Lichen

[Mbuniac]

I have some large pieces of lace rock that I would like to put in my 125. There are a few small patches of rust and yellowish colored lichen. Will they hurt anything? I washed them in the dishwasher first (don't tell my wife, she'd kill me).

[SGypsyMermaid]

is it really rust? because that means iron and that could be bad for your tank if it mixes with salt...i think. did you get the rock from an aquarium store? lichen is an epiphytic plant?

[Mbuniac]

Sorry! I meant sort of a rust red colored lichen, not rust.

[SGypsyMermaid]

here's a link that tells what lichen is, but i haven't found anything, yet that tells whether or not it would be bad for your tank. since it's organic, i think that it might decompose in your tank and cause a problem if there's too much of it.

[Mbuniac]

I didn't get the link, will you please send it again?
Thanks, Sam

[SGypsyMermaid]

you didn't get it cuz the dingbat mermaid left it out of the post!(tom, i need an emoticon for "smacks herself in the forehead")

http://www.cichlidforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=2339#2339

[SGypsyMermaid]

then again, it seems to be similar to coralline algae found in reef aquariums. if its not dead, maybe it could be beneficial. hmm..wonder if different colored lichens can be grown on aquarium rocks? cichlid jeans probably knows.

[jonah]

If you're worried about rotting matter in the tank, why not take a metal brush to it? Get one of those kind that attaches to a power drill and go to town on it.

[Mbuniac]

If the patches are not harmful, I'll leave them on. They add a bit of color to the rock. I'll hold off until hopefully someone who knows for sure (cichlid jeans?) will answer. I have a wire brush wheel for my drill motor, and I'll take it off with that if necessary.
Don't smack your forehead too hard, Mermaids are hard to come by these days and I appreciate the link!
Thanks, Sam

[SGypsyMermaid]

Don't smack your forehead too hard, Mermaids are hard to come by these days and I appreciate the link!
Thanks, Sam

why thank you, kind sir...(she blushes)

[jnorris]

I had tons of lichen on my lace rock and I got most of it off. The part that I didn't get off they ate. No floating fish yet (after 2 months).

It does make a mess out of your tank and I would recommend using a wire brush and or a dental pick. Thats what I used.
I then soaked/poured boiling water on the clean rocks (like I do to all my new rocks).

[Mbuniac]

Thanks J,
If they'll eat it with no harm, there is not much of it so maybe i'll leave it on. I wash my rocks in the dishwasher with no soap. Works great, but if my wife ever finds out, I'm dead meat.
Sam