ugf entire bottom of 5g cube, or just part of it?

[HelplessNewbie]

I was hoping to combine water column and rooted plants in a 5g cube tank, that may eventually house 3 male guppies or endlers, an amano shrimp, a mystery snail and bladder snails. Does this plan make sense: build a ugf in a tray that covers only back half or 3/4 of the tank, then have soil covered with coarse sand in the front? The reason for the tray is for separation from the soil-sand and to make it easier to replace, in case something catastrophically goes wrong with the ugf.

Am I overestimating the space available and should therefore just go with water column plants, so there will be more space for everything?

I was planning on adding one rock or none at all, to give the inhabitants more room.

Edited September 17 by HelplessNewbie

[Pepere]

I have two tanks with under gravel plates covering the entire bottom that are densely planted…

 

i placed mesh bags of aquasoil rolled up like a burrito in various portion of the tank and capped it.  By sort of having logs of the aquasoil bags there are deep areas of substrate around it making it easier to insert plants next to the bags instead of on top of them.

 

 

[HelplessNewbie]

On 9/17/2023 at 9:05 AM, Pepere said:

I have two tanks with under gravel plates covering the entire bottom that are densely planted…

 

i placed mesh bags of aquasoil rolled up like a burrito in various portion of the tank and capped it.  By sort of having logs of the aquasoil bags there are deep areas of substrate around it making it easier to insert plants next to the bags instead of on top of them.

 

 

Wait, I can't wrap my head around this setup. I feel like you are about to blow my mind!

Is this what you have described? Sorry for the crude drawing and penmanship.

[Pepere]

Pretty much.  MD fish tanks uses mesh bags half filled laid flat as opposed to long thin logs…as such you need to add significant substrate on top of it to have a chance to secure plants in the substrate… I also had concerns of the aquasoil compacting affecting flow through the gravel which caused me to use the logs.

I also have a portion of area with sand.  Todo this I put 3/4 of an inch of gravel on the plates and laid landscaping fabric on it and laid sand on top of the faric.  You can see the sand on the lefthand quarter of the tank.

[HelplessNewbie]

On 9/17/2023 at 9:57 AM, Pepere said:

Pretty much.  MD fish tanks uses mesh bags half filled laid flat as opposed to long thin logs…as such you need to add significant substrate on top of it to have a chance to secure plants in the substrate… I also had concerns of the aquasoil compacting affecting flow through the gravel which caused me to use the logs.

I also have a portion of area with sand.  Todo this I put 3/4 of an inch of gravel on the plates and laid landscaping fabric on it and laid sand on top of the faric.  You can see the sand on the lefthand quarter of the tank.

Very nice! Thank you, we just might do it this way.

[HelplessNewbie]

@Pepere what determines the height of the uplift tube, when using air vs powerhead? Is 6 inches just a guideline? What is the shortest I can make it?

[Pepere]

If using a powerhead, the riser tube can be whatever height you want it.  
 

If I was doing it, I think I might like the outlet feeding in to a spray bar across the back right below water surface angled up slightly to agitate surface some for gas exchange…

[AllFishNoBrakes]

@Pepere That crypt is incredible! Nicely done. 

[Tanked]

On 9/17/2023 at 9:52 AM, HelplessNewbie said:

Wait, I can't wrap my head around this setup. I feel like you are about to blow my mind!

Is this what you have described? Sorry for the crude drawing and penmanship.

I will hang your drawing on my refrigerator.