# How To Create a Tiered/Terraced Affect



## djlen (Jun 22, 2004)

I'm going to tear down a tank after 12 years and have decided I want to create a multi-level affect in the new aqua-scape.
I want to epoxy small pieces of stone together and attach them to a base to create a 'wall' that would rise up to another level.
I've heard of people using using Styrofoam and epoxy for this purpose.

If anyone has any experience in this area or know of a site that would have instructions/pictures on how to build this, I'd appreciate the feedback.

Len


----------



## frozenoak (Jul 30, 2005)

This might help. http://www.aquabotanic.com/dutchsecrets.htm
It is the best explanation I have found.

dale


----------



## krisw (Jan 31, 2005)

Just as a warning. I just tried to build a set of terraces out of expandable foam, and I had the structure all finished, painted over, with gravel attached via silicon. I get ready to put it in the tank, and find that I can keep the darn thing from floating. I could silicon is to the bottom, but I don't want it to be permanent, as I tend to change things frequently. Since, I've just gone the terracing methods that Dale posted a link to. 3 days and counting, but I'm happy with the results thus far. Hopefully it won't suffer from too much "erosion" once the plants' roots fortify everything.


----------



## JERP (Feb 4, 2003)

I've seen black plastic benderboard used for outdoor gardening used successfully. I can't remember the details.


----------



## Reverde Zinkauza (Sep 30, 2004)

frozenoak said:


> This might help. http://www.aquabotanic.com/dutchsecrets.htm
> It is the best explanation I have found.
> 
> dale


Nice explanation


----------



## Burks (May 25, 2006)

Krisw - Couldn't you hollow out some areas and add gravel to that part? Not sure how much weight it would take to hold down that expandable foam.


----------



## krisw (Jan 31, 2005)

Burks said:


> Krisw - Couldn't you hollow out some areas and add gravel to that part? Not sure how much weight it would take to hold down that expandable foam.


I probably could have, but then I would have worried about resealing the foam. (The outside cures hard, but the inside seems more like a sponge.) I ended up scraping the whole foam idea, and just built a terraced scape using rock and wood. Thus far, I'm very happy with the outcome.


----------



## snowy (Jun 6, 2006)

I once used glass strips about 5" high to create a terrace along the back of a 4' tank, the glass pieces were arranged in a random zig-zag fashion and covered with pieces of broken slate, which I glued on with silicon. The back and sides of the tank also had slate glued to it and the effect was fantastic.

Pros: Absolutely no movement of gravel, ever!
Cons: Possibly too deep (although you could place something under the gravel to reduce the depth). The tank had to be completely stripped down to cut them out several years later. Also with all the slate it was very heavy! If I did it again I would use a latex background instead of the slate.


----------



## GlitcH (Aug 21, 2006)

I made my levels out of lava rock and silicone from homedepot.
Worked like a charm.
This is an old pic.........before it was aquascaped:


----------

