# Does lavarock raise pH



## GeToChKn

In my turtle filters, I use lava rock (bbq brick style) and have some left overs that I would like to tie moss to for my shrimp tanks, but my shrimp tanks run at 6pH and I don't want the rock to raise it. Since Its just bbq brick, would it affect it at all?


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## Bahugo

Lava rock is inert and should not cause any ph fluctuation


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## HolyAngel

yeah it shouldn't affect the ph.. can always pour some vinegar on it to see if it fizzes, or stick it in a bucket with RO and measure if there's a difference in ph/kh/gh after a day or two


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## Fluidmachine

HolyAngel said:


> yeah it shouldn't affect the ph.. can always pour some vinegar on it to see if it fizzes, or stick it in a bucket with RO and measure if there's a difference in ph/kh/gh after a day or two


Vinegar doesn't always show it. Muriatic acid works better. Be careful though, can be pretty strong stuff. 

And I second the bucket test. Never failed me yet.

(Oh, and don't forget to boil the crap out of it first, to remove any undesirable things living in it. )


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## Bahugo

I would really recommend not boiling the heck out of rocks, either do a very quick dip in boiling water or poor boiling water on rocks, especially when dealing with very pores rock where there can be water trapped inside.


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## Fluidmachine

Bahugo said:


> I would really recommend not boiling the heck out of rocks, either do a very quick dip in boiling water or poor boiling water on rocks, especially when dealing with very pores rock where there can be water trapped inside.


Can you explain why not? I've never had a problem with it in the past... Are you concerned about the heat causing them to explode?

I always go at least 5 minutes, and have never had a problem. Done lots of rocks this way...

Let me know if I am crazy, sometimes no one ever tells me before I go to far. :biggrin:


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## Bahugo

Rocks have exploded from boiling, I'm pretty sure you can find a newspaper/police report about it somewhere on the internet where rocks exploded and killed 3 people or something like that while they were being boiled. I've boiled rocks in the past but have never left them in for longer then a few minutes each. Better safe then sorry. If their is water trapped inside and it is heated rapidly and can not release the pressure from the steam they will explode.


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## mordalphus

Some lava rock is different than others... Some of the stuff you buy at the store for barbeques is "slag", which is industrial byproduct. Some of it is natural.

And even the natural stuff is sometimes containing elements which will lower pH, but it's a temporary effect, leeching out quickly. The slag can have other things in it, depending on what it's a byproduct of. 

This is just what I've learned from research.


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## AquaLED

I second the possible "exploding" rock in lava rock, at least the natural kind from a volcano. It appears that as lava rocks, it traps air particles or whatnot in it which in turn can shatter once heat is again applied to it.

Wikipedia has something to that effect in its article.


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## joekidwell

Sounds like a job for mythbusters


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## FreedPenguin

Wow I never knew this. Good to know!


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## reignOfFred

I used red lava rock for years and it never had any impact on the water. I got all my rock from a landscape supplier and never did anything to it except give it a good rinse.


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## Naekuh

Bahugo said:


> Rocks have exploded from boiling, I'm pretty sure you can find a newspaper/police report about it somewhere on the internet where rocks exploded and killed 3 people or something like that while they were being boiled. I've boiled rocks in the past but have never left them in for longer then a few minutes each. Better safe then sorry. If their is water trapped inside and it is heated rapidly and can not release the pressure from the steam they will explode.


+1 this..

rocks can act as very fine filter sponges.. this is where mountain spring water comes from. 

In occasion the pours on the rock can be so tight, that the water can not boil out, and you will form pressure inside the rocks.

Physics 101... u get pressure inside a container building up what happens? 
The stress point in the material will be reached, and it will break.

Then you got yourself a nice hand bomb.


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## Rich Conley

Fluidmachine said:


> Vinegar doesn't always show it. Muriatic acid works better. Be careful though, can be pretty strong stuff.


 If Vinegar, which is pH 4.5 or so, doesn't cause any reaction in the rock, then chances are, your tank water won't either. 


A lot of things will fizzle and disolve under muriatic acid that don't cause any problems in your tank... like most plastics.


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## johnny313

i have always seen lava rock in cichlid tanks. everyone has told me that it keeps the PH at 8.0ish... Hmmm...


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