Using Bricks in freshwater Aquarium

[Average_Joe]

Hello,
I am setting up a new tank (125 gal.) and was wondering if anyone had
used the red bricks used in houses & buildings to create caves and
places for the fish to live and hide. My current tank uses river rocks
and the rocks purchesed at Petco/petsmart type places and the fish
love to hide and live in the rocks. I figured on using the bricks
(approx. 4x8x3 red with several holes along them purchased at home
depot type places) to create walls and caves so the fish can hide and
live and i can create sort of a castle affect in the new tank.

Does anyone see a problem for the fishes health if i were to use
these type of bricks? Has anyone used them before in a tank?

What else have you used to build places for the fish to hang out in
that does not cost a fortune as in the rock purchased at pet mart type
places.

Thanks for the input,

Average_Joe

[Dinky]

"Average_Joe" > wrote in message
...

|
| What else have you used to build places for the fish to hang out
in
| that does not cost a fortune as in the rock purchased at pet mart
type
| places.
|
| Thanks for the input,
|
| Average_Joe

Bricks can be tricky. It's tough to know *precisely* what went into
the bricks, and some things that are sometimes used could be
hazardous to your tank. Open a phone book, and look up some
landscaping or rockwork supply stores. The one here is called
Willamette Greystone. They sell walkway stones, bricks, and wonderful
chunks of plain rock, including some of the finest, biggest slate
I've seen.

hth

billy

[Jim Anderson]

On Tue, 04 May 2004 02:57:33 -0700, Average_Joe had this to say...


> Hello,
> I am setting up a new tank (125 gal.) and was wondering if anyone had
> used the red bricks used in houses & buildings to create caves and
> places for the fish to live and hide. My current tank uses river rocks
> and the rocks purchesed at Petco/petsmart type places and the fish
> love to hide and live in the rocks. I figured on using the bricks
> (approx. 4x8x3 red with several holes along them purchased at home
> depot type places) to create walls and caves so the fish can hide and
> live and i can create sort of a castle affect in the new tank.
>
> Does anyone see a problem for the fishes health if i were to use
> these type of bricks? Has anyone used them before in a tank?
>
> What else have you used to build places for the fish to hang out in
> that does not cost a fortune as in the rock purchased at pet mart type
> places.
>
> Thanks for the input,
>
> Average_Joe
>

I heard that the bricks get the red color from iron-oxide.
Here-say, they-say.

--
Hope this helps.
Jim Anderson
( 8(|) To email me just pull my_finger

[NetMax]

"Average_Joe" > wrote in message
...
> Hello,
> I am setting up a new tank (125 gal.) and was wondering if anyone had
> used the red bricks used in houses & buildings to create caves and
> places for the fish to live and hide. My current tank uses river rocks
> and the rocks purchesed at Petco/petsmart type places and the fish
> love to hide and live in the rocks. I figured on using the bricks
> (approx. 4x8x3 red with several holes along them purchased at home
> depot type places) to create walls and caves so the fish can hide and
> live and i can create sort of a castle affect in the new tank.
>
> Does anyone see a problem for the fishes health if i were to use
> these type of bricks? Has anyone used them before in a tank?
>
> What else have you used to build places for the fish to hang out in
> that does not cost a fortune as in the rock purchased at pet mart type
> places.
>
> Thanks for the input,
>
> Average_Joe

I think your chances of safely using bricks is pretty good. With the
exception of the cement, the materials used are mostly inert. Cement's
effect (mostly from the limestone I think) is to cause the water to go
alkaline. While this is desirable in many cases (ie: Rift lake fish),
the rate at which it leeches is not aquarium appropriate. Natural stones
leech slowly as the calcium lost is progressively deeper inside the
mineral. Cement products tend to leech a lot on introduction, and their
effect 'quickly' diminishes with time. It's undesirable to have your
fish ride that 'wave', so to use cement or concrete products, it's
advisable to soak them first, while monitoring your pH (and do the
occasional 100% water change). Adding acids to the water will accelerate
their alkaline 'dump'. The rate at which they exhaust themselves is a
function of how acidic your water is.

While the bricks are soaking, you can drop in some white cloud minnows.
In close quarters (lots of bricks and not much water), whatever nasty
affects there are would make themselves known quicker on such small fish.
I briefly hit on concrete materials in
http://www.2cah.com/netmax/basics/rocks/rocks.shtml#rockleech and you can
scroll up for info on other minerals and fish tests. hth

I think iron-oxide is non-toxic to fish, but it might help your plants
grow ;~) Probably better to avoid green bricks, as they might have used
copper which is very fish-toxic. I agree with the suggestion to check
what your local quarry has. You can test the materials as you tested the
concrete. If you go ahead with the bricks, file away the rough edges,
particularly at the entrance to the holes.
--
http://www.NetMax.tk/

[Paul Cassidy]

I was thinking of posting a similar question regarding standard clay garden
plant pots. I was thinking of breaking some up to form caves.

Any thoughts on whether this a good or bad idea?

[nuchumYussel]

My only worries would be that:

a) the brick could affect water cemistry
b) brick might have bacteria on it
c) Fish could bang into at a high rate of spped and injur themselves.

Anyone with more experience with me? I myself am also curious

Nucxhum Yussel

[NetMax]

"Paul Cassidy" > wrote in message
...
> I was thinking of posting a similar question regarding standard clay
garden
> plant pots. I was thinking of breaking some up to form caves.
>
> Any thoughts on whether this a good or bad idea?

Typically clay is inert. Even the modelling clay which cures at room
temperature (according to one manufacturer). The cheaper the clay
product, the less likely it will have additional additives or sealants
used, which I understand are your only danger. Note that if you are
breaking the pieces up, if there _was_ anything nasty in it, then you
would be exposing it. Cutting up standard clay pots for caves is
regularly done. Breaking or chiselling them gives very erratic results
which might be undesirable. Sawing takes more work but gives better
results. Be sure to file any sharp edges when you are done. For filing,
the pieces can be rubbed against each other.
--
http://www.NetMax.tk/

[Rick Kohrs]

Clay pots work nicely. They can be partially buried or cracked with a
hammer. I also like hollow logs.

I like your idea about the bricks. Would have only 2 concerns:
1) Watch for sharp edges
2) Some building materials contain anti fungal additives (I'm no
construction expert, just a thought)

Average_Joe > wrote in message >...
> Hello,
> I am setting up a new tank (125 gal.) and was wondering if anyone had
> used the red bricks used in houses & buildings to create caves and
> places for the fish to live and hide. My current tank uses river rocks
> and the rocks purchesed at Petco/petsmart type places and the fish
> love to hide and live in the rocks. I figured on using the bricks
> (approx. 4x8x3 red with several holes along them purchased at home
> depot type places) to create walls and caves so the fish can hide and
> live and i can create sort of a castle affect in the new tank.
>
> Does anyone see a problem for the fishes health if i were to use
> these type of bricks? Has anyone used them before in a tank?
>
> What else have you used to build places for the fish to hang out in
> that does not cost a fortune as in the rock purchased at pet mart type
> places.
>
> Thanks for the input,
>
> Average_Joe

[Michael]

Buy some coconuts and saw them in half, they look good too.
Mike

"NetMax" > wrote in message
. ..
> "Paul Cassidy" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I was thinking of posting a similar question regarding standard clay
> garden
> > plant pots. I was thinking of breaking some up to form caves.
> >
> > Any thoughts on whether this a good or bad idea?
>
> Typically clay is inert. Even the modelling clay which cures at room
> temperature (according to one manufacturer). The cheaper the clay
> product, the less likely it will have additional additives or sealants
> used, which I understand are your only danger. Note that if you are
> breaking the pieces up, if there _was_ anything nasty in it, then you
> would be exposing it. Cutting up standard clay pots for caves is
> regularly done. Breaking or chiselling them gives very erratic results
> which might be undesirable. Sawing takes more work but gives better
> results. Be sure to file any sharp edges when you are done. For filing,
> the pieces can be rubbed against each other.
> --
> http://www.NetMax.tk/
>
>

[Terry]

"NetMax" > wrote in message
. ..
> "Paul Cassidy" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I was thinking of posting a similar question regarding standard clay
> garden
> > plant pots. I was thinking of breaking some up to form caves.
> >
> > Any thoughts on whether this a good or bad idea?
>
> Typically clay is inert. Even the modelling clay which cures at room
> temperature (according to one manufacturer). The cheaper the clay
> product, the less likely it will have additional additives or sealants
> used, which I understand are your only danger. Note that if you are
> breaking the pieces up, if there _was_ anything nasty in it, then you
> would be exposing it. Cutting up standard clay pots for caves is
> regularly done. Breaking or chiselling them gives very erratic results
> which might be undesirable. Sawing takes more work but gives better
> results. Be sure to file any sharp edges when you are done. For filing,
> the pieces can be rubbed against each other.
> --
> http://www.NetMax.tk/
>
>
When cutting and filing, the quickest way is to use a rotary tool like
Dremel. Be sure to wear safety glasses or you'll have a hard time later
trying to see the baby fish.

Terry

[Jeff Pratt]

Terry wrote:

>
> "NetMax" > wrote in message
> . ..
>> "Paul Cassidy" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > I was thinking of posting a similar question regarding standard clay
>> garden
>> > plant pots. I was thinking of breaking some up to form caves.
>> >
>> > Any thoughts on whether this a good or bad idea?
>>
>> Typically clay is inert. Even the modelling clay which cures at room
>> temperature (according to one manufacturer). The cheaper the clay
>> product, the less likely it will have additional additives or sealants
>> used, which I understand are your only danger. Note that if you are
>> breaking the pieces up, if there _was_ anything nasty in it, then you
>> would be exposing it. Cutting up standard clay pots for caves is
>> regularly done. Breaking or chiselling them gives very erratic results
>> which might be undesirable. Sawing takes more work but gives better
>> results. Be sure to file any sharp edges when you are done. For filing,
>> the pieces can be rubbed against each other.
>> --
>> http://www.NetMax.tk/
>>
>>
> When cutting and filing, the quickest way is to use a rotary tool like
> Dremel. Be sure to wear safety glasses or you'll have a hard time later
> trying to see the baby fish.
>
> Terry

Don't forget your dustmask either. The gritty feeling of all that dust in
your lungs, nose, throat, etc. is quite unpleasant.

Jeff

[Dave Painter]

Average_Joe > wrote in message
...
> Hello,
> I am setting up a new tank (125 gal.) and was wondering if anyone had
> used the red bricks used in houses & buildings to create caves and
> places for the fish to live and hide. My current tank uses river rocks
> and the rocks purchesed at Petco/petsmart type places and the fish
> love to hide and live in the rocks. I figured on using the bricks
> (approx. 4x8x3 red with several holes along them purchased at home
> depot type places) to create walls and caves so the fish can hide and
> live and i can create sort of a castle affect in the new tank.
>
> Does anyone see a problem for the fishes health if i were to use
> these type of bricks? Has anyone used them before in a tank?
>
> What else have you used to build places for the fish to hang out in
> that does not cost a fortune as in the rock purchased at pet mart type
> places.
>
> Thanks for the input,
>
> Average_Joe

Used them successfully in cold water tanks and outdoor ponds.
Prefer to use 'engineering' bricks, these are harder (physically)
harder (cooked longer), and longer lasting.

If you have any doubt then use some yacht varnish to seal them.

Dave

[Limnophile]

Soak clay pots or bricks in a 10 percent vinegar solution for a couple of
days, rinse them well, and they should be fine.

Limnophile

"Average_Joe" > wrote in message
...
> Hello,
> I am setting up a new tank (125 gal.) and was wondering if anyone had
> used the red bricks used in houses & buildings to create caves and
> places for the fish to live and hide.