# Need some advice on keeping substrates seperate...



## Vito (12 Aug 2009)

Hey everyone, I am currently planning a new scape on my rio125 and I want to go for a fine gravel forground and a built up hill of ADA amazonia, I have been searching the web to try and find some good techniques to keeping the substrate from mixing and also the intial set-up but have had no luck, I would really appriciate some advice so if some one could point me in the right direction. 
Thanks


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## Mark Evans (12 Aug 2009)

little has been covered on this subject.

i use garden edging which is found in garden centres. I'll mail you the right one later.

it's plastic and can be cut with sciccors real easy! it's about 6 inches wide so there's no real limit as to what width you may require.it's wafer thin too 

 i had 1 piece go from 1 inch up to about 3 inches to hold substrate back and separate it from the sand.

it's corrugated too which means it will take any shape you want   

i've trialled it in my latest MA iwagumi with success.   

i've also used UPVC, like you find on fascias etc....it's about 50mm inches x 5mm. this was ok but no as flexible.


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## fish.com1 (12 Aug 2009)

Hi Vito 

Take a look here
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=6317

I am using thin strips of perspex to seperate my naturesoil from my sand, but the problem with this is it isn't too flexible, so take a look at the stuff saintly reccomended.

Also, paint brushes are helpful for keeping substrates in check


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## Vito (12 Aug 2009)

Thanks for the advice guys, its really helpful I am keen on the garden edging stuff because Im not going for the normal striaght line so im going to need it to hold a spesific shape and being corrugated should work a treat, I want to bulk up the ADA AS considarably higher than the sand forground would placing rocks under the AS for bulk cause me problems or its there another alternative?


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## Nick16 (12 Aug 2009)

use a really cheap substrate under it, like argos playsand, its about Â£2.50   

then put the ADA stuff onto so its covered. no one will know you have skimped, especially if you put some ADA at the sides of your tank so they cant see the line between the sand underneath and the ADA on top


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## Vito (12 Aug 2009)

Nick16 said:
			
		

> use a really cheap substrate under it, like argos playsand, its about Â£2.50
> 
> then put the ADA stuff onto so its covered. no one will know you have skimped, especially if you put some ADA at the sides of your tank so they cant see the line between the sand underneath and the ADA on top



Good Idea mate but I need to form a sructure and I think the only way is to use a rock formation and then mould ADA AS on top of them, I am trying to creat a moutian type scape and this is my inspiration at the moment http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?i...rev=/images?q=green+mountians&hl=en&sa=N&um=1


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## nickmcmechan (12 Aug 2009)

what about separating the substrates using a fine mesh, like you would get from a craft sort....the sort of stuff that has been used to create moss walls?


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## Mark Evans (12 Aug 2009)

here's what i use....










it's about Â£5 i think and would last forever!


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