How much should it fizz?

**Fishfirst** · 04-19-2006, 01:55 PM

Okay so I collected some river rock and tried the ol' vinegar trick, however, I find that it doesn't fizz but bubbles just a bit, not enough to really see it fizz, but to hear it pop, I also noticed that vinager also bubbles a bit in the bottle? does this mean my rock is inert?

**Fishfirst** · 04-20-2006, 03:02 PM

anyone???? oh come on, don't tell me I stumped you all!!!! hahah jk

Jojo · 04-20-2006, 03:11 PM

Only us dumb ones.

**Osiris** · 04-20-2006, 03:11 PM

Test it with guppies i always say

**Fishfirst** · 04-20-2006, 04:12 PM

yeah but guppies like a high pH, which is what the rock might do to my water. I want natives that want a pretty neutral pH according to my research... out of the tap is 7.4

**fish_doc** · 04-20-2006, 05:32 PM

Its best to just stick the rock in a bucket and let it sit for a couple days then test the water to see if the pH has changed.

I also have this in my computer files from a forum that is no longer around. Mike the author of this quote has written books and also does spots for aquarium fish magazine.

Quote:

Hi, everyone,
I just returned from the AGA Convention (Aquatic Gardeners Assoc.). They had a man, Roger Miller, who spoke on rocks for the aquarium. He is a real rockhound who knows his stuff!
Anyway, we had a discussion a while back on whether the vinegar test was a good way to determine if rocks had calcium in them or not. (Acid fizzes when dripped on calcareous rocks.) Roger said that vinegar _usually_ doesn't work. However, he had a dynamite tip for an easily available acid source that you may already have on your shelf-- ph Down! Yes, that product many use to lower pH is strong enough to do the job of testing rocks to see if they fizz.
Dealers, if you don't know sand about rocks, you now have an easy way to test the rocks in your store so that you'll know if they are safe for fresh water or not. And hobbyists can take along a bottle of pH Down to test rocks they collect in the field before lugging all that weight home.
Mike

little · 04-20-2006, 05:50 PM

Ok, So now i am confused, not that this is anything new, but I guess i had no idea what the vinager was testing for. I thought it was to see if what ever, not only rocks where safe, such as if the item was painted , and it fizzed, the paint would be toxic. So even if the vinager does not really work it was to test for calcium? i guess i need a link or something,,

**fish_doc** · 04-20-2006, 08:04 PM

Yes it is considered a test for calcium. If you have a rock that contains calcium it will really mess with your pH.

04-19-2006, 01:55 PM	#1
Fishfirst Fish Guru Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Wisconsin Age: 24 Posts: 3,650 Blog Entries: 5	How much should it fizz? Okay so I collected some river rock and tried the ol' vinegar trick, however, I find that it doesn't fizz but bubbles just a bit, not enough to really see it fizz, but to hear it pop, I also noticed that vinager also bubbles a bit in the bottle? does this mean my rock is inert? __________________ 210 Gal Reef w/ 55 Gallon Sump/Fuge, 125 Gal Fish Only, 65 Gal Seahorse-29 Gallon Sump, 55 Gal FOWLR, 54 Gal Corner FW Community, 20 Gal Nano FOWLR, 55 Gal Piranha, 29 gallon QT "All the yellow tangs and clownfish in the world can't save you now! hahahah" Peter from Family Guy

04-20-2006, 03:02 PM	#2
Fishfirst Fish Guru Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Wisconsin Age: 24 Posts: 3,650 Blog Entries: 5	anyone???? oh come on, don't tell me I stumped you all!!!! hahah jk __________________ 210 Gal Reef w/ 55 Gallon Sump/Fuge, 125 Gal Fish Only, 65 Gal Seahorse-29 Gallon Sump, 55 Gal FOWLR, 54 Gal Corner FW Community, 20 Gal Nano FOWLR, 55 Gal Piranha, 29 gallon QT "All the yellow tangs and clownfish in the world can't save you now! hahahah" Peter from Family Guy

04-20-2006, 03:11 PM	#4
Osiris Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Wisconsin Age: 25 Posts: 3,817	Test it with guppies i always say __________________ Reality is for people who can't handle Science-Fiction

04-20-2006, 04:12 PM	#5
Fishfirst Fish Guru Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Wisconsin Age: 24 Posts: 3,650 Blog Entries: 5	yeah but guppies like a high pH, which is what the rock might do to my water. I want natives that want a pretty neutral pH according to my research... out of the tap is 7.4 __________________ 210 Gal Reef w/ 55 Gallon Sump/Fuge, 125 Gal Fish Only, 65 Gal Seahorse-29 Gallon Sump, 55 Gal FOWLR, 54 Gal Corner FW Community, 20 Gal Nano FOWLR, 55 Gal Piranha, 29 gallon QT "All the yellow tangs and clownfish in the world can't save you now! hahahah" Peter from Family Guy

04-20-2006, 05:50 PM	#7
little Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: central oregon,USA Age: 35 Posts: 119	Ok, So now i am confused, not that this is anything new, but I guess i had no idea what the vinager was testing for. I thought it was to see if what ever, not only rocks where safe, such as if the item was painted , and it fizzed, the paint would be toxic. So even if the vinager does not really work it was to test for calcium? i guess i need a link or something,, __________________

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04-20-2006, 03:11 PM	#3
Jojo Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Tennessee Age: 18 Posts: 189	Only us dumb ones.

04-20-2006, 08:04 PM	#8
fish_doc Advisor to Neptune (Mod) Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Illinois Age: 40 Posts: 3,881 Blog Entries: 14	Yes it is considered a test for calcium. If you have a rock that contains calcium it will really mess with your pH. __________________ Dave (fish_doc) A World of fish

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