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House bricks

john arnold

john arnold

Member
Joined
28 Jun 2018
Messages
363
Location
Somerset
hello

Im gonna rescape my 240l sometime this year and want a big triangle type design or maybe some kinf of arch so need to build up height, is it ok to use house bricks to build up and then on top nice expensive stones? New clay ones boiled and washed in dechlorinated water first?
 
Lots of folks use lava rock or egg crate/plastic grid with mesh over the top so you can build on it.
 
I've seen wholesalers use bricks in their filtration system and for fish hideouts, so I wouldn't worry about them. If they are on the bottom of the tank and you don't try and build a massively high wall I don't personally see why they would be a problem at all weight wise. The only thing to consider is they are porous so if you bury them under a lot of substrate you might have problems.
 
I was thinking about 25cm high, Someone said bricks might leach into water also does it mstter if they ars porous as lava rock is porous and two people said use that, bit conflicting this arr
 
Panty hose filled with any cheap substrate (Sand, gravel, pumis etc) material available is the next best thing. :thumbup: You can make any size you like even shape them slightly.. Curved, pancake, ball, long, short.. Name it.

Example
004_zpslyo3i8pe.jpg
 
john arnold said:
I was thinking about 25cm high, Someone said bricks might leach into water also does it mstter if they ars porous as lava rock is porous and two people said use that, bit conflicting this arr
Click to expand...

It's only a problem if you bury the rocks. You'll see people have problems with their substrate when they use very deep sections as the water can be devoid of oxygen at the bottom and anaerobic areas can be produce nasty compounds. With a non porous base this isn't a problem.
There is no worries using a porous base provided it still receives oxygen or the plant roots can penetrate down well enough to keep things healthy.
 
If you want inert bricks consider Victorian/Edwardian terracotta bricks or Engineering Blue bricks, the latter used to be used for the damp course & predate the modern practice of plastic strip. Have heard about some 'commons' failing after a few years under water.
 
zozo said:
Panty hose filled with any cheap substrate (Sand, gravel, pumis etc) material available is the next best thing. :thumbup: You can make any size you like even shape them slightly.. Curved, pancake, ball, long, short.. Name it.

Example
004_zpslyo3i8pe.jpg
Click to expand...
Wow haha that looks really weird but yeah good idea man cheers you may habe the winning method
 
Oldguy said:
If you want inert bricks consider Victorian/Edwardian terracotta bricks or Engineering Blue bricks, the latter used to be used for the damp course & predate the modern practice of plastic strip. Have heard about some 'commons' failing after a few years under water.
Click to expand...

So are engineering blue bricks non porous do you know as im making a high mountain and have been told ill have probs if the bricks are porous
 
Also i take it slate is fine to use and wont change water parameters, its cheap and available at mosr garden centres
 
john arnold said:
Also i take it slate is fine to use and wont change water parameters, its cheap and available at mosr garden centres
Click to expand...

Slate is good if you can find nice flat pieces for stability.

You can check for porosity in two simple ways. The first is to put the object in water and see if it gives off any bubbles where the air inside is being replaced by water. The second way if your still not sure is to weigh the object before and after as it gets heavier when the pores are water filled.

Saying that I've seen many people use the substrate in tights method without any problems and likewise with polystyrene (I just personally prefer something I know won't degrade overtime as I don't rearrange my scape much).
 
mort said:
Slate is good if you can find nice flat pieces for stability.

You can check for porosity in two simple ways. The first is to put the object in water and see if it gives off any bubbles where the air inside is being replaced by water. The second way if your still not sure is to weigh the object before and after as it gets heavier when the pores are water filled.

Saying that I've seen many people use the substrate in tights method without any problems and likewise with polystyrene (I just personally prefer something I know won't degrade overtime as I don't rearrange my scape much).
Click to expand...

Ok ..i want big chunks rather than flat pieces, i see a lot while camping around so gonna pick some free rock up this year
Thanks for advice
Thanks everyone
 
Engineering Blue bricks are not porous, however some 'blue bricks' are not engineering bricks. They are made to match existing builds and are used with plastic membranes to meet building regs. Go to a reclamation yard and get imperial sized bricks, they will be genuine. Metric do exist. However as you say there are lots of granite and slate cobbles out there. Happy hunting.
 
Inert material is the word here, granite, slate walling stone or cobbles are ok. Most modern quality facing bricks engineering should be ok, I have used them for( Staffordshire Blues in DPCs for older properties) they are very dense. Easier just to go with slate walling stone IMO
 
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