# hillside



## wiste (Feb 10, 2006)

tank specs:
*Dimensions: * 30"x12"x 18.5" - 29 Gallons
*Substrate: * Soil covered by soil master select. Gravel is used under soil where soil is deepest.
*Co2: * None yet
*micro/macro:* None yet
*Heating: * None yet
*Filtration: * None yet
*Lightning: * 3 x 40Watt spiral compact fluorescent with no reflector and a 12 hour photoperiod
*Fauna: * None yet
*Flora: * Glossostigma elatinoides, Micro tenellus-pigmy chain swords

The tank has been setup about three and half weeks.
The goal was a simple scape using ground cover that is not flat.


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

I like the use of those two plants together, though I think it could look even better if the microsword were behind the Glosso and the Glosso filled up the front of the tank. 

It looks like the soil you used was high in peat content perhaps?


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## DJKronik57 (Apr 17, 2006)

Or even mixed together, it would create a natural overgrown hill look like Amano frequently does. Don't be afraid to mix plants together, nobody keeps them seperate in nature!


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## wiste (Feb 10, 2006)

> It looks like the soil you used was high in peat content perhaps?


The topsoil is organic topsoil from Lowes. I am not sure of the peat content.

If your seeing a bit of coloration to the water this may also be in part due to adding a bit of soilmaster to the hillside. This addition was done to cover the eggcrate hill structure (and to minimize direct soil exposure to the water) now that there are plants to hold the substrate on the slope.



> it could look even better if the microsword were behind the Glosso and the Glosso filled up the front of the tank.


Some redistribution would be beneficial. The tank does look sort of divided at this time.


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## GreenMachine (Aug 18, 2006)

How deep did you cover with Soil master? I cover mine with garden soil and never had such a color.


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## wiste (Feb 10, 2006)

> How deep did you cover with Soil master?.


Less than a cm on the slope.



> I cover mine with garden soil and never had such a color.


Can you describe what you mean by 'such a color'?


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## wiste (Feb 10, 2006)

Here is a photo with a light blackground that (to me) appears clearer.
The background was hastily setup for a quick photo.
My current thought is to let the tank fill in before any new arrangement.


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## wiste (Feb 10, 2006)

> Or even mixed together, it would create a natural overgrown hill look


A bit of mixing is a bit hard to avoid as the plants grow. Now that the plants have grown in there is some mixing. However, the plants seem to want to mostly grow down the hillside.

There is still some issues with clarity. Now that the plants have covered the substrate a filter can probably be added and perhaps some fish.


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

Interesting idea. I like the slope to the ground. The stones seem a bit out of place though; they seem overwhelmed by all the dense growth. I think they may be too small and randomly placed. It's looking better since the plants are starting to grow together and blur the dividing line. What fish are you thinking of putting in there?


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## jassar (Jul 30, 2006)

Cool Idea wiste! I love this type of layouts very much, but glosso is a very hard to find plant where I live.
Can't wait to see some clear pictures!

Cheers!


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## wiste (Feb 10, 2006)

> The stones seem a bit out of place though; they seem overwhelmed by all the dense growth


I agree that a bit of pruning around the rocks might prevent the appearance of the rocks being buried.

It is my point of view that the plants should always dominate the scape.
Here the rocks are intended to have a subtle contribution. They are intended to add a slight feeling of dissonance. Consider that time has passed and erosion has exposed the rock on the face and the rocks at the top of the hill could almost tumble to the bottom. The small rock at the bottom of the hill is intended to convey the possibility that the rocks could fall.



> What fish are you thinking of putting in there?


If I had my preference I would like the Five Banded Barb as they do not get as big as tiger barbs which might be too big. However, I do not know where they are available in the states.
So, the fish may be some black neon tetras.


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## morta_skuld (Sep 20, 2006)

how much light are you using? No co2?


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## wiste (Feb 10, 2006)

> how much light are you using? No co2?


The lighting is 120 Watts on 29 gallon. I have not used CO2 as plant growth rate has not been a problem.



> glosso is a very hard to find plant where I live.


I find glosso is an interesting plant. I feel lucky to be able to buy plants from mail order.


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## wiste (Feb 10, 2006)

> I have not used CO2 as plant growth rate has not been a problem.


Maybe insufficient growth rate has not been a problem would be more accurate.
Glosso grows so quickly.
Here is another photo with more clarity. I have been running a magnum 350 on the tank and I ran a diatom filter prior to the photo.


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## DJKronik57 (Apr 17, 2006)

How did you build that hill? If you did it out of substrate, how did you keep the grade so steep?


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## wiste (Feb 10, 2006)

> How did you build that hill? If you did it out of substrate, how did you keep the grade so steep?


The structure is made of eggcrate and held together with tiewraps.










Soil is then added to fill in the structure.
Soil was added and the tank was filled and set over night and then the tank drained.
Settling will occur and requires soil addition.
This was repeated several times.
A top layer of mud was added and then allowed to dry.
The tank is then planted.


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## wiste (Feb 10, 2006)

*black neons*

A group of black neons were added this weekend.
Prior to adding filtration some GSA had begun to appear.
Addition of some ramshorn snails and filtration seems to have eliminated the algae.
The micro tenellus has begun to send out red tips.
Still working out the details on photographing moving objects.


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## wiste (Feb 10, 2006)

Thanks for the feedback.
I think the darker background shows the fish better but that may just be the photography.


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## whitetiger61 (Aug 12, 2006)

i have to admit..i didnt like the dividing line to much, but it seems to have worked out great for you..very nice tank..great job


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## wiste (Feb 10, 2006)

> , but it seems to have worked out great for you


Thanks
It might be more maintainable if as previously suggested the microsword were limited to the top of the hillside. Otherwise, I am considering making the tank just glosso.
Here is a current picture of the hillside, which appears to be on fire from the red.


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## ringram (Jan 10, 2005)

Geez! That looks really nice. I've never seen e. tennelus get that red. Way to go on the sloping of the hillside. I may try something similar on my 90g when it comes time.


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

hey! no one has posted here in a long time, but is it hollow behind the egg crates?


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## wiste (Feb 10, 2006)

> is it hollow behind the egg crates?


No, it is not hollow. It has soil covered by soil master select with gravel under the soil where soil is deepest.


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

do you add the gravel before the egg crates?


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

You have given me an inspiration! Great work, Wiste!


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## Jessie (Apr 23, 2007)

I love this! Very serene, well done!


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

So is this aquascape/tank still going, or has it become a distant memory? If you tore it down, how long was it up for? What did you learn from it, what did you like or dislike about it?


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

Good Q. Robert!


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## wiste (Feb 10, 2006)

Thanks for the positive feedback.



> do you add the gravel before the egg crates?


I added the egg crate first. I left the topmost sections unfastened to make it easier to add the gravel and dirt.



> So is this aquascape/tank still going, or has it become a distant memory?


Eventually, I allowed the pigmy chain swords to take over the tank and used these plants to start another tank.

After that, I drained the tank and planted some glosso to try an emersed start.

Here is a picture a few weeks ago.









Here are a couple pictures of the glosso blooming.


















The tank should have been filled around the time the picture above was taken. I waited a few more weeks to allow the bottom area to become covered and messed up and allowed humidity to get a little low. Some of the glosso on the upper sections got the scorched look. The tank has since been filled but it needs some time to recover.



> If you tore it down, how long was it up for?


The emersed setup was established at the end of October but I am still using the same substrate.



> What did you learn from it, what did you like or dislike about it?


Lesson learned, if you are setting up a tank with steep slopes with very little substrate (in this case SMS) covering the soil, then an emersed start is the way to go. I say this even though I do not have that much experience with the emersed start. Otherwise you have several weeks of cloudy (almost muddy) water.

It probably goes without saying that a tank with glosso and pigmy chain sword is high maintenance from a pruning standpoint but it gives many different looks as the plants grow and the tank evolves.

I was glad to see that the slope maintained well. Any gaps left by settling will fill with mulm and the plants will grow over these areas and the eggrate.

Trying to plant stem plants is very difficult through the eggcrate. It is better to leave open areas if any such plants are to be added.

Another constraint is that you are pretty much stuck with the initial layout unless you drain the tank. Significant changes to the layout are a bit messy.


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

any updates on the submersed growth? how is your light fixture made? do you use any fertilizers or Co2?


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## wiste (Feb 10, 2006)

> how is your light fixture made?


The lighting is housed in a wooden box enclosure. There is a smaller board inside and a larger board outside. This leaves a gap on the top to sit the lights and covers the frame of the tank on the bottom.










The lights are 3 40-watt spiral bulbs mounted vertically. They are mounted on using ceramic lighting fixtures.










Recently a reflector was added. The reflector is polished aluminum flashing.
Three holes are cut for the bulbs and stiff metal wire is used to shape the reflector. THe following is a description of the procedure used to polish the flashing.










Progressively finer polishing compounds were used to get a mirror finish.










Initially I start out with black emery and a bit of 4F pumice compound. This was used with a hand drill and large hard felt polishing head.
A smaller one inch felt bob was used with a dremel tool was used to get the outer edges.

Finally, the finer polish, the red rouge, was used with a spiral sewn buffing wheel.










The lights sit in the hood but can be removed easily for tank maintenance.












> do you use any fertilizers or Co2?


Previously no CO2 or ferts were used. This time I will use CO2 injection via a glass CO2 nano diffuser and dose ferts to excess via EI or PPS pro with weekly water changes. No updates yet.


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

Updates? pics?

I love your tank!


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## wiste (Feb 10, 2006)

The current look is kind of scruffy.









Time progression of emersed growth
Initial planting - 31 Oct









Nov 11









Nov 18









Dec 2


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## dawntwister (Sep 29, 2007)

wiste said:


> The structure is made of eggcrate and held together with tiewraps.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Is there a possibility of Hydrogen sulphide build up?


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## [email protected] (Mar 23, 2009)

Very creative. I was always wondering how can one build hills in a tank. Never thought of crates... Great!


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