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real plants?

1K views 6 replies 4 participants last post by  JohnnyD44 
#1 ·
i'm wondering, should i use real plants for the next bigger tank i own?:|
 
#2 ·
it's all a personal preference....i switched in january and i'm glad I did

it's all personal preference....if you do decide to jump into plants, be sure to read Byron's stickies in the plant section of the forum before...
 
#4 ·
ok then, thats what i'll do. and i found some shale in my backyard that i wanted to put in my tank. is there anything i should do to the shale before i put it in? i'm already soaking it..................
is there some kind of chemiclal that could change the water peramiters? thnx!
-NoaDon12- :)
 
#5 ·
Is it shale (a sedementary rock) or slate, the harder metamorphic rock formed from shale? Slate itself is safe in an aquarium, it is a rock that will not affect the hardness or pH. I don't know how shale might react, and I understand that shale can absorb various things rather easily.

I would only want to be careful that it may not have come into contact with some toxic substances, like pesticides, fertilizers, oil... as these can be absorbed into rock and leech out over time.
 
#6 ·
i just found the rocks in the woods in my backyard................. i tested the water the rocks are soaking in, and it was 7.2, and my aquarium water is 7. but that was last night.................
 
#7 ·
even though the pH might have shifted sitting in the bucket, I think what Byron is referring to are chemicals which may be lurking in the shale. Think of it this way:

where I grew up, alot of back roads were made of shale. (i'm from the sticks :) ) So, over time, all sorts of chemicals, from the farms and stuff like that would be all over that shale, the same with salt in the winter, you could visibly see the shale changing color........I think Byron is saying you need to be aware of any chemicals that are present in the shale which would, over time, leech out and be toxic to your fish...
 
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