[Teebo]

I have heard of certain rocks affecting your water chemistry but I am not sure which kind(s). I decided to pull mine from a local river thinking they have had a long time to be "rinsed" in there. I am about to tie java moss to them, they are flat. Then use them to start a carpet from.

Does anyone know what kind of rock these could be? Any advice?

Thank You

 

[Diana]

These look like good rocks.
You can test these by putting them into a bucket with water. Test the GH, KH and pH when you start, then daily for a few days. You can run the test out for a week or two, testing every few days.

No change: Rocks will work for soft water, hard water and everything in between.

Small change: You will be able to counter this with weekly water changes. I would not use these for the most particular of soft water fish, but most community fish and hard water fish are fine.

Larger change: Perhaps these rocks are OK for hard water tank, but will create too much change in water parameters for soft water fish.

 

[Teebo]

Thank you

If you think based on looks they are likely okay I may just use them, knowing at least what they may cause for a parameter swing. Its going in a tank with a Betta and Amano shrimp, hardy guys.

 

[MCHRKiller]

I have a few tanks with limestone....now we all know limestone can raise hardness, pH, etc. I have probably 50lbs of it in a 75G CA cichlid tank and I have not noticed much of an increase at all from my other 75G which does not have limestone. Many things come into play whether the rock will affect your water such as tank size, amount of rock, and how acidic your tank is. If your tank has a low pH you may see a greater shift than someone who has a tank with a more neutral-alkaline tank. Each of my tanks is at about 7.2pH and all have moderately hard water; the tank with limestone also has a 7.2pH and the hardness is only slightly higher. Water changes do also play a role, I do 40-50% weekly changes due to keeping cichlids....that also probably contributes to the lack of effect. I honestly wouldn't worry about the rocks you have...the livestock you are keeping is adaptive and any changes will most likely be very gradual.

 

[jaliberti]

I have heard of certain rocks affecting your water chemistry but I am not sure which kind(s). I decided to pull mine from a local river thinking they have had a long time to be "rinsed" in there. ...

Rocks from a local river in New England have been rinsed in zillions of gallons of cold water. Now going into a relatively small, relatively stagnant quantity of warm water. Hmmm... 1 thing for sure: your tank water will not become softer or more acidic.

These look like good rocks.
You can test these by putting them into a bucket with water. Test the GH, KH and pH when you start, then daily for a few days. You can run the test out for a week or two, testing every few days.

No change: Rocks will work for soft water, hard water and everything in between.

Small change: You will be able to counter this with weekly water changes. I would not use these for the most particular of soft water fish, but most community fish and hard water fish are fine.

Larger change: Perhaps these rocks are OK for hard water tank, but will create too much change in water parameters for soft water fish.

That's solid advice. Also, do you have a pH monitor? If so, keep that probe right alongside a big rock and have a look every morning.

Thank you

If you think based on looks they are likely okay I may just use them, knowing at least what they may cause for a parameter swing. Its going in a tank with a Betta and Amano shrimp, hardy guys.

Hardy in different ways. Betta thrive in water that's soft and on the acidic side, shrimp thrive in the opposite.