Slate floor tile for background?

**babakaty** · 09-05-2009, 03:13 PM

I have some nice-looking leftover 16x16 slate floor tile that I'm thinking about using on the rear wall of the 90 gal I'm in the process of setting up. Does anyone have any experience doing this, and how did it work out? Pictures? I assume aquarium-safe silicone will secure it to the glass. Any other ideas?

**BottomFeeder** · 09-05-2009, 03:42 PM

I've used it for the bottom of a tank. I'm sure it would work just as well as a background. Silicone should be all you need. From a space perspective you could probably put it on the outside so that it doesn't take up extra space.

sick lid · 09-05-2009, 10:42 PM

I've also toyed with this idea, but I know more than one fellow fish nerd who has done so and regretted the permanence of it. Either you use a little silicone on the corners and have it easier to remove if you want, downside is gunk getting trapped back there, or you seal the hell out of it and never ever get it off.

**babakaty** · 09-07-2009, 04:30 PM

Yeah, I was afraid of that. You'd have to be committed to it long term....Maybe I'll stick with the ubiquitous black background. Not very creative, but easily changeable.

**BottomFeeder** · 09-07-2009, 04:35 PM

I remember talking to somebody that did some really cool rock work behind the tank. It looked great, and since it wasn't in the tank it didn't have any of those downsides.

lildark185 · 09-07-2009, 08:22 PM

Wouldn't putting a whole slab of slate for the background of the tank create an imbalance in terms of weight distribution? It may put too much pressure on the back wall and the bottom of the tank towards the back.

**wkndracer** · 09-08-2009, 04:08 PM

Did it on a 110g drilled tank with a black acrylic backgroung I hated. Split the tiles and broke up the pattern over a bulge in the plastic center plate.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ta...k-warning.html

I have one tank thats been setup for 20+ years without a complete tear down and cleaning so the 'gunk' that may find its way behind the slate does not concern me. I disabled the UG filter plate on the old tank when I went to an eheim canister (2 years ago) and had no strange issues occure. What little debris may find its way behind the slate will help feed the moss I'm starting along the seams anyway.

lauraleellbp · 09-08-2009, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BottomFeeder

I remember talking to somebody that did some really cool rock work behind the tank. It looked great, and since it wasn't in the tank it didn't have any of those downsides.

I like this idea. I bet you could make a really awesome external background using fake rock on a sheet of plywood or something similar...

**babakaty** · 09-09-2009, 05:10 PM

Hey wkndracer, nice job. That's exactly what I had in mind. Glad to know it's been done before. Maybe I'll reconsider the black background!

CaliEAB · 09-14-2009, 02:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lauraleellbp

I like this idea. I bet you could make a really awesome external background using fake rock on a sheet of plywood or something similar...

I just bought a used 55G setup from a guy how did just that - used fake rock tiles from a lizard terrarium and bonded it to the back inside the tank. It's plastic but looks like textured granite and doesn't add to the weight or affect chemistry. It actually looks really good and the moss he had and some anubias grew up one portion of it. If I can get ahold of a proper camera, I'll post a picture of it.

CaliEAB · 09-15-2009, 01:50 AM

Here are a couple of pix of the tank from a setup I bought with the fake rock background... Sorry for the quality - I just have a cell phone camera right now. To be honest, I prefer the clear block of water look but this is still really cool (IMHO). Btw, if you choose to do this, be very careful with your choice of adhesives!

bandolero2 · 12-27-2012, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sick lid

I've also toyed with this idea, but I know more than one fellow fish nerd who has done so and regretted the permanence of it. Either you use a little silicone on the corners and have it easier to remove if you want, downside is gunk getting trapped back there, or you seal the hell out of it and never ever get it off.

Will the floor tile in your tank kill your tropical fish?

bandolero2 · 12-27-2012, 04:50 PM

Will the floor tile in your tank kill your tropical fish?

lochaber · 12-27-2012, 10:25 PM

slate is generally inert/safe for aquarium use. I would have thought the gaps/seems in the rectangular/square tiles would look a bit off, but wkndracer's tank looks pretty good (good job).

I've done the back of a 10-gallon with lava rock (my first attempt at a paludarium). I thought it turned out pretty well, but it used an unholy amount of silicone and time

I haven't used slate myself, other then anchoring driftwood

09-05-2009, 03:13 PM	#1
babakaty Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Western Colorado Posts: 40	Slate floor tile for background? I have some nice-looking leftover 16x16 slate floor tile that I'm thinking about using on the rear wall of the 90 gal I'm in the process of setting up. Does anyone have any experience doing this, and how did it work out? Pictures? I assume aquarium-safe silicone will secure it to the glass. Any other ideas?

09-05-2009, 03:42 PM	#2
BottomFeeder Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (5/100%) Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 316	I've used it for the bottom of a tank. I'm sure it would work just as well as a background. Silicone should be all you need. From a space perspective you could probably put it on the outside so that it doesn't take up extra space. __________________ Eheim Pimp #381 Raleigh Aquarium Society Member

09-05-2009, 10:42 PM	#3
sick lid Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 562	I've also toyed with this idea, but I know more than one fellow fish nerd who has done so and regretted the permanence of it. Either you use a little silicone on the corners and have it easier to remove if you want, downside is gunk getting trapped back there, or you seal the hell out of it and never ever get it off. __________________ 4/26/2012, lost the finest man. Rest easy Pops... <--Great Danes are people too! 180g, Fluval FX5, 404, 128watts t-8, low tech, heavily planted, with Albino and reg bristlenose plec, longfin plec, 9 Congo tetras, 20 or so Amanos, 8 Corydoras Sterbai, 2 Botia dario, 9 Boesmanis, 2 sae, big old common plec, & a dozen or so Otos.32tall eclipse3, fluval403, 5 neon & 7 silver tip tetras.180gallon corner in-wall build journal

09-07-2009, 04:35 PM	#5
BottomFeeder Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (5/100%) Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 316	I remember talking to somebody that did some really cool rock work behind the tank. It looked great, and since it wasn't in the tank it didn't have any of those downsides. __________________ Eheim Pimp #381 Raleigh Aquarium Society Member

09-08-2009, 04:08 PM	#7
wkndracer Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (68/100%) Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Citrus County,Florida Posts: 6,045	Slate background Did it on a 110g drilled tank with a black acrylic backgroung I hated. Split the tiles and broke up the pattern over a bulge in the plastic center plate. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ta...k-warning.html I have one tank thats been setup for 20+ years without a complete tear down and cleaning so the 'gunk' that may find its way behind the slate does not concern me. I disabled the UG filter plate on the old tank when I went to an eheim canister (2 years ago) and had no strange issues occure. What little debris may find its way behind the slate will help feed the moss I'm starting along the seams anyway. __________________ *The Fraternity of Dirt* If at first you don't succeed,,, keep kicking it RubberSideDownOnTheLanding, 2-75g planted, 5-55g planted, 5-20g planted, 110g w/30g sump, 8-10g, Refugium, doghouse/newbie 2012 update adding table top pleco pans & a 90g (Nutz)

09-07-2009, 04:30 PM	#4
babakaty Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Western Colorado Posts: 40	Yeah, I was afraid of that. You'd have to be committed to it long term....Maybe I'll stick with the ubiquitous black background. Not very creative, but easily changeable.

09-07-2009, 08:22 PM	#6
lildark185 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: NYC Posts: 47	Wouldn't putting a whole slab of slate for the background of the tank create an imbalance in terms of weight distribution? It may put too much pressure on the back wall and the bottom of the tank towards the back.

09-09-2009, 05:10 PM	#9
babakaty Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Western Colorado Posts: 40	Hey wkndracer, nice job. That's exactly what I had in mind. Glad to know it's been done before. Maybe I'll reconsider the black background!

09-15-2009, 01:50 AM	#11
CaliEAB Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Davis, CA Posts: 115	Some pix of a fake rock background in a 55G Here are a couple of pix of the tank from a setup I bought with the fake rock background... Sorry for the quality - I just have a cell phone camera right now. To be honest, I prefer the clear block of water look but this is still really cool (IMHO). Btw, if you choose to do this, be very careful with your choice of adhesives! Attached Images Last edited by CaliEAB; 09-20-2009 at 10:38 PM..

12-27-2012, 04:50 PM	#13
bandolero2 Newbie (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: SW Florida Posts: 2	Will the floor tile in your tank kill your tropical fish?

12-27-2012, 10:25 PM	#14
lochaber Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Oakland, CA Posts: 737	slate is generally inert/safe for aquarium use. I would have thought the gaps/seems in the rectangular/square tiles would look a bit off, but wkndracer's tank looks pretty good (good job). I've done the back of a 10-gallon with lava rock (my first attempt at a paludarium). I thought it turned out pretty well, but it used an unholy amount of silicone and time I haven't used slate myself, other then anchoring driftwood

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode