Sparrow Posted December 1, 2016 Report Share Posted December 1, 2016 Hi all! Anyone ever heard of holey beach rock? It's really cool looking rock and I was wondering if anyone knew if it's safe to use in a shrimp tank? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. F Posted December 1, 2016 Report Share Posted December 1, 2016 Often times ocean rocks are sedimented materials containing high amounts of carbonate salts, which may raise your GH and KH. You need to be sure the rocks are inert:Inspect the rock visually for striations or veining, or soft concretions in the pores and along the surface. These can indicate soluble materials that might foul your water. You can also chemically test for the presence of carbonate minerals by placing acid on the rock and checking for fizzing (carbonate acid test). A dilute solution of strong acid (10% or so HCl) or vinegar (if you can find HCl). If it doesn't fizz, you can take the next step and place the stone in a closed container of fresh water, noting the pH and TDS. Allow the stone to sit for a week or so then retest and compare. The pH will likely fluctuate a bit, but look for large swings. Similarly, a large increase in TDS is a bad sign. This last step isn't totally necessary as it's likely to be inert at this point, but better safe than sorry.Hope this helps. ohmiko 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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