Natural slate in aquariums.

HI everyone. I wanted to put slate rock in my tank. I have ram cichlids. I have read they like caves and flat rocks to lay their eggs on. I bought some terra cotta pots to make caves with, and while they work, I don't love the look or how much room they take up in my tank.

So today I went and bought some natural slate from an outdoor pond shop. I told the guy I was looking for some untreated natural slate to use in an aquarium. He showed me to a pile that he said came from a quarry from PA. He says people use it all the time in their outdoor ponds and wouldn't see why it wouldn't be safe for the aquarium. Here is a pic of the rocks. Can anyone tell me whether they are safe or not and how to clean them before putting in? Thanks

 

Yes, they're safe. I have a piece in my 20 gallon. They don't change your pH.
I just rinsed mine off and put it in, but I got mine from petco.....

 

Natural slate is fine in aquariums, just give it a wash & scrub before putting it in.
Slate can have some pretty sharp edges so sand them down especially at entrances & exits of any caves you make

 

I went to buy some at petco but they no longer sell them. But I bought 6 lbs for .20 cents a pound. So all of that came to $1.30 with tax a lot cheaper than petco lol



Is all I have to do is scrub them before putting them in? Some people said u had to boil them to kill any organisms off and others said that would cause to rock to Crack and break. Others said u needed to use vinager or bleach solution.

 

Yep, just scrub. I didn't boil it, and it was fine.
Have you done the vinegar test on them?

 

Just pour boiling water over it then give it a scrub & you're good to go

 

So now that I have scrubbed them, I see on some that they have what looks like glitter on them. I had read on another site that that was bad because it meant it had mineral deposits that could harm the fish? Is this true? Don't want to open the $11 tube of sealant in order to make structures that I can't use
No I haven't. All I have is apple cider vinegar
Here are some pics if the clean rocks. Would the apple cider vinegar work the same as regular vinegar? Some seem to have rust deposits

 

Yes, it should work.

 

Ok so as long as it doesn't fizz, then it is safe, correct? How long do u leave it in the apple cider vinegar? And do I fully submerge it?



I also read that a Nitrate test kit would work by using solution #1. I have the apI freshwater master test kit so could I put a few drops of that on the rock?

 

It's probably just micah, it should be harmless. A lot of rocks have a little in it. *the sparkly bits I mean

 

Ok so as long as it doesn't fizz, then it is safe, correct? How long do u leave it in the apple cider vinegar? And do I fully submerge it?

Just put a drop on it. If it fizzes, then don't use it.

 

Ok anders 247 if u can look under ram cichlids. Making a post. Think mine laid eggs. Can u look at the pick pls and advice

I did the vinegar test on my slate. I had two pieces that fizzed under the vinegar but only in 2 small spots the size of a pencil eraser. Does this mean I shouldn't use those two pieces?

 

From what I've read, I believe if it fizzes, that means it's probably going to mess with your PH which is a big headache for you and bad for your fish.

A comment on having rock with mica or pyrite in it -- I've got some of that in my tank and it's actually quite pretty. You can arrange them so the shiny bits catch the light and it's a pretty striking feature in the tank.

 

Yes, you're right. If it fizzes, it will change pH.