View Full Version : Terrace Scaping question
Some of the professional pictures I've seen of planted tanks have some serious terracing in their tanks. I've attempted this in my tank, but it comes nothing close to the way these guys do it.
When I talk about "serious terracing" I'm saying that one half of their tank substrate is sloped in a SERIOUS hill, to the point that the substrate is sitting halfway up the tank.
My question is this... is that "hill" all substrate, or do they fill is with something to fill the space? I want to do it on the one side of my tank when I move over the next few weeks, but I estimate that this will take a further 40kg of substrate... and possibly another 40kg of rock to create the walls on the side. This means that with the current +/- 40 kg of substrate, and +/- 20kg of rock I already have, I will be placing about 140kg of rock and substrate onto my tank's base. Sounds a bit dodgy to me.
How is it done?
A lot of it is done with egg crate and expanda foam.
You could also use styrofoam and youthen just scape the outer part.
I thought of using a big block of Styrofoam... but I was worried it might float.
Then I though of using an ice-creame tub, turn it upside down and cut a hole in the front and create a cave effect for fish... but then it dawned on me that the water in this may become stagnant.
from the other sites that i see, they use those plant soils. ive felt this substrate when my dad was setting up his setup in taiwan. its got a very clay feel to it and it feels much lighter than the substrate we use. so im guessing tht it holds its "slope" better than normal gravel. ive created smallish slopes in the past using rocks as u have described but over time it does flatten but this was over 4yrs. ive also seen people use acrylic dividers to hold the slope for longer. but imo over time the slope fails and the divide shows which is ugly. it does slow the collapse though if u get what i mean.
im also guessing that when you plant foreground plants such as glosso and hc, it acts as grass holding the slope (for longer atleast)
my nano has a hectic slope imo and it hasnt moved an inch. but that is also because i add water really really carefully (cup fulls at a time) also i dont have fish in it. im actually waiting for the foreground plants to grow in b4 i add fish to mess up the slope :)
but still, i dont think you can change gravity to suite our needs :P hehe.. its just a matter of time. but constant maintenace u'd probably be able to keep this slope for longer.
hope that helps. any1 have any other suggestions? will be interesting if there is an actual way to do this :)
Styrofoam will float like mad.
You can always try and a type of fibre glass "body".
I thought of using a big block of Styrofoam... but I was worried it might float.
Then I though of using an ice-creame tub, turn it upside down and cut a hole in the front and create a cave effect for fish... but then it dawned on me that the water in this may become stagnant.
u could (if u want) drill holes in the ice cream tub material so there can be some water flow?
u could (if u want) drill holes in the ice cream tub material so there can be some water flow?
Problem with is that every single fish that wants to die will find a way in and die there. Now you would have to uproot everything to get it out.
A light solid object still seems best.
Dunno if that would work Shihr... the icecread tub would be covered on top with a layer of PFP, and then gravel so plants can grow on top of this hill / mountain.
Yes, my current hills are experiencing that levelling effect now due to water currents in the tank.
---------- Post added at 20:01 ---------- Previous post was at 20:01 ----------
My next thought was to put in a few bricks (or styrafoam blocks) in the corner, put a concrete roof tile / slate on top of it, and then scape on top of that.... but then you land up with a block, and not a gentle slope. And you then need to find something to cover the edge.
Damn this idea is giving me sleepless nights!
oh i see.. well then.. imo.. only contstant maintenance on ur hill will surfice.. maybe push up the slope every month? i dont see any other way around it.. my new 4ft'er has a bit of a slope but im only going to keep tetras so i hope they wont mess this up too much.
---------- Post added at 20:01 ---------- Previous post was at 20:01 ----------
because with the styrafoam blocks idea, the gravel will still slope downwards later which will expose the block.. that wouldn look good..
Problem with is that every single fish that wants to die will find a way in and die there. Now you would have to uproot everything to get it out.
Good ol' murphy. The only Law in our land that is actually upheld!
A light solid object still seems best.
I agree 100%. You would need something light, but slightly heavier than water to sink... and can be easily shaped. (easy being the operative word in that sentence)
---------- Post added at 21:01 ---------- Previous post was at 20:01 ----------
Has anyone used expandable foam (from Fischer or Denbraven) in a fish tank? You now the stuff the old fashioned (or fly by night) builder's used to secure windows and door frames?
The idea being to completely cover a largish rock with the stuff, (to make it sink), and then whilst it's setting, attach the "terrace-block" rocks on the side so as to hide the foam from sight. Not sure how this stuff will react / leech in the tank, but I know that it will definitely stick to the rocks.
azurekoi
16-01-2011, 20:09
The 3 styrofoam legs in my paludarium are held down by little blobs of silicone.... take a block of styro,shape it and stick down with silicone... QED - now the covering parts gonna take some thinking,but you could hollow the top out and create a nice deep planting pocket....
I recall seeing some youtube vids - they guy used clay pellets similar to I would assume to be hydroton ... then substrate.
Have not tried this ..
Later Ferdie
but you could hollow the top out and create a nice deep planting pocket....
still the problem with stagnant water?
azurekoi
16-01-2011, 20:28
shihr --> No 'cos you will fill the hollow with substrate and plant it up....
Gert Combrink
16-01-2011, 20:48
Zoom, I've used expandable foam before to make a background for a 3m tank and also hide the internal filter that was in the middle rear.
If you really play with it, get used to it and be aware that this stuff can really expand, you can have a very nice DIY slope.
I have in fact empty the tin in a blob, and later when it was hard, shaped it, cut caves into it, and then washed it well. When it was completely dry, I covered it with a marine silicone layer and dry sand, that was the same as in the tank. I also used silicone to stick it to the bottom of the tank. This worked well, as the sand gave the grip needed, to make a slope over it.
Hope you find this useful.
Good luck!
OK, the idea is to use the expandable foam and just before it completely dries you chuck some sand on it that will stick]once dry.
Just layer it properly to form small terraces on the slope and plant on those.
Gert Combrink
16-01-2011, 21:51
"OK, the idea is to use the expandable foam and just before it completely dries you chuck some sand on it that will stick]once dry."
Vis, Gerhard, the expandable foam quickly form a dry layer on the outside, similar to silicone.
If you put the sand on, when it is still wet, the foam collapse under the sand-grains weight.
If you wait to just before it completely dries, the outer "skin" is already dry and the sand will not stick.
Go ahead, play with it, and report back!
@Vis (http://www.tropicalaquarium.co.za/member.php?u=530), Gerhard, the expandable foam quickly form a dry layer on the outside, similar to silicone.
If you put the sand on, when it is still wet, the foam collapse under the sand-grains weight.
If you wait to just before it completely dries, the outer "skin" is already dry and the sand will not stick.
Go ahead, play with it, and report back!
That makes sense. Did not use it, was still part of my plan.
TankMaster
17-01-2011, 01:24
Well.. .What I am planning for my nano is quite simple.
Take a 2l ice cream container. .fill it half way with regular gravel. . and top up with flourite black. Plant around the container to camouflage. plant inside the container ..different levels of foliage . instant planted hill. .
TM
wearsbunnyslippers
17-01-2011, 12:41
check this thread (http://www.aquascapingworld.com/forum/aquascaping-showcase/3488-my-west-bank.html)
wearsbunnyslippers
It was your competition thread invite that got me thinking along these lines. If I interpret correctly, this guy is simply using rocks for his terrace, and filling with gravel?
ya but u can see that its planted so densely that the slope doesnt have a chance to move..
oscar freak
17-01-2011, 14:58
ja what about using lava rock as a filler?
wearsbunnyslippers
17-01-2011, 17:27
if you check this pic:
http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/3555/26210049.jpg
you can see plastic retainers in the slope
Zoom,
If you drill holes in the plastic strips WBS mentions,the water circulation problem is solved.
I think this is a method used in Dutch Aquascaping.
wearsbunnyslippers & Rudi
I don't have a problem doing this in my tank. I was initially thinking of using something in a very similar fashion. Obviously on the "hill" I would have to bring the PFP to a higher spot for it to be effective. But my main question is still... would this not create too much weight on the base of the tank? (I will obviously put a sheet of styrafoam under everything)
Zoom,
I don't think you do this through out the whole tank,only at pre selected spots.Doing a layout sketch will help with the planning.
The PFP doesn't weigh much,or does it?
The pressure will actually be directed to the back or the side,depending were you do the terrace.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.1.10 Copyright © 2013 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.