Tropical Fish Keeping banner

Mixed substrate

6K views 57 replies 7 participants last post by  Molinious 
#1 ·
So I've been thinking about changing my substrate for the last week, especially since getting my loaches. Although I have a smooth, fine gravel what suits them would be best.

But I also like my gravel. Which has led me to a new idea.

I'm wondering about creating a kind of beach effect, in that I'd have maybe 1/3 of the tank as sand substrate which would form a shallow incline into my gravel, as this is kind of what the pebble beaches look like in my area.

So I'm wondering how this would be possible, or even if. I know sand typically is around 2 cm deep in most tanks whereas gravel is approx 5 cm. Mine is anyway as per what I read. Would deeper sand make any diff? Shallower gravel?

I know a lot of bacteria etc lives in your gravel, but I honestly have no idea if this works the same with sand, or what the differences here are.

This definitely isn't an idea set in stone but certainly something I've thought about to create a different look.
 
#2 ·
Let me start by saying - I don't know squat. That being said, I love this idea. I myself have been torn between fine gravel and sand for my tank. Using both would solve my dilemma and open the door to more creative aquascaping possibilities. I am really looking forward to seeing how the experts answer this one.
 
#5 ·
I think so, and the idea of creating a loach beach interests me a lot, espec as could almost represent something real with having it planted by having coast moving back into forrest, the way it all used to be......
 
#6 · (Edited)
I think it was SanguineFox that tried something like this recently. A lot of people, as I recall, told her eventually the two would completely merge. I think, if memory serves, she made some sort of dividers to combat this problem. I think she scrapped the idea in the end, thought I don't remember why. Also, I could be wrong about the scrapping part. My memory sucks.

I'm sure it was her though, it's probably somewhere in this thread:

http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/...-tank-upgrade-75-a-106630/page39/#post1366524

You could probably PM her a lot quicker than finding it by reading the whole thread. (Though it is good reading and has some awesome pics and videos. She keeps cool fish and beautiful tanks)

Edit: I just did some searches through her thread and came up empty handed. Either I'm not using the right search words, or maybe she just showed us pics of her project in chat and did not put them in her thread. I'm sure it was her though, I remember seeing pics of the dividers she was making. I would PM her and see what she did, and if it worked.

Edit V2: I sent her a PM because I am sure it was her and I am surprised I couldn't see it in her thread. She may have just been showing us in chat.
 
#7 ·
thanks canadian for PM'ing her. I'll wait on what her response is and then decide whether to pester her :)

Yes i've though about the merging and this isnt a massive issue, it would look more natural for it to merge somewhat in fact, it would just be an extra chore to keep themseperate.

My thinking had evolved throughout the day though to match something like her's id imagine, in that i would need to partition the tank. I considered using something to form a proper barrier, plexi glass perhaps etc and then building smallish rocks on the inside of it to hold it. This could all be done and siliconed together on the outside of the tank so that i could effectively just slide the gravel out of the way and the 'cliffs' in.
 
#12 ·
I have a 30 gallon with about 2/3 of the substrate play sand and 1/3 gravel. The gravel is banked up high at one end of the tank and the sand is gradually sloped toward the back in the rest of the tank. The sand seems to be keeping the gravel in place. I've had this arrangement for about 2 months and I don't see any signs of deterioration. I really like the appearance. Give it a try.
 
#13 ·
so are you :)

Is there just one ''room'' in chat? whenever ive gone in, its been empty.

Well hopefully she'll pop in there/here then. I do fully understand just how hard, just how much work this could be and just how long it would probably take me, but if i could create something spectacular it would be well worth it.
 
#15 ·
Yeah, it's just the one room. It picks up in the evenings (North American time) though sometimes on weekends people are around during the day. I think with the holidays it may be a little slower than usual.

I like how I just said North American time, like it's all one time zone, LOL. What I mean is, usually between 7pm ish to Midnightish is when it is busiest, EST. I think you are five hours difference? So between midnight to 5 am your time would be busiest. That's kind of crappy.

SF is around all the time, she'll find you, lol.

Ooof, I just ate too much pot pie. I got the turkey carcass boiling on the stove now too. Smells like Thanksgiving in here.
 
#18 ·
HAHA C.F has a point. whilst he has some gorgeous tanks. he has a few that i looked and and thought- what were you thinking! HAHA. clown puke is quite descriptive though tbh :p

so youve no excuse! post us that sexy pic!

I'm even going to throw up a pic of my 54ltr tank in about 15 for you (which i NEVER intended on doing!)- and its absolutely disgusting and pretty much as i got it, and will be getting ripped apart and done properly after new year!
 
#20 ·
This is the 54 litre that I'll be switching to sand in the new year. I'll also most likely try and put a proper light in, as its got a 9w energy saver in at the moment- and look at the bend on that cabomba on the left! Most prob a small t5 tube. Plenty of snails in there at the moment if you can see them.... and that's all.
Eventually a barbs mix probably.
 

Attachments

#21 ·
Using a mixed substrate works really well! Its something iv already done in 1 of my tanks, the plec likes the sand as hes made his home in the wood that sits on it. He is always burrowing in it and it looks so natural. Iv paired it up with a fine black gravel for contrast and the majority of the planting is done in it. If you look at my profile pic you can see it or click on the youtube link
 
#22 ·
thanks! can you post the pic in here for me too so ive got somewhere permanent with it?!?!

if you read through im seriously contemplating full on scaping it into a cliffs, with beach and then gravel planted above look
 
#24 ·
heres a few pics from when it was 1st setup and then planted, i keep meaning to update how it is now, works been crazy tho
 

Attachments

#25 ·
that looks REALLY good.....

you've just lowered the level of gravel in that section and put sand on top top build it back up correct?

wont the sand eventually just sink through the gravel though?
 
#26 ·
oh no, i can see MUCH better in the pic...you've gone totallly sand i see in that section......it works really well!

how does the mixing go? what size gravel are you using?
 
#28 ·
ahh that makes sense!

i probably wouldnt even need that though as i already have a full 5cm of fine gravel in the tank.

am thinking this is definitely an option though should the cliffs prove too hard! haha
 
#30 · (Edited)
Hello there. Sorry it took a bit for me to get to this, I've been out all day. Yes I did put up dividers to try to prevent some of the mixing. I used non toxic hot glue, fishing line, and non toxic crafting mesh (also called plastic canvas in some areas).




Those went into the corners. Technically I could have made one more to put in the back. In any case, I made two of these and stuck them in the back corners, one on each side. Then I put the gravel like substrate into it...and then some outside of it to start to bank it up.

After that I poured in the sand and also banked it up tight against the divider. I made sure that the sand was level with the level of the gravel, and also put smooth stones where the border between sand and gravel is and pushed those in.



So far everything is holding up nicely. The only real mixing is in the back middle so I know the mesh basket idea works because it's not happening as much with the corners.



Hope that helps if you want to try something like what I did.
 
#31 ·
Yeah thats pretty much how my thought chain started off sanguine, then i moved on and started searching for more wall like ideas.......for instance this




which then led me into thinking about creating a mini cliff. the pic above is foam, silicone and black quartz sand to make the wall...... what i want to do is like you, partition off a section of the tank, but with more of a severe drop to create a loach beach where they can wallow, focally.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top