Slate in aquarium?

[markhilken]

Hello all again

Can slate be safely used in saltwater aquariums? Not much, just enough to used for making shelves while aquascaping, as well as glueing up to make caves.

thanks

Mark

[cloak]

I'd go with all live rock. Diversity is key.

[inachu]

Originally posted by markhilken
Hello all again

Can slate be safely used in saltwater aquariums? Not much, just enough to used for making shelves while aquascaping, as well as glueing up to make caves.

thanks

Mark

slate was used for the bottom of fish tanks in the 1970's so yes.

[cloak]

"Slate" rock sounds like an african cichlid tank.

[markhilken]

I think everybody misunderstood me. I will be using aprox. 125 lbs of live rock in an 90 gallon aquarium. Most of the rock that I have seen are round, oval in shape. Not conduscive to building shelves and overhangs. That is why I am asking if a few select pieces of slate, which is flat and thin, can be utilized for making overhangs or caves or shelves. Being in the construction industry I know that with a regular tile saw slate can be cut and glued, for example gluing three pieces together to form a cave and then placeing live rock around it. I know that people use pvc for caves, but I don't want to creat a "Habbitrail" in an aquarium. Alot of the pictures I see of established aquariums pretty much show "Jumble" of live rock. I was only thinking of getting a little bit more creative in aquascaping.
thanks
mark

[Michael]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slate

Slate is often used as a decor in freshwater aquariums. Slate will not alter the chemistry of water (except in the slate containing feldspar which may leach silicates into the water resulting in excess diatom growth in marine aquaria).