As a fishkeeper, there is a high chance that you may be looking for items to beautify your fish tank. Slates make perfect aquarium pieces as they provide safe bedding for fish as well as help keep the mineral balance in check in an aquarium. Your fish, too, would enjoy the natural habitat you make of your tank.
Slates are completely safe for aquariums as long as there are not a lot of minerals in them. Real slate is the best option as it is not loaded with iron or other unwanted substances.
In this article, I shall discuss everything you need to know about keeping slates in an aquarium.
What is Slate?
Slates are flat rocks that can be put as decorative as well as bedding pieces for the fishes in your aquarium. They are basically fine-grained, foliated metamorphic rocks that look great in our gardens as well as aquariums. There is no real difference between a garden and an aquarium slate.
Given a good scrub to get rid of rust or iron compounds on the base of a rock, most slates are safe to put with your fish. If you feel more concerned, you can even leave the slates outside in the sun to get rid of any other germs.
Slates are widely flexible and any rock can become a slate to put in your aquarium – as long as you give it a good rinse with de-chlorinator or bleach.
Benefits of Using Slate
Aquarium plants may help clean up and balance the water level of your tank and filters can help you maintain a healthy habitat for your fishes, but frankly speaking, slates do not have any such particular benefits that aid your fish’s life. However, some advantages that users have experienced are as follows.
Beautifies Your Tank
A lot of fishkeepers on forums have explained how slates make your fish tank look much more appealing and fresh. An addition of landform to your aquarium gives it the look of an ocean bedding, and since it can be decorated in many ways possible, it is a very useful decorative item.
You can add them to the floor, or even fix them to make buildings or tiny structures, making them great adornments.
Makes Cleanup Easy
The flat structure of slates also comes in handy. When put on the floor, it keeps the bottom flattened, making the tank cleanup a breeze. It is also great for putting in other rocks. The slates provide a division between the rock flooring and the bottom of the aquarium, keeping it scratch-free.
Natural Habitat For Your Fish
Fishes can get bored easily, swimming around in the same enclosed space. This is why people suggest getting a whole aquarium instead of a single fish. The closer to home their surroundings look, the happier your fish would be. Slates can provide a more natural feeling to the aquarium making the tank livelier.
Limitations/Dangers of Using Slate
The main issue when looking for slates for your tank is the fact that a lot of rocks can be called ‘slate’.
If you cannot differentiate, ask the seller about what type of rock it is. Slate, Granite, and Quartz are safe to use in aquariums, but other rocks like Lava, Marble, and Limestone can be dangerous for your fish.
If you are unsure about whether the rocks you have got are safe for your aquarium or not, you can simply run a pH test to determine it. Fishes can live from a pH level of 6.5 to 9.0, and the limit is very definite, hence you need to be careful.
If you do not have a pH test, you can use vinegar and put a few drops of it onto the rock. If it sizzles or shows some sort of response, your rock is not safe to use. This can be fixed by giving the slates a good wash, soaking them in the sun, and then doing the pH test again until safe.
Remember to never boil the rocks as stones have a tendency to contract and expand. It will also not be killing any germs.
How to Use Slate For Aquarium?
The ideal tank for keeping slates would be a flat-bottom acrylic tank as slates are generally heavy. Before you put any sort of rock into your aquarium, it is always good to do a small pH test. For this, you will need to get a pH checker and then follow these instructions.
1. Do A Vinegar Test
The first thing to do after a pH test is to run a vinegar test. To do this, simply add some drops to the rocks you want to add to your aquarium. If you see any sort of reaction, do not put that piece in your tank.
2. In Case Of No Reaction
If the vinegar does not react with the rock, then simply wash off the liquid before adding the rocks to your aquarium.
3. Add Extra Support
If you are using a glass aquarium in the case of the one suggested, it will be a great idea to attach Styrofoam under the tank as a sort of leverage. Putting lots of Styrofoam on the bottom can help give more assistance to the bottom glass.
You also need to remember to not add the rocks directly to the tank. Attach a buffer before you put down the first layer or large rocks to prevent scratching of the tank.
4. Setting Of The Rocks
When putting up the slates in the aquarium, you can simply fix them to the ground or make various shapes. One way to set these rocks is to balance a big one on top of two, making a gate-like structure for fish to pass by.
Make sure that before you go through with any sort of rocks being put in the aquarium, rinse well to get rid of harmful minerals that can endanger your fish.
What Else Can You Use Instead of Slate?
If you are skeptical about using slate, there are other objects that you can use in your aquarium. These include:
- Granite
- Quartz
- Onyx and ground glass
- Sandstone
- Sand
Final Thoughts
Decorating your aquarium with plants and decorative items that create a natural habitat for your fish is a very important part of keeping aquatic animals happy. Along with oxidating plants like Lucky Bamboo, keeping slates in your tank will make sure that your little friends are happy.
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