Slate for Pleco caves/hotels

[Afluffyduckling]

Hello,

Im looking for the gray slate (not natural slate but porcelain?) that's uniform and used for pleco caves and hotels. I've searched hardware and landscaping shops but they all have the grooves on the back that I cant get off and makes siliconing them together difficult. Has anyone found the tiling that I've seen before? Ive heard they can be found at homedepot but I cant seem to find them online or in store.

Thanks in advance
Aaryn

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Slate is a relatively common rock* and is easy to trim to size and shape.
What is the appeal of fake slate/porcelain, over the real thing?

*Obviously, this depends upon where you are in the world. I'm lucky in that I have access to blue, green and purple slates.

 

[Afluffyduckling]

I've tried out natural slate before and its too inconsistent and brittle for me to make the designs I'm after. I want to make one of those neat and tidy multi-tiered hotels for my pleco tank and all the ones I've seen use the same plain grey porcelain looking slate that eludes me

These are the kind of slate hotels I want to make:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07MBTD3MV/?tag=

https://webimg.secondhandapp.at/1.1/5e5c073a338ff37f89cab64f

Thank you for your response!

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

I've tried out natural slate before and its too inconsistent and brittle for me to make the designs I'm after. I want to make one of those neat and tidy multi-tiered hotels for my pleco tank and all the ones I've seen use the same plain grey porcelain looking slate that eludes me

These are the kind of slate hotels I want to make:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07MBTD3MV/?tag=

https://webimg.secondhandapp.at/1.1/5e5c073a338ff37f89cab64f

Thank you for your response!

Understood...though the Trade Description Act would have something to say about the use of the word 'Natural'!
Perhaps you could look again at normal tiles, but those in a stone finish?

 

[Afluffyduckling]

Does the slate in the creek behind my house natural enough? lol I posted in another forum and someone found me the slate! Im going to leave the link here for anyone else interested in making their own with the same material:
https/www.homedepot.com/p/MSI-Mon...ubway-Tile-5-sq-ft-Case-SMONBLU412G/313033314
Problem was they didnt have it in store to look at the backside, and I mustve missed the 360 view on the listing, tricky stuff to find!