Limestone in saltwater for fragging?

scuba-al · 11/25/2010, 09:59 PM

After a trip to Wyoming, I have a ton of slabs of limestone (we went fish-fossil hunting). When we were chiseling the rock, the pieces broke horizontally into thin layers. Each layer broke easily, and I had an idea.
If gsp's or zoa's grew on the thin sheets of limestone, they limestone could snap easily and the mat would be cut...
That is, if limestone is reef-safe. It's almost entirely made up of calcium carbonate, but it has tiny amounts of silica in it as well. And if you're worried about pollutants, don't be: this rock is from 50 million year old sediment. So, yeah.
Do you think limestone is safe for fish, and do you think it's reef-safe? Is it possible it would simply dissolve into the water?
I hope this idea works

Misled · 11/25/2010, 10:03 PM

I wouldn't put it in mine. You really don't know what else is in it without it being tested. There's too much money in my tank to try that.

reef100 · 11/26/2010, 12:44 AM

technically it should be....problem is it isnt from a sterile environment where its safe enough to be sure it wont introduce other elements from dirt, debris, or who knows what else.

scuba-al · 11/26/2010, 09:38 PM

well the rock was eroding from the side of a remote cliff in central Wyoming, and the only dirt around was mashed limestone. and the sediment is from 50 million year old sand, compressed over time to make rock, but if anyone has doubts i won't do it.

wbdevers · 11/26/2010, 10:28 PM

I say go for it. Coral skeletons are limestone so you should be fine. It really boils down to what you want to do. If you feel okay with doing it then do it. I couldn't think of a better substrate to use than that. Perfect example are oysters--we put out tons (literally) of material to make artificial reefs and use mostly crushed #57 limestone. Oyster spat attach all of the time, but if we build a reef using old oyster shells the number of spat increase 10 fold. Just some FYI and my .01 (economy is bad--sorry) LOL!

W

scuba-al · 11/27/2010, 01:34 PM

Thanks. I'm going to go for it, once I get some green star polyps.

11/25/2010, 09:59 PM	#1
scuba-al Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Central New Jersey Posts: 113	Limestone in saltwater for fragging? After a trip to Wyoming, I have a ton of slabs of limestone (we went fish-fossil hunting). When we were chiseling the rock, the pieces broke horizontally into thin layers. Each layer broke easily, and I had an idea. If gsp's or zoa's grew on the thin sheets of limestone, they limestone could snap easily and the mat would be cut... That is, if limestone is reef-safe. It's almost entirely made up of calcium carbonate, but it has tiny amounts of silica in it as well. And if you're worried about pollutants, don't be: this rock is from 50 million year old sediment. So, yeah. Do you think limestone is safe for fish, and do you think it's reef-safe? Is it possible it would simply dissolve into the water? I hope this idea works

11/25/2010, 10:03 PM	#2
Misled RC Mod Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 11,440 Blog Entries: 11	I wouldn't put it in mine. You really don't know what else is in it without it being tested. There's too much money in my tank to try that. __________________ Jesse I'm not saying I'm Batman. I'm just saying nobody has ever seen me and Batman in a room together.

11/26/2010, 12:44 AM	#3
reef100 Registered Member. Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 66	technically it should be....problem is it isnt from a sterile environment where its safe enough to be sure it wont introduce other elements from dirt, debris, or who knows what else.

11/26/2010, 09:38 PM	#4
scuba-al Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Central New Jersey Posts: 113	well the rock was eroding from the side of a remote cliff in central Wyoming, and the only dirt around was mashed limestone. and the sediment is from 50 million year old sand, compressed over time to make rock, but if anyone has doubts i won't do it.

11/26/2010, 10:28 PM	#5
wbdevers Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: MS Gulf Coast Posts: 754	I say go for it. Coral skeletons are limestone so you should be fine. It really boils down to what you want to do. If you feel okay with doing it then do it. I couldn't think of a better substrate to use than that. Perfect example are oysters--we put out tons (literally) of material to make artificial reefs and use mostly crushed #57 limestone. Oyster spat attach all of the time, but if we build a reef using old oyster shells the number of spat increase 10 fold. Just some FYI and my .01 (economy is bad--sorry) LOL! W __________________ Wes Beatings will continue until morale improves!!! "I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. I felt I owed it to them."--Judge Smails Current Tank Info: 125g ML dual corner OF mixed reef, Custom stand and canopy, 40g custom sump, lighting (in flux :( )

11/27/2010, 01:34 PM	#6
scuba-al Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Central New Jersey Posts: 113	Thanks. I'm going to go for it, once I get some green star polyps.