"Robert Flory"  wrote in message
news:u4_na.59$RA6.5983343{at}newssvr15.news.prodigy.com...
>
> "CLAIREBARE01"  wrote in message
> news:20030418124034.18820.00000109{at}mb-m27.aol.com...
> > hi avisinai!
> > i don't know if this will help,  but have you heard of the vinegar test?
> > if you drip vinegar onto the stones which you want to put in your tank
and
> the
> > vinegar has no reaction then you can use them... if it starts to react
ie
> > bubble do NOT use them.
> > i hope that this might help you even though it only answers half of your
> > question!!
> > love clairebear.
>
> Vinegar is a weak acid, anything that fizzes with vinegar probably has
> carbonates in it and will raise the pH.  That said, it is a very weak acid
> and won't get a reaction from a hard dense limestone which would still
raise
> the pH.
>
> If you can't find some HCl (Hydrochloric or muriatic acid)  .. somewhere
> around 10 molar is what geologists are supposed to use (10% is close
enough)
> try scratching the pebble.  Many dolomites will not react to the acid test
> unless you scratch them to produce a bit of powdered rock. Most pharmacies
> should to be able to make up a weak HCl solution, or you local high school
> chemistry teacher might be willing to help. If you can get it to scratch,
> put warm vinegar on the material produced.
>
> It comes to mind, you might just fill a bucket with water from you next
> water change, test the pH, then add the stones, check the pH over a few
days
> to see it anything changes significantly.  You might want to do two
buckets,
> one without adding stones as a standard just to make sure something wasn't
> happening to the water just sitting.
>
> Of course, it depends on your fish, some might do better is high pH water.
>
> Bob

What about pure lava rock, will it do anything to the water?
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