Habitat - Indoor :: Are there any sort of natural rocks

[hermeticcharm]

That should be avoided? Like slate or the ones with little crystals on them?

[jozzep]

Any pointy, sharp, or abrasive rock should be avoided. You want round and smooth like river rocks.

[BullDog]

Yup, like jozzep said. Also, I've learned that if you drop some vinegar on a rock and it fizzes, it'll mess with your PH. That's not too big of a deal with turtles, though you wouldn't want a lot of rock that is going to make your PH shoot through the roof.

Just make sure you boil any rocks before you put them in the tank to get rid of any nasties.

[papoopeepoo]

Yup, like jozzep said. Also, I've learned that if you drop some vinegar on a rock and it fizzes, it'll mess with your PH. That's not too big of a deal with turtles, though you wouldn't want a lot of rock that is going to make your PH shoot through the roof.

Just make sure you boil any rocks before you put them in the tank to get rid of any nasties.

Just to be anal about the chemistry , the pH would actually fall way DOWN if the rocks were in large amounts. That's if that vinegar test goes as you say. Either way, water pH out of the 6.8-7.4 range isn't very good for turtles or fish.

[BullDog]

But if it fizzes when you put vinegar on it, wouldn't the rock be basic (and therefore high PH?). I don't know at all, that was just my guess.

[papoopeepoo]

But if it fizzes when you put vinegar on it, wouldn't the rock be basic (and therefore high PH?). I don't know at all, that was just my guess.

AHHH! my mistake. I'm the too-be engineer messing up on the simple stuff, ignore that mistake please!

You're right, BullDog.

[harleysmom]

I picked up some random rocks from outside my house and washed them off and threw them in and one of them started fizzing and bubbling. i think it was concrete mix or something, it wasnt a real rock and i took it out right away! just be careful