# Are Glass Gems Safe for Fish Tanks?



## Vaughan06 (Aug 9, 2011)

When I first bought my Betta I almost bought a bag of Akasha gems for his tank. However, I wasn't comfortable getting them because it had no indicator that it could be used in fish tanks (on the bag, the website says they are ok for fish bowls).

Here is a link to the gems. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Akasha-32-oz-Decor-Mini-Gems-Sapphire/17200861


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## Littlebittyfish (Jan 5, 2011)

Vaughan06 said:


> When I first bought my Betta I almost bought a bag of Akasha gems for his tank. However, I wasn't comfortable getting them because it had no indicator that it could be used in fish tanks (on the bag, the website says they are ok for fish bowls).
> 
> Here is a link to the gems. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Akasha-32-oz-Decor-Mini-Gems-Sapphire/17200861


Those are pretty...I almost picked up a bag of some gold/brownish ones too...but I hesitated..I wasn't sure..I do have some other flat glass gems in my critter keeper though and they are fine. These look to have more of a pearly effect which was why I hesitated...If it says they're safe for fishtanks though..I might try them.


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## Amphibianite (Aug 6, 2011)

I don't know about that brand but 3 of my tanks have glass gems like that, and my boys are fine.


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## hodgepodgen (Feb 25, 2011)

Just rinse them first. They'll be fine.


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## doggyhog (Apr 30, 2009)

Perfectly safe.


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## Krys (Jul 28, 2009)

Oh yeah. I use them all the time. They're cheaper than gravel most of the time, and a lot easier to use, and you use soap to clean them instead of just soaking them in hot water incase you get an outbreak of ick or something contagious to your fishes. perfectly safe for fish, just take out any that happen to break and have sharp edges exposed. :3


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## Kytkattin (May 15, 2011)

If you have plants make sure you have something else, but these work fine for just a regular, non-planted tank.


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## HatsuneMiku (Jul 29, 2011)

all my tanks are glass .. except my planted one .. i have glass shells and stars too .. and marbles and stones =D it's a nice effect .. just make sure it's real glass and not the cheep plastic gems that are made to look like glass .. those i think could be porous and that is not good .. and make sure theres no holes or cracks

then i soak them in hot chlorinated water .. just to make sure to kill all the germs .. cus some of those marbles are made to be decorative for flower vases .. then i rinse them again in cold de-chlorinated water .. before i put them in the tank


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## NCPanthersgurl (Jul 13, 2011)

I agree with all of the above accept the use of soap; it's always advised that you don't use soap on tanks or decor just because soap is notorious for leaving residue. If you're concerned, white vinegar would be better. But soaking them in hot water is usually fine. I love them, found that they made water change time much easier.


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## Krys (Jul 28, 2009)

Here's Sesshoumaru's Tank with a variety of the glass gems.


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## Thunderloon (Feb 6, 2011)

hodgepodgen said:


> Just rinse them first. They'll be fine.


...and handle them carefully, since they're glass and the same hardness as the aquarium glass they can abrade it and tear little flakes off themselves. Definitely a place-in/pick-out item, but no more dangerous than the tank itself.


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