Did look around for Black lava rocks.. But darn those LFS's are bonkers, they sell it for € 6.50 per kilo..
😵 Than one big chunk easy is 1 kilo if not more.. I'm not going to spend a fortune that goes wholesale for 49 cents per kilo..
But i found the hardscape..
🙂 Actualy almost forgot i had it tugged away in a wooden chest for over 2 years. Back then i bought several batches of fossilized wood from ebay. I dug it up and diceded to use it. The texture isn't realy like the typical fossilized wood available.. It has a odd maily black and red color with traces of white. The texture more resambles a kind of lava rock, actualy it could be combined without creating a strange contrast.
Anyway the base structure is done so far. STill have a lot smaller pieces left to work on the details later on.
The voids are going to be filled with crushed filter lava i can get 9 litre for a few buck, with this i can easy bank it firmly up and top it off with a few cm of fine black gravel without all rolling down again. The water level later on will not be much higher than the lowest point of the baskets. There will be at least 5 to 6 cm of gravel above the water level at the left emersed side. The right side gradulay banking up .
I would like to pack it in layer by layer with lava chunks and substrate. Than there will no big chunks be seen at the glas front and side only fine black gravel.
The right side i created a steap cliff with the bigger rock pieces.. The big rock in the back has a verry ruff lava like texture with nooks and crannies. Ideal for mosses and a fern on top.
🙂 Everything still needs to filles with lava rocks at the back. Covering the see through gaps, maybe for some trailing plant. thinking of HC..
Left side detail..
The pipe for feeding the HOB filter will be situated like this, drawn into the pic with grey.. Need to bend it, so i can clean it with a wire brush. It will be hidden behind the rock far enough above the substrate and mask the emersed end with applying some kit and black gravel. The submeres side will be incased in stones simply looking like a small cave.. But than you have to watch around the corner.. It will not be seen. For the HOB i'll try to figur out a kind of cascading sructure. That's a worry for later when i get it. Will take a few weeks, ordered it from China..
Behind that bigger rock at the left will be the filter inlet..
Now it's off to the LFS get me a few bags of crushed lava and substrate.
🙂 So i can fill it up and work on the hardscape details..