How do I get a raised level in the back of the tank?

[hulkamaniac]

I've just acquired a 75 gallon tank. It's sitting empty right now in my living room, but I'll be setting it up tomorrow. The tank at my LFS that I really like has almost a two-tiered look. The main level is one level and then toward the back of the tank it sits about and inch and a half to to inches higher and there's a drop off there. They have shorter plants and other decorations around the drop off so you don't really see it and have taller plants in the back. I think it looks really neat and would love to have a similar look, but I'm not sure how.

 

[F-18 TECH]

Welcome to the Forum HULK! I have achieved the look you are currently looking for by placing some sort of barrier about 5-6 inches from the rear of the tank(fiddle with the size of this area until you are satisfied). Then fill this empty space with whatever substrate you have chosen for your tank, i.e. sand, gravel etc. Then fill your remainder of the tank with that same substrate. Next you can either smooth the remainder to the barriers top or leave this substrate flat achieving the great wall look. For the wall I usually use a brick on its end if you want the tank to be able to change its look. Also some people silicone shale to the bottom of the tank while empty to for the wall

Hope that answers your question. Post some picks later of the progress

 

[jsoong]

Are you talking about a drop off in the substrate or the water?

Multi-tiered substrate is pretty easy to do - you can build up the back with a stripe of plexi siliconed in place, or do the same with rocks.

If you are talking about a water level difference, that will need more work. I've seen a customed setup at the lfs where they have water cascading from one level to another. The only way I can think of achieving that would be dividing the tank in 2 & pump water from the front to the back so it overflow from back to front partition.

 

[hulkamaniac]

No, it's a drop off in the substrate. What do you use as a barrier and how hard and expensive is it to do?

 

[F-18 TECH]

The price is cheap Just silicone and plexi, mabey 20 bucks , the other way mentioned in my post above details the cheap rock way

 

[TomK2]

Easy to do. It is just a "retaining wall" on the bottom of the tank, to keep the deeper substrate in the back from migrating to the front. It need not be high quality workmanship, since it will be buried. It need not be a waterproof seal either, just a barrier to keep the deep stuff in the back. a strip of plastic held in place by silicone as described above.