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what is the best way to clean slate, boiling?

I put mine in a bucket and did a few things. first was a very very schadling hot water bath (with the bucket in the tub) let it sit over night, then dumped it out and did a mild hot water bath with a little bleach. again sat over night then, one more night of a hot water bath, then let it sit a few days to dry.

my way may not be perfect, but it worked for me.

Fish tanks are an expensive addiction

my way wasnt very safe i washed it and threw it in

Depending on the size of the slate you can either boil it or bake it in the oven. If you want to bake it just toss it in at about 400 degrees or so for about 15-20 mins depending on the size of the slate. Larger rock will take longer to "cook." I collect all of my rocks from around Lake Erie usually so all of them are either baked or boiled.

I agree baking it would be easiest, but since it is summer you might not want to do that

You could fill the bathtub with scalding water and let it soak, and scrub it with like a "rough sponge" type thing and aquarium salt...then rinse, rinse, rinse, And let soak in the tub, if you have more than one in the house...or a kiddy pool outside if that is available...

You could soak it again bathtub, kiddy pool (sturdy plastic, not the inflatable) with some bleach 1/10th bleach to the amounth of water used, and let sit...then again rinse, rinse, rinse, and rinse....soak in water with dechlorinator afterwards....

No matter what, be sure that the edges are smooth, you don't want any of your guys headbutting the edge and causing bad wounds:#(haven't heard of it happening, but it could

heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

I rinse it with my hose and plunk it in. . Having constructed some 20+ caves, I can say I haven't had a dead fish pop up yet. The easiest way to take off sharp edges is to chip away at the slate with another piece of it.

Last edited by Cup_of_Lifenoodles at 05-Jul-2005 15:21

I'm with FishyHelper and CoL... I just rinse it off a bit and drop it in.










Last edited by Cory Addict at 05-Jul-2005 15:23

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I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

I am more concerned about parasites or insect eggs or any hitchhikers I might get introduced into my tank from the Lake Erie rock. If I buy it commercially I usually just wash it in some aquarium salt and warm water. If it has been sitting on a store shelf for a while there isn't much of any risk of hitchhikers.

Hi,
Boiling, broiling, or baking... My kinda food!!!
Actually any of them are good. My only comment about
buying things from pet stores, it that frequently they
will be coated with layers of dirt, dust, and insecticides.
I have yet to step into a pet store that does not have
crickets, and all sorts of bugs making a home among the
shelves, especially in the "back room." Frequently the
store owners will hire a pest company to come out and spray.
OR, they take the junior member of the staff, and have them
spray to keep down the insect population. Many of those
pesticides are oil based and can be toxic to the fish.
By all means, CLEAN anything you purchase for your tanks
from a pet store. The same reasoning goes, even more so,
for stuff that is collected outside.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

anyone havep ictures of slate caves

Boy, do I ever!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v398/Kleevage/Picture009.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v398/Kleevage/Picture010.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v398/Kleevage/Picture011.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v398/Kleevage/Picture012.jpg

Sorry, I'm bad with the camera. These should give you the gist of things as far as construction, species, and placement go.

What about sitting it in boiling water with salt? that's hw i clean all my aquarium..umm 'things' hehe like my driftwood, rocks and filters and even my tank!


http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/opiate_net/my_photos

I boil my driftwood if it will fit in a pot, so I would probably boil slate, just to be sure.

Boil it and put it in a bucket with enough of your tank water to cover it. Check the water parameters then leave it overnight and check the the water parameters again to see if they have changed.

1. Boil to kill any parasites or stains that could be harmful to your fish

2. Some rocks can affect water parameters, always better to be safe then sorry

I just bought 2 slate tiles and soaked them for a week.

Keith

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