2 Questions...

1. I have a tank currently set up and it has been running for about a year. I am looking to do a fairly significant re-scape using as much of what I can from what I have now and adding more live plants (probably starting with rhisome plants & mosses to attach to the fake log). Planning on keeping this low tech, but am looking to expand on what we currently have. Do people have more success moving all the fish to a bucket or just working around the fish in the tank?

2. Looking for articles or videos on the step by step details of how to create a slope. I have BDBS currently and am thinking about getting more. My goal would be to create a slope towards the back L corner of the tank, and have our fake log coming off of that and down into the front of the tank.

Thanks!

If it helps here is my tank last week...

 

Wow it looks beautiful the way it is now.

 

Just watch GreenMachine and Jame's Findly on youtube to get an idea, but to make a slope it's pretty straight forward. Dump more sand in the back than the front and then smooth it down in whichever direction you want.

 

Just watch GreenMachine and Jame's Findly on youtube to get an idea, but to make a slope it's pretty straight forward. Dump more sand in the back than the front and then smooth it down in whichever direction you want.

I tried this a bit when I started, but it has leveled out in the year the tank has been established. I will check out the videos thanks. I have been just searching on YouTube for things like "aquascape slope" with mixed results.

 

I tried this a bit when I started, but it has leveled out in the year the tank has been established. I will check out the videos thanks. I have been just searching on YouTube for things like "aquascape slope" with mixed results.

Oh! You want to know how to keep the slope from leveling out over time? Cut up thin rectangles of plastic. I used tupperware containers, but insert these into the substrate so they are just below the sand. These act as retaining walls to keep the sand/gravel from moving downhill over time with WC and the flow of filters. Most of the time you will be able to see these pieces so using plants to hide them works well.

If you want a more natural approach use stones to act as these retaining walls.

TheGreenMachine's videos usually show James Findly using similiar plastic pieces. It might be his "Arizona" aquascape.

 

Silister Trench
Whoops hit post too soon...
Thanks! Yes... my big issue is my concern about supporting the sand so it doesn't collapse.
I have seen mention of using plastic pieces to support the sand, but have yet to find a tutorial on how to decide where/how to place them. I will go peak around youtube some more now that I have better terminology. Thank you!

Okay - so I found a Green machine youtube "Sticks & Stones" where they show him placing all the sand supports. One would need a lot of sand planted plants to cover all that. Hum.... I will have to give this some more thought. And read on the Green Machine website I guess....

still looking for input on whether it is easier take all fish out to a bucket while doing the rescape or not...

 

Silister Trench
Whoops hit post too soon...
Thanks! Yes... my big issue is my concern about supporting the sand so it doesn't collapse.
I have seen mention of using plastic pieces to support the sand, but have yet to find a tutorial on how to decide where/how to place them. I will go peak around youtube some more now that I have better terminology. Thank you!

Okay - so I found a Green machine youtube "Sticks & Stones" where they show him placing all the sand supports. One would need a lot of sand planted plants to cover all that. Hum.... I will have to give this some more thought. And read on the Green Machine website I guess....

still looking for input on whether it is easier take all fish out to a bucket while doing the rescape or not...

You can just hide them behind rocks and such, and/or use longer pieces that go all the way to the bottom. Without a carpeting plant to cover it and root the substrate in place you'll see the sand move, but not as much. It's impossible to keep substrate from rolling downhill long-term, but the best practice are doing small WC so as to no disturb it, and to turn off your filter when doing maintenance.

What works the best is using stone. in your formation - big pieces. You lay the stone on a thin layer of substrate and build the sand behind it, then lay stones at different levels. that's the most natural. You can still use substrate supports with this and simply hide them, but overtime they'll be visible if you don't do something like cover them in moss.

As far as your rescape, I always way how much work it is to move whatever living in there. If it's a handful of fish it's no problem, but large amounts there's no way. You aren't going to hurt them escaping while there in there. It all comes down to whatever you think is easier, but it's definitely far easier to scape a tank with no one in the water.