Gravelit and / or sponge tower raised for the fund?

Sep 18

Some preparations include the construction of considerable differences in level on the back of a tank, say more than 20 cm.
Usually are made using the background material and are also useful because some plants with large root system receiving a considerable thickness of the substrate ... but in some cases it is clear that the purchase of bags and sacks of lands "special" of various types can be VERY expensive.
Take, for example, who prepares large aquariums using the excellent and precious and expensive materials of the ADA, known Japanese company.
Alternatively it is also widely used Flourite, but she does not joke with her about 30 € for 7 kg bag ...
I can suggest 2 options that I think good, but personally I have not got to try in my aquarium

mixed with the substrate of the GRAVELIT PetCompany (or find it on sale), however with a very porous loam.
I did not exactly provide a link because I'm still looking for this product for sale online ... I've read of many who have bought in hypermarkets, I still have not crossed ... but I will try again.
insert underneath it all a nice piece of spugnona compact, that can withstand the weight, but perhaps not yielding deforming in full.
As in this aquarium Massimo Faberi
I like this solution because, although I'm not convinced it's cheapest Gravelit, is aesthetically less impact, because the Gravelit however, you should mix the rest of the soil, putting it back in sooner or later ... unless "bridle" in some so this substrate. Some use a plastic or aluminum mesh ... but we must also find links to the right because the roots can get in, as well as water ents, but the gravel can not get out.

Both of these solutions can become a substrate for the settlement bacterial, even if in the case of the sponge, however, would hardly be a reservoir of nutrients, in contrast to the Gravelit ... The advantage instead of the sponge is that the water would flow in its interior more easily, and then would reach even more oxygen and would avoid potential anoxic areas (without oxygen) in the case of funds particolamente high (say above 20 cm).

For my next layout will try first of all Gravelit to create differences of up to 20 cm, if I see that coming at a greater height then I also doterò sponge or sponges to support the fund.

Update: I finally used different pieces blue sponge, and I found myself well.

Categories: Aquarium sweet , Do It Yourself (DIY) , Layout

7 comments for "Gravelit and / or sponge tower raised for the fund?"

Sara December 29th, 2010 at 11:31 a
Hello Raphael,
I have often had occasion to read your posts and find them always very interesting!
I am going to set up a new freshwater aquarium of about 160 l, and in fact I would also create major differences in height between the middle to the front and sides and bottom, to give more depth to the whole.
The idea of using a retina is very interesting, I never thought .. before reading your post I thought of using normal pots for plants, blacks, plastic, filled with gravel "cheaper" than the gravel end of the first-floor
Let several jars of different sizes and heights, and masking the gaps with stones of varying sizes (and hoping that soon vested with all the plants!
or even plastic bottles cut and pitted on all sides to breathe the whole ..
or even of plastic mesh baskets are very large (which contained fruit at the supermarket) - the plastic seems identical to a pot of plants, but obviously is full of holes-
What do you think?
the holes that will be enough to ensure bottles jars of water circulation in the roots? course will insert substrate fertilizer also inside these containers-
if necessary, to keep a minimum separate the fine sand and larger stones, I use a saucer or other shallow container and deep, to avoid littering all at each siphon?
one last thing: I should probably use this instead of gravelit usually aquarium gravel?
but what is, in a kind of expanded clay, smaller diameter? is used for houseplants?
forgive me but I find alì'estero questions and I am not sure to find the same brands that we are in Italy ..
thanks a lot!!
will
Raffaele Galano December 29th, 2010 at 11:58 2
Frankly I do not understand WHY 'Look for these "containers" with holes of various kinds. If you want to create gradients "lock" the bottom in some way because you do not flatten it with the movement of fish, pruning, any sifonature (which no longer do a tank full of plants, remember ...).
So you can use nets made of cut logs or to create the terraces then, to save money in areas to be kept very high you can put on the bottom of any Saxons.
Ghiaini of fertilizers and funds and there are many, you agree that signs 2-3 combinations and then see what you find. Unfortunately in these cases ... buying online is not always convenient because of its weight and cost of shipping!
Sara December 29th, 2010 at 24:30 3
you're right, I've explained a lot ..
I know that I could not even vaguely approach to these results, but these setups would be my inspiration
(For example, No.8, 9,10)
http://www.aquatic-gardeners.org/ADA2006.html
the higher parts, I will call "mounds" ^ ^, I'm afraid they are to cave in, month after month ... and almost completely flatten-
I thought of giving support "unshakeable" using the pots buried-
I have a little 'afraid to enter the woods, because years ago I made an attempt (they are beautiful ..) but although I had done that I had been thoroughly washed and boiled, when immersed in the bath, had continued incessantly to flake and "dirty" the '... the water I removed after a month or two-
surely I will not have taken a good wood (Mopani root manila or do not know ...) or suitable for my aquarium (I limit myself to the usual guppy or so), maybe I'm busted, or values (the fish were good and I have not checked water-it was just a matter of aesthetics, not to satisfy me)
maybe I could try to create other types of wood heights with more-resistant
but to create the coveted "mounds" I can only use Saxon or wood, or plants would not have enough fertile substrate, guess-
you suggest to put retinas cutting .. to reach a great height, perhaps I could make some "pipes" of the retina by high about twenty cm to either side, and other pipe-degrading
I apologize if I'm saying stupid things of enormous, aquariums I have for twenty years but it is the first time that I attempt a thing like that and I probably ask myself for any purpose outside of my reach!
Thanks for your patience!
Raffaele Galano December 29th, 2010 at 14:52 4
are not stupid, because it is not easy to arrive at those results. The important thing is that it is clear that not all tanks are so well photographed after 2 months or 2 months before the photos. The fund landslide certainly if you do not put the "dams" of some sort. The woods are great, because even though it comes a part you can integrate it with plants without ruining the aesthetics. Maybe you were unlucky, because I'll go buy a dozen and all sizes, no problem, and without them ever even boiling (too big)
The Juwel also sells plastic of the robe by way 'of stones, made for this purpose.
But you can also use the foam, but it floats, so you have to dig and fill increasingly heavy stones or things, in short, is uncomfortable for me.
And the streets of sand to them as in the photo, the only way is to cut the plants that we grow up and definitely good for cleaning the sand, turning it, for example, immediately before shooting.
My advice on the stones was to reduce the amount of ghiano to buy, if you want to create elevation difference, for example 20 cm: put under stones on though and 8-10 cm of gravel. Because if they normally hold 8 for the fund, up to 28 to 1/3 or 1/2 means buying aquarium gravel MUCH! Instead of stones can also use the blue sponges, to which even the roots of plants.
Sara December 29th, 2010 at 15:06 5
ok thanks for the advice, I go back to the store this afternoon to change the lamp (yesterday I sold neon lamp and the longest in the shower ....), an equivalent of gravelit try and see a bit 'for the construction-
I combine what we see!
definitely try again with the wood, it's too cool not to try it again!
The "trouble" is that the more I inquire, I would like to experiment more ..
Thanks again for your willingness and patience!
will
luca February 17th, 2011 at 24:30 6
Hello Raffaele
I read your article and I was also willing to use the sponge to the bottom of the tower raised.
But I wonder what kind of foam you can use to do this.
In the pictures of the aquarium Massimo Faberi you see a blue sponge, very compact, with small pores (I would say perfect) and large size, but to date I have not found anything comparable on the market.
Have solutions to be proposed?
Thanks
Luke
Raffaele Galano February 17th, 2011 at 18:28 7
exact, I have used and would recommend this sponge. The home ... I do not remember the source, but just look at some online store that provided (see sponsored links in this site )