DIY decorations/accessories

Not sure if this is posted int he right section of the forum, if not then admin please feel free to move it to somewhere more appropriate.


I've managed to get hold of some beautiful pieces of slate which I am planning to cut down and make a cave/hide out of. My question is what is the best thing to thoroughly clean it with as it has come from outdoors. I don't want to use something that may harm my fish. Also what can I use to secure the pieces together? I have heard that silicone is good as long as it is 100% free from anti mold/mildew.

Also what other things have/would/could you use to make DIY decorations/accessories/caves etc from?

Thank, Kirsty

Kirsty90 said:

Not sure if this is posted int he right section of the forum, if not then admin please feel free to move it to somewhere more appropriate.


I've managed to get hold of some beautiful pieces of slate which I am planning to cut down and make a cave/hide out of. My question is what is the best thing to thoroughly clean it with as it has come from outdoors. I don't want to use something that may harm my fish. Also what can I use to secure the pieces together? I have heard that silicone is good as long as it is 100% free from anti mold/mildew.

Also what other things have/would/could you use to make DIY decorations/accessories/caves etc from?

Thank, Kirsty

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Dragon rock is amazing! You should definitely check them out! One thing with slates I don't like is sometimes they have iron deposits which will turn into rust and contaminate the tank... If at anytime you see an orange coloration on the slate, take it out... You should also look into different woods like spider wood and mopani...

Rocky998 said:

Dragon rock is amazing! You should definitely check them out! One thing with slates I don't like is sometimes they have iron deposits which will turn into rust and contaminate the tank... If at anytime you see an orange coloration on the slate, take it out... You should also look into different woods like spider wood and mopani

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Never heard of mopani before??

Kirsty90 said:

Never heard of mopani before??

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Its a wood that is usually thick and a tan color... If you search mopani wood you'll recognize it right away... Most pet stores carry it

Thankyou. With regard to cleaning the slate...any ideas/suggestions?

Rocky998 said:

Its a wood that is usually thick and a tan color... If you search mopani wood you'll recognize it right away... Most pet stores carry it

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After a quick Google I think this may be what's already in my tank?

Kirsty90 said:

After a quick Google I think this may be what's already in my tank?

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Yea that looks to be mopani... BUT it could also be ghost wood...

Kirsty90 said:

Thankyou. With regard to cleaning the slate...any ideas/suggestions?

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No problem. I think just washing it with a vinegar and water solution would be good followed by a good rinde.

Thankyou so much

Kirsty90 said:

Thankyou so much

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No problem! Anytime... Do remember about some slates carrying metals that will rust. Anytime you see an orange on it you must IMMEDIATELY dispose of it or use it for something other than aquariums... Otherwise, slate is great for making hides and stuff

I find collecting materials for the tank to be half the fun. But before you collect materials it is a good idea to take note of the type of fish you have. If you have hard water / basic pH type fish like a lot of African Cichlids then most rocks will do fine. If you have softwater / acidic pH fish like a lot of the tetras and South American Cichlids then you have to make sure rocks do not contain carbonates. A drop of muriatic acid or dilute HCL will fizz with the presence of carbonates in the rock.

If you have slates the one thing to watch for is pyrite crystals which will break down and can release Sulphur which can overly acidify your tank. Some slate will have pyrite others none at all. Pyrite is pretty easy to see, it will show up as golden flakes or golden cubes in the rock.

Wood is a bit more difficult. I typically collect wood that has been exposed to water and has aged some time. I usually let it dry to bone dry, then clean the surface, then soak it. I wouldn't recommend anything that is resinous or green going into the tank. I have also tried piece of wood with bark on them, but in all cases I have had to remove those pieces because they affected the chemistry of the water too much, and end up with too many bacteria/fungal growth on them.

Overall, I have found reservoirs a good place to collect wood. There is often a location where the woody debris is diverted away from the penstock where it floats up and down with the raising and lowering of the reservoir water level. The wood in these areas often dries out yearly and is well aged. Other areas to collect wood are lakeshores and creeks and rivers. In all of these cases do not collect the wood if the water is contaminated. Note wood usually will cause the pH to slightly decrease. I have also heard that some people use drift wood from the ocean. I don't know how well that will work, but I intend to try it out this year.

I live by the sea so driftwood is readily available all the time. What products do you/can you use to clean any of these things?

I always dry out the pieces (wood or rock) then scrub them with a stiff nylon brush, then sometimes I will use a pressure washer. If the pieces are small enough I will boil them to ensure I am not introducing anything nasty into my aquarium. Pay a lot of attention to the hollows and openings. I try to get wood with hollows for the fish but they can be a pain to clean out. There should be no soil, dust, on the pieces before you place them into the tank.

Uberhoust said:

I always dry out the pieces (wood or rock) then scrub them with a stiff nylon brush, then sometimes I will use a pressure washer. If the pieces are small enough I will boil them to ensure I am not introducing anything nasty into my aquarium. Pay a lot of attention to the hollows and openings. I try to get wood with hollows for the fish but they can be a pain to clean out. There should be no soil, dust, on the pieces before you place them into the tank.

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I never thought about boiling. Durrr. Great advice. What do you think of the previous vinegar water solution suggestion?

If the slate has been sprayed with chemicals then don't use it.

If the slate is free of chemicals, then just hose it off outside. If you are concerned about dirt, scrub it down with a brush and water.

If you want to glue stuff together, use an aquarium silicon. It should have a picture of an aquarium on the packaging or it will say "for aquarium use". You can also use superglue but it needs the surfaces to be smooth and flush with a tight fit.

Colin_T said:

If the slate has been sprayed with chemicals then don't use it.

If the slate is free of chemicals, then just hose it off outside. If you are concerned about dirt, scrub it down with a brush and water.

If you want to glue stuff together, use an aquarium silicon. It should have a picture of an aquarium on the packaging or it will say "for aquarium use". You can also use superglue but it needs the surfaces to be smooth and flush with a tight fit.

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It's free from anything. I live near Snowdon and there are a lot of abandoned slate quarries now so I can pick it up endlessly . Does super glue chemicals not affect the water or fish?