Crystals?

mdthomas1 · Oct 30, 2015

Hi there.

I have an unusual question that I'm hoping my fellow reef goers will be able to answer. I have been in the reefing game for a while but my girlfriend asked me to do something quite new for her. She wants a tank but with a twist. She is big into energy healing and meditation, so much so that I've built her a meditation room in our home. Well she asked that in her Tank she would like some healing crystals to incorporate her hobby into it. I'm concerned as to what crystals I can put in a tank and how they would affect the coral/fish in the system? Anything on the subject would help.

Thanks a lot
Matt

eatbreakfast · Oct 30, 2015

I think someone on the chemistry forum would be able to help.
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/reef-chemistry-by-randy-holmes-farley.295/

mdthomas1 · Oct 30, 2015

eatbreakfast said:
I think someone on the chemistry forum would be able to help.
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/reef-chemistry-by-randy-holmes-farley.295/

Thank you for the direction

kschweer · Oct 30, 2015

Agreed. That kind of chemistry would be over my head. Maybe @redfishbluefish or @Randy Holmes-Farley can chime in. What kind of crystals are the "options" for what she wants to use?

mdthomas1 · Oct 30, 2015

There are quite a few healing crystals and stones from what I've found but she has Amethyst, Jade, Crystal, Agate, and Quarts.

Naiad · Oct 30, 2015

This will take some planning by both of you. There are some crystals that will be fine as they would take extremely acidic environments to breakdown and others that leach in water. She should be able to figure out the ones to avoid because they can be used in drinks or potions. Once you select some that appear to be stable I would post in the chemistry section to see if anyone can think of a reaction that may take place with common saltwater components.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 30, 2015

mdthomas1 said:
There are quite a few healing crystals and stones from what I've found but she has Amethyst, Jade, Crystal, Agate, and Quarts.

They will soon be covered in algae, coralline or other organisms and may not look so cool unless you frequently clean them, but Amethyst, Jade, and Quartz are OK. Agate is probably OK. Calcite, not on your list, is definitely OK.

The term "Crystal" does not give it a defined chemical structure and I'd avoid it.

Be SURE they are properly identified. Some may completely dissolve into seawater over time. Gypsum and fluorite crystals, for example.

Naiad · Oct 30, 2015

Oh and be sure they are pure without inclusions from other minerals many crystals used in meditation are mixes

mdthomas1 · Oct 30, 2015

Thanks for the help guys. I'm probably going to just have to do a small 10gal test Tank for a month or so and periodically clean the the crystals to figure out if its going to really work.

AdamNC · Oct 30, 2015

Would it be possible to encase said crystals in a saltwater safe resin, like the clowns on the popular aquarium tv show.

mdthomas1 · Oct 30, 2015

That's an interesting idea. What's the name of a reef safe resin.

redfishbluefish · Oct 30, 2015

I'm not quite sure why you would want to put healing stones in a tank. For them to "work" they need to be in contact with the patient and that patient needs to believe the stones are doing something (placebo effect). To the best of my knowledge the fish/inverts are not going to go over and lay down on the stones, and they certainly are not aware of what they are supposed to do.

I would leave that tank alone and get the real medicinal benefit of sitting in front of it and totally relaxing as you gaze into the tank. The benefits are endless. For me the choice was either a fish tank or a psychiatrist, and without a doubt I picked the right one.

mdthomas1 · Oct 30, 2015

The crystals aren't meant to work. Their there for dressing the aquascaping in a theme that she likes. And if that theme helps her have a greater piece of mind than they are doing their job.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 30, 2015

redfishbluefish said:
I'm not quite sure why you would want to put healing stones in a tank. For them to "work" they need to be in contact with the patient and that patient needs to believe the stones are doing something (placebo effect). .

You think the intervening glass and water prevents a placebo effect? You just need to pick minerals that are known to work at a distance.