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Riverbed aquascape (attempt)

I

IJLFishy

New Member
Joined
28 Jul 2023
Messages
23
Location
Bristol
Hi, I'm trying to create a riverbed scape. Not a biotope at all but just a nice riverbed scene to look at.

This is the hardscape so far.

PXL_20230913_085511882.jpg

PXL_20230913_081430900.jpg

PXL_20230913_081720421.jpg

I've created the height with Oase Scapersoil in media bags in the area marked red (2 high along the back - maybe a bit wasteful). I've used a egg crate/plast grid underneath the main hardscape area to protect the bottom of the tank (which is a 60x40x40). This is just covered in riverbed sand with the plan to plant into the sand and the roots hopefully grow into the media bags. The sand at the back is approx 4"/10cmish.

PXL_20230913_081430900~2.jpg

Would you say that's too deep/wasteful of tank space?

I starred scattering some of the smaller detail river gravel but I don't want to pull the trigger on this and then regret it so thought I'd stop and get some critique/advice on the hardscape which would be very welcome.

Thanks
 
Nope you’ve done perfectly fine banking the sand to create depth. Just be mindful that it may start making its way forward as time goes on.

That wood has some nice height to it, I’d personally utilise it a little lower down so some of those bottom roots are in the sand (this will look more natural). Then the parts that currently are sitting outside the tank will just be touching the water surface.
The rocks can then be added around those bottom roots to create something that looks like it’s always been there.

I’m sure you won’t, but don’t forget to secure that wood to the rocks with glue, to stop is floating.

Or you can choose to keep it how it is and move forward with planting. It still looks good and will make for a nice planted tank either way.


Cheers,
Chris.
 
I’m loving the rocks! I think large pebbles are super underrated and look so natural.

Where did you get them? They’re very hard to find here in Ireland so I sourced them from the beach (sterilising in bleach for 24 hours, then rinsing until the bleach smell is gone, then soaking in dechlorinated water!)
 
Hi the larger ones are Scottish River Boulders from the local garden centre. Made sure they're aquarium friendly first, they're also more wallet friendly than the LFS. The rest are actually just from the LFS.

I've just rinsed them nothing more tbh.
 
seedoubleyou said:
Nope you’ve done perfectly fine banking the sand to create depth. Just be mindful that it may start making its way forward as time goes on.

That wood has some nice height to it, I’d personally utilise it a little lower down so some of those bottom roots are in the sand (this will look more natural). Then the parts that currently are sitting outside the tank will just be touching the water surface.
The rocks can then be added around those bottom roots to create something that looks like it’s always been there.

I’m sure you won’t, but don’t forget to secure that wood to the rocks with glue, to stop is floating.

Or you can choose to keep it how it is and move forward with planting. It still looks good and will make for a nice planted tank either way.


Cheers,
Chris.
Click to expand...

I've had a play. Some of the roots are less visible although it's sitting quite high still. .

seedoubleyou said:
Oh and I’d also add the detail stones around the larger stones rather than their current place as it looks too forced rather than natural which is what you’re hoping to achieve?
Click to expand...

Yeah correct though I'm looking for a natural look!

AlecF said:
leaves, leaves, leaves, leaves, and some twigs.
Click to expand...

Yeah I thinking I will be popping some catappa, guava and Jack Fruit leaves in along with some over botanicals (cones, pods etc) along with the smaller river gravel/stones!

Anyway thanks all for the feedback. I've had a play and currently looks like this.

PXL_20230915_184504708.jpg
PXL_20230915_184510827.jpg
PXL_20230915_184520265.jpg
 
_Maq_ said:
In the beginning, I hoped that somebody resisted the commercials and avoided using nutrient-rich soil.
Next time, maybe...
Click to expand...

Ah nope, I had it left over from my previous scape (my first attempt which was in a fluval flex 57). If you don't mind me asking how and why would you do it differently? Thanks!
 
It looks good but I would move some of the pebbles towards the back in a curved line, so they’re completing the riverbank look!

I've had a play. Some of the roots are less visible although it's sitting quite high still. .
IJLFishy said:
Yeah correct though I'm looking for a natural look!



Yeah I thinking I will be popping some catappa, guava and Jack Fruit leaves in along with some over botanicals (cones, pods etc) along with the smaller river gravel/stones!

Anyway thanks all for the feedback. I've had a play and currently looks like this.

View attachment 210581
View attachment 210582
View attachment 210583
Click to expand...
 
Come together nicely. I think pebbles/cobbles are one of the hardest stones to work with.
The right plants will finish it off nicely. Some large epiphytes and tall sweeping grass type plants will compliment your scape and tank dimensions.
 
IJLFishy said:
If you don't mind me asking how and why would you do it differently?
Click to expand...
This.
I believe nutrient-rich substrates are unnecessary and potentially risky.
I'm of the opinion that these are advertised solely because they can be sold at significantly higher prices than sand, and, unlike sand, can be sold over & over.
 
For the discussion, and not intended negatively: I love the idea of a riverscape, and the use of pebbles. It's not relevant to this scape, more a general feeling, that when so many people use the same style of wood I feel tanks become rather samey. I do wonder if we were all to use more native materials, for instance those woods which are safe from our own region, and likewise with botanicals, would the hobby itself perhaps evolve into something more interesting? I'd be interested to see a scape like this–again, I don't mean to find any fault with this one, as it looks fine, and better than I could do–but redone without this generic style of wood. I realise these woods are sold to us as safe. I get that a general "kit" emerges in any hobby. I think this tank looks better than mine. But I'd love to see what people would create if they worked locally. In the same way I personally find dirtied tanks more exciting than aquasoil, and I like the challenge of low tech. I'd emphasise, this is personal: I came into the hobby swooning over ADA and Amano and perfect carpets. But now I am most excited by the clumsy set ups, imperfect, made using local materials. Here I love your use of pebbles. I'd be interested to see a pebble riverbed without this branch, and find out what you did with it, but I think we all have to set our own challenges and that's the joy of hobbies.
 
AlecF said:
tanks become rather samey. I do wonder if we were all to use more native materials, for instance those woods which are safe from our own region, and likewise with botanicals, would the hobby itself perhaps evolve into something more interesting?
Click to expand...
Sometimes I criticize this kind of uniformity and lack of vision. (And, perhaps, a laziness to go out and take some risk with natural stuff.) Well, the reactions to my comments are mostly negative, it's no "friend-maker". 🙁
I can understand it, everybody to his liking. But when I'm asked to say my impression, I often struggle not to say I've seen this before a thousand times.
(This is in no way meant to the tank of @IJLFishy , by the way.)
 
_Maq_ said:
This.
I believe nutrient-rich substrates are unnecessary and potentially risky.
I'm of the opinion that these are advertised solely because they can be sold at significantly higher prices than sand, and, unlike sand, can be sold over & over.
Click to expand...
Reading between the lines on this, it appears that sand works well as a medium, once mulm and nutrients have accumulated, do you agree or disagree?

If this is the case, it reinforces why hobbyists resort to soils first, especially in creating new aquascapes, and avoids confusion
 
Aqua360 said:
sand works well as a medium, once mulm and nutrients have accumulated, do you agree or disagree?
Click to expand...
Sand works best once enriched by detritus. Detritus is not primarily a source of nutrients in itself. Remember, detritus consist mainly of the remnants, feces, it is basically the "inedible" rest of a banquet. However, it has good adsorption abilities, which means it attracts nutrients, therefore it's the spot where beneficial microbes settle and thrive and facilitate cycling of nutrients - from mineral matter to organic and back. At certain point of such a cycle the nutrients become accessible to plants' roots.
The difference between such an enriched sand and nutrient rich soils is that the former features stability while the latter abundance. The latter is the very contrary to stability.
 
_Maq_ said:
Sand works best once enriched by detritus. Detritus is not primarily a source of nutrients in itself. Remember, detritus consist mainly of the remnants, feces, it is basically the "inedible" rest of a banquet. However, it has good adsorption abilities, which means it attracts nutrients, therefore it's the spot where beneficial microbes settle and thrive and facilitate cycling of nutrients - from mineral matter to organic and back. At certain point of such a cycle the nutrients become accessible to plants' roots.
The difference between such an enriched sand and nutrient rich soils is that the former features stability while the latter abundance. The latter is the very contrary to stability.
Click to expand...
"Sand works best once enriched by detritus"

Hits the nail on the head for me, and will likely help others understand substrate choices when setting up new or changing new and existing tanks
 
Short of time to reply right now but I do see that point of view. Although being new to the hobby everything is new to me 😅. I just really like this piece but part of me did want to do a stone only Scape!
 
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