So I'm going to admit that my tanks aren't very pretty. Terracotta pots and random decorations take away from what I want my aquariums to look like. I was wondering if anyone knew of any place in WA or OR that I could find worthwhile rocks. From what I hear, lace rock would be ideal, but I'm also interested in anything that would look better than a clay pot! I've been searching, but can't find anything good.
Looking For Rocks!
- Thread starter CrazedAce
- Start date
A
Anonymous
Guest
I used to hunt down and wonder through large landscape/stone nurseries to find rocks and gather ideas. I've worked with granite , slate, lava rock, petrified woods. It seems every 12 -18 months I would re-scape when I worked with rocks. It kept things fresh to change things up every once in a while.
these guys are supposed to have some cool rock:
http://www.simply-rocks.com/rock-product/
They were a Craigslist find:
http://www.wafishbox.com/t7358-rocks-rocks-and-more-rocks
Pictures are from the add that doesn't exist anymore. I love the rainbow rock but I'm too far and don't need more rock.
http://www.simply-rocks.com/rock-product/
They were a Craigslist find:
http://www.wafishbox.com/t7358-rocks-rocks-and-more-rocks
Pictures are from the add that doesn't exist anymore. I love the rainbow rock but I'm too far and don't need more rock.
Great Western Supply in Lacey has a large selection of rock. In addition to the flagstone, they also have 1 man rocks. No lace rock :-( No large lava rock :-(
www.greatwesternsupply.net
Keith
www.greatwesternsupply.net
Keith
Seattle_Aquarist
Well-Known Member
Hi CrazedAce,CrazedAce said:
Yes, there are lots of interesting rocks to be found in Washington such as columnar basalt; these are about 4" diameter.
Seattle_Aquarist
Well-Known Member
Hi dwarfpike,
Thank you! Those came from Eastern Washington / Columbia Basin.
Thank you! Those came from Eastern Washington / Columbia Basin.
TheFishPimp
Member
Hey guys, there's a place in South Seattle in the SoDo District called coverall stone. They sell an unbelievable variety of ornate stones and rocks. And they have their own quarry from which they pull basalt. They sell columns in multiple sizes and shapes, drilled for bubblers for a little more money. But the beauty is they have a being followed smaller pieces cut flat so you can sili them to the tank bottom. I have what we have dubbed "the hall of columns "in my big trophy us tank. Check them out.
TFP
TFP
bronzefighter
Member
That's where I got the pot rock for my malawi tank. Lots of interesting shapes and different types of stones, I managed to talk the price down after one of the workers slipped and told me the profit margin on the last shipmentKaraWolf said:
It says their sister site is "The Barn Nursery"; is this the landscaping business located directly next to them? If so, I was just there yesterday and wasn't impressed much. They have flagstone, but most of the stuff I was interested in was either extremely brittle or shiny (my previous research told me this leaks lead into the tank, try or not?).Maxspin said:
It would be nice to find some actual slate nearby and not paying $5 for a small broken piece at Petco.
I've also read about buying tiles at a hardware store, slotting them, and then shaping to make it looks natural, though that seems tedious and hardly worth the end product.
And Snohomish is way too far north. I should have said I was in the Olympia area. But I'd rather travel down south to Oregon. I've already been told by a frequent customer that Issaquah is a good place for lace rock, so if I have to go north, that's probably the furthest I'll go.
cichlid-gal
New Member
TheFishPimp said:
I'd love to see those basalt columns...where is a pic?
Take a drive through the canyon or up and over to Yakima, plenty of rocks to be had, might not be basalt but very close!cichlid-gal said:
Not directed at you Donna, but I don't get buying rocks specially slate, good lord we live in one of the greatest parts of the country that have rocks that are free, just gotta get out of the basement and look around...
Not many natural fish environment's that slate is common.. Guess beauty in the eye of the beholder or the check book..
A
Anonymous
Guest
Got family members on the E side of the mountains that were rock hounds for decades. Last year one moved from the family home and I got my pickings of rocks including petrified woods.
We have a rock garden/landscape business near us that have piles and bins of their "broken" rubble. I've gotten many good pieces of rocks out of there for pennies on the dollar. All though I don't mind going to the mountains, for that instant find nothing beats a large landscape place for variety.
EXAMPLE: http://www.clearviewnursery.net/?redirect=false
I've gotten a lot of "just that right size" pieces of slate here. Slate is cool to work with. You can cut, shape, glue shapes together. I now use cut slate strips it in my 140 manly for barriers to hold back levels of substrate and plants that like to spread all over (like barriers in the outside garden to hold back root spreading plants like mint and berry bushes). I believe they even have Holy rock at this location...
Searching through the Internet I found 1 or 2 nurseries near the Shelton area. I cannot vouch for quality or if they have the rocks you are looking for but it's a start.
We have a rock garden/landscape business near us that have piles and bins of their "broken" rubble. I've gotten many good pieces of rocks out of there for pennies on the dollar. All though I don't mind going to the mountains, for that instant find nothing beats a large landscape place for variety.
EXAMPLE: http://www.clearviewnursery.net/?redirect=false
I've gotten a lot of "just that right size" pieces of slate here. Slate is cool to work with. You can cut, shape, glue shapes together. I now use cut slate strips it in my 140 manly for barriers to hold back levels of substrate and plants that like to spread all over (like barriers in the outside garden to hold back root spreading plants like mint and berry bushes). I believe they even have Holy rock at this location...
Searching through the Internet I found 1 or 2 nurseries near the Shelton area. I cannot vouch for quality or if they have the rocks you are looking for but it's a start.
Livebearer
Member
Crazed Ace what effect are you looking for? Color/pattern shapes??
Cichlid-gal, A drive west to the North entrace of the Quincey game range just off S.R. 28 range will net you some of that columar balsalt. This is owned by the Department of Fish & Wildlife and is open for fishing, hunting upland gamebirds, rattlesnakes, and rocks!
Cichlid-gal, A drive west to the North entrace of the Quincey game range just off S.R. 28 range will net you some of that columar balsalt. This is owned by the Department of Fish & Wildlife and is open for fishing, hunting upland gamebirds, rattlesnakes, and rocks!
I'm basically just looking for aquarium safe rocks, mainly lace rock and slate. Flag stone is what most nurseries carry, but not slate. The only slate pieces I've found thus far have been sand stone, which I could peel with just my fingers. Generally soft wood/rock is never a good idea, so I'm still looking. And I have some pieces from Manufacturers Minerals in Renton that I split, but it is shiny, and from research on the web I was told that it may leak lead into the tank.
But it seems like I will have to travel, and north sounds promising. Lol
But it seems like I will have to travel, and north sounds promising. Lol
bronzefighter
Member
TheFishPimp said:
