Using minerals as Aquarium decorations

[[email protected]]

Posted to rec.aquaria evidently no one reads it?
Have since tested all my minerals and so far none have shown any sign
of reaction to vinegar.
Original post below:


Hi,
First time poster to the group and a beginning aquarist. I am
wondering if anyone here can give me advice about using some of my
rock collection as structure in my aquarium?
Specifically:
AMBER
AGATE
JASPER
LAPIS LAZULI
MALACHITE
RHODOCROSITE
SUGILITE
TOURMALINE
TURQUOISE
WHITE QUARTZ

Any information pro or con about these and other minerals as pertains
to their use in aquariums would be much appreciated.

(I already intend to test all of these with vinegar to see if any of
them fizz or not)

Thank you

[Steve]

wrote:
> Posted to rec.aquaria evidently no one reads it?
> Have since tested all my minerals and so far none have shown any sign
> of reaction to vinegar.
> Original post below:
>
>
> Hi,
> First time poster to the group and a beginning aquarist. I am
> wondering if anyone here can give me advice about using some of my
> rock collection as structure in my aquarium?
> Specifically:
> AMBER
> AGATE
> JASPER
> LAPIS LAZULI
> MALACHITE
> RHODOCROSITE
> SUGILITE
> TOURMALINE
> TURQUOISE
> WHITE QUARTZ
>
> Any information pro or con about these and other minerals as pertains
> to their use in aquariums would be much appreciated.
>
> (I already intend to test all of these with vinegar to see if any of
> them fizz or not)
>
> Thank you

I'd skip the malachite (copper carbonate hydroxide). The rest sound
pretty harmless, although rhodochrosite is also a carbonate mineral if
that's a concern.

I'd also skip any "sharp" mineral specimens that may injure fish, or at
least dull the edges with abrasive paper.

Sadly, your beautiful minerals may become algae-coated in the aquarium :) .

Steve

[Fishman]

I have four colorful natural rocks in my aquarium. When they were first put
in and clean, they were red, purple and blue in color. Now, theri
brilliance is dulled and each has a thin layer of algae that is typical in
any mature aquarium.

Fishman


"Steve" > wrote in message
.. .
> wrote:
> > Posted to rec.aquaria evidently no one reads it?
> > Have since tested all my minerals and so far none have shown any sign
> > of reaction to vinegar.
> > Original post below:
> >
> >
> > Hi,
> > First time poster to the group and a beginning aquarist. I am
> > wondering if anyone here can give me advice about using some of my
> > rock collection as structure in my aquarium?
> > Specifically:
> > AMBER
> > AGATE
> > JASPER
> > LAPIS LAZULI
> > MALACHITE
> > RHODOCROSITE
> > SUGILITE
> > TOURMALINE
> > TURQUOISE
> > WHITE QUARTZ
> >
> > Any information pro or con about these and other minerals as pertains
> > to their use in aquariums would be much appreciated.
> >
> > (I already intend to test all of these with vinegar to see if any of
> > them fizz or not)
> >
> > Thank you
>
> I'd skip the malachite (copper carbonate hydroxide). The rest sound
> pretty harmless, although rhodochrosite is also a carbonate mineral if
> that's a concern.
>
> I'd also skip any "sharp" mineral specimens that may injure fish, or at
> least dull the edges with abrasive paper.
>
> Sadly, your beautiful minerals may become algae-coated in the aquarium :)
..
>
> Steve

[Steve]

Steve wrote:
> wrote:
>
>> Posted to rec.aquaria evidently no one reads it?
>> Have since tested all my minerals and so far none have shown any sign
>> of reaction to vinegar.
>> Original post below:
>>
>>
>> Hi,
>> First time poster to the group and a beginning aquarist. I am
>> wondering if anyone here can give me advice about using some of my
>> rock collection as structure in my aquarium? Specifically:
>> AMBER
>> AGATE
>> JASPER
>> LAPIS LAZULI
>> MALACHITE
>> RHODOCROSITE
>> SUGILITE
>> TOURMALINE
>> TURQUOISE
>> WHITE QUARTZ
>>
>> Any information pro or con about these and other minerals as pertains
>> to their use in aquariums would be much appreciated.
>>
>> (I already intend to test all of these with vinegar to see if any of
>> them fizz or not)
>>
>> Thank you
>
>
> I'd skip the malachite (copper carbonate hydroxide). The rest sound
> pretty harmless, although rhodochrosite is also a carbonate mineral if
> that's a concern.
>
> I'd also skip any "sharp" mineral specimens that may injure fish, or at
> least dull the edges with abrasive paper.
>
> Sadly, your beautiful minerals may become algae-coated in the aquarium :) .
>
> Steve
TURQUOISE is another secondary copper mineral - to be avoided.
Steve

[URBANFLAGE]

I've put in many quartz based minerals over the years - one neat trick was a
large quartz crystal (6 inch diameter 10 inches high) placed on the glass
bottom with a string of colored xmas lights taped underneath very cool light
show emitted from the crystal- the cichlids never noticed and in fact
spawned on the side of the crystal

Brad

"Steve" > wrote in message
.. .
: wrote:
: > Posted to rec.aquaria evidently no one reads it?
: > Have since tested all my minerals and so far none have shown any sign
: > of reaction to vinegar.
: > Original post below:
: >
: >
: > Hi,
: > First time poster to the group and a beginning aquarist. I am
: > wondering if anyone here can give me advice about using some of my
: > rock collection as structure in my aquarium?
: > Specifically:
: > AMBER
: > AGATE
: > JASPER
: > LAPIS LAZULI
: > MALACHITE
: > RHODOCROSITE
: > SUGILITE
: > TOURMALINE
: > TURQUOISE
: > WHITE QUARTZ
: >
: > Any information pro or con about these and other minerals as pertains
: > to their use in aquariums would be much appreciated.
: >
: > (I already intend to test all of these with vinegar to see if any of
: > them fizz or not)
: >
: > Thank you
:
: I'd skip the malachite (copper carbonate hydroxide). The rest sound
: pretty harmless, although rhodochrosite is also a carbonate mineral if
: that's a concern.
:
: I'd also skip any "sharp" mineral specimens that may injure fish, or at
: least dull the edges with abrasive paper.
:
: Sadly, your beautiful minerals may become algae-coated in the aquarium :)
..
:
: Steve

[[email protected]]

On Tue, 27 Dec 2005 20:51:57 -0500, Steve > wrote:

wrote:
>> Posted to rec.aquaria evidently no one reads it?
>> Have since tested all my minerals and so far none have shown any sign
>> of reaction to vinegar.
>> Original post below:
>>
>>
>> Hi,
>> First time poster to the group and a beginning aquarist. I am
>> wondering if anyone here can give me advice about using some of my
>> rock collection as structure in my aquarium?
>> Specifically:
>> AMBER
>> AGATE
>> JASPER
>> LAPIS LAZULI
>> MALACHITE
>> RHODOCROSITE
>> SUGILITE
>> TOURMALINE
>> TURQUOISE
>> WHITE QUARTZ
>>
>> Any information pro or con about these and other minerals as pertains
>> to their use in aquariums would be much appreciated.
>>
>> (I already intend to test all of these with vinegar to see if any of
>> them fizz or not)
>>
>> Thank you
>
>I'd skip the malachite (copper carbonate hydroxide). The rest sound
>pretty harmless, although rhodochrosite is also a carbonate mineral if
>that's a concern.
>
>I'd also skip any "sharp" mineral specimens that may injure fish, or at
>least dull the edges with abrasive paper.
>
>Sadly, your beautiful minerals may become algae-coated in the aquarium :) .
>
>Steve

Thank you for the reply and thanks to the others who replied too. I
sort of expect the "Rocks" to collect some character from algae and
after some research decided on nixing the malachite for the reason you
gave. Most of my specimens are slabs of sawn material left over from
my jewelry making fling. I think the turquoise is stabilized so it
might be OK. May just display in front of the aquarium instead.