fishstein

I'm scaping an Oceanic Biocube 29 I picked up at a steal from an LFS going out of business [unfortunately]. I'm looking to do a zen-style layout in this tank, with Seiryu stones I've saved as "mountains", low ground cover like NM and Marselia Minuta as "valley trees" and Anubias Nana Petite planted on some of the Seiryu "mountains" as "mountain trees." I'd like to create some substrate slopes and given that the substrate is fairly fine, how can I maintain the shape of the slope?

I've seen some ADA setups on the ADA website which have some substrate slopes that couldn't be made just with plastic or rock retaining walls. I'm guessing some sort of netting could be used over the surface of a substrate hill, with holes large enough for root penetration, and then 1-2 cm substrate sprinkled over the netting to cover it.

Any suggestions? Is there any netting you use in ADA setups to hold the shape of substrate slopes?

TNguyen

Depending on how steep you want the slope. Tank like this is very tricky. One simple methond is using rocks to hold the substrate back. It can be done, but overtime the forces of gravity will come into play and maintaining that slope can be very frustrating. I don't think ADA uses any netting. There are threads out there where people have use some kind of netting but beware if you ever pull plants out you can pretty much destroy that scape. Good luck!

Chris.

why not take a rock that is roughly the size and shape of the slope you want and pour your soil all over it to build your hill?

dj2606

http://www.aquascapingworld.com/maga...er-Kirwan.html

Talks about how he made slopes using ada aquasoil mud mixture

jciotti

That is one of the many ways to do it. Every application is different and the technique needs to be applied in what way works best. Some times using materials to divide or hold substrate back can work as well. Wrapping netting around Aquasoil and plating into it can work as well with certain plants.

Get creative, there really is no wrong or right way to do it! Let's see what you come up with when your done too! Best of luck.

msenske

Part of my presentation here at ADG in April will be to show the technique I am using for this years entry in the IAPLC 2009. I am sure someone has done it before but I have never seen it documented . Hopefully someone from NASH will have pictures and video to post after the Spring Plant Fest .

hooha

or post it here