Volcanic Lace Rock

[tigershark]

I saw some Volcanic Lace Rock at my LFS this weekend and they said it is safe for saltwater tanks. So I went to my local rockery and picked some up real cheap. They told me to wash it off real good and they put it in boiling water for a few minutes to make sure it is sterile. Had anyone used this before in their reef tanks or do you know of any problems with using this kind of rock?

 

[justinl]

I have used the red volcanic lava rock in my saltwater tank for more than 2 years without issue- it was a big chunk- at least 35lbs. Coraline algae and other critters grew on it just fine, and it didn't seem to kill anything off in my tank.

 

[tigershark]

Do you know the difference between the red and the grey stuff I picked up? Did yours affect the pH or alkalinity at all?

 

[tigershark]

Also do you have any corals or inverts in your tank or just fish?

 

[sal t. nutz]

I have used Lace rock in 2 different tanks. It is perfect. It will become live before long also, if you add some good quality LR also.

 

[tigershark]

Sounds good then, I will clean it up, boil it and into the tank it goes

 

[justinl]

I had fish, inverts, corals- you name it and it didn't seem to affect any of the water parameters negatively. I'm not sure of the difference between the red and grey/black rock. Maybe the supplier you got it from can tell you.

 

[snakes'n'fish]

Originally posted by TigerShark
Sounds good then, I will clean it up, boil it and into the tank it goes
Hey Tiger ,
I would go one more step, Just to be safe . I would soak the rock in a large bucket or bin for a few days in very light bleach water. Then i would let it set in fresh for a few more with a fresh water clorine remover like stress coat to make sure it was clean. Then bake them or boil the rocks. I have always gone to great lengths in making sure that rocks are clean and as sterile as i could before i added them to a tank, or even a snake cage

 

[tigershark]

I hear ya on going to great lengths. I am kinda worried now, on another board, they said that some lace rock has metals that can leach out and destroy a reef. Any ideas on how to tell if my rock has these metals? Now that there is doubt, I dont know if I want to use it any more.