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Dart Den

Serving the Dart Frog Community Since 2004...

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shale ok to use in vivariums ?
#1
Can you use shale for ledges in vivariums?
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#2
Dont see why not - although its heavy. I would personally use cork bark and GS Foam as possible alternative.
Scott - North Dallas
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#3
shale would be fine. Clean. Easy to use. But as Scott says....you'd want to limit the weight of it. One day you will have to lift/port/carry your viv possibly with some water in it as well. You do not want it to be heavy.
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#4
not going to use a lot, just to add some for contrast. live near shale bed so it is unlimited supply.Shale is a lot lighter then most stone imo.
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#5
How do you "clean" it enough to make it vivarium "safe."?
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#6
Hot water ?

05% bleach wash and clean water rinse after ?
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"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana".
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#7
It was my impression that it is impossible to "clean" some of the natural things unless they are autoclaved...I dunno, I sorta do what you suggest and hope for the best...but shale is in layers so might be harder to trust...
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#8
think it would be better if you have slate. i THINK shale is more brittle than slate. try to break a piece in hands. see if it crumbles. it could do the same in your tank with water hitting it. the pieces i have do crumble. but they are outside.
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#9
Clean, clean, clean, autoclave, nasties.....if we over-think this, we may as well just use sterile plastic lego blocks and nothing more in our vivs.

I'm only concerned about hitchhikers - centipedes, snails that type of thing. Boiling and Bleach is 100% enough for me. I ain't buyin' no autoclave, lol.
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"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana".
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#10
I have to totally agree with that...but having already seen nemerteans, slugs, and God knows what some of those unmentionable things were (very, VERY large beetles that could climb glass...ugh, ecchhhh...)...I sort of became aware of those unknown hitchhikers...so yah, I gave in and did the bleach thing...some stuff made it, some stuff didn't. Rocks, ...hard to think about what in the world they may have lurking...if they are porous, more possibilities...Shale may have some issues that a harder, dense stone may not...but you have to just balance things out...and keep an open mind about the "natural" components...Personally, I have decided not to be so damn paranoid.
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#11
Another thing you can consider is to use foam board insulation carved and textured with a dremel and coated with tinted drylok (I use concrete dyes - quickcrete "charcoal" works nicely). They come out pretty well (I'm in the middle of a build now so I will post) and they are really light. Depending on your painting skills they can come out looking really natural...mine took quite a few tries Smile
Jim from Austin | https://www.oneillscrossing.com/dart-frogs/
fantastica nominant | summersi | reticulata | A barbotini
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