Greenteam Posted July 9, 2014 Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 I'm trying to find small lava rock that could be used as a substrate. I check Home Depot and the one's they carry are too big. Anyone have a clue where to find pea size lava rock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countryboy12484 Posted July 9, 2014 Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 Get a bag of normal lava rock... get a hammer and bam... there ya go lol j/k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 Look up crushed lava rock. It's used for bonsai. Also, no kidding- some people just smash the bajeebers out of grill lava rocks from the hardware store, and use that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chibikaie Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 Substratesource.com is where I found some nice stuff, I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 Just found out yesterday that some "lava rock" sold by stores is actually expanded shale. The process is to wet it and cook it, and it pops like popcorn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countryboy12484 Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 That kinda interesting.... jiffy rock... lol mayphly 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
00camaro16 Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 Get a bag of normal lava rock... get a hammer and bam... there ya go lol j/kI did this for some filler in my tank... it was much harder and took much longer then I thought it would lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metageologist Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 Just found out yesterday that some "lava rock" sold by stores is actually expanded shale. The process is to wet it and cook it, and it pops like popcorn.Never heard of that, I will need to do some digging to see what formation is being used. Soothing Shrimp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mayphly Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 (edited) I found some on ebay. I got enough to fill a 20l tank for around $25. shipped. This was for black lava rock Edited July 10, 2014 by mayphly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesHe Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 I got one bag of red lava rock (0.5 cf) for $3+ at lowes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sbarbee54 Posted July 11, 2014 Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 I don't like lava rock as a substrate itself food and objects seem to get lost in it. Ie snow flake tends to slide to the bottom of the tank and defeat one of the good traits to it. Sitting and building bio film shrimp can snack on later. I use it to add to some the top of my substrates, and I use it in the bottom of all my tanks as a base to my substrates to build bacteria faster. High5's 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louie Posted July 11, 2014 Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 Isn't lava rock high in phosphates and cause algae? James, No problems with algae? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metageologist Posted July 11, 2014 Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 Lava rock is crisitile in structure. Resulting in a low to no leaching of compounds into the water. For all intents and purposes you could consider them to be inert. Unless you have enough flow in your tank to cause weathering. Now there are lave rocks that are exceptions to this, there are lava rocks that are calcareous in nature. Louie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louie Posted July 12, 2014 Report Share Posted July 12, 2014 Thanks so the one's they sell are inert or impossible to say since there are exceptions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metageologist Posted July 12, 2014 Report Share Posted July 12, 2014 There are exceptions but very few. a good assumption is that true crushed lava is inert in this environment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louie Posted July 14, 2014 Report Share Posted July 14, 2014 Gotcha , thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puddles Posted July 14, 2014 Report Share Posted July 14, 2014 Not trying to spoil the water here, but I read (somewhere?) that black lava rock can have iron in it which will rust into the water. Anyone know if I'm crazy or not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metageologist Posted July 14, 2014 Report Share Posted July 14, 2014 This is all dependent on the source and type of lava that was sourced to make the substrate. Here is a page that talks about the types of lave and there basic composition. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lava Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenteam Posted July 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 I try not to use black lava rock and stick to red. I have done the hard method of buying home depot lava rock and smashing it and that is a good workout trying to do that plus a hot mess with the dust. I want to use it over and UGF to act as media so going to try either ebay or site mention for small size and see how that goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countryboy12484 Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 http://reddome.com/lava-rocks.html didnt have time to check it out but this could help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metageologist Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 If you like red substrate have you ever trier turf ace it's a baked red clay and I use it in all of my tanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countryboy12484 Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 Don't know why it posted the link twice lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4n Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 Fixed it for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countryboy12484 Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 Thanks han Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subtletanks91 Posted July 22, 2014 Report Share Posted July 22, 2014 Sledge hammer!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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