# Substrate and slope?



## FishStix (Sep 19, 2013)

I always thought it was best to have slope from front to back of the tank, where the back would have a lot more substrate, but from looking at a lot of the pictures online that does not seem to be true?

So what the best way to lay out the substrate, do I have it same level all the way front to back, and left to right with some slopes?

Kinda confused. Thanks so much.


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## FishStix (Sep 19, 2013)

Anyone?


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## LittleMy (Jan 30, 2007)

The patterns I've seen most often are:
- slope back to front
- slope left to right or right to left
- slope into the middle, slightly offset to the left or right of midline and with a slight angle from back to front


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## Raymond S. (Dec 29, 2012)

For visual appeal a slope from end to end only works good if it doesn't come all the way to the front glass. Like a hill of rocks on one end only, but back away from the front glass.
So that suggest a tank/w more room front to back is better for this such as a 40B tank.
I really don't recall seeing any tanks/w higher sub in the front than the back other than this.
Don't know how I'm going to engineer it in a 10g tank but I'm slowly bringing the materials together for a tank/w rock "slide" on one end that slopes to the other end.
Keeping it away from touching the front glass is going to be tricky. More so finding rocks which look appropriate for this that will scale to a 10g tank.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Because of buoyancy most substrate materials can't hold slopes in an aquarium. Slopes gradually level out over time. Some substrates, like ADA Aquasoil, seem to be able to hold slopes better, but I doubt that big slopes last even with that. I suspect that with a well rooted carpet planting the slopes will hold up the longest. I generally just start with small slopes, usually highest in one back corner, and lowest in front in the middle.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Many ways to slope the substrate. 
In a smaller tank just do something simple. 
In a larger tank you can get more complex.

But remember that once the plants grow in the slope is not going to be that noticeable unless it is something really obvious anyway. 

Generally:
A cube tank looks OK more symmetrical, a rectangular tank may not look so good if it is something centered. 
Higher at the back. 
OK to bring that height forward in one place, such as an island, or build up toward one side. 
OK to bring the height forward in two places, such as a hill on both sides and a valley in between. Probably best if the hills are different sizes and the valley is not centered, and does not draw a straight line from front to back. Add the concept of perspective: If your valley represents a stream, think of the stream getting narrower the farther away it is. So make it do that in the tank. Gives a better 3-D effect. 

Rather than thinking about the substrate, think about the hardscape elements that you may use to hold it in place. Will you be using large rocks? (mountain escarpment) small rocks (Retaining wall?) rounded rocks (Tank reproduces a stream bed), driftwood (perhaps fallen branch, or roots from a tree on the bank)
These ideas may help with the layout of the substrate- A fast flowing stream will move the substrate in different ways than a quiet pond or slow moving stream. 
An under water ledge and a drop off held in place with rocks works well.


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## flight50 (Apr 17, 2012)

I don't recall seeing many myself that go high in the front and low in the back. You want your main view to have maximum visibility as possible to appreciate the layout. Browse thru this http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/ to get some idea on what contest entries present. Go thru the years, then the view entries and then select a tank size category. This site inspires me every time I look thru it for ideas.


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## Knotyoureality (Aug 3, 2012)

Often a moderate slope is as much a matter of function as aesthetics. 

Shallow fronts minimize the amount of substrate--and roots and sub-substrate algae--visible against the glass for a cleaner look while still offering sufficient root space for foreground plants. Sloping the substrate--whether to the sides, the back or other variation--makes room for larger plants with deeper root systems and more depth to hold stems that will be regularly trimmed and replanted for fullness. And, of course, if your hardscape is going to present a large front of bare rock or wood, it just makes sense to fill in behind it to raise the planting surface up so smaller plants are easily visible and to avoid dead spaces.


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## FishStix (Sep 19, 2013)

Hi everyone,
thank you so much for all the comments. I think I should have been bit more clear on my question so to say.

Right now, my substrate is about 1" in the front and has a slope up to 4" in the back of the tank.

Is this correct way to do it?

Or should I have made it all the same depth from front to back?

Thanks so much.

I do plan to put micro sword in the front for my carpet or dwarf hair grass if that matters?


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## Knotyoureality (Aug 3, 2012)

FishStix said:


> Hi everyone,
> thank you so much for all the comments. I think I should have been bit more clear on my question so to say.
> 
> Right now, my substrate is about 1" in the front and has a slope up to 4" in the back of the tank.
> ...


You can do it either way you like. "Correct" only applies in terms of whether it's physically possible to maintain or meets the aesthetic criteria of the tank. 

You can have it all the same depth, you can do a gradual slope from front to back or any area to another, or you can use hardscape or hidden stabilizers to create steep slopes, planting wells or dramatic cliff faces. They're all "correct".


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Knotyoureality said:


> You can have it all the same depth, you can do a gradual slope from front to back or any area to another, or you can use hardscape or hidden stabilizers to create steep slopes, planting wells or dramatic cliff faces. They're all "correct".


They are all correct, and all will soon be unnoticed if the tank is heavily planted and regular heavy pruning isn't done. Also, if you rescape your tank once a year, the slopes have some chance of remaining a design element, where, if you only rescape every 3 years, the slopes probably will change too much to matter over that time.


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