# Help with Preparing Rocks for tank



## murph (28 Apr 2010)

Hi,

I have just got ahold of some nice (large!) rock for my tank. 2 of which are in excess of about 15 KG, first i'm a little worried about the amount of weight and stress place on the tank, it is 10mm glass though.

Second, i've went over them with tap water and at toothbrush and scourer but should i be doing anything else before i put them in the tank. The tank is being setup from scratch.


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## Ajm200 (28 Apr 2010)

Marine tanks that use a lot of live rock often have egg crate ( http://wap.ebay.co.uk/Pages/ViewItem.as ... te&emvcc=0)  under the substrate to protect the glass.


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## Ajm200 (28 Apr 2010)

Where did the rock come from?  If it is from your LFS a good scrub should be sufficent.   If it has been in a garden and could have come on contact with chemicals like pesticides I don't know what you'd need to do but I'm sure one of the experts will be along in a bit with some great advice.


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## murph (28 Apr 2010)

The came from a local garden centre come fish shop. The were in a mesh cage outside. I'd doubt they hand any contact with pesticides bit they are right next to the carpark so exauast fumes could be an issue? I dunno.


The egg crate thing is a really good idea. Like I said there's 2 big rocks on at 15kg and one a bit heavier!


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## George Farmer (28 Apr 2010)

Running tap water and a toothbrush should be fine.

They sound like nice rocks!  Do you have any photos?


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## murph (29 Apr 2010)

Here they are George







and wet







I'll need another one ore two smaller ones to fit in with the Iwagumi style that I'm after. 

They have quite a silver fleck running through them that I'm hoping the tank lights will pick up. Do you think black sand and a black background would be to much for these stones?


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## Kosh42-EFG (29 Apr 2010)

I had a few hundred kilos of rock in my old reef tank with nothing but sand on the base... Never had any problems...


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## murph (30 Apr 2010)

I think I'll just go with a good sand base (black volcanic) it can't be more that 30/40 kilo all in!

Would you recommend a slightly thicker substrate layer?


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## Kosh42-EFG (3 May 2010)

In reef tanks the recommendation was to put the rocks in first then the sand... This was to prevent a layer of sand being trapped under the rock and becoming anoxic... Not sure if the same applies to planted...


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## murph (3 May 2010)

makes sense i guess. I've actually bought a black substrate a little coarser than sand at between 2-3mm but its not here yet. I'm sort of needing the substrate to be in the rocks and help keep the big one upright! Its about 20-25 kilo I think!

heres some of the others cleaned and just popped in the tank with some water to see what they'll look like.


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## murph (13 May 2010)

These rocks have a definat layering look about them which is quite silver in colour, should I be concerned with them adding to the water chemistry?  I put vinigar on one with no apparent effect.

I did read somewhere about metals leeching out into the water and it's got me a little concerned. It doesn't look to metallic but does shine pretty bright when under water with the lights on.


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## Garuf (15 May 2010)

Sounds like it's a silca rock to me. I wouldn't worry they don't like they'd affect your water any.


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## murph (15 May 2010)

Cheers garuf! Puts my mind at rest!


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