ForestDave
Member
😀 I have full confidence in your abilities! it's going to be amazing, the tree frogs will be queuing up!!
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How to create a muddied river bank . . .
- Thread starter Wookii
- Start date
Lol no tree frogs - this is all going to be under water - which is probably a good thing, as other hardscape and plant will disguise it somewhat also.
zozo
Member
You might like to watch a few of Sasha Hoyer videos... 🙂 He's a quite innovative aquascaper... Unfortunately, it's in German but I guess most of it doesn't really need narration to understand what he's doing and give you inspirations.
He has an older video where he's scaping with the use of foam (The yellow one)... But it's quite a while ago and he posts lot's of video's I can't seem to find it back that quick. But I know it's in his youtube channel. I suggest just watch them all... This guy is good at what he does and very versatile too...
He has an older video where he's scaping with the use of foam (The yellow one)... But it's quite a while ago and he posts lot's of video's I can't seem to find it back that quick. But I know it's in his youtube channel. I suggest just watch them all... This guy is good at what he does and very versatile too...
@zozo are you a German speaker? I'm having to rely on YouTube's auto-translate ability, and it's not quite clear what adhesive he's using when he adds the sand - the translator calls it "Trier"? Also any idea what the sand is he's using?
I'm still trying to hunt for the other older video you mention - haven't found it so far. I did find this though - a product I didn't even know existed - a tempting and simple addition for some above tank growth if I do this muddied river bank design:
Obviously not a new product, as there is a great thread on it here: The Falls - DOOA Wall 60 . . but certainly new to me!
zozo
Member
Yes, I am... 🙂 I'm living all my life so to speak a stone throw away from the German and Belgium border. Meanwhile, my family did spread out over all 3 countries... (Family Multinationale)
Anyway, he's using Cotton balls (Baumwolle) and low viscosity Superglew (Sekundenkleber)... He says nothing about what sand it is...
Yes, I believe so, I thought he was using the yellow one... I could be I've seen someone else using that one in terrarium build. I'm pretty sure both foam colours are identical in composition.
Polyurethane - Wikipedia
See this for example.
210g biotope paludarium build log
www.dendroboard.com
So I’ve added considerably to my existing Seiryu stone rock collection for this project:
You can probabaly imagine how pleased the wife is with the new rockery! 😆
I’m favouring the red lava rock for the muddied river bank, but unfortunately some of the pieces are very red indeed. So I’ve had a go at adding a bit of darker brown tint with some Krylon spray paint:
Left = original colour
Middle = light coat
Right = heavy coat
All three rocks were a similar colour before spraying - and the photo doesn’t really do the level of red colouration justice in the left hand rock. I know the appearance will change again once they are wet and submerged, but what do you guys think?
The most important thing is, you can’t actually tell there is any paint on them, which is a good result.
You can probabaly imagine how pleased the wife is with the new rockery! 😆
I’m favouring the red lava rock for the muddied river bank, but unfortunately some of the pieces are very red indeed. So I’ve had a go at adding a bit of darker brown tint with some Krylon spray paint:
Left = original colour
Middle = light coat
Right = heavy coat
All three rocks were a similar colour before spraying - and the photo doesn’t really do the level of red colouration justice in the left hand rock. I know the appearance will change again once they are wet and submerged, but what do you guys think?
The most important thing is, you can’t actually tell there is any paint on them, which is a good result.
Thanks to a very kind donation from @Hufsa I have some roots to start experimenting with:
So although this is very rough and ready, it gives a general gist of what I’m shooting for:
The trick will be making the lava rocks look like a solid river bank with the expanding foam and subsequent decorative layers, and integrating the roots in a way that looks like they’ve occurred naturally.
So although this is very rough and ready, it gives a general gist of what I’m shooting for:
The trick will be making the lava rocks look like a solid river bank with the expanding foam and subsequent decorative layers, and integrating the roots in a way that looks like they’ve occurred naturally.
ForestDave
Member
Looking good Wookie.
I think you should lay the rocks out in the front room, bathroom or on the kitchen worktop, your wife would probably love that! 😂 I hung 10 bikes on our frontroom wall and that went down well!
What about soaking the rocks in tea or something to stain them down a bit? Not that I know anything though!
I think you should lay the rocks out in the front room, bathroom or on the kitchen worktop, your wife would probably love that! 😂 I hung 10 bikes on our frontroom wall and that went down well!
What about soaking the rocks in tea or something to stain them down a bit? Not that I know anything though!
Good skills Dave 😂
I’m not sure any staining material would stay, and would just leach back out again. The rocks would likely darken as they age and get covered in bacteria and detritus etc, but I’m impatient so I want it to look right from day one.
I have stock already in the current tank so they would need to be transferred - Chillis, Embers, Kubotai, and Hasborsus Corys.
If I convince the wife to let me have a 90cm tank, which would give much more room for this design than my current 60cm, then fancy some Nannostomus marginatus as well.
I do like the Nannostomus marginatus, stay small too. I think the Nannostomus eques would look pretty cool too, they do grow a little bigger though.
mort
Member
- Joined
- 15 Nov 2015
- Messages
- 2,422
Not tried marginatus but eques love rooty areas around the top of the tank. I had a group in with thick rooted riparium planting (plants were kept above the water by a thicket of oak twigs and developed a good root system around them) and they were magnificent, that's if you don't mind having to look really hard for your fish. I think marginatus would be more outgoing giving you the best of both worlds.
Only thing I’m worried about is them jumping, but if I get the green light for a 90 x 60 x 60 I’ll have the water level at about 400mm and emersed growth to the side and rear, so hopefully the extra 200mm of glass might prevent them jumping out.
mort
Member
- Joined
- 15 Nov 2015
- Messages
- 2,422
My tank was well covered with vegatation around the back of the tank where the pencils hung out but I did have a cover glass along the front which might have stopped any jumping.
My current pencils still hit the lid when the lights go out and I think this is the biggest issue with them. If you have a controllable light that dims to darkness I think it really stops most of their startled leaping.
My current pencils still hit the lid when the lights go out and I think this is the biggest issue with them. If you have a controllable light that dims to darkness I think it really stops most of their startled leaping.
Never too late Alex, nothings set in stone! (Did a you see what I did there! 😂)
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ScareCrow
Member
It's looking really good so far @Wookii. By the time it has matured a bit in the tank it'll look really natural.
That product sounds really interesting @Alex Papp. If you do find the name of it please share it.
That product sounds really interesting @Alex Papp. If you do find the name of it please share it.
Just explain to your wife that getting a bigger tank brings you happiness but will also brings happiness to us to 🤣
