for african cichlids: slate vs lava rock

its a 75gal. i'm guessing you would consider that a larger tank? lol.
 
There are other smoother rocks that are also carved just like lava. Carved rainbow rocks and carved red sandstone are just a couple. With those, slate, and PVC you can have a nice looking setup that should never end up with any of them scraped up. We have one piece of lava in the 90 at work and still every once in a while one of them will have a scrape along its side.
 
all down to your personal preference and how nicely they are arranged in my opinion. either way get lots - more than you think you could use.
 
AquariumNoob13 said:
the problem with slate is that it is just so expensive! i mean i am going to RCP sometime this week, but from what i was told by the guy who sold me my tank, lava is cheeper for what you get from it.
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Who buys rock from the pet store? Buy it from a landscaping place. I just rebuilt my 10 for an African Tank. I used a sand substrate and the tank is still pretty hazy from this conversion on Monday night but look at the rock in this tank. Bought it at a landscape supply company. More than 100 pounds and it cost me $33.

There are two pieces of slate on the right side that I had from before but the rest of the rock is brand new. The non round rock has these cool gray/black striations all through them.

DSCN0591.JPG
 
reptileguy2727 said:
I avoid rough rocks because they inevitably end up scraping up fish. In my 150 I have one structure that is slate stacked with PVC T-connectors spacing them out. Smooth rocks are more natural to the biotope anyways (Lake Malawi at least, which I am assuming).
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would love to see a pic :)

AquariumNoob13 said:
the problem with slate is that it is just so expensive! i mean i am going to RCP sometime this week, but from what i was told by the guy who sold me my tank, lava is cheeper for what you get from it.
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slate more expensive then lava? where does one get large lava? I got mine at the pet store once never again wow the cost for one piece !
ibr3ak said:
lol who pays for rock period :). Go outside get some breeze in your face and pick up some rock for free. :grinyes:
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LOL! I would but I heard rocks yo find can leach crap into the tanks. not sure what rocks to pick up !
 
TheFanatic said:
Who buys rock from the pet store? Buy it from a landscaping place. I just rebuilt my 10 for an African Tank. I used a sand substrate and the tank is still pretty hazy from this conversion on Monday night but look at the rock in this tank. Bought it at a landscape supply company. More than 100 pounds and it cost me $33.

There are two pieces of slate on the right side that I had from before but the rest of the rock is brand new. The non round rock has these cool gray/black striations all through them.
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very nice !!
 
ibr3ak said:
lol who pays for rock period :). Go outside get some breeze in your face and pick up some rock for free. :grinyes:
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Done that in the past but then I end up with an almagalm of very different rock. I don't want people really looking at the rock. I want it to be unified (as it would be in the wild) and I want it in the background and the fish in the foreground.
 
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