# How do YOU create slopes?



## karatekid14

Put rock under it to build up the slope.


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## plantbrain

Rock, wood, etc. Plant roots once they work in good and then only top the plants, do not uproot.

Plug any and all holes where the sediment will sneak through aim for much steeper slopes than you think, the reward is typically greater when this is done.

Put some real effort into it and do not rush. Think about it before you add water and give it time. Change unless you are 100%/99% happy.


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## gordonrichards

Eggcrate (used in Fluro fixtures)
Screening material (screen door)

Build up your levels with the eggcrate. Put the screening material down, weigh it down with rock/wood and pile on your substrate of choice.. This will prevent the need for excess materials (Weight/strain on glass and on your stand)

-Gordon


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## Lil' Swimz$

*Subscribed because I like knowledge*


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## JSA

*Eggcrate?*



gordonrichards said:


> Eggcrate (used in Fluro fixtures)
> Screening material (screen door)
> 
> Build up your levels with the eggcrate. Put the screening material down, weigh it down with rock/wood and pile on your substrate of choice.. This will prevent the need for excess materials (Weight/strain on glass and on your stand)
> 
> -Gordon


Gordon, maybe a stupid question, but what do you mean by "eggcrate"? Are you referring to the styrofoam cartons that come from the grocery store? Or something else?

Thanks-
Julia


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## DogFish

Gordon - Adding the Screen to the egg crate...BRAVO!!

Julia - http://www.google.com/imgres?q=Ligh...&w=200&h=200&ei=qPdeTo_1G6bx0gGqwP3ZAg&zoom=1

It's the plastic grid cover used in office ceiling light fixtures. Easy to work with cheap, light weight.


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## JSA

Dogfish and Gordon, thank you. I see a trip to Home Depot in my future...

Any chance you could recommend a link to a how-to? I've done some web searching but perhaps not using the right search terms. I've found design information, but no DIY step by step.

Julia


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## driftwoodhunter

Can the egg crate be filled with something like Great Stuff insulation foam? To make it a solid, lightweight mass? If you don't have tin snips, do you think pruning cutters will cut the egg crate?
(I love the idea of using it!)


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## kuni

Pruning cutters would (probably) work, but a small wire cutter will work the best. Even a pair of strong scissors will work, if you don't care about dulling them.

I've never messed around with Great Stuff, but I know it's a popular choice for terrarium folks. I'd imagine you'd have to cure it in a dry environment outside your tank, then place it in?


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## driftwoodhunter

I'll pick up some wire cutters for this - it sounds like a cool way to do slopes.
I've been reading a lot on cichlid sites about homemade 3D backgrounds. They use a lot of Grear Stuff in their constructions. I thought perhaps filling the gaps int he grid with it would prevent dead spots of stagnant water.


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## JSA

*eggcrate and netting?*

Say I create a tiered stack of eggcrate, then cover it with gutter netting. Top that with 2" fluorite and maybe a little gravel.....

I then arrange rocks, plants, and carefully fill with water. The plant roots won't get much farther than the netting. The water will fill under the eggcrate layers... Is that the idea? Will the plants thrive (with root tabs & column dosing)? Or - should the spaces in the eggcrate be filled in with gravel or stones? Then we're back to the anaerobic issue.

I know I'm probably overcomplicating this, but i've done plenty wrong, and I'd like to do this right.

Julia


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## DogFish

Years ago I build a reef tank wet/dry filter and a pond filter and used a several egg crate panels. I recommend a set of wire "Side Cutters". You can snip through pretty fast.

If you like power tools...doesn't everyone? A jig saw with a med blade will zip right through.


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## sampster5000

I just stacked my soil up for the slope. I guess I should've supported it somehow? I havent had it fall apart at all. I did it with aquasoil. I do wish that I had put some crate under it now but I havent seen a problem at all.


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## jcgd

sampster5000 said:


> I just stacked my soil up for the slope. I guess I should've supported it somehow? I havent had it fall apart at all. I did it with aquasoil. I do wish that I had put some crate under it now but I havent seen a problem at all.


I've never built slopes with anything, just pushed the gravel into a mound. Always worked well for me.

The only time I had anaerobic pockets was when I had 4" of play sand and never once poked it or stirred it for over a year. Everything was growing fine though.


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## Lil' Swimz$

Great Stuff will soak and get soggy, you'd need to seal it with silicone very well. ADA Aquasoil is clay based I've heard, so it holds together better then other options.


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## driftwoodhunter

Now that you mention it, I think all the DIYers on the cichlid sites coat their creations with Drilok or concrete...


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## shrimpNewbie

with gordons method there is no need for great stuff... your substrate and hardscape will weigh the mesh down and tighten it around the eggcrate, no need for extra steps


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## shrimpNewbie

concrete leaches, i have seen other seals used successfully but not concrete without an outer seal. if you don't care for the darker substrated a good one which is really cheap is turface pro, its clayish colored looks great and is heavy enough to not get disturbed so easily


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## vespers_

driftwoodhunter said:


> Now that you mention it, I think all the DIYers on the cichlid sites coat their creations with Drilok or concrete...


you need to seal it. the foam will degrade if constantly exposed to water. silicone will not be enough if submerged. it works with water running down it, but i wouldn't trust it submerged. remember that even if you seal it with concrete or drylok, it will still fall apart eventually. they really don't last all that long in a tank, and if you bury it, you won't know how it is holding up.

imo, you could just pile rocks and pour your substrate over them. that's what i did and it is holding up fine.


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## shrimpNewbie

btw if you go with great stuff there is absolutely no point in using eggcrate


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## talontsiawd

I find slopes hold better than people want to believe. My most extreme was probably 35 degrees. Just plants and rocks kept it in place. On the flip side, if I have no hard scape and just stems, it seems to level like crazy. If I wanted to do something more extreme again, I would use wood, slate, or a bunch of tiles I have laying around. I only like a big slope if I am using a carpet though, which tends to hold things better than stems or other non carpet plants..


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## pupdawg

I do it by spraying water on a substrate like ADA aquasoil then building it up a layer at a time spraying each layer then repeating the process. With aquasoil it gets "sticky" when it's moist. While I'm building the slope up I try to compact it a little.

My Mini-L took a 9L bag of aquasoil to get the slope I wanted, I then started the HC dry. Photoperiod was 12 hours for about a month. Then I filled it, drained it and filled it again and planted the stems in a recess behind the main slope. The tank is just starting to balance out now. 

This was about a month from when it was first filled/planted from the dry start 7/26/11.











This photo was right after I trimmed the HM in the far right corner. Sorry about the crappy photo and dirty glass. 










It helps greatly when using a carpeting plant with dense roots like HC, or Dwarf hair grass and starting it dry. This way the roots hold the slope.

Keep in mind that the substrate used to make the slope will settle when the tank is filled with water so build it high.


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## DogFish

pupdawg - I like for you 'scaped out that tank...Very Nice!!!


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## pupdawg

Thank you DogFish.

Just need the stems in back of the main slope to grow in more.


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