How to maintain hills & valleys

[uklau]

Could fellow forumer advise how I can maintain beautiful hills & valleys in a planted tank? I tried creating slopes with gravel but everything had gone flat after a month or so.

[eddyq]

1. Do not keep corydoras fishes (miniature catfish) cos they dig around.
2. Grow grass on slope like E. Tenellus or Glosso.
3. Put rocks or woods as barricade to prevent shifting of gravel.
4. Once scape, do not touch it.

[medicineman]

I may be wrong, but it seems the type of substrate you use will also have effect in how long the structure can last.

For instance shaped slope last longer on ADA soil than on plain silica sand. People who had used both or even more kind of substrate might chime in and share experience.

[uklau]

1. Do not keep corydoras fishes (miniature catfish) cos they dig around.
2. Grow grass on slope like E. Tenellus or Glosso.
3. Put rocks or woods as barricade to prevent shifting of gravel.
4. Once scape, do not touch it.

Thanks for the useful tips, Eddyq . I'll try it out again & focus on point 2 & 3. FYI, I only have cherry shrimps in the tank.

[uklau]

I may be wrong, but it seems the type of substrate you use will also have effect in how long the structure can last.

For instance shaped slope last longer on ADA soil than on plain silica sand. People who had used both or even more kind of substrate might chime in and share experience.

I'm using 2" of Seachem Flourite covered with 1" of 2-3mm sized gravel. I believe the size of the gravel will influence how long the slopes will stay. I'm sure point 2 & 3 highlighted by Eddyq can help maintaining the slopes.

Hope to hear from the rest on your experiences creating & maintaining those beautiful slopes .