From Substrate to Bare-Bottom
- Thread starter Buphy
- Start date
I have never lifted mine in just under a year. All I do is sython from through the gaps where they are and leave it at that. Never had an issue mine in places are two layers high and I'm sure there is a gap under them in places. I do have a very small amount of sand in there but I'm talking maybe 20grams at most if anything I quite often find small fry going under the tiles so any food hiden under there is getting eaten and in terms of poo well I'll see when I finally lift them on a refurb in a few months ( I try and do it every year at least)
Another thing to consider is slate (natural) breaks down over time. I have a massive lump in one tank I got, if I try and move it I'll quite often get chippings and break away and in the corner of the dovii tank I get a collection of small chips gather in a deadspot so this would increase surface area for BB and if its happening on top I'm sure it will under but I'm not sure about kitchen type tiles
I'm getting ready to do ceramic tile. Should I put a under gravel filter under the tile to help with waste and cleaning?
S
Silicone all tiles down or you going to have problems with waste build under tiles.
It's hard to weekly remove tiles to clean bottom. This is recipe for hard scratching tank....
Silicone all tiles down or you going to have problems with waste build under tiles.
It's hard to weekly remove tiles to clean bottom. This is recipe for hard scratching tank....
If it is a standard glass tank you can always just look under the tank and see where the most build up is. I spot clean the worst tile every other week. And all that entails is using a little pry bar I made out of 20ga SS to lift a corner and sticking a hose under it. Takes 5 seconds to suck it clean. This is my next target tile...
Edit: just FYI, mine is ceramic tile. From the research I have done, once glazed it should be inert, just like sintered glass media. I did bucket tests, and the whole tiles didn't change the water parameters at all. BUT I had to cut .5" off each piece to fit snug in my tank. The cut tiles significantly raised the TDS. There could be other factors involved, but this is as far as I have gotten with my tests. My fish have shown no ill effects (1yr +), but a TDS around 500 could definitely effect some fish. Especially if spawning is a goal. Rant over...
Edit: just FYI, mine is ceramic tile. From the research I have done, once glazed it should be inert, just like sintered glass media. I did bucket tests, and the whole tiles didn't change the water parameters at all. BUT I had to cut .5" off each piece to fit snug in my tank. The cut tiles significantly raised the TDS. There could be other factors involved, but this is as far as I have gotten with my tests. My fish have shown no ill effects (1yr +), but a TDS around 500 could definitely effect some fish. Especially if spawning is a goal. Rant over...
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Just call a slate roofing company. They always have slate laying around. Been a union slater since 1986 and we have new slate laying all over our yard. Not even counting the slate roofs we tear off on a daily basis and just take them to land fills.
