Where do you go for slate? - Aquarium Advice

donttaptheglass · 04-08-2006, 11:51 PM

I want to build my own stone caves and stacks of rock using various sized pieces of flat slate. Our specialty LFS here in town carries it, but they want outrageous amounts of $$ for it (like $3 a pound or something rediculous like that). Can I not get this same slate at Lowe's/Home Depot/Menards or someplace similar for much less than that? I mostly don't care about size or shape as it can be broken into pieces that I want. I just want some gray/brown and maybe some red slate to stack into whatever configuration strikes my mood and keeps my fish happy.

tropicfishman · 04-09-2006, 12:26 AM

you can buy slate flooring tiles at lowes, thats about it really, otherwise I would go to a landscaping store and see what they have, maybe you can find it in some creek beds

SCFatz · 04-09-2006, 01:09 AM

I got mine on sale at a LFS that was remodeling so it wasn't too bad,but I suspected the local landscape supplier would be much cheaper even as I was buying it at the discounted price.

Good question to post...the price is out of hand in the fish stores.

Fatz

Meredith · 04-09-2006, 01:23 AM

I got mine at Lowes. I bought the floor tiles. They were pretty big squares and I had to break them in to smaller pieces. I didn't like how sharp they were after that so I took a dremel to the edges.
Here are some pictures of the caves I built...

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/photop...00&ppuser=6684

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/photop...00&ppuser=6684

tropicfishman · 04-09-2006, 01:30 AM

good looking caves and ledges meredith

Jchillin · 04-09-2006, 01:31 AM

That is something I never thought of Meredith, thanks for the tip.

(PS - The bunny ears on your ram is just priceless

)

Japola44 · 04-09-2006, 02:01 AM

I am planning to use slate as well for my 55gal. I'm going to go to a garden store and also lowes/Home depot to see what they have. I am also getting a bunch of small stones to build terracing in my 50gal. I'll let you all know about the prices.

Lonewolfblue · 04-09-2006, 02:24 AM

Nice caves and nice Pleco...

**Fishyfanatic** · 04-09-2006, 11:06 AM

Very nice caves Meredith!

severum mama · 04-09-2006, 05:53 PM

I got a lot of my rock at a local garden center. I think they only charged about 50 cents a pound, and they had a lot of different kinds of rock. I didn't buy any slate, but I'm pretty sure they have it. You might want to check a place like that. I bought 70 pounds of rock for my 55 gallon, so I would have to agree that $3 a pound is outrageous!

04-08-2006, 11:51 PM	#1
donttaptheglass Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Grand Ledge, MI Posts: 352 Images: 1	Where do you go for slate? I want to build my own stone caves and stacks of rock using various sized pieces of flat slate. Our specialty LFS here in town carries it, but they want outrageous amounts of $$ for it (like $3 a pound or something rediculous like that). Can I not get this same slate at Lowe's/Home Depot/Menards or someplace similar for much less than that? I mostly don't care about size or shape as it can be broken into pieces that I want. I just want some gray/brown and maybe some red slate to stack into whatever configuration strikes my mood and keeps my fish happy. __________________ Donttaptheglass: The Movie Going to WalMart to buy fish is like going to Good Year to buy ground beef.

04-09-2006, 12:26 AM	#2
tropicfishman Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ashland KY Posts: 1,890	you can buy slate flooring tiles at lowes, thats about it really, otherwise I would go to a landscaping store and see what they have, maybe you can find it in some creek beds __________________ I love my clown loaches and red tail shark!!! lol

04-09-2006, 01:09 AM	#3
SCFatz Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 814	I got mine on sale at a LFS that was remodeling so it wasn't too bad,but I suspected the local landscape supplier would be much cheaper even as I was buying it at the discounted price. Good question to post...the price is out of hand in the fish stores. Fatz __________________ Fatz 90g SW FOWLR 50g tall fw planted at .6wpg 29g fw planted at 1.2 wpg 10g fw planted at 3 wpg cf

04-09-2006, 01:30 AM	#5
tropicfishman Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ashland KY Posts: 1,890	good looking caves and ledges meredith __________________ I love my clown loaches and red tail shark!!! lol

04-09-2006, 01:31 AM	#6
Jchillin Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New York, NY (The Big Apple) Posts: 12,976 Images: 47	That is something I never thought of Meredith, thanks for the tip. (PS - The bunny ears on your ram is just priceless ) __________________ _________________________________

04-09-2006, 01:23 AM	#4
Meredith Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Washington Posts: 3,184 Images: 17	I got mine at Lowes. I bought the floor tiles. They were pretty big squares and I had to break them in to smaller pieces. I didn't like how sharp they were after that so I took a dremel to the edges. Here are some pictures of the caves I built... http://www.aquariumadvice.com/photop...00&ppuser=6684 http://www.aquariumadvice.com/photop...00&ppuser=6684

04-09-2006, 02:01 AM	#7
Japola44 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 491 Images: 12	I am planning to use slate as well for my 55gal. I'm going to go to a garden store and also lowes/Home depot to see what they have. I am also getting a bunch of small stones to build terracing in my 50gal. I'll let you all know about the prices. __________________ -Julia "it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one's existence--that which makes its truth, its meaning--its subtle and penetrating essence. It is impossible. We live, as we dream--alone..." The Heart of Darkness

04-09-2006, 02:24 AM	#8
Lonewolfblue Planted Geek Community Mentor Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Wenatchee, WA Posts: 7,871 Images: 7	Nice caves and nice Pleco... __________________ 26G Medium Planted Community - 65W CF Lighting - Emperor 280 Bio-Wheel - Established Feb 2004 55G Aggressive Community - Filstar XP3 - Established Dec 2005 75G Heavily Planted - Pressurized CO2, 520W Lighting, Filstar XP3 with spraybar - Established Feb 2006 29G Planted - 130W Lighting, Filstar XP2 with spraybar - Established May 2006 5 10G Tanks - Various setups - Tanks Established May-Sep 2006. 3 currently empty. 5.5G Crypt/Java Fern Tank - Established Oct 2006 My 29G Thread : http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=78469 My 75G Thread : http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=70764 My 75G Makeover Thread: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=87691

04-09-2006, 11:06 AM	#9
Fishyfanatic Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Illinois Posts: 10,303 Images: 15	Very nice caves Meredith! __________________ Vote for Aquarium Advice 10 Gallon Lake Malawi Cichlid Fry 29 Gallon Community 55 Gallon Community 55 Gallon Lake Malawi Cichlid Fry 150 Gallon Lake Malawi Cichlid

04-09-2006, 05:53 PM	#10
severum mama Aquarium Advice Addict Community Mentor Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 2,771 Images: 22	I got a lot of my rock at a local garden center. I think they only charged about 50 cents a pound, and they had a lot of different kinds of rock. I didn't buy any slate, but I'm pretty sure they have it. You might want to check a place like that. I bought 70 pounds of rock for my 55 gallon, so I would have to agree that $3 a pound is outrageous! __________________ WE CAN STAGE A RUNAWAY GOLF CART MARATHON 5 gallon, 45 gallon, and 55 gallon planted 75 gallon SA/CA cichlids 8 gallon Oceanic BioCube nano reef

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
slate tile	justrelax	Freshwater & Brackish - General Discussion	9	06-26-2006 12:34 AM
slate tile	Meredith	Freshwater & Brackish - General Discussion	9	08-04-2005 01:48 AM
Slate ok in salt?	dr_girlfriend	Saltwater Reef Aquaria	2	07-10-2005 06:26 PM
cutting slate	bussardnr	DIY Projects	3	04-24-2005 12:00 PM
Using slate	Eoin	Freshwater & Brackish - General Discussion	11	07-21-2004 09:32 AM