Cheap Slate

[mattb22]

Hey all,

Does anyone know where I should go if i want a really small amount of slate, cheap. I just want to make a brackish pool as I am starting an aqua terrarium.

Many thanks,

Mattb22

 

[hoarp001]

im not sure what you mean by cheap, but I got a bigish peice for a tenner (charged per kilo) from the bourne end maidenhead aquatics.

here....

 

[Neal]

I got 5 slates about 20"x10" for free, my dad knows everyone who works in the builders centre, so his mate put his hand over the corner "oops that ones broken, lets get rid of it". T'was quite funny actually, he gets allsorts for free!

Neal

 

[hoarp001]

Yeah i know what you mean. For my redbelly tank i need some slate to build a nice little shelter for the crabs

 

[Tolak]

Check out a landscaping outfit, they sell it by the ton. I got around 100 pounds of various rocks several years ago for $10. I still have plenty left.

 

[mattb22]

Check out a landscaping outfit, they sell it by the ton. I got around 100 pounds of various rocks several years ago for $10. I still have plenty left.

Well im living in Uk, Stoke-On-trent, and with only being 16 and mum n dad not driving its sort of hard to get from place to place but erm might try B&Q, and maybe some other gardening places.

 

[hoarp001]

i think you can get slate roofing tiles and you could knock the edges up abit to make them more natural....

 

[Lord Zogat]

Again not super helpful, but a stick of dynamite in a rocky formation, or the neighbours garden wall should provide you with lots to choose from. What?

I would just check a local rock quary or gravel pit, you can probably get some for free from them.

 

[Inchworm]

I always thought slate was a fairly common material, but it doesn't seem to be that way any more.

I checked at several local home improvement stores and even a place that sells nothing but rocks for landscapers, but all they sell is this fake stuff that looks like slate, but is really made out of concrete or something. I'm not sure if it's really a good idea to use it in a tank.

 

[Lateral Line]

The Wickes DIY place in Farnborough used to sell roofing slates. I used to go there and ask for any broken ones. Used to load up the trailer and thank you very much for taking them away kind of thing.

 

[Neo8223]

Where i work (garden centre) charges £9 for a 25 kilo bag of slate chippings. I use that in my tank

 

[AlexAndCarmen]

Look around for someone having there slate roof replaced and fish a few freebies out of there skip. Average Terrace house roof roof has 3000 slate tiles which just ends up as landfill.

Just remember to boil any thing you want to put in the tank.

 

[Lateral Line]

Also remember that slate can have very sharp edges, so file them off before using them.

 

[huntlyfish]

Where I live in Scotland they used to mine slate from a local hill. There is still tons of the stuff lying around in heaps, all sorts of shapes and sizes from thin roof slate size to great thick chunks of the stuff, all free to carry away. Bit of a walk to get to it but a strong bag and the bonus of it being free!!!

 

[Neal]

Go to your local builders centre, literally called "Builders Centre", they will do a few for cheap, and if you can find/make(I didn't tell you this) broken ones, they'll give them for free.

Neal