help id media/substrate?? thanks:)

**21kev** · 25th Mar 2012, 00:32

hi everyone.. hope you can help me ID this rocks and subrate?

is this rocks can be use as media? thanks

red substrate.. some bros told me its a jbj substrate?

white ROCKS.. ?? my friend gave me and he told me can use as media. but looks like a normal pebbles to me?hehe

RED ROCKS..

hope you can help me guys.. thanks

happy fish keeping to all!

**bossteck** · 25th Mar 2012, 13:00

1. Don't know.
2. Looks like zeolite (can absorb excess ammonia)
3. Looks like lava rock bits, can use a bio-media, but in my opinion, not as space efficient as other media.

**diazman** · 25th Mar 2012, 13:50

Was told by my friend that lava rock bits can be used as bio-media but doesnt it affect tank PH? :S. The 1st picture looks like those land plant fertilizers. correct me if im wrong

**stormhawk** · 25th Mar 2012, 16:23

1st and 2nd pic: Fracted clay balls. Can be used in an aquarium if no additives were added. I think these might be very lightweight and porous. Will probably float upwards unless they already absorbed water. You can probably use these as the bottom most layer with finer gravel for the upper layers of the substrate.

3rd pic: Not sure what rock that is, probably not zeolite since I can see at least one odd rock in there with grey and white parts, looks like a granite piece to me. I doubt they are suitable as filter media, but good as aquarium ornaments as long as they are inert. A simple vinegar drip test should be sufficient to tell whether they are safe or not.

4th and 5th pic: Lava rock, suitable as media. Depending on the composition, it may affect the pH but minimally I believe. I use it myself in the form of Eheim's Lava chips, and so far, no issues with pH.

Land plant fertilisers will be in smaller spherical form, and come in a multitude of colors.

**daybreaks** · 25th Mar 2012, 17:24

I believe those white rocks in photo 2 look like Seachem Matrix,maybe mixed with some granite pieces.

**21kev** · 25th Mar 2012, 22:25

ohwww.. ok bro thanks a lot

**21kev** · 25th Mar 2012, 22:26

Originally Posted by diazman

Was told by my friend that lava rock bits can be used as bio-media but doesnt it affect tank PH? :S. The 1st picture looks like those land plant fertilizers. correct me if im wrong

thanks bro

**21kev** · 25th Mar 2012, 22:29

Originally Posted by stormhawk

1st and 2nd pic: Fracted clay balls. Can be used in an aquarium if no additives were added. I think these might be very lightweight and porous. Will probably float upwards unless they already absorbed water. You can probably use these as the bottom most layer with finer gravel for the upper layers of the substrate.

3rd pic: Not sure what rock that is, probably not zeolite since I can see at least one odd rock in there with grey and white parts, looks like a granite piece to me. I doubt they are suitable as filter media, but good as aquarium ornaments as long as they are inert. A simple vinegar drip test should be sufficient to tell whether they are safe or not.

4th and 5th pic: Lava rock, suitable as media. Depending on the composition, it may affect the pH but minimally I believe. I use it myself in the form of Eheim's Lava chips, and so far, no issues with pH.

Land plant fertilisers will be in smaller spherical form, and come in a multitude of colors.

thanks you very much bro.. helped a lot im just curious of it.. especiall the 1st pic cos i have one bag of it.. hahaha around 50kilos dont know what to do

hehe

**21kev** · 25th Mar 2012, 22:33

Originally Posted by stormhawk

1st and 2nd pic: Fracted clay balls. Can be used in an aquarium if no additives were added. I think these might be very lightweight and porous. Will probably float upwards unless they already absorbed water. You can probably use these as the bottom most layer with finer gravel for the upper layers of the substrate.

3rd pic: Not sure what rock that is, probably not zeolite since I can see at least one odd rock in there with grey and white parts, looks like a granite piece to me. I doubt they are suitable as filter media, but good as aquarium ornaments as long as they are inert. A simple vinegar drip test should be sufficient to tell whether they are safe or not.

4th and 5th pic: Lava rock, suitable as media. Depending on the composition, it may affect the pH but minimally I believe. I use it myself in the form of Eheim's Lava chips, and so far, no issues with pH.

Land plant fertilisers will be in smaller spherical form, and come in a multitude of colors.

thanks you very much bro.. helped a lot im just curious of it.. especiall the 1st pic cos i have one bag of it.. hahaha around 50kilos dont know what to do

hehe

**Jovel** · 26th Mar 2012, 01:50

only sure about the 2nd and 3rd items.

2. Seachem Matrix
3. Lava rocks

Both can be used as filtration media.

**Jalal** · 26th Mar 2012, 08:35

Originally Posted by diazman

Was told by my friend that lava rock bits can be used as bio-media but doesnt it affect tank PH? :S. The 1st picture looks like those land plant fertilizers. correct me if im wrong

Yep they do look like osmocote. I've used a substrate similar to shape and size called "Artificial soil" by a company called dolphin. I'm guessing what you have is something similar, maybe test it to see if they lower the pH.
2nd looks like matrix, I have some infront of me and it looks the same. 3rd, fractured lava rock, I believe a company called Dymax sells it like that for bio media.