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	Slate
Alex Fish Addict 510 Posts: 721 Registered: 03-Oct-2004	I’ve decided to raise the levels in one of my tanks but i am going to be raising them so much and so sharply that I will need support. To support the structure I will get some slate and mould it into the desired shape which will be like a thin brick then I will place them into the tank and basically use them as pavers by pushing them into the gravel so the thin sides are down into the ground making a sort of hallway then I will fill the hallway with gravel and place the desired object in this case a log and some plants which will go behind it up there. I will also do the same thing with some dwarf plants except I will make the slate so it starts off low and gets higher and higher until it connects with the slate at the back of the tank. To give the effect that the plants are getting taller and taller I will also do the same with some medium sized plants except the slate doesn’t finish off so high as the plants will be taller so it will look even To make it look good I will have to pack it with heaps and heaps of plants otherwise the effect wont work as you will be able to see lots and lots of slate. To pull it off I will also need to use a very dense foreground as without it you will be able to see where the slate starts and how its making the plants seem to get taller. I shall be using co2 to help give my plants the life that they deserve and also to in the end help my wallet so I don’t have to buy that many plants I think I will use about 150-200 plants in the tank to make it look nice and dense. This is a 42gal tank if you wanted to know. I will also have to be very conservative when it comes to stocking as the plants and slate will take up a good portion of the area for the fish to swim in :%):%):%):%):%):%):%):%):%):%):%):%):%):%)):%):%):%):%) Questions :%) 1. what do you think will it work :%) 2 how do you mould slate :%) 3 what plant should I use to contrast red luwidiga :%) 4. Will maintenance be any harder :%) 5. will slate make the water Alkaline :%) 6. will the slate be affected by c02 :%) :%) :%) :%) :%) :%) :%) :%) :%) :%) :%):%) :%) :%) :%) Thanks Alex Last edited by Alex 4 eva at 20-Jan-2005 18:34 ''All the clown fish and yellow tangs in the world cant save you now!''
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:26
Sin in Style Mega Fish Posts: 1323 Kudos: 1119 Votes: 165 Registered: 03-Dec-2003	i understand the idea....and i can picture the results your after. what i dont understand is why dont you just use taller plants? even driftwood with plants ontop of it would get the effect and keep it natural looking so you dont have to cram it full of plants.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:26
FRANK Moderator Posts: 5108 Kudos: 5263 Votes: 1690 Registered: 28-Dec-2002	Hi, Sounds like it will be a neat tank. I hope you will post some pictures. How do you mold slate? You don't "mold" slate. It is a "brittle" rock that fractures in long planes, and it can be layered. If this is going to be "permanent" then you would want to silicone (aquarium silicone) the pieces together, so that they don't move over time, to form the desired shapes. If you do "cement" the pieces in place with silicone, be sure to allow them to cure, out of the water, for a minimum of 48 hours before placing them in the water. Will the slate affect the water? No, not if it is true slate. For years and years, slate, a metamorphic rock, was used as the bottom of all aquariums. Will the slate be affected by the CO2? No, it will not be affected. Will it be difficult to clean? That depends upon your idea of cleaning. With a densely planted tank, there are few spaces large enough to shove a python into the gravel to clean it. So usually one swishes their hand around to raise the detritus into the water column were it can then be syphoned off by the Python, or the tanks filtration system. Frank Last edited by FRANK at 21-Jan-2005 10:14 Last edited by FRANK at 21-Jan-2005 10:16 Last edited by FRANK at 28-Jan-2005 21:43 -->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:26


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