Natural Sea Items

ctadams2 · 06/17/2018, 02:19 PM

Can I put pebbles from the beach in my tank? Should I RODI dip them or cycle them first?

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Maritimer · 06/18/2018, 03:54 PM

Welcome aboard!

Beach pebbles look pretty, but generally offer little in the way of habitat for nitrifying bacteria, as they're not porous like live-rock. There's also a possibility that they've got some undesirable chemistry on them, if they're from someplace like an inner harbor - or even that they might be a type of rock that can alter the chemistry in your aquarium.

That having been said, most are probably pretty harmless, and can make for a pleasing accent - and if you're keeping local coldwater creatures, they're probably very appropriate decor.

~Bruce

06/17/2018, 02:19 PM	#1
ctadams2 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 1	Natural Sea Items Can I put pebbles from the beach in my tank? Should I RODI dip them or cycle them first? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

06/18/2018, 03:54 PM	#2
Maritimer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: SW Connecticut, U.S.A. Posts: 419	Welcome aboard! Beach pebbles look pretty, but generally offer little in the way of habitat for nitrifying bacteria, as they're not porous like live-rock. There's also a possibility that they've got some undesirable chemistry on them, if they're from someplace like an inner harbor - or even that they might be a type of rock that can alter the chemistry in your aquarium. That having been said, most are probably pretty harmless, and can make for a pleasing accent - and if you're keeping local coldwater creatures, they're probably very appropriate decor. ~Bruce __________________ Because anything else ... is just a fishtank. Zoey's Reef has come to life! Zoas, 'shrooms and LPS of several sorts, CUC, dartfish, wrasses and others swim above the sand . . . Current Tank Info: Kingston & Zoey's Reef; 220g, Deltec skimmer, 2 MaxSpect Gyre x-50s, 2,500gph or so through the sump. SPS are surviving . . .