Clay? Sculpting A Background For Planted Tank.

[FreedomFighter]

So I'm considering trying something that's probably a little bit daft but.

I'm turning my 4ft tank into a natural habitat for dwarf cichlids, and I came to the genious conclusion of how fun it would be to mold a riverbank out of clay at the back of my tank.

Then I could plant some tropical plants out of the water (under the aquarium lightning) and the fish have an actual riverbank to live amongst.

Now.

I need to know;

1, Is this even physically possible?

2, will this make the water so murky i'll never see my fish?

3, do you know where I could get some clay, or clay soil, or something similar?

4, Am I crazy?

 

[FreedomFighter]

Noone can help me with this crazy idea for a planted tank??

 

[SuperColey1]

Use the search instead of begging for someone else to do it:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/166819-antibodi-journey-between-aquarium-nature/

 

[coldcazzie]

4, Am I crazy?

Probably a little bit!

but who says that's a bad thing?

My thoughts would be that it would be easier to try to make it out of "rock" (ie, polystyrene covered in cement or sand) and have sections to plant plants in like those strawberry planters you can get for patios, if you know what I mean?

Am thinking along the lines of Alasse's retaining wall only it would be the whole background, would start wide at the bottom and get narrower at the top, and have within it some shelves or caves, within which you would put your plant substrate, plant and then cover with gravel or moss (or both), and then at the top it would have a trough either level with, or just above/below the surface of the water in which you could then grow plants which prefer to be emersed. You would fix it with silicone to the bottom and back of the tank, and you could even incorporate some wood sticking out of it like roots, to make it really realistic.

I'm guessing you'd have overhanging lighting? It'd be like a riparium?

Honestly, if you could pull it off I think it would look fab, especially if you went all out and had hanging baskets or wall baskets with trailing plants (spider plants, wandering jew etc) above the tank, but I'm not sure if clay is the way to go. If it were me I'd be thinking fake rock wall, rather than one made of mud.

 

[FreedomFighter]

Thanks for the link, no thank you for the attitude. Totally uncalled for mate.

I totally apologise for asking for some helpful advice, i'm clearly a freaking tool.

 

[coldcazzie]

Use the search instead of begging for someone else to do it:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/166819-antibodi-journey-between-aquarium-nature/

Yes, like that

 

[FreedomFighter]

4, Am I crazy?

Probably a little bit!

but who says that's a bad thing?

My thoughts would be that it would be easier to try to make it out of "rock" (ie, polystyrene covered in cement or sand) and have sections to plant plants in like those strawberry planters you can get for patios, if you know what I mean?

Am thinking along the lines of Alasse's retaining wall only it would be the whole background, would start wide at the bottom and get narrower at the top, and have within it some shelves or caves, within which you would put your plant substrate, plant and then cover with gravel or moss (or both), and then at the top it would have a trough either level with, or just above/below the surface of the water in which you could then grow plants which prefer to be emersed. You would fix it with silicone to the bottom and back of the tank, and you could even incorporate some wood sticking out of it like roots, to make it really realistic.

I'm guessing you'd have overhanging lighting? It'd be like a riparium?

Honestly, if you could pull it off I think it would look fab, especially if you went all out and had hanging baskets or wall baskets with trailing plants (spider plants, wandering jew etc) above the tank, but I'm not sure if clay is the way to go. If it were me I'd be thinking fake rock wall, rather than one made of mud.

Thank you, yes making a fake rock wall may be the more sensible idea. And then create shelves for planting like you said.

And yes i'm looking at overhead lighting, probably hanging.

 

[simonas]

Use the search instead of begging for someone else to do it:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/166819-antibodi-journey-between-aquarium-nature/

Try and keep the reponses friendly please this is a fish community after all. If you do not like the thread then do not post on it

Thanks Simon