Hey guys- need some help. My CHEAPEST LFS sells rock at 6$/lb. It looks just like the leftover concrete blobs we have laying around our house from it's construction 6 years ago, or our random fencing/etc. jobs over the years. It really does look the same So I chiseled a few holes in it- rinsed it off- poured a bit of vinegar on a piece "to see if it bubbles" and it didn't.
I put a huge piece of it into my son's 125 gallon Malawi/turtle tank a few days ago. PH is still a wonderful 8.0 (our tap PH). Water is clear. Fishies LOVING their new holey rock.
I cannot find a straightforward answer anywhere so far- Is well-cured concrete going to be safe in my aquarium? Is the risk only of elevated PH or do the chemicals that activate the cement continue to leech?
I'd love to hear from someone who has done this. I know there are websites where they are making live/base rock from concrete. Also- many large ponds/aquariums are made from concrete. Some say to seal/paint it, then it's "ok". My concrete is large and porous- I don't intend to try to accomplish sealing it all.
If I wash my old concrete well- can make my cichlids an awesome network of rock/caves with it without it making the water "toxic" in some way? Thank you very much for your thoughts!
I put a huge piece of it into my son's 125 gallon Malawi/turtle tank a few days ago. PH is still a wonderful 8.0 (our tap PH). Water is clear. Fishies LOVING their new holey rock.
I cannot find a straightforward answer anywhere so far- Is well-cured concrete going to be safe in my aquarium? Is the risk only of elevated PH or do the chemicals that activate the cement continue to leech?
I'd love to hear from someone who has done this. I know there are websites where they are making live/base rock from concrete. Also- many large ponds/aquariums are made from concrete. Some say to seal/paint it, then it's "ok". My concrete is large and porous- I don't intend to try to accomplish sealing it all.
If I wash my old concrete well- can make my cichlids an awesome network of rock/caves with it without it making the water "toxic" in some way? Thank you very much for your thoughts!