freshreef

i have a small (30*30*35cm) tank and im thinking of a small mountain of glosso , would like to ask how can i built the substrate to get a mountain shape.
how much cf watts do i need for this kind of setup?
i think im going to use a few rocks on the botom and then put some quartz gravel (2mm) and on top of everything a thin layer of aquasoil.
im going to use co2 tank with small defuser and not sure about the filteration department too ...
can i use a small filter that goes on the inside of the tank or a canister filter is a must?

need pics or step by step procedure on how to create the "mountain"

my vision is the right mountain in the pic

Hanzo

I was really fasinated by this one my self, and would love to make something like that! Sadly I have no clue how to My only guess would be cementing the rocks together in clay or something, then use javamose as a substrat for the Glosso. Would that work at all?

freshreef

thanks hanzo, any other ideas how to create the "mountain"?

tsunami

I don't know how they created that mountain, but I have a few ideas on how I would go about it:

Take rocks and substrate and slope them at a very sharp angle --perhaps twice as sharply as you see here. As you all know, the substrate tends to even out over time. So, while the plants are growing in, the slope you created will be gradually evening out. This is where the plants come in. To create such a slope, you need fast growing plants that will hold the substrate in place. Once these plants have grown in, the structure of the slope should stabilize. This is how Ricky got his "Hill" effect in last year's layout, I understand.

In this rockscape, the main plant on the slopes isn't Glossostigma, however. The peaks of the mountains are dominated by fluffy mats of an aquatic moss with some errant Glosso runners here and there. The Glossostigma is mostly restricted to the lower half of the peaks. I wonder if they play any role in stabilizing the mountain. Then again, perhaps the mountains are composed of only one or two pieces of rock with many interesting nooks and crannies to grow the moss in?

Carlos

Gomer

I'm willing to bet on your second idea.

The substrate doesn't go that high. The moss is substrateless for the most part. Some of the glosso is using substrate as a substrate and other parts are using moss as a "substrate".


atleast, that is how I would do it.

freshreef

what kind of moss ? is it java? thats the only moss i can get here.
could i go with riccia instead? i guess it would be easier - but need more tips to do it please.

what about clay under the gravel to hold the slope in its place?

tsunami

Riccia would not provide any support. And it would be difficult to weigh down, furthermore. He probably used Java moss.

Carlos

plantella

Hy there,

only a little information to the mountain tank:

The main plant on the top of the hill's are
HEMINATHUS CALLITRICHOIDES.

Down you can see the Glossostigma (bigger leaves)

Right and left there are a little bit Unkown Moss. Looks a little bit like "Christmas Moss".

You can see the details very good at the ADA Contest book 2004.
This is one of my personal favorite this year the 5th place.

Best regards,

Oliver Knott

Gomer

Alright! so the book is now out!!!!....or did you get it when you were in japan?

niko

I don't know how H. callitrichoides grows (deep, Glosso-like roots or not) but I do believe that there is a base that helps keep the plants in that beautiful tank growing looking like a mountain. This tank gives an idea how to place the substrate and the rocks to create a similar effect.

A year or so ago I thought about creating a very tall (2 ft.) "mountain" by gluing rocks together and putting the substrate in "pockets" all over the "mountain". I imagine one could connect the "pockets" and create a true mountain look.

Also I think that using plants with different leaf color and shape is a must for such a "mountain" because it will add to the wild, natural look. And of course the plants must have small leaves to add to the illusion of a tall mountain hill.

--Nikolay