# Slate floor tile for background?



## BottomFeeder (Jul 26, 2008)

I've used it for the bottom of a tank. I'm sure it would work just as well as a background. Silicone should be all you need. From a space perspective you could probably put it on the outside so that it doesn't take up extra space.


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## sick lid (Jan 13, 2008)

I've also toyed with this idea, but I know more than one fellow fish nerd who has done so and regretted the permanence of it. Either you use a little silicone on the corners and have it easier to remove if you want, downside is gunk getting trapped back there, or you seal the hell out of it and never ever get it off.


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## babakaty (Apr 10, 2009)

Yeah, I was afraid of that. You'd have to be committed to it long term....Maybe I'll stick with the ubiquitous black background. Not very creative, but easily changeable.


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## BottomFeeder (Jul 26, 2008)

I remember talking to somebody that did some really cool rock work behind the tank. It looked great, and since it wasn't in the tank it didn't have any of those downsides.


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## lildark185 (Aug 17, 2009)

Wouldn't putting a whole slab of slate for the background of the tank create an imbalance in terms of weight distribution? It may put too much pressure on the back wall and the bottom of the tank towards the back.


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## wkndracer (Mar 14, 2009)

*Slate background*

Did it on a 110g drilled tank with a black acrylic backgroung I hated. Split the tiles and broke up the pattern over a bulge in the plastic center plate.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/tank-journals-photo-album/90878-110g-w-30g-sump-56k-warning.html

I have one tank thats been setup for 20+ years without a complete tear down and cleaning so the 'gunk' that may find its way behind the slate does not concern me. I disabled the UG filter plate on the old tank when I went to an eheim canister (2 years ago) and had no strange issues occure. What little debris may find its way behind the slate will help feed the moss I'm starting along the seams anyway.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

BottomFeeder said:


> I remember talking to somebody that did some really cool rock work behind the tank. It looked great, and since it wasn't in the tank it didn't have any of those downsides.


I like this idea. I bet you could make a really awesome external background using fake rock on a sheet of plywood or something similar...


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## babakaty (Apr 10, 2009)

Hey wkndracer, nice job. That's exactly what I had in mind. Glad to know it's been done before. Maybe I'll reconsider the black background!


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## CaliEAB (Aug 17, 2009)

lauraleellbp said:


> I like this idea. I bet you could make a really awesome external background using fake rock on a sheet of plywood or something similar...


 
I just bought a used 55G setup from a guy how did just that - used fake rock tiles from a lizard terrarium and bonded it to the back inside the tank. It's plastic but looks like textured granite and doesn't add to the weight or affect chemistry. It actually looks really good and the moss he had and some anubias grew up one portion of it. If I can get ahold of a proper camera, I'll post a picture of it.


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## CaliEAB (Aug 17, 2009)

*Some pix of a fake rock background in a 55G*

Here are a couple of pix of the tank from a setup I bought with the fake rock background... Sorry for the quality - I just have a cell phone camera right now. To be honest, I prefer the clear block of water look but this is still really cool (IMHO). Btw, if you choose to do this, be very careful with your choice of adhesives!


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## bandolero2 (Dec 27, 2012)

*slate floor tile in aquarium*



sick lid said:


> I've also toyed with this idea, but I know more than one fellow fish nerd who has done so and regretted the permanence of it. Either you use a little silicone on the corners and have it easier to remove if you want, downside is gunk getting trapped back there, or you seal the hell out of it and never ever get it off.


 
*Will the floor tile in your tank kill your tropical fish?*


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## bandolero2 (Dec 27, 2012)

Will the floor tile in your tank kill your tropical fish?


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## lochaber (Jan 23, 2012)

slate is generally inert/safe for aquarium use. I would have thought the gaps/seems in the rectangular/square tiles would look a bit off, but wkndracer's tank looks pretty good (good job).

I've done the back of a 10-gallon with lava rock (my first attempt at a paludarium). I thought it turned out pretty well, but it used an unholy amount of silicone and time

I haven't used slate myself, other then anchoring driftwood


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