Best option to create a terrace look ?

Hi All

I really like the look of this tank and was looking to create a similar effect with the terraces.



I bought two Juwel Cliff Terrace A but unfortunately it does not look good in my tank as I have a 3D background and they do not look right together.

Are there any other options out there that would create a similar look to the Juwel Terraces?


Thanks

Hi Barr,

Something you could try is stone paving slabs, I have used sandstone slabs myself to create a terrace in a planted tank and it worked out really well. You can get the slabs in various colours. They are easily broken into strips by knocking them along a straight line with a hammer. Just use the edge of the hammer and it will take a few passes along a line to break. you can break into smaller pieces as required.
When I did this myself, i used 3 different shades of stone to achieve the look i wanted and built caves into the terrace too.
Once the stones are broken to the right size for what you want to achieve, you can knock the sharp edges off with the hammer too so there is no risk of injuring fish.
I put the terrace curving from the front corners towards the back at the centre, built it in 3 sections and used Tech7 to bond the stones together. Sorry I don’t have any pics handy to show what did.
You could use sandstone, slate, granite to name a few to achieve a finish that will suit your tank and the background.

Cheers,

Bill.

Hey Bill - what you done sounds like what I'm trying to achieve

Say using the likes of sandstone slabs, granite etc would these need to be treated in any way before I add them to the tank?

Also would they affect the water parameters in ay way ?

Slate, the thicker kind, is a wonderful medium for making retaining walls/areas in an Aquarium.
It is easy to work with, looks great and can be clipped into any shape you like, you can leave gaps in the Wall to allow Plants to grow in the void.

Kev.

Barr Said

Say using the likes of sandstone slabs, granite etc would these need to be treated in any way before I add them to the tank?

Also would they affect the water parameters in ay way ?

The stone types i mentioned are all safe in the aquarium and should not adversely affect your water parameters provided you take some precautions. when choosing the actual pieces of rock.
You want to avoid sedimentary rocks such as sandstone which has obvious dark colouration running along fracture lines in the rock, this typically indicated the presence of Iron minerals in the rock which can destroy a tank in no time. The same can be found in granite for that matter. With Granite, you want to look out for lager fractured areas of quartz with a brown colour or a gold colour; this typically indicates Iron pyrites which again are bad news in the aquarium. Once you avoid such stones, you should be ok.
Limestone will alter not only the ph in your tank but will also impact on the water hardness too as it will slowly dissolve in the tank.

As to treating the rocks before placing into the tank, they need a good wash to sterilize them and remove any surface contaminants and pathogens. Soaking in boiling water for 30 minutes or so will take care of the pathogens. Then if you wish to leave them soaking in a container filled with de-chlorinated water and a standard aquarium water conditioner for a few days, it should take care of any loose debris / dirt on the surface. Obviously, if you plan to stick the stones together with silicone, then you will need to let them dry first.

As Kev said, slate can be a fantastic media for this kind of project and is very easy to work with. blue Bangor slate is ideal but you can find a lot of good Indian or Chinese slate in garden centres, builders yards etc too.

Cheers,

Bill.