want to redo my substrate "mounds"

[HelplessNewbie]

Brand new to the hobby. Trying to set up a 20g long hybrid planted aquarium following this setup: https://aquariumscience.org/index.php/15-10-hybrid-planted-aquariums/

Please be kind, I know I got cocky. Instead of laying a 1 inch level layer of the wood pellets and a 1 in level capping layer of coarse sand, I decided to create various large mounds and deep valleys. It is ugly and there is now too much substrate. It is all still pretty much dry, though the sand was damp from having been rinsed. I did not put any mesh separating the 2 layers.

My question is, should I just throw all the stuff away and start over with fresh materials (I still have some), or scoop out what I can and use a screen to separate the pellets from the sand?

[Fish Folk]

I kind of like the look! I’ve always found that substrate settles nearly flat over time. 

[PineSong]

I feel like it’s hard to say from that view. In one of my tanks I have substrate of two very different sizes and it looks bad….it has settled into layers over time and looks like slush piles on the side of the road when there was a snowstorm last week, AKA dirty. I can’t tell from your photo whether the grain sizes will have that result for you. 

[HelplessNewbie]

I took most of it out. Or rather my ever-patient spouse did. I am so discouraged. I haven't seen enough in-progess pictures of other people's scapes to be convinced that enough plants can cover my mistakes. Will post when I add a little water in the next few days.

[nabokovfan87]

On 6/19/2023 at 4:10 PM, HelplessNewbie said:

Please be kind, I know I got cocky. Instead of laying a 1 inch level layer of the wood pellets and a 1 in level capping layer of coarse sand, I decided to create various large mounds and deep valleys. It is ugly and there is now too much substrate. It is all still pretty much dry, though the sand was damp from having been rinsed. I did not put any mesh separating the 2 layers.

My question is, should I just throw all the stuff away and start over with fresh materials (I still have some), or scoop out what I can and use a screen to separate the pellets from the sand?

Thankfully the goal on the forums here is to encourage good conversations! I don't think anyone would be harsh towards you for trying something new. 🙂

I had an issue in my old tank where I had sand and after a few years I wasn't happy with the nutrients I was feeding to my stems.  I ended up scooping all of the sand into a bucket and then trying to add a layer of aquarium soil substrate.  I capped it with the sand and then I wanted to see how the tank did.  Well... The fish didn't really dig too much (I keep a lot of corydoras) and what ended up happening was the sand got pushed back my the filter where the waterfall hits the front glass and then that ended up exposing the soil pellets and pushing that all over the tank.  Call me frustrated, but it's something I don't think I'll ever really get over and feel comfortable trying again just because of how badly it went!  In the new incarnation of the tank I have tried heavier size sands.  In the big tank I have contrasoil capped that with a heavier substrate (seachem flourite) and that worked a lot better.  I can clan the tank, the filter isn't pushing things all over.  In my sand only tank, the filters didn't push the sand back at the output, thankfully, either. 

Ultimately, every time I put substrate into a tank I learn something I use moving forward.  I tried to strain the sand the same way you were mentioning, but after one cup the sand broke the cheap strainer I had and I was pretty much left with not being able to salvage it.  My best advice would be to get as much of the sand out that you can that isn't contaminated with any layers, and then remove the mixed sand into a separate container.  Maybe you have a way to sort it, but most likely it ends up in the garden or compost.

[Dork Fish]

@HelplessNewbie I am also brand new to the hobby. Don't feel bad, I will probably do the same thing at some point. Keep your head up and take it as a learning experience. I posted a topic on Friday trying figure out how to fix the jagged silicone in my tank after I scrubbed it too hard while cleaning. Didn't even get as far as you and already had trouble LOL

But at the end of the day, it is just the price of learning new things, as I will most definitely not be making that same mistake again. On to bigger and better mistakes for me. LOL🙂

Edited June 20, 2023 by Dork Fish
grammar

[FishRBeautiful]

I’m only a few months into this hobby myself. I’m starting to realize that no matter how much I research, I learn the most by doing. Last week, I switched my gravel substrate for white pool filter sand. (It only comes in white at my local Menard’s.)  So, it turns out all the fish poop from my Platys and pleco (heavy Bioloaders) shows on the white sand. Now I’m wondering how people have perfectly white sand in their pictures unless they clean right before taking pics.  Your hills look super cool, if they stay when you add water. You could just take some sand out and do shorter hills if you want. I know nothing about a tank’s ability to hold the weight but I’m wondering if sand weighs more than water. I worry about that when I add too much substrate. Also, I understand sand needs to be stirred once in a while to kill deadly air pockets or something like that. I’m debating between the black diamond blasting sand at Menard’s (but it’s a mix of super fine stuff which might be super complicated) and going back to gravel (got at Menard’s). Gravel was so easy. Maybe you could do a test aquarium or something. I put sand in small containers with water and gravel vac to see if it works before adding to aquarium. I would save  the sand because if you’re like me, you’ll change your mind down the road. Just scoop some out if you don’t want to use it all. I haven’t had luck drying it after rinsing though. 

[HelplessNewbie]

Thank you all for the kind words. I am hoping it will all settle flatter. This endeavor has been exhausting so far. It helps that my spouse is assisting, since I am disabled.

[Dork Fish]

@HelplessNewbie It will be well worth the effort when you can just sit and watch the fish enjoy their new habitat 🙂

[Stef]

Kudos to you for jumping right in and trying to build some depth!  Check out MD Fish Tanks to see how he uses mesh bags filled with sand and aquasoil placed under a cap of sand or other substrates. I used some extra seriyu stones from a batch that wasn’t particularly nice to prop up driftwood give the appt it was taller. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 6/20/2023 at 3:48 AM, LoveMyPlatys said:

Just scoop some out if you don’t want to use it all. I haven’t had luck drying it after rinsing though. 

A big beach towel and then just move it around every day. Takes about 4-6 days to dry sometimes.

On 6/20/2023 at 5:55 AM, HelplessNewbie said:

It helps that my spouse is assisting, since I am disabled.

Mark's Shrimp tanks is also in that situation and he has a few tricks he does to help himself. Hopefully there are little bits of advice we can do to make things as easy as possible for you, make it easier to move water around and stuff.

Very cool that you're going into the Hobby and happy to have you on the forums with us!

[HelplessNewbie]

On 6/21/2023 at 1:12 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Mark's Shrimp tanks is also in that situation and he has a few tricks he does to help himself

Can you share a link to one of his videos? Is this the guy: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCl4DEcd7cdV5Yj9RS0MB1mQ ? I couldn't find a specific video mentioning a disability.

[HelplessNewbie]

The amount substrate I put in was really too much. My spouse removed another 5 gallons worth for me. Now it is practically flat, which is okay by me! I have included a photo. Don't mind the cable running across it; it is for the powerhead we added to help with aeration.

I am now on Day 3, using Dark Start. I have a diy minipump-scrubbies filter, sponge filter with diy scrubbies diffuser, a HOB and the powerhead all going at the same time! Once it is cycled, my plan was to leave only the diy and sponge filters.

I guess this should be moved to the journal section of the forum.

[nabokovfan87]

On 6/27/2023 at 4:36 AM, HelplessNewbie said:

Can you share a link to one of his videos? Is this the guy: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCl4DEcd7cdV5Yj9RS0MB1mQ ? I couldn't find a specific video mentioning a disability.

I'll try to find one. He uses a lot of pumps to try to move water and he also uses cameras to view shrimp. (just meaning that he tends to discuss it with those two topics)

He also talks about stuff in a series like this one where he calls it "in to the shrimp room" and at the first part of the video he talks about his back.