slate in the aquarium

[alex456]

i was reading the pinned article: rocks for use in your aquarium....and i saw that slate was acceptable for aquariums....could i just go out in my backyard pick up some slate, soak it for a few days and put it in my tank?

 

[DannyBoy17]

Im goin to bump this because I would also like to know....

 

[Paradise_Gourami]

yeah slate is perfactly usable in tanks, i have a few peices of it in my 29gal

Edit:
LFSs sell them (mine sells them for 99cents a pound) so you dont have to worry about chemicals and if you ge some make sure you break off all sharp or jagged edges because they can hurt or kill fish that go by

 

[The-Wolf]

yes you can, however be aware that rocks that have been in gardens may have lots of chemicals on them (pesticides etc)
ensure you are thorough when cleaning them.

 

[alex456]

what if the slate has been covered in snow for a while(hate new england) will the snow screw up the slate in any way?

 

[yvez9]

snow will containt the same chemicals rain would in the summer. All the pollution from the city would be contained in that sniow. I would boil it for 30 minutes or so

I just bought slate at my lfs this morning, cost me 4$...

 

[alex456]

so when i buy slate at a lfs or garden center i should clean it, and/or boil it , let it cool down from the boiling then put it in my tank?

 

[DannyBoy17]

You got it!