Slate From A Beach

[rmargetts26]

I got a load of pebbles from a near by beach... All over which passed the vinegar test, except for the slate. Each bit of slate I have picked up fizzes ever so slightly when I drop the vinegar onto it.

I thought slate was a good bet to be safe for aquariums? The LFS seem to sell enough of it!

Because it only slightly fizzes do you think it might be alright to use still?

 

[Dav]

Pease don't take this as gospel but but I see no reason you could not use it, if possible you could boil it but it may shatter if you are worried about this then you could just soak it in boiling water till it cool's rinse and repeat. I've used slate before with no affect on my tank/fish, you could also use a weak bleach solution but with this method you really need to make sure you rinse well very well. Hope all works out

 

[micko]

I've never seen proper slate on a beach before. Depending whether your in the UK or not, Homebase and B&Q sell green and plum slate which it now states on the label is "fish safe". I think it applies to ponds, but a good wash and it will be fine.
Old houses sometimes can have a real slate roof, bangor blues is what your looking for there. Check out where your nearest slate quarry is or you can phone a local stone mason and ask if he had any slate knocking about, he should do.
Either way, any of these options is far better and cheaper than buying slate from a LFS.

Personally, I wouldn't use any stone that doesn't pass the vinegar test, whether it fizzes a lot or a little.

 

[minnnt]

The thing that worried me with stuff from the beach was salt content?! Is that not an issue?

 

[Overload]

The thing that worried me with stuff from the beach was salt content?! Is that not an issue?

would a good soak not leach most of that out?

 

[minnnt]

I don't know mate, thats what i was unsure of. Kicking myself if it will as i was recently going to collect a load, got some great pieces, then chickened out because of the salt and chucked them all back.

 

[zuulan]

Where are you? If your near Bolton, Lancashire then you can have my old spare slate. PM me if you want some. Offer open to anyone willing to collect. Also a bucketful of Very White sand here too.

 

[Proxo]

The thing that worried me with stuff from the beach was salt content?! Is that not an issue?

Had a friend use rock ect from jamaica beach no problem at all, i still didn't trust it though