# Lava rock substrate



## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

Found this on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0046O2JJG/ref=mp_s_a_5?qid=1337369699&sr=8-5 They also have regular red. Would something like that be fine for shrimp? (I'm trying to cheaply recreate the look of Amazonia).

-Lisa


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## jeremyTR (Mar 21, 2012)

from what i read on here lava rock is fine to use. 

Sent from my HTC Evo 4G


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## madness (Jul 31, 2011)

Lava rock (if you get an inert type) should be great for shrimp. It has a ton of area for beneficial bacteria to colonize. Many people use lava rock for an underlayer in shrimp tanks for this reason.

substratesource is a site that has pretty good prices on various sizes of nice looking crushed black lava rock and GLA has some nice small, mostly uniform black lava rock substrate as well.


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

How do I know if it's inert?

And will it grow plants like crypts or do I need something under it?

-Lisa


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

madness said:


> substratesource is a site that has pretty good prices on various sizes of nice looking crushed black lava rock


It's funny that substratesource is the one selling the lava rocks through Amazon. But they don't have black lava rock on their website, just on Amazon. 

-Lisa


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## youjettisonme (Dec 24, 2010)

madness said:


> Lava rock (if you get an inert type) should be great for shrimp. It has a ton of area for beneficial bacteria to colonize. Many people use lava rock for an underlayer in shrimp tanks for this reason.
> 
> substratesource is a site that has pretty good prices on various sizes of nice looking crushed black lava rock and GLA has some nice small, mostly uniform black lava rock substrate as well.


This is what I have in my latest shrimp tank. I actually have akadama bottom, lava rock second, and then GLA shrimp sand completes the 3-layer bean dip. Also, some extra black lava rock on top.


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## eco (Feb 23, 2012)

I wonder if black sand from Hawaii beaches would work? They are pure lava rock!


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## youjettisonme (Dec 24, 2010)

My guess would be yes. Try it out on some cherry shrimp.


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## ShortFin (Dec 27, 2005)

eco said:


> I wonder if black sand from Hawaii beaches would work? They are pure lava rock!


You will be cursed. Don't you know Hawaiin folk lore?


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## eco (Feb 23, 2012)

Shortfin: 1...sorry for you for believing in fairy tales
2...it wouldn't leave the island 
3...I could send you some and test the folk lore if u like! Lol


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## ShortFin (Dec 27, 2005)

I guess I should have put in lots of smilies so people don't take it seriously.

I also believed in Loch Ness Monster, Big Foot, Snow Man, Flying pigs, walking under ladders, breaking a mirror, Friday the 13th, and . :icon_smil

Thanks for the offer, but I'll have to decline. I was in Kauai last summer and I didn't bring any sand or rocks home because of fairy tales :help:. lol


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

How would I know that it's inert and can I grow crypts in it without putting something under it?

-Lisa


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## jeremyTR (Mar 21, 2012)

Kunsthure said:


> How would I know that it's inert and can I grow crypts in it without putting something under it?
> 
> -Lisa


just make sure it's good ol fashioned lava rock, not that hard. and you will probably need to use fert tabs in the substrate


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

jeremyTR said:


> just make sure it's good ol fashioned lava rock, not that hard. and you will probably need to use fert tabs in the substrate


So it won't be crappy for plants like regular aquarium gravel? I don't like the look of multi-layered substrates and don't want to buy a huge bag of another substrate for a little 13g. 

-Lisa


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

What is your definition of "crappy"? Do you mean how easy it is for plants to root into the substrate? Or you mean how many nutrients it will provide for the plants? Gravel is very easy for plants to root into. And you can substitute nutrients with fert tabs.


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

I didn't know that gravel was a decent substrate for plants. I always got the impression the gaps between the gravel were too big for a plant to root well. Learn something new every day. 

-Lisa


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## NeverEndingProject (Oct 16, 2011)

Hello  I've recently changed the substrate in my tank to lava rock. The biggest problem with using it as a substrate is the time it takes to rinse it before use. A lot of dust will need to be washed out first (well it was with mine anyway).

Other than the dust I am finding the substrate to be almost perfect. It has a great colour and all of my plants love it. It holds plants really well although it doesn't have a very high nutrient level. I have RCS in my tank with this substrate and it really brings out of their colour. As far as I know the substrate barely altered my water parameters and everything stabilised within a few days.

Anymore questions? I'll happily answer them 

Miles


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## jeremyTR (Mar 21, 2012)

Kunsthure said:


> So it won't be crappy for plants like regular aquarium gravel? I don't like the look of multi-layered substrates and don't want to buy a huge bag of another substrate for a little 13g.
> 
> -Lisa



I have regular aquarium gravel in my 10G and the couple swords I have in there are really taking off with Jobes fert sticks. I don't think plants mind what kind of substrate they're growing in as long as they can get their nutrients. Unless some plants are sensitive to sand gravel or something where it's hard for them to grow or something.


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## Bananariot (Feb 28, 2012)

Maybe lava rock has high cec though I have no idea. Maybe it acts like seachem flourite. 

Anyways I just learned you can get a giant bag of this from your local gardening center at home depot or loews. Way cheaper than at the lfs.
Credit: somewhatshocked


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

I would think lava rock would be able to transport nutrients to plant roots easily only due to the vast amounts of pores between adjacent rocks for water to flow.


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

Bananariot said:


> Anyways I just learned you can get a giant bag of this from your local gardening center at home depot or loews. Way cheaper than at the lfs.


I checked Lowe's and Home Despot today and all they had were big chunks. I also checked a hobby store and they didn't have any either. 

I'm still debating black lava rock and Flourite. I don't want something dark black, I'm looking for a charcoal gray. 

-Lisa


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

NeverEndingProject said:


> Anymore questions? I'll happily answer them


Red or black rock? Where did you get it from? Can you post a pic?

-Lisa


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## oblongshrimp (Jul 26, 2006)

I used a bunch of red lava rock I bought at a landscaping place for some of my shrimp tanks. The shrimp loved it but its really hard to catch them because they just hide between the rocks so make sure you aren't trying to move them anytime soon because you almost have to lift out each rock individually.


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

oblongshrimp said:


> I used a bunch of red lava rock I bought at a landscaping place for some of my shrimp tanks. The shrimp loved it but its really hard to catch them because they just hide between the rocks so make sure you aren't trying to move them anytime soon because you almost have to lift out each rock individually.


Did you find small, aquarium gravel size LR or did you use the big stuff people use in their yards?

-Lisa


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## Lil' Swimz$ (Jul 24, 2010)

You could just smash them up with a hammer...


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## Bananariot (Feb 28, 2012)

Yeah from what I heard a lot of ppl just took lava rock from the bbq section at home depot and smashed it into pieces with a hammer. That's what I just bought today and am going to do. Though I'm going a different route and using it as a bottom layer to my azoo plant grower bed.


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

I want something a little more consistent than randomly hammered rock. Plus I have bad hands and wrists, I'd end up in a lot of pain if I did that and there's no way my husband would do it for me. 

I'm going to check out the landscaping place tomorrow. Maybe they'll have the smaller rocks. But I'm still undecided between LR and Flourite Dark or Black Sand. 

-Lisa


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## jeremyTR (Mar 21, 2012)

Why wouldn't he smash the rocks with a hammer? Smashing things is kinda entertaining lol


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## shrimpnmoss (Apr 8, 2011)

Kunsthure said:


> It's funny that substratesource is the one selling the lava rocks through Amazon. But they don't have black lava rock on their website, just on Amazon.
> 
> -Lisa


http://www.substratesource.com/index.php?p=substrate&pn=NB0120

I just got some in the mail this week from them for my next tank. Their small grain natural gravel also tests neutral for pH and TDS. I have a bag of the Home Depot red lava rock that I've been using, but the grain size is a little big for my purposes.


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

jeremyTR said:


> Why wouldn't he smash the rocks with a hammer? Smashing things is kinda entertaining lol


He's got better things to do than help me with my "damn fish crap." :icon_lol:

-Lisa


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

shrimpnmoss said:


> http://www.substratesource.com/index.php?p=substrate&pn=NB0120
> 
> I just got some in the mail this week from them for my next tank. Their small grain natural gravel also tests neutral for pH and TDS. I have a bag of the Home Depot red lava rock that I've been using, but the grain size is a little big for my purposes.


Shrimpmoss, thanks for the reference, I think I'm going to order the colored tan as it would cap my large grain akadama perfectly. Great selection on inert substrate and unbelievable shipping cost for forty pound portions. Many thanks!


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