# what kind of rocks are these?



## lilscoots (Mar 13, 2012)

I was looking through some other posts and quite a few people have rocks like those seen here http://cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=254515. They look almost like limestone but they're a dark grey almost black color...I'd like to be able to call the local rock/landscape places and know what rock I'm looking for.
Thanks


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## tapout14 (May 30, 2012)

Looks like granite to me


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## iridextr (Feb 8, 2013)

I use some rocks very similar to that.. at the stone yard I get my rocks from, it's called "trap rock". sometimes it's bluish and other times it's gray with blue and green veins through it. Beautiful stuff, I plan on redoing the entire tank with it this spring.


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## iridextr (Feb 8, 2013)

This is just a google search for trap rock

















And these are some pieces from my tank, if it's the same stuff at least (I believe it is..)
















My tangs weren't exactly happy with me for turning the light back on to take pictures. Anyway, as I said before, love this rock, it's great stuff. In my malawi tank upstairs I have some pieces that are more blue, it's very nice stuff and it's usually about 20cents a pound from what I've found.


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## lilscoots (Mar 13, 2012)

iridextr said:


> I use some rocks very similar to that.. at the stone yard I get my rocks from, it's called "trap rock". sometimes it's bluish and other times it's gray with blue and green veins through it. Beautiful stuff, I plan on redoing the entire tank with it this spring.


Awesome, thank you, It didn't look like black granite to me.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

From a website:

"Traprock" is not a geological term. It is a term used in the quarrying (mining) and rock commodities industries to refer to any number of dark-colored igneous rocks that are crushed and used, primarily, for road construction. The most common rock type in the traprock category are gabbro and basalt.


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## cichlid-gal (Apr 27, 2012)

We have "TONS" of basal around here lilscoots...the below video shows some basalt when it was 1st placed into the tank. It is grey and heavy. Not a lot of veining in it but it sometimes seems like it has some where the rock has fractured. Most of my tanks have basalt. Only my P. chromogynos species tank and West Africa riverine have what they call "river rock" around here. I like it much better...I have a lot of rocks with veining and beautiful colors. The gray rocks tend to darken the fish some as they try to blend in with the rocks so I think you lose some color in the process. You can look at some of my other videos to see more basalt and its impact on the fish's colors.


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## lilscoots (Mar 13, 2012)

alright well, I looked at basalt and gabbro and black granite images online and it seems i'll have to head to a rock yard and see which i prefer, thank you all for your help.


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