from the top of the tank to the bottom of the tank. I saw my turbo snail climbing up the air line. Is that a problem?

 

More rock the better as this WIll BE your first line of biological filtration. Its what oceans use to stay stable, not just it but its a major factor. 30 lbs is a good number to shoot for. usually 1-2 lbs per gallon of water is a general reefing rule of thumb. The more rock, the more bacteria, the less chance your tank will go south due to a foul water problem.

Yes imo it look stupid. No offense i just cant stand looking at something made in plastic in my tank. It looks like litter. It also will leach silicates into your tank that will make diatoms come out nd play.


I also would take the bubbler out, as it is not needed. It will only create salt creep where those bubbles surface and pop. decent HOB skimmer would really do you a lot of good, and do what that bubbler could never do and more.

No i have snails climb up my wall, into my overflow, into my sump all the time. Its just the nature of them. They, snails, in the wild mainly live in shallow water tide pools and lagoons that are dry during low tide. They like to be out of the water from time to time, just gotta knock em back in.