sloped aquarium gravel

[Dahlia]

I was looking at photos of Takashi Amano's planted tanks and I noticed that one of the things I admire is the graded look most of his tanks have. How does he achieve the hills and slopes in his tanks? To do this should I have areas of gravel that are thicker than others? Won't this eventually settle? If I place rocks strategically would it hold up a wall of gravel? If I get the gravel too deep will I not have anaerobic problems?

This hobby sure is a question factory.

 

[SnakeIce]

is the gravel sloped or do the plants make it look that way?

 

[Dahlia]

I'm not entirely sure since he hides his substrate mostly.

 

[Leopardess]

I've read an article on this somwhere....can't recall where.

Its often both : the substrate is sloped and the plants make it look that way.

As far as substrates, you are supposed to make the slopes overexaggerated when setting up a new tank - because they do settle and will be less defined when under plant cover. Also, I believe he uses a lot of rocks, corkbark, terracing, and driftwood where you can't see it. After awhile the substrate would settle and become firmer, making it more "set-in-place"


Yes, you would have uneven gravel thickness. yes rocks/corkbark/wood/etc would hold it in place. Shouldn't have anaerobic problems.

Check out "the hill." Not amano, but you can def. see the slope here!
http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/?&op=showcase&category=0&vol=2&id=43

 

[125gJoe]

I will always slope the gravel/sand in my tanks -- from front to back. This provides a nice depth of field when viewing the tank.
Also, the plants in the back need deeper substrate than the smaller ground cover type plants up front.

I don't particularily like seeing gravel layers at the front of the tank glass. I doesn't look natural. Keeping the layer shallow and hidden by the trim is a nicer, cleaner look in my opinion.

 

[plantbrain]

Anaerobic is not bad, when you add a bunch of organic material and anaerobic conditions, then you get balck substrate/sulfur smell etc if there's too much oganic material added too fast.

Depth can be 1 inch or 10 inches, depends on how much organic material you add, other wise it's not an issue having deep substrates.

I'm with 125 Gal Joe about the look. I really am not interested in viewing 2-5 inches of gravel in the height view of the tank.


Regards,
Tom Barr