frag tiles?

[subman]

I've seen more and more frags on tiles and was wondering where to buy these tiles.

Thanks

[tim the toolman]

I'm pretty sure they are just the tile sheets that come all together from home depot and then the connecting fibers are cut to free up the tiles. Ya know the ttpe that are pre assembled for back splashesa and the like. Many sizes and colors to choose from

[subman]

that's what I was thinking but was worried about getting the wrong ones and leaching contaminants.

[tim the toolman]

Yah I would say you would want to stick with undyed natural stone options for sure. Then again they may have some all glass options as well. But stone would be my first pick esdpecially since it would probably come alive and coraline up eventually

[subman]

Its apparently called travertine tiles. look like natural stone tiles. I think I'm going to let them soak for a couple weeks in my toilet to soak the contaminates off.

[Myka]

Anywhere that sells tiles for your house. They are used for back splashes and shower floors and come in pre-assmbled sheets, just pull them off the netting. Ceramic and porcelain tiles are reef-safe. I wouldn't use any natural rocks though (slate, marble, granite, travertine, etc) because they could have metals in them.

[sphelps]

I have a ton of leftover scrap natural travertine left over from renos if anyone wants some. It's very porous and pure limestone, I don't believe it would have any metal in it. They are not filled with epoxy or grout like typical travertine either.

[paddyob]

I've seen more and more frags on tiles and was wondering where to buy these tiles.

Thanks

Why? It might be easier for a seller, but usually sucks for the buyer.

They are unappealing to the eye, and personally I avoid them like the plague.

Why not just use rubble?

Just curious. I know everyone has views and personal likes. So again, curious.

[reefermadness]

I have used lots of large 4" tavertine in my tank...no problem. It is limestone (calcium carbonate) but its purity might be in question. Just try to buy the whitest tavertine you can find because colour is indication of purity.

As for the small 1"x1" tavertine or other tiles...they come with glue on the back that is not easily removed....I would be more worried about that glue. At least that is why I havent tried them.

[subman]

Why? It might be easier for a seller, but usually sucks for the buyer.

They are unappealing to the eye, and personally I avoid them like the plague.

Why not just use rubble?

Just curious. I know everyone has views and personal likes. So again, curious.

Not selling any frags actually just going to build a frag rack with them. That being said I like tiles better than plugs or rubble. I usually remove them from what ever its growing on and attach it to my live rock direct. So the tile is easiest to remove from.

[subman]

I have used lots of large 4" tavertine in my tank...no problem. It is limestone (calcium carbonate) but its purity might be in question. Just try to buy the whitest tavertine you can find because colour is indication of purity.

As for the small 1"x1" tavertine or other tiles...they come with glue on the back that is not easily removed....I would be more worried about that glue. At least that is why I havent tried them.

I boiled the 1" tiles and the glue came off very well. They are now sitting in a media bag in my toilet tank to give them a month long wash.

[TimT]

Unless the clay used to make the tile is Barium Free I would not put it into an aquarium. The guys that make the ceramic plugs use a Barium Free Clay as Barium is toxic.

Cheers,
Tim

[RuGlu6]

Its apparently called travertine tiles. look like natural stone tiles. I think I'm going to let them soak for a couple weeks in my toilet to soak the contaminates off.
If you soak in the toilet you might get some other contaminantes in. lol

[subman]

Unless the clay used to make the tile is Barium Free I would not put it into an aquarium. The guys that make the ceramic plugs use a Barium Free Clay as Barium is toxic.

Cheers,
Tim

Hundreds of people on reef central use them and have had no problems.


If you soak in the toilet you might get some other contaminantes in. lol

Think that will cause a nitrate spike?
:rofl:

[BlueTang<3]

Not selling any frags actually just going to build a frag rack with them. That being said I like tiles better than plugs or rubble. I usually remove them from what ever its growing on and attach it to my live rock direct. So the tile is easiest to remove from.

You can buy 25 frag tiles from bulk reef supply for 4 dollars

[subman]

You can buy 25 frag tiles from bulk reef supply for 4 dollars

good to know thanks Wes.

[toytech]

i use the tumbled marble tiles form home depot there 1inchx1inch peel them off the sheet rub off the glue and good to go no need to soak for a month . There cheap like 8 bucks for 140 and i have an ocd frag tank and everything has to be in neat little rows with no spaces so plugs and rubble just dont work .Once the zoas grow out a bit you wont ever see the tiles anyway.

[subman]

Reading through this thread really sold me on the tiles.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2070455

He is using the tiles as a major portion of his live rock. Plus I think the Zoa's look really cool on the tiles (and his colony of Rasta's is Unbelievable!!)

[Myka]

Reading through this thread really sold me on the tiles.

I've thought of spread the little 1" tiles on the bottom of my tank instead of sand. Would make Zoa fragging real easy. :D

[subman]

I've thought of spread the little 1" tiles on the bottom of my tank instead of sand. Would make Zoa fragging real easy. :D

I am still considering this in my frag tank for rare Zoa's. Simple fragging!

[mike31154]

I've used a wet tile saw to cut standard ceramic tile into small pieces. The stuff on the mesh with glue tends to cost a lot more than a standard ceramic tile. Probably don't really need a wet tile saw either, just take a hammer to a tile & rinse off the dust when you're done. Voila, a bunch of irregularly sized, random frag tile pieces. Who says they have to be square? And you can always wrap a blob of epoxy putty with a tail around it to give it purchase on a frag rack.

I've also cut up a few chunks of marble since it's nice & heavy. Works fine & haven't had an issue with any toxicity (spelling?) to the best of my knowledge. If you search the interweb for info on marble constituents, you'll find it's >90% calcite or dolomite. Veins in marble are impurities, generally granite which could contain some nasties, but I doubt that a small chunk used as a frag plug is going to leach enough of anything into your tank to be harmful.