Multiple substrates in different areas of the tank

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I'm going to be setting up my new 125 this week (as soon as my Eco-Complete arrives). My plan is to have most of the bottom covered in the EC, but I would also like to have areas of PFS. Obviously, I need some way to keep them (mostly) seperate.

My original thought was to silicone some material to the bottom as a retaining wall - slate was the obvious first choice. But that left me with a permanent design. Now I'm thinking of making some underwater "jersey barriers", possibly slate glued onto some other flat, thin item (plastic, slate, whatever).

I've found some 4"x4" slate tiles at the local Home Depot, but will have to experiment with chipping them up to make them less artificial looking.

Meanwhile, does anyone have any better ideas/advice/experience? I'm open to suggestions. Thanks!

 

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So, nobody has any ideas on the best way to keep the substrates from mixing? Everything should be arriving tomorrow, and I would really like to get started setting this tank up soon, if I can figure out how to manage this issue. Thanks!

 

[JustOneMore20]

I know you can use some plastic to divide the two substrates. I'm not sure if you should silicon it to the bottom or not.

HERE is a thread on plantedtank.net where a guy tried to use sand and flourite. It looks like the flourite still got on the sand. I think it will look messy, unless you can keep the Eco off the sand.

 

[src]

Thanks for the link. Looks similar, but I plan to have more of a barrier - at least 1-1 1/2" inches of rock/whatever rising above the transition between the substrates. I think that will help keep everything seperated. I'm also thinking of more curves, but that's just a technical difference.

I just noticed that a neighbor still has a huge (2 tons, at least) pile of white/yellow river rock near my house. It's been sitting there for years, so I'm going over there with a bucket. It appears to be nice 1"-3" stone, so it will probably go quite well in the tank. I still haven't figured out a great plan though, at least nothing that I can say "Yeah, that's it!".

 

[fish_4_all]

There are a few things one could use. The first would be to use a 2 inch diameter piece of pvc pipe with the flat end pieces filled with sand to keep it down. Another would be to use the tiles and cut them to the height you want and silicone them together, then silicone them to narrow tiles vertically so they are held down by the sand and the Eco. Another thing you could do is to use a piece of plexiglass and secure it to another piece vertically the same as the tiles. Might be easier because it would only be 2 pieces. Another idea is to take some pottery clay, role it out into a strip and shape it the way you want it. Take it to a cermaic shop for them to fire it so it won't dissolve. Then it can be painted and it will last for a very long time.

 

[An t-iasg]

Take a look at this thread on Wet Web Media:

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_2/cav2i6/planted_aquascaping/planted_aquascaping.htm

This tank has areas of Eco-Complete and sand.

 

[src]

Take a look at this thread on Wet Web Media:

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_2/cav2i6/planted_aquascaping/planted_aquascaping.htm

This tank has areas of Eco-Complete and sand.

That's a very nice setup. Not sure I will ever progress to that level of artistry. But it does add more ideas. Thanks!

At this point, I am considering using some thin sheet plastic to form the barrier. A base, with strips glued on edge for the actual divider. Then I can use the slate/stone/whatever to disguise it in the tank. This would give me the flexability to create whatever form I like, and still be able to tinker with the final look.

Acrylic would be nice, but I'm not even sure where I would go to get it (glass shop, I guess), and have never worked with anything like it before.

 

[HiFi]

Cutting it is not fun, do it on a concrete floor.
Home Depot or any Big Box improvement store sells pre cut sheets of Acrylic, Lexan and Plexi in various sizes. Multiple seperate pieces might work better if you want it curvy or else you'll need some pins or rocks or something to hold its shape while the silicone dries.
GL and post some pics

 

[src]

Cutting it is not fun, do it on a concrete floor.
Home Depot or any Big Box improvement store sells pre cut sheets of Acrylic, Lexan and Plexi in various sizes. Multiple seperate pieces might work better if you want it curvy or else you'll need some pins or rocks or something to hold its shape while the silicone dries.
GL and post some pics

Thanks for the additional tips. I plan on spot-welding it to the base with hot-glue (I'm almost positive I've seen people talk about hot-glue in their tanks), then siliconing it for security/strength.

Pics will definately be forthcoming. Fedex delivers tomorrow, and I've spent this evening doing the final cleaning of the tank. Unfortunately, I have one of the worst/busiest weekends of my life this week, so I'm not sure how much time I will have to get it going.

 

[azn_fishy55]

In SFBAAPS alot of people use stainless steel mashe to keep the Aqua Soil and the Power Sand from mixing,I am so sure it would work for this set-up as well.

 

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In SFBAAPS alot of people use stainless steel mashe to keep the Aqua Soil and the Power Sand from mixing,I am so sure it would work for this set-up as well.

Any chance you can provide more details, or point me to some pictures? I'm not sure I am following how this could work, unless you are talking about really fine (i.e. window-screen) mesh, and that would raise the issue of strength/rigidity.

 

[azn_fishy55]

Well,
your gonna out the PFS ontop of the EC right?So when you put in the EC,you lay the mesh on top on the EC.Supposedly it prevents the layers from mixing and make the nutrients still availible to the plants.But I have never tried the technique myself as I don't use Power Sand under my Aqua Soil.

 

[src]

Well,
your gonna out the PFS ontop of the EC right?So when you put in the EC,you lay the mesh on top on the EC.Supposedly it prevents the layers from mixing and make the nutrients still availible to the plants.But I have never tried the technique myself as I don't use Power Sand under my Aqua Soil.

No, I will be putting the PFS and EC in different areas of the tank. Think sandy beach next to the soil. I want to keep them from mixing too much (some is inevitable).

 

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Well, I got the dividers made tonight. Bought some acrylic from Lowes, cut it into 4" strips (what a PAIN) for the "wall", and larger pieces for the base. The sections are all formed and glued up, and I will be going over the joints with silicone tomorrow. Once it starts curing, I'll put it into place in the tank and deal with the seams.

OK, I got a picture. I really HATE this camera for indoor work:

 

[Cinder]

Well, I just saw this thread so I'm late in adding my two cents but ... I have both sand and pea gravel in one of my tanks (and am going to do it in my new large tank). I used larger stones to divide the two placing them in a kinda "S" curve on one end of the tank. The gravel is close to the top of the rocks on one side of the tank and the sand is much lower on the other side of the rocks. Thus far it has worked great with pretty much no mixing of the two. Now, I believe that the type of fish you have can make all the difference in how well the two substrates (whatever they may be) stay away from each other. Some fish love to move things around and would be more likely to move the divider rocks apart or push some of the pebbles over the tops onto the gravel. I don't seem to have any of those fish. (I have Cories, Kuhli's, an Apple Snail and Amano shrimp for bottom users.)
Can't wait to see pictures of your tank.

 

[tbonem91]

wow, 4 inches is a lot of substrate - although it will look cool

 

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I'm actually shooting for 3" of EC, and less than that of PFS. I'll be hiding the wall with some decorative rock/slate/plantings eventually. I'm not that concerned with getting the perfect look right away, just getting things set up and established. Until then, I'll just slope the sand, or maybe put in a bit more than I want to keep to do some dunes or something.

I still think it will look pretty good even without the screening.

 

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Well the tank has been set up, and is cycling. I have a new picture at the end of this thread. It's coming together just about as I had it pictured. So far.