gravity always wins

[mellowvision]

after planting a few tanks now, and experimenting with different gravels and techniques, I've found that even with full carpet plants and rocks and what not, gravity always wins the battle of the slope. how can I build a tank with a slope that lasts longer than 6 months?

[DrNo]

The only way I've found is to use retaining walls to hold back the gravel using products like this:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+6635+19749&pcatid=19749

Then again, this isn't really a slope but a bank so I'm offering no help what-so-ever :lipssealedsmilie:

[Slappy*McFish]

I quit creating slopes years ago for that very reason.

[Kashta]

Nothing you can do long-term. Sand flows and gravel slides down too. You'll have to bank it. Instead of buying a ready-made retaining wall, you could use slate or a length of flexible plastic. Coat the visible side with silicone aquarium sealant and smush handfuls of the substrate you're using into the silicone while it's still wet. This would give you a wall that pretty much disappears into the background or behind foliage. (Let this cure for 48 hrs before placing in the water.) You could also poke some holes into the wall to add some moss or the smaller anubias that would slowly grow from there. A single branch of driftwood could be covered the same way.

[Bk828]

really? i seem to have hills/slopes that keep their shape after months. Does your house vibrate? lol

[excuzzzeme]

Only with loud music and a passel of kids :grinyes:

[Mgamer20o0]

just keep pushing it back? i really dont worry about it.

[mellowvision]

pushing it back starts disrupting plants quick, and the house ,yeah it vibrates!

[beeZer350]

I tried a slope but my pictus didn't like it and smoothed it all out again. He's a jerk like that.

[The Zigman]

I have put gravel in bait bags from the bait shop, and covered them with more, loose gravel.
Works out pretty well.

Or you can buy a fake Loufa from the store, and cut the string that holds it together, its a fine plastic mesh. Use it to hold material in place, and then cover it with gravel to make it look natural.

[Sploke]

I built kind of a retaining wall with rocks. Its not a smooth gradual slope, but it keeps the back half of the gravel higher than the front.

[bushwhacker]

the only slopes in my tank are from the HRP digging holes and creating mountains, i swear they are more tectonic forces than fish