Beach rocks/stones as substrate?

[Steven Prince]

i read somewhere you can use stones from the beach to as a substrate for fish tanks as long as you boil them first, would this be possible for ACF's or would the rocks mess with the water and cause harm to my little guy?
oh... and if its a hit and miss depending on the type of stone what types if any would be suitable?

thanks for any help

[Jenste]

Do not boil rocks - they can explode.
You can put them in HOT water, but you do not want it to boil.

Rinse them thoroughly and then break off a tiny piece for a vinegar test. On the rock piece, put a few drops of vinegar and if it reacts then you cannot use the rock. If nothing happens then after a few more soaks in water then you should be good to go.

[Steven Prince]

thank you very much for the warning, i rather like my face being free of shards of rock lol and that vinegar test is pure genius i live right next to a stony beach and there are quite often bright one so it will be incredibly helpful to be able to do this, I've been using tank gravel because the pet shop suggested it but a lot of people on here are saying that he could eat it so I'm looking for a good looking cheep alternative

[NatureLady]

Thanks for this post! I think a lot of people are looking for cheaper ways to do things...or maybe that is just me

[KingCam]

Thanks for this post! I think a lot of people are looking for cheaper ways to do things...or maybe that is just me

Definitely not just you. Check out this post on caudata.org where I re-constructed my tiger salamander tank using stuff I already had laying around the house: Tiger Sal Tank - Revamp Time! - Caudata.org Newt and Salamander Forum

[rivkah]

I really like the layout of your tiger salamander tank. It was inqenius using the overturned plastic containers to take up space... great idea!

[KingCam]

I really like the layout of your tiger salamander tank. It was inqenius using the overturned plastic containers to take up space... great idea!

Well thank you I had to think of something, because I only had 1/4 of a bag of hydroton and I really didn't wanna go out to buy more.

[rivkah]

As "they" say "necessity is the mother of invention".

Years ago I was given an axoltl... but it wasn't... it was a tiger salamander juevinal. When it morphed I built it a terrarium using hamster tubes to create tunnels under the surface. Silly, but he enjoyed it. At times it looked like a wack a mole game, never knowing from which hole he was going to emerge.

I am in the process of setting up yet another terrarium/vivarium out of a 20 gallon bowl of all things. Because of the shape, completely round (30" wide and high) with an 8 inch opening, I still have not yet decided what to do with it: vivarium with pond, creek or waterfall or terrarium without moving water but with hills and valleys. I have the bits to do either just cant decide.... Evenutally all manner of critter could reside in it and even without a cover I don't beleive anything but tree frogs and the like could climb up and out, the sides are too steep and curl towards the middle to the small 8" opening.

Any suggestions?

[KingCam]

As "they" say "necessity is the mother of invention".

Years ago I was given an axoltl... but it wasn't... it was a tiger salamander juevinal. When it morphed I built it a terrarium using hamster tubes to create tunnels under the surface. Silly, but he enjoyed it. At times it looked like a wack a mole game, never knowing from which hole he was going to emerge.

I am in the process of setting up yet another terrarium/vivarium out of a 20 gallon bowl of all things. Because of the shape, completely round (30" wide and high) with an 8 inch opening, I still have not yet decided what to do with it: vivarium with pond, creek or waterfall or terrarium without moving water but with hills and valleys. I have the bits to do either just cant decide.... Evenutally all manner of critter could reside in it and even without a cover I don't beleive anything but tree frogs and the like could climb up and out, the sides are too steep and curl towards the middle to the small 8" opening.

Any suggestions?

That's awesome! I'm too busy visualizing all of the awesome things you just suggested to come up with anything good :P

[rivkah]

I am not techology. I wish I could figure out how to set up a photo album.... this is the only way I know how to include pictures. So here are pictures of my 30g terrarium for red efts and a 35g hex which currently houses 3 fire belly newts. I increased the water level to about an below the land, and removed the silly turtle. These pictures were taken within a week of their construction. Now months later, the plants have filled in nicely. I also have a third terrarium set up for 3 bumblebee toads, it is grossly overgrown and it is that tank that I am looking to replace with the 20g bowl.





If you can dream it up, I usually can built it. I like very natural looking enclosures. My problem is making the decision: I visualize the 20g bowl so many different ways... it had been a goldfish bowl, a mini reef, as well as a freshwater tank. I have owned it for over 15 years, long before the Biorbs came out. It is a perfect size, big enough to do anything with it, small enough to fit anywhere and a great shape for viewing.

Do these pictures help you visualize?