Media bags stuffed to create hills

Hello!
I’ve seen this topic on this forum before but not directly my questions. I want to build up my substrate in my new tank (48X13X24, and I’ve posted so much, I’m sick of myself!) I don’t know anybody personally that keeps fishes, and the stores near me are good but they all want to sell their products, so won’t recommend cheaper or alternative options. I saw a gorgeous tank at a store today that had a large sand hill; highest in back, medium, then low in front. The saleswoman used 40 Red Sea filter media bags stuffed with cheap sand & stacked them underneath her nicer substrate, and two of those filter bags alone are $8.99.

Soooo I bought 15 ultra fine media bags (5.5” X 7.9” for cheap on Amazon). I was thinking I would lay 6 in the back for the first row, and then layer 6 on that (so twelve in the back ‘row’), then 6 in the second row, then top all those bags with chosen substrate and use substrate alone in the front. I will need to order more bags, but I am starting out just seeing if I can use all those bags, or if I can only fit 6 bags In back and then use chosen substrate. If that’s the case, that’s what I will do!
The questions are these: what should I stuff the bags with? I want to have the option to use any substrate on top, even fine sand if I wanted to (likely don’t). I was planning to use sand like the tank at the store, but then read that is possibly bad for the tank? If I stuff the bags with lava rocks or gravel, will the sand or fine substrate on top eventually leak through the media bags and pool into the lava rocks or gravel? Do I need to use the finest sand I can find as media bag filler, so I can then use whatever I choose as the top substrate? I read people use poly fill even, which would be great as it’s so cheap but not sure that’s the right choice. Secondly, are the media bags a good thing to use? I can use egg crate for smaller mounds but I think if I want high in the back to medium to low in front I need the stuffed media bags. Any thoughts on method or fillers, or suggestions?

 

Hello!
I’ve seen this topic on this forum before but not directly my questions. I want to build up my substrate in my new tank (48X13X24, and I’ve posted so much, I’m sick of myself!) I don’t know anybody personally that keeps fishes, and the stores near me are good but they all want to sell their products, so won’t recommend cheaper or alternative options. I saw a gorgeous tank at a store today that had a large sand hill; highest in back, medium, then low in front. The saleswoman used 40 Red Sea filter media bags stuffed with cheap sand & stacked them underneath her nicer substrate, and two of those filter bags alone are $8.99.

Soooo I bought 15 ultra fine media bags (5.5” X 7.9” for cheap on Amazon). I was thinking I would lay 6 in the back for the first row, and then layer 6 on that (so twelve in the back ‘row’), then 6 in the second row, then top all those bags with chosen substrate and use substrate alone in the front. I will need to order more bags, but I am starting out just seeing if I can use all those bags, or if I can only fit 6 bags In back and then use chosen substrate. If that’s the case, that’s what I will do!
The questions are these: what should I stuff the bags with? I want to have the option to use any substrate on top, even fine sand if I wanted to (likely don’t). I was planning to use sand like the tank at the store, but then read that is possibly bad for the tank? If I stuff the bags with lava rocks or gravel, will the sand or fine substrate on top eventually leak through the media bags and pool into the lava rocks or gravel? Do I need to use the finest sand I can find as media bag filler, so I can then use whatever I choose as the top substrate? I read people use poly fill even, which would be great as it’s so cheap but not sure that’s the right choice. Secondly, are the media bags a good thing to use? I can use egg crate for smaller mounds but I think if I want high in the back to medium to low in front I need the stuffed media bags. Any thoughts on method or fillers, or suggestions?

I use mesh bags for aqua soil to keep it from leaking up through my substrate layers while allowing roots to penetrate through (I do 3 layers with gravel on bottom, mesh bags of aqua soil on top of that, and sand to cap it off as shown in photo). If you want to build height, get some cheap pea gravel from a hardware store. Rinse it really well and pack your bags. You can then cap that with whatever substrate you want, though sand might still get through the bags if you cap it with just sand.

 

I use mesh bags for aqua soil to keep it from leaking up through my substrate layers while allowing roots to penetrate through (I do 3 layers with gravel on bottom, mesh bags of aqua soil on top of that, and sand to cap it off as shown in photo). If you want to build height, get some cheap pea gravel from a hardware store. Rinse it really well and pack your bags. You can then cap that with whatever substrate you want, though sand might still get through the bags if you cap it with just sand.

Thank you!!!!!

 

Nice idea! Would flat rocks work? I like the media bag with lava rock. Getting into that nitrate eating bacteria . Bags of lava rock under your gravel would be great for that. I’d wonder how long it would last? Will the gravel just flow off the bags over time leaving them exposed? Lots of aquascaping is just temporary. They redo it routinely giving customers ideas. Very few stand the test of time .

 

Unfortunately whatever substrate is piled upon the stuffed media bags will quickly erode & expose the bags.
You might try burying large rounded river stones in the substrate. When the inevitable substrate erosion occurs, the exposed rounded tops of the stones are interesting & natural looking.

 

You both present good points, so now I’m thinking and I wonder this: If I stuff the similarly colored bags with the same (but cheaper) filler as the substrate I use, it’s really not such a problem right?
If I used light cheap gravel in white bags covered with light nicer gravel. Or, as in the shop, cheap black sand in black bags with nice black sand on top. That way even if it erodes you can’t really tell bc it’s all the same color? Bc you are right and I could see the corner of one of the bags at the shop display but it wasn’t bad bc it all blended in.

I like the river rocks! What size do you recommend and where would I get some? Thank you both!

 

I find smooth river rocks at rivers and streams . Also if near the ocean and you know of any rocky beaches they will work too . I would never buy them.

 

I find smooth river rocks at rivers and streams . Also if near the ocean and you know of any rocky beaches they will work too . I would never buy them.

I wish! I am in the heart of Baltimore. Hahahah. Maybe some streams but no beaches! I would have lugged some rocks back from our yearly winter trip to Captiva florida but that’s cancelled bc of Ian. So sad for those areas! Edit: how large are we talking to actually make a diff in the substrate levels? I have a bunch of maybe 3” long by 2” around gorgeous stones. And when I say I, I mean my mom who has collected them over the years, who might be willing to donate to the aquascaping cause Lolol.

 

I buy rocks at a local rockyard.
The rounded river rocks range from egg size to a small watermelon. Lol. In my area the prices range from 25 - 50 cents a pound.

 

I have always used rocks for this purpose, but I get them for free from my local river.

 

I have always used rocks for this purpose, but I get them for free from my local river.

EDIT I TAKE IT ALL BACK!

can I use THESE to layer?
The orange stones? I think yes! Unless all the darn fine gravel will fall through
(See photo below).
I was thinking of using both sand and rocks actually. I wonder if I can stuff some bags with Play sand and use Crystal river caribsea color fine gravel on top (not the brand just the color) to line the back row to create a large hill AND rhen use rocks to create small mounds on the hills. Would Play sand be much darker than this color and is it safe? I read it does not contain silica? I would use far less bags than I had planned, maybe 6 small bags total to line the back, and then rocks also. CARIBSEA Super Naturals Crystal River Aquarium Substrate, 40-lb bag - Chewy.com
i want to use a less fine gravel but if it’s light I don’t want the play sand to be much darker and weird? I mean I can try it out but that’s buying both so I figured I would ask! The tank is narrow so if I can find a local rock yard I’ll likely do that