Slate Rocks from HD

WinterWind

Mad pianist
Feb 11, 2005
957
0
0
Slate rocks and any other rocks from LFSs are so expensive. $2 a pound. Burns a hole in your pockets!

I was wondering if Home Depot or other stores like this sell slate rocks or other rocks that might be safe and suitable for the aquarium. Do they have rocks that are safe (won't change hardness and pH) and that are small enough to fit in a 30 gallon aquarium? Do they only sell really big rocks for gardens? Can you buy them buy the pound for cheaper? Or do they only sell in large bulks?

Thanks.
 
I buy their slate tiles 12x12 inches $2.oo ea bring em home wrap in a pillow case and smack em with a hammer to break em up and some i use a wet saw on-Anne
 
i buy real slate and river rocks. most of them will be safe depending on the rock though. home depot only has the bags. go to a landscape or a place like rcp.
 
beblondie said:
I buy their slate tiles 12x12 inches $2.oo ea bring em home wrap in a pillow case and smack em with a hammer to break em up and some i use a wet saw on-Anne

I have done this as well. I also sand the edges if they seem too thin/sharp.
 
Make sure you take those sharp edges off those slate tiles. ;)
 
Would breaking up the slate be difficult?

And woudl I need a machine sander to smooth at the edges and sharp points, or can it be done sand paper and hand?
 
It's pretty easy to turn large rocks into small rocks. Going the other way, though, not as easy. ;)

Slate is an easy rock to break, and you could easily touch any sharp edges by rubbing w/ emery paper or even scraping it on a sidewalk.
 
BTW, how thick are the tiles that you can get HD? The slate rock at my LFS is about 2-3 inches a piece. Would the tiles be at least 2 inches thick?
 
MIne were probably not thicker than a centimetre or so. You would have to go to your local HD to see what they have on offer.
 
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