How to cut or break rock

[LosC]

I got some flat rocks for my new tank. They're pretty big so I want to divide 1 into 2. How can I do this? The rocks are pretty thick.

How do you guys make caves with them? I don't know how to stack them or set them up to look natural and make caves.

[Kristin]

You could break them with a sledgehammer lol. Haha, I find the longer rounder rocks are easier to make caves with than flat ones like those.... sorry, I'm not much help

[LosC]

You could break them with a sledgehammer lol. Haha, I find the longer rounder rocks are easier to make caves with than flat ones like those.... sorry, I'm not much help

Its ok. I was thinkin of just hitting the centre of it with a hammer but wouldn't that just shatter it into pieces.

[Sasquatch]

From the looks of it, you have slate. The best bet is to cut them if you have the right equipment. Worst case scenario, a dremel and a lot of patience will see you through.

If you hit them with a hammer, they'll shatter, but will also split into thinner blades. You can try with a rock chisel, but still no guarantees that they won't separate.

[LosC]

What about a tile cutter? My Dad has one downstairs. Is it possible?

[Drumachine09]

Thats how I made caves.





To break them up, I used a sharpened ice pick to score a DEEP line in the slate, put the line over the edge on my workbench, and gave it a solid tap. Broke nice and clean.

[LosC]

^Nice, thanks. I'd like to see some more of peoples caves.

[tropfish]

i picked a nice big piece of slate from the stream near my house today. I wanted it to break irregularly so i just smacked it in the center with a hammer and it went into 3 pieces.

[Kristin]

Lots of times when you jumble the rocks together, but make sure they're still spaces in between, that usually looks the most natural. Just my opinion though.

[Drumachine09]

I no longer have that tank, but I use the same concept in my current 55:



Just imagine the clown puke and fluorite are now sand, because I swapped them since this pic.