# Finding rock in Northern Virginia



## jldean78 (Aug 6, 2008)

Anyone know where to find some rock in Northern VA. I have been looking far and wide, and cannot find some big pieces of lava rock. I'm also looking for some river rock and slate.

Please let me know!


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## alicem (Jul 26, 2007)

Try calling or stopping in at a landscaping business or home improvement store's garden shop.
hth
Alicem


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## myselfdotcom (Sep 19, 2006)

Come to MD side..you will find yourself a lot rocks ! lol

Potapsco River!


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

Super Petz in Annandale, Va., used to have quite a large rock selection. Not cheap, but not horrible . . .


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## Guest (Aug 29, 2008)

Did you mean free or somewhere to go buy? :lol:


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## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

Outside of the lava rock and maybe the slate (although there may be a type of slate in shale banks...I'm no rockologist :lol: ), you should be able to find PLENTY of rocks in N. Va. including river rocks...for free, right on the ground and in the Shenandoah or Potomac.


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## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

Hi jldean78,
I'm Dewdrop's twin sister Don'tdrop I'm gonna let you in on a little known secret about rocks, but it's just between you an me ok? If you really want the very best river rocks for you tank, and I mean THE BEST...you need to buy them off of someone that gets them out of the SOUTH branch of the Potomac River in West Virginia. Not everybody knows this but West Virginia's rocks are supior to Virginia's rocks and the ones that come out of the South branch of the Potomac are the best rock in the whole Potomac river. Now since I live right on the South branch, I might be able to help you out but only you...well maybe just 15-20 of your very closest friends too but that's all. Let me know how many and what sizes you'd like.


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## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

:wink: Just kidding :roll:


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## tankhead (Aug 8, 2008)

Try the New River. I have found some really good stones along the WV side.


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## pmhunter (Oct 10, 2008)

Try a rock yard, the kind that sells rock for fireplaces, rock walls, etc. They usually have a wide selection of different types of river rock and stones of various sizes. Sometimes they refer to the rounded stones as field stones. Try the vinegar test on the rocks.. put a couple drops of vinegar on a rock and if it fizzes, it isn't good for the tank. Most field stones or river rocks are ok. You just don't want anything that will break down in water. Good luck.


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## Zane (Feb 14, 2008)

*4 serious*

Just go north a bit to the VA MD WV Potomac River area.

The natural slate-shale* rock is safe and looks great, somma the best stuff.
Make great spawning rocks too, stacks easily.
Free to boot!

Lava rock, think it is superpetz in springfield?? I have heard that is the better place in the area.
craigslist & freecycle are worth keeping an eye on too

*me no rockologist either, not the stuff that cracks in thin pieces like roofing slate, it is a bit lighter in color and is usually 1.5-2" thick.
ps, natural marble looks good to


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## pmhunter (Oct 10, 2008)

Actually, marble isn't good in the aquarium because it leaches minerals and can change pH. It, of course, depends on the type of marble just what exactly will happen.


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## PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn (Dec 26, 2005)

marble is a calciferous material. it will leach calcium into the water, making it harder and more alkaline, not a problem for rift Africans or central Americans, however soft water set-up should avoid it,


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

I found lots of choices at Merrifield Garden Center, corner of Gallows Rd and Rt29.

I also got a good amount of the grey drainage rock "Rip-Rap" (no really thats what landscaper call it).

here it is in my 75g mbuna mixed with some Bullrun Marina sandstone chunks


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## F8LBITEva (Nov 9, 2007)

Yep I got alot of rocks from Merrifield garden center too. I even took pics, it was the rock jackpot!!




























Theres another landscaping place with really nice rocks on RT 50 in Falls Church in between 7 Corners and Leohman's plaza on the right.


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## paragonremodeling (Aug 26, 2011)

These rocks of basalt, obsidian, carbon, quartz, sandstone and shale. As the name suggests, this category of rock does not affect water chemistry.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Before you all get too carried away with whether rocks change water chemistry it seems a point is missing. You mention the type rock matters and it does but also the type water matters a great deal. There are almost as many types of water as there are types of rock! If your water is low PH with low KH, rocks may change it. If it is already high PH with lots of buffering from high KH, it will be very hard to change by adding rocks of any sort. It justs needs a bit more thought before saying rock will change the water. Remember that your water may be quite different than the water five miles down the road. If you get your water from a big supplier, the source may change at different times during the year. Some systems draw from lakes when available and draw from wells when water levels are low. No one size fits all answer.


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## DFishFox (Sep 27, 2011)

PfunMo said:


> Before you all get too carried away with whether rocks change water chemistry it seems a point is missing. You mention the type rock matters and it does but also the type water matters a great deal. There are almost as many types of water as there are types of rock! If your water is low PH with low KH, rocks may change it. If it is already high PH with lots of buffering from high KH, it will be very hard to change by adding rocks of any sort. It justs needs a bit more thought before saying rock will change the water. Remember that your water may be quite different than the water five miles down the road. If you get your water from a big supplier, the source may change at different times during the year. Some systems draw from lakes when available and draw from wells when water levels are low. No one size fits all answer.


^^^ So basically... Its anyone's guess.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

No. I wouldn't call it a guess. We can all test our water and find what we have. With that info on hand we can judge what the likely results will be. What I don't feel we should do is assume that information for one area can be used for other areas without some testing and thought. So many articles, books and magazines are written without regard for the different situations involved. A book written by an expert in one area may not work at all if he doesn't take into consideration some of the important differences. In the fish world, the water is a primary difference. We all know about floating new fish as the water may be different but when it comes to the way wood, rock, or plants may do different things in different water, we seem to have a blind spot. It may be a simple matter of more books are published in New York than Florida or Texas. We just need to run all the info we read through some better filters and see what we find.


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