Prepare slate and sandstone for FW?

[zparticle]

I found a number of little projects folks here have made for habitat for their fish. I went and bought some slate and a few pieces of sandstone. I was wondering what I have to do, if anything, before I do my build and place it in a FW aquarium.

 

[zparticle]

Well it isn't great but not bad for a first try. Hopefully it looks better in the water.

Left Side
View attachment 43449

Front
View attachment 43450

 

[Demonknight]

looks nice to me

 

[AlexisLape]

Sweet! I'm a total NewB, so to me, it's beasty.

I'm thinking about doing the same thing (buying some slate and such to make a little hideaway), but I wasn't sure what sort of adhesives are safe and inexpensive to use. What did you use?

 

[zparticle]

Thanks all. I used 100% silicon (clear not colored), as far as I can tell that is the only safe adhesive for aquariums.

 

[alLexX]

that looks great,now i want to do that for my 55

 

[zparticle]

Here it is in the water:

View attachment 43534

 

[jcolon]

Looks even better in the tank! .. brings some character to the corner.

 

[zparticle]

yeah I think it looks much better in the water, and you can't see the silicon normally but the camera flash made it show up. Pretty much all of the fish have checked it out but I get the feeling the honey gouramis are going to stake a claim on it.

 

[huma-huma]

Doesn't sandstone raise the ph in water??

 

[zparticle]

it might but this is slate.

 

[ChristinaE12]

Where did you purchase it at?? Just wondering. Been hunting some down here but can't seem to get my hands on any yet. I have two places to check out yet though, so..

We have so much rock here out in the wild but can't be sure exactly what it is nor to trust it.

 

[Demonknight]

Most anything you find up there "should" be ok, most of what I remember seeing is the same as Co and is harder rocks like granite and the like... you can always put some vinegar on it and see if it foams/bubbles.

 

[ChristinaE12]

Yeah.. I wanted to go 'hunting' for some rock and driftwood out and around the Yellowstone River but of course we just had quite a big oil spill. Ruined all my plans very quickly.

Unless of course anyone knows of any safe way to get rid of any possible oil residue that I'm not aware of.

 

[zparticle]

Where did you purchase it at?? Just wondering. Been hunting some down here but can't seem to get my hands on any yet. I have two places to check out yet though, so..

We have so much rock here out in the wild but can't be sure exactly what it is nor to trust it.

I got mine at home depot. They have sheets of backing with 6-8 pieces of slate attached, was not expensive. I just had to pry the slate off and clean off any remaining glue.

I haven't found any place yet that has longer pieces than those. I'm still looking because I want to do another couple of decorations but much longer than this one.

 

[ChristinaE12]

I got mine at home depot. They have sheets of backing with 6-8 pieces of slate attached, was not expensive. I just had to pry the slate off and clean off any remaining glue.

I haven't found any place yet that has longer pieces than those. I'm still looking because I want to do another couple of decorations but much longer than this one.

Yeah, I went to home depot a couple days ago and the guy actually was against it and said they use additives and 'stuff' to what I was looking at and he wasn't sure on it.

I'll keep searching though.

 

[zparticle]

Just a quick warning. I think either the slate or the silicon very nearly killed my fish, some surely won't survive.

 

[ChristinaE12]

Just a quick warning. I think either the slate or the silicon very nearly killed my fish, some surely won't survive.

Ahh that is not good. I'm glad I listened to the guy at Home Depot and didn't purchase that rock I really wanted. Did you see it leech anything out or just the fish started acting weird? Just so I know for future reference.

I'm happy though cause I'm going hunting for some rock that shouldn't be treated, in any way, tomorrow. Then I just gotta figure out how to decorate everything. Without wanting to change it every time I look at it, lol.

 

[zparticle]

I can't be sure it was the decoration it might have been the heater temp sensor being shot. The tank was way over heated. However the problems didn't kick in until the decoration was put in the tank. I lost on tetra and the glass cats are all in bad shape. Their whiskers curled up and feel off and they have damage at the end of their tails.

I moved them to another tank in hopes that they will recover. I took out the decoration and changed the water. I can't risk putting the decoration back in so I guess I'll have to make another one and be darn sure the rock doesn't have anything in it. I didn't see anything leeching out of it.

 

[DragonFish71]

I got mine at home depot. They have sheets of backing with 6-8 pieces of slate attached, was not expensive. I just had to pry the slate off and clean off any remaining glue.

I haven't found any place yet that has longer pieces than those. I'm still looking because I want to do another couple of decorations but much longer than this one.

For longer pieces try the landscaping supply places. You know the ones that have piles of rocks that you can get by the ton. Thats where we get darn near all our rocks and slates.