Making slate hides and would appreciate any tips 🙏🏻

[FishHobby99]

I bought some slate on eBay. I don’t know how to attach them to make natural looking hides for my axies & possibly other fish. It should arrive soon & I need to know what kind of adhesive etc

to order. Thanks.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Slate can be tricky to glue because it often flakes very easily, and while the blue might hold, the slate itself can flake apart. Fortunately it stacks well. If you can find some blocky rocks approximately the same color, you can make little lean-tos. Or you can stack up some of the smaller pieces for walls and use the big pieces for roofs. Whatever you do, I advise building the rockwork on the bottom of the tank, then add the substrate around it. That makes it looks more natural, and also prevents burrowing critters from digging under the rockwork and crushing themselves.

 

[FishHobby99]

Well, if there’s no good adhesive for slate I won‘t use it. I’d never in a hundred million years risk anything collapsing on the animals. This will teach me to ask first & buy or not buy later. Since the seller accepted offers, I offered $25 & he countered at $28.

Maybe they’ll be good for tossing at the husband the next time he gets uppity.

 

[FishHobby99]

Any material you know of I could use instead? I‘ve looked everywhere & can’t find anything larger than the acrylic axie hides I have. Think they could be larger. Only larger shelters I see are for reptiles, not waterproof. & ugly & fake looking.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Well, it might work. Slate varies. See what it feels like. If it seems solid and not flakey, stick it together with some epoxy or fish-safe silicone. If it wants to flake apart, though, I wouldn't bother.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

What kind of rocks do you have where you live? If you can find some blocky/flat, chemically inert rocks, it's simple enough to glue a few together into nifty caves. Or you can make caves out of wood. Hold them together with stainless screws, zip ties, and/or glue. I tend to prefer screws. You can countersink the heads so they're nearly invisible. As for glues, epoxy seems to work best on wood; I haven't had good luck with silicone.

You could also use terra cotta flower pots, if they're the right shape. (I don't really know what axolotls need for caves) They are generally aquarium safe and pretty cheap. If they aren't the right shape, you could probably even smash a few and glue the shards together in a shape that suits your critters. Could be a fun stress reliever followed by a fun artistic project.

 

[OliveFish05]

I used hot glue to glue a piece of wood to a piece of slate. It came off (as expected) so I used super glue to glue it back on. The hot glue was just to make enough flat surface area and support for the super glue to hold them together

 

[Fishmanic]

I've use GE silicone I to join slate to large rocks. (must use type I) to glue together. It lasts for several months but it eventually loosens up and comes apart.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

First I would recommend getting some PVC pipe of whatever size you need for your livestock. Use this as the base and stick the slate around it to make your caves/hides.

By using PVC pipe you have a nice smooth surface so your livestock wont hurt themselves and also they wont be nudging/moving the slate as much.

Aquarium safe silicone can work. Use lots of it on the surfaces you cant see.

Also superglue and cotton wool works pretty well.

Stack the slate up around the pipe. Put down a thin layer of cotton wool between each piece of slate and soak it in super glue (use liquid, not gel). Then push the next bit of slate down on to it.

This gives a large surface area that is being stuck and the cotton wool sets hard like plastic. The combination of these means there is less pressure put on the glue joints so less chance of the slate flaking or breaking.

 

[FishHobby99]

What kind of rocks do you have where you live? If you can find some blocky/flat, chemically inert rocks, it's simple enough to glue a few together into nifty caves. Or you can make caves out of wood. Hold them together with stainless screws, zip ties, and/or glue. I tend to prefer screws. You can countersink the heads so they're nearly invisible. As for glues, epoxy seems to work best on wood; I haven't had good luck with silicone.

You could also use terra cotta flower pots, if they're the right shape. (I don't really know what axolotls need for caves) They are generally aquarium safe and pretty cheap. If they aren't the right shape, you could probably even smash a few and glue the shards together in a shape that suits your critters. Could be a fun stress reliever followed by a fun artistic project.

I don’t know the types of rocks around here There’s a creek running through our land on the south side. All kinds of rocks visible & I never paid attention. Thanks. I will have to whip out my walking stick and scamper down to the creek.

I‘m going for a neutral look in the new axie tank & wood & terra cotta won’t do.

 

[FishHobby99]

First I would recommend getting some PVC pipe of whatever size you need for your livestock. Use this as the base and stick the slate around it to make your caves/hides.

By using PVC pipe you have a nice smooth surface so your livestock wont hurt themselves and also they wont be nudging/moving the slate as much.

Aquarium safe silicone can work. Use lots of it on the surfaces you cant see.

Also superglue and cotton wool works pretty well.

Stack the slate up around the pipe. Put down a thin layer of cotton wool between each piece of slate and soak it in super glue (use liquid, not gel). Then push the next bit of slate down on to it.

This gives a large surface area that is being stuck and the cotton wool sets hard like plastic. The combination of these means there is less pressure put on the glue joints so less chance of the slate flaking or breaking.

Dang, love all this! Emailing it to myself!

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Dang, love all this! Emailing it to myself!

No worries. I use slate quite bit just because it is cheap and easy to get. Depending on the slate it can sometimes help to rub the edges of it on something hard like a concrete slab or wall. Just helps take any sharp edges off and any bits that are likely to split or break up will do it then instead of later.

 

[OliveFish05]

I‘m going for a neutral look in the new axie tank & wood & terra cotta won’t do.

*glances at the wood and terra cotta pot in my fish tank*

 

[FishHobby99]

No worries. I use slate quite bit just because it is cheap and easy to get. Depending on the slate it can sometimes help to rub the edges of it on something hard like a concrete slab or wall. Just helps take any sharp edges off and any bits that are likely to split or break up will do it then instead of later.

Thanks! I’ll massage the husband’s head with it.

 

[FishHobby99]

*glances at the wood and terra cotta pot in my fish tank*

Each to their own I always say!