Aquariums/Terrariums are popular ways to house lots of different kinds of pets. Although most people associate an aquarium with fish, you can use a glass tank to create a home for a great number of reptiles, amphibians and even some mammals.

And just like your own home, you want your pets living area to have a pleasant look and feel. Aquarium gravel, river rock or natural stone bought a pet store can do the trick, but doesn’t always provide the splash of color – or natural look – that most people like. So can you put natural stones in an aquarium? All of the stones we offer unless otherwise noted are safe for your aquariums. If you are unsure please feel free to contact us anytime.

You want to avoid any sort of lacquer on the stones you use. This heavy chemical can essentially poison any water it comes in contact with. This can include the water in your fish tank or any sort of water feature you include in a reptile enclosure.

All of the stones we offer are all natural and are free of any lacquers or other chemical applications.

You should boil any rocks for 10-15 minutes before placing them in an any aquarium or animal enclosure.

The most common and popular natural stones are quartz and jasper specimens due to their wide variety of color and sizes. For the most part, these stones are aquarium safe, as they’re hard stones that have very little added mineral content. There are exceptions to the rule, though. If you are not purchasing your stones from us directly you will want to do your homework and make sure any stones you are planning to use are actually safe for your environment

Perhaps the biggest issue you may have when adding natural stones to your aquarium/terrarium is keeping them clean and shiny and their colors vibrant. In any wet or humid environment, you’re going to have organic bacteria that grows. In most aquariums and terrariums, that means algae. This will happen even with generic aquarium rock or artificial plant add-ons.

The easiest way to give your stones a “refresh” is to remove them from the tank and boil them for 10-15 minutes – while giving them a good scrub after.
You don’t have to do this regularly, but it doesn’t hurt to complete the task whenever you see it’s needed. This is especially true in a freshwater tank, where you’ll have fewer chemicals and additives added to the water.