Jess1ca
Aquarium Advice Addict
Im on a search for some good flat rock to build my "cichlid hotel" Is slate my best choice? Anyone know of any sites that have decently priced rock???
Im on a search for some good flat rock to build my "cichlid hotel" Is slate my best choice? Anyone know of any sites that have decently priced rock???
I live quite far from any stores At least an hour, thats pretty much why I suggested online I have found some tiles... But Im not sure if that is the same?!Don't bother going online ... I'd say just go to a home gardening / home improvement store for decent sized and relatively inexpensive slate. Slate sold at LFS's I find are marked up higher than at home improvement stores.
Ah! That is awesome! I really wish that I had a store like that near me! Unfortunately I live in the "country" in northern Michigan. All the stores are an hour + away, and these mom and pop stores are senior owned and they DO NOT like to make deals! Not to mention they dont know if they are aquarium safe lol, and neither do I! Considering I am very, very new to fishkeeping!I have slate in all my tanks. It hasn't created any problems for me, other than constantly changing it up to try and find the "perfect" fit. I picked mine up quite inexpensive from burnco it's a landscaping place that sells gravel,dirt,concrete and bulk stone. They let me pick through and sometimes even let me just have the smaller pieces
I live quite far from any stores At least an hour, thats pretty much why I suggested online I have found some tiles... But Im not sure if that is the same?!
Not to mention they dont know if they are aquarium safe lol, and neither do I! Considering I am very, very new to fishkeeping!
Hey thanks for the link! Now I know what Im looking for lol, perfect! Any advice on how to break it I really like the look of the stuff they sell in the pet store but they want a million dollars a pound (I call that northern inflation lol)In that case, Online sounds like the way to go. The slate that's used for walkways or a small retaining wall in gardenx work fine ... that's what I use. About an inch think, sturdy and durable. Slate Roofing tiles are generally thinner, could crack easier if dropped, but could also work.
The link below shows some paving slate that would work as an example.
3-garden-paving-ideas-slate | HomeKlondike.com - Home Interior Design, Architecture and Decorating Ideas
Oh thank you for telling me that! I ALMOST bought shale, the man told me there was no differenceUnless it's been chemically treated ... slate straight from a quarry is safe. The confusion comes when some confuse shale (similar in appearance) to slate.
You do NOT want shale, it's generally a weaker rock that can come apart when submerged for prolonged periods of time.
Hey thanks for the link! Now I know what Im looking for lol, perfect! Any advice on how to break it I really like the look of the stuff they sell in the pet store but they want a million dollars a pound (I call that northern inflation lol)
Oh thank you for telling me that! I ALMOST bought shale, the man told me there was no difference
Sounds easy enough! Thanks for your help! That could actually be fun lol!Small Sledge hammer preferably ... you'd be surprised how tough 1inch thick slate can be. A regular hammer should do ... but be ready for a workout. Just whack away and let nature do the rest. With slate you kind of have to settle for how large the pieces break, but they'll all be relatively flat.
Ha! For sure! Im pretty excited!If I grab a large piece I either use the hammer (as suggested earlier) or I go "cave man" on it. I just drop it on the driveway and see which way it breaks naturally. It's good for letting off some steam too
Keep in mind that when you break slate you end up with sharp edges that can harm fish and look unnatural. If you are in the country, surely you can find suitable rocks nearby for free.
AndrewsPistol said:Ha! For sure! Im pretty excited!
Thanks! I definitely will! Cant wait to get my sand this weekend! Wish I would have went with the sand in the first place! Wasted $45 on this gravel and I despise the way it looks now, only after a week! I dont have much decor in now because I am doing lots of water changes and it disturbs everything, I just have cichlid stones and caves for now, oh and some ugly fake plants tee heeYou should post some pics of your project as you are doing it. Good luck, and have fun with it!