can it be?

[Mschmidt]

The tank, all full of life, happy, healthy. My duckweed factory.



That was a wile ago. Then yesterday tragedy struck.



This is my oldest continuously running tank now with one, maybe two neocaradina shrimp and a snail.

The background is lava rock, substrate is five-year-old seachem (maybe) planted tank substrate and the hardscape is some kind of rock from the petcosmart.

So here is the question: I now have a fairly empty tank, can I turn it salty for a small nem tank?

I'd pull the substrate and could swap out the hardscape for reef rock. My real concern is what has the lava rock absorbed over the years of tap water and will it be problematic?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

So here is the question: I now have a fairly empty tank, can I turn it salty for a small nem tank

If you want to, I don't see why not.

My real concern is what has the lava rock absorbed over the years of tap water and will it be problematic?

This has been a controversial topic the few times I've seen it come up - long story short, I've never seen a tank crash (i.e. with things dying in it) from the use of lava rock; I have, however, seen lava rock taken from a freshwater setting and reused in a saltwater setting that had major algae problems for about a year (presumably from built up nutrients and/or iron in the rock).

That said, in theory (I've never seen this actually proven to happen in practice), lava rock can leach toxic metals into the water, so to responsibly use it, most people cure it for a decent length of time (several weeks; preferably with RO/DI water because you know it's not adding anything unwanted to the mix).

Given that your tap water has been good enough to be used with shrimp in a freshwater setting and that inverts like shrimp are typically highly susceptible to heavy metal (particularly copper) poisoning, I'd personally assume the lava rock is fine to reuse, but will likely have major algae issues for a while.

Edit: To add one more point to consider: volcanic/lava rock lacks the pH buffering abilities of calcium carbonate rock.

 

[Mschmidt]

If you want to, I don't see why not.

This has been a controversial topic the few times I've seen it come up - long story short, I've never seen a tank crash (i.e. with things dying in it) from the use of lava rock; I have, however, seen lava rock taken from a freshwater setting and reused in a saltwater setting that had major algae problems for about a year (presumably from built up nutrients and/or iron in the rock).

That said, in theory (I've never seen this actually proven to happen in practice), lava rock can leach toxic metals into the water, so to responsibly use it, most people cure it for a decent length of time (several weeks; preferably with RO/DI water because you know it's not adding anything unwanted to the mix).

Given that your tap water has been good enough to be used with shrimp in a freshwater setting and that inverts like shrimp are typically highly susceptible to heavy metal (particularly copper) poisoning, I'd personally assume the lava rock is fine to reuse, but will likely have major algae issues for a while.

Edit: To add one more point to consider: volcanic/lava rock lacks the pH buffering abilities of calcium carbonate rock.

Thanks! I'm glad that it has likely leaches all bads (outside por and mum) that would or could harm the nems.

I have plenty of cultured Marco rock I can add as a buffer. Was thinking of pulling the Hawaiian black sand from the sump, washing it and using that. Does it buffer at all?

 

[Mschmidt]

I'll also have to make a new duckweed factory. Me end the reef like it added to the frozen mix...

 

[TX_REEF]

I wouldn't re-use rock unless you bleach and/or boil it first, just unnecessary addition of unknown variables.

Think twice on the Hawaiian black sand - it is magnetic, so if you use a mag cleaner, you are likely to scratch up the interior of the tank.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Was thinking of pulling the Hawaiian black sand from the sump, washing it and using that. Does it buffer at all?

Assuming it's the CaribSea Arag-Alive! Hawaiian Black - then it should, yes, as they claim it's aragonite (calcium carbonate).

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

I wouldn't re-use rock unless you bleach and/or boil it first,

Just to add - I don't know with rocks from freshwater, but with rocks from saltwater, I'd strongly recommend against ever boiling any of them; you never know what sorts of toxins (like palytoxin) could be sprayed into the air with the popping bubbles from the boiling process.

 

[Mschmidt]

I wouldn't re-use rock unless you bleach and/or boil it first, just unnecessary addition of unknown variables.

Think twice on the Hawaiian black sand - it is magnetic, so if you use a mag cleaner, you are likely to scratch up the interior of the tank.

I can give it a once-over with h2o2 and take care of organics.

Assuming it's the CaribSea Arag-Alive! Hawaiian Black - then it should, yes, as they claim it's aragonite (calcium carbonate).

from the order:
10 lb. Hawaiian Black Arag-Alive! Reef Sand - CaribSea
It's fairly course, would that cause issues with the nems, or just some inverts?
Thank God for vendors storing information, I'd have no idea what I have without it.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

It's fairly course, would that cause issues with the nems, or just some inverts?

I don't know - I've seen a few nems kept with coral rubble/basically small pebble-sized substrate without issue before, so I'd guess it wouldn't be an issue, but most people seem to prefer stuff like special grade sand, so I don't have a lot of info to draw from.

 

[TX_REEF]

Nems don't care what kind of substrate you have, as long as it's not sharp enough to puncture them. BTAs will tend to prefer holding onto the rocks anyway (assuming you want bubbletip anemones, which are the most common for clownfish companions)

 

[Mschmidt]

I've gpt two rfas that may move over, then maybe btas or whatever is affordable. This is a tank on a budget.

rfas and carpet nems with sexy shrimp would be cool. throw in a tube nem or two (but that changes the "budget"ness of the tank).

 

[Slocke]

 

[Slocke]

I think he has a more recent update where all the issues had significantly reduced

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I can give it a once-over with h2o2 and take care of organics.

What is that designed to accomplish? Hydrogen peroxide alone is not nearly as effective at decomposing organics than is bleach.

 

[Mschmidt]

I think he has a more recent update where all the issues had significantly reduced

I saw was it you? Had lava rock in their tank and when removed cleared up some issues. That was actually why I thought of the potential issue. Also if dissolved solids would be trapped in the rock.

What is that designed to accomplish? Hydrogen peroxide alone is not nearly as effective at decomposing organics than is bleach.

Easier cleanup than bleach, as far as I know. also I don't have bleach in the house.

Would there be a reason to leave the organics there? For the cuc maybe?

 

[Slocke]

I saw was it you? Had lava rock in their tank and when removed cleared up some issues. That was actually why I thought of the potential issue. Also if dissolved solids would be trapped in the rock.


Easier cleanup than bleach, as far as I know. also I don't have bleach in the house.

Would there be a reason to leave the organics there? For the cuc maybe?

Nope. I used seriyu rocks and never had issue other then they got ugly once things started growing on them.