29 gal... unsure of floor plan

[zarmalar]

This is my 29 gal. I have a few home made slate caves/structures. I have sand in the one slate structure but I would like to add more for my cories. I don't want to turn to all sand but I still have quite a bit of my 5lb bag that I used for the sand I do have. Open to most anything. I plan on getting some floating plastic plants.

 

[zarmalar]

..... anybody??

 

[okapizebra]

Looks nice!

 

[alia258]

Your corys are so little! That's cute! ^^

 

[alia258]

You can do half sand and half gravel!

 

[Alyxx]

You can do half sand and half gravel!

Without some kind of retaining wall, half and half won't work for long! Be sure to use a little more slate to build a wall between the two if you want to go that route. Looks great!

 

[alia258]

Oh I didnt know you needed a wall! Good thing I'm not the only one answering on this thing ^^

 

[Alyxx]

Without a barrier it will all be mixed up within a couple water changes. Same thing if you want two areas of different colored sand or gravel. Gotta put a wall between them or it all gets mixed up when you clean.

 

[alia258]

I mixed up my gravel on purpose ^^

 

[Alyxx]

I have a tank with mixed sand and gravel. Looks awesome. I would suggest it but I think your little "sand pool" looks awesome. I would mix up the bottom of the tank with nicely divided areas of sand and gravel, maybe in a design of some sort. Something abstract.

 

[alia258]

I like the abstract idea! I mixed up dark blue, deep
Red, and pastel multicolor gravels! It looks nice! ^^ I also have glass things sitting on the bottom ^*

 

[zarmalar]

I like the abstract idea, I have a ton of slate left over... Just not sure how I could make a solid barrier. I love the idea. My cories really like the exsisting sand "pool"

 

[alia258]

Haha backwards underwater talk ^^

 

[Alyxx]

I like the abstract idea, I have a ton of slate left over... Just not sure how I could make a solid barrier. I love the idea. My cories really like the exsisting sand "pool"

Aquarium safe silicone would work well. Design what you want, then glue the walls together outside of the tank (measure well!) then let it cure, put it in, and rearrange the substrate around it.

 

[zarmalar]

You think it would work? I have a whole tube left from my other structures. Plus a whole lot of slate.... Oh man I love this forum board and how great you guys are! Thanks for the good ideas

 

[Alyxx]

I would get a piece of paper, or better yet thin plastic, and cut it to the exact size of the footprint of the tank. Be sure to measure inner wall to inner wall, not from the outside of the tank. Do your planning on this. Sketch it out then build it with the rocks, and don't glue anything until you like how it looks. That way you will be sure everything fits inside when you're putting it together.

 

[zarmalar]

That I can do.... The wheels are turning, it may be a while before I go for it but I will post pictures when I do

 

[alia258]

Man I wanna try that too!

 

[alia258]

How do I get slate/cement/stuff to make walls? I think it sounds fun ^^

 

[zarmalar]

I got my slate at a hardware store, it was like $7 bucks for a box of untreated slate, then a big tube of clear GE silicone 1 . Was like $4 bucks. I smashed the tiles on my driveway between towels and with a hammer... Oh BTW I did wash the tiles first with water. Let them dry a few days. Then smash. Silicone together. Give 24 hours, rinse with vinegar, rinse with water, rinse in conditioned water, place in tank, enjoy!