Decoration with stones in the aquarium: Who today a Set up an aquarium would like the needed lots of items to set up. In addition to roots, stones are the first choice when it comes to beautifying the aquarium. Stones come in many different types. Be it Slate stones or slabs of slate, sand-lime stones, granite stones, pebbles, perforated stones, lava stones, river stones, basalt stones, field stones, alpine limestone and many more. However, not all are allowed in the aquarium and should not be. You can do many in the Specialized trade or by Online-Shop buy, but you also have the opportunity to get some collect stones yourself. What you should pay attention to and which stones for that Suitable for aquariums you can find out here. We also give tips on things Cleaning and contribution into the aquarium.
What stones are there anyway?
There is no simple answer to this question, as there are many types. As already mentioned above, there are slate stones or slabs of slate, sand-lime stones, granite stones, pebbles, perforated stones, marble, clay rock, lava stones, river stones, basalt stones, field stones, alpine limestone and a few more. There are mixtures of different rock types to be found. Stones are used in almost all of them community aquariums, whether in freshwater or in seawater pool. Stones are used extensively, especially in the aquariums of Lake Malawi. The natural habitat is recreated there.
Collect stones or rather buy them?
If you want to save some money, you should rather collect the stones yourself. Of course, there are a few things to consider and there is still a certain residual risk. Nevertheless, you are on the safe side with many types of rock. You can also buy the stones in specialist shops or even online. Unfortunately, these are not that cheap. In addition, the shipping is quite expensive due to the weight. But if you still want to play it safe and not take any risks, you should buy the stones in specialist shops. Many types of stones are offered there, which you can bring into your aquarium without hesitation. This reduces the risk of getting unwelcome substances such as heavy metals, oil or lime into the pool. In addition, stones can also contain other pollutants. Depending on where you found them and where they come from.
- Great base material for rock/stone decoration in aquariums.
- Can be used to create beautiful substrates, backgrounds or caves/shelters.
- Ideal for aquarium design.
- Natural/genuine.
If you want to buy stones, you can also go to the DIY & Tools Look around the corner, because there are plenty of ways to get the right stones at very reasonable prices.
How can I check whether the stones are really suitable for the aquarium?
It always happens that aquarists put stones in their aquariums without knowing anything about these stones. The water values, especially the hardness, can change quickly and this can lead to major impairments. This can even go so far that fish die in agony. You should therefore be as sure as possible whether the stones are really free of any substances that they secrete into the aquarium. There are a few ways to do this.
It's hard to believe, but even such a hard substance as stones can secrete different things. These can be different metals, but also heavy metals. It is also possible that oil is trapped in stones. Above all, lime is very often found in the stones.
The following method has worked well for us. Place the stones in a bucket of water and leave them there for a few hours, or even better, days. But first they should be thoroughly cleaned. If you then notice a film in the water, you should rather distance yourself. Oil-bearing rocks in particular can be found quite quickly here. This does not belong in the aquarium.
Of course you can also test the starting water first with a wide variety of water tests such as PH, GH or KH testing. After inserting the stones, you should then test the water values again to see whether they have changed. A fairly reliable method of detecting pollutants and changes caused by the stones.
Let's summarize the individual steps again:
- Thoroughly clean stones first
- Place stones in a large jar
- Water for several hours better days
- Then examine the water carefully
- A water test can also be done
- First check the outlet water carefully
Check calcareous stones
Limescale in particular should not be introduced into the aquarium. The reason for this is that the aquarium water becomes much harder with it. It's not just that that's changing here carbonate hardness but also that Total hardness. In addition, other values can also be influenced on a secondary basis. To prevent this from happening, you should check beforehand that the stones or rocks do not contain any lime.
There is a simple way to determine this. You take the stones and sprinkle something on them vinegar or better yet hydrochloric acid. Start this now foam, then the stone contains lime and should not be placed in the pool. The acid and the lime cause a corresponding reaction.
Where can you find stones?
Be creative, that's all I can say here. There are plenty of opportunities here. But you should note that you can't simply steal stones everywhere. Here you should already have the permission of the owner. If there are any.
There are many ways to find stones. Be it in a disused quarry or in streams and rivers. You can also find a lot of stones in the mountains. Even in forests you can find sides. You can also find stones in the ground. Usually during excavation work on construction sites. The possibilities are very large. Even when traveling to other countries, one often finds beautiful stones, which we do not have.
Clean stones and set them up in the aquarium
Finally, a word about cleaning, because no matter which stones you have collected yourself, you should definitely clean them thoroughly. Cold water without any cleaning materials should be used. You can also boil the stones if they are very dirty. It also kills certain unwanted bacteria.
Even if you buy stones in specialist shops, you should clean them thoroughly. Otherwise, the newly set up aquarium can quickly have unclean water. Therefore should also specifically for the Aquaristics sold stones are thoroughly cleaned.
Finally, an important one Note: You should definitely put one under the stones document from Plexiglass put, because of a possible danger for the glass. Therefore, always put something in the aquarium as a base that cannot rot.