# where can i find slate/driftwood



## compgeek97 (Jun 28, 2011)

I want to make a slate structure for my tank. Where can I find some nice small pieces suitable for the footprint of a 10 gallon? I also need to find some larger pieces for a waterfall for my new pond. Local nurseries and garden centers only have huge pallets for $200! I only need a few pieces. Another thing I'm looking for is some nice driftwood. Where can i get any of this stuff cheap online, or in the area of zip code 08520? 
All of this on a tight tight budget of a 14 year old, except the big slate which is coming from my mom's pocket, but she still wants it to be as economical as possible, it just doesn't have to be as cheap as something I need to buy myself.


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## kamikazi (Sep 3, 2010)

break some of the big slate from the outdoor waterfall into smaller pieces for the aquarium.

If you do that then you want have to buy it b/c mom would have already purchased what you need.

some nurseries might sell you scraps or just a few pieces I would just call around to all the places I could find and ask. Or go hand around the busiest garden center and stalk the stone aisle till you see someone buying a big pallet and then ask them if you could buy a few pieces from them.


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## kamikazi (Sep 3, 2010)

scratch what I said and check out this thread and look at posts 8, 9, and 10
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/aquascaping/140607-slate-slate-so-much-slate.html


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## compgeek97 (Jun 28, 2011)

thanks, i never thought of that  I'll call around the centers and see what I can find out.


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## customdrumfinishes (Apr 4, 2008)

most landscaping places have slate its very cheap there and your best bet


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## PC1 (May 21, 2010)

Home depot or lowes both usually have some


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## compgeek97 (Jun 28, 2011)

afaik my home depot doesn't have any and i don't have a lowes thats close enough that my parents will go without any other reason


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## DaveK (Jul 10, 2010)

Actually, you don't need lots of small pieces of slate. All you need is one large piece. Then a hammer and cold chisel will break it down into the sizes you need. Do this outside, and wear eye protection. 

I did this with red slate. It works especially well with thick pieces. You can cleave it with the layers, and have one large flat rock split into 3 or 4 large rocks, that look almost the same but are not as thick. This works well when you want to use the slate on edge, but with today's trends toward more natural looking rocks, it's not so common today.


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## compgeek97 (Jun 28, 2011)

thanks for the tips. I'll look again at home depot and maybe visit the garden center and ask for some loose pieces.


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## compgeek97 (Jun 28, 2011)

ok so apparently my mom actually wanted to edge the whole pond in slate. we went to the garden center and ended up buying a half pallet of "colonial lilac fieldstone" or sumthing like that. it was nice thin pieces. But i dont think it was actual slate. I can break it up into smaller pieces but i don't know if i can split it laterally.There do seem to be layers though.


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## kamikazi (Sep 3, 2010)

hammer and chisel


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## compgeek97 (Jun 28, 2011)

will it still split like slate would though. its delivered tomorrow, so i guess i'll find out!


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## kamikazi (Sep 3, 2010)

yeh just have to test it and see (don't forget safety glasses!)


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## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

If it is true field stone it won't split into layer. You can break it into pieces but even then it may not break well or where you want it.

Post a picture of it when it arrives.

Craig


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## PC1 (May 21, 2010)

Score on moms wanting to get it anyways


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## compgeek97 (Jun 28, 2011)

yeah, my mom wants it to edge the new pond, and the waterfall. i'll post a pic(or at least try ) but i'm pretty sure i saw some layers, and some of the pieces had layers partially broken off, or splitting off.


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## compgeek97 (Jun 28, 2011)

ok so we got the stone delivered today, didn;t even bother trying to split layers once i examined it closely. however, a hammer to the center of a piece could split a large chunk into several smaller pieces to be used as shims or to cover up my ugly silicone work  i"ll try to post pics later

pics are posted!


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## kamikazi (Sep 3, 2010)

yeh hard to split that, I would definitely use it anyway though.


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## compgeek97 (Jun 28, 2011)

yeah, once i'm done sealing up all the leaks i can find on the waterfall, i'm gonna start breaking up some pieces at current thickness. however the thickness did vary between about half an inch and a few inches, so i'll have some nice variation  and theres still a decent amount left to look through.


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