Terraced Aquariums

[adela]

Hi!

Just setting up my new 100 gallon (yay!) and considering doing a terraced effect ... ie for the frontal area maybe half an inch of substrate, and then thicker areas - up to three inches- of sand or gravel to allow plants to take hold. Any ideas on what is the best way to do this, or if it is feasible? I have a fair amout of slate available to me that I want to use to build "caves" and hiding places around the back and sides, then plant around them in these terraced areas. I thought I would try to use smaller pieces to create a rock wall effect, maybe even join them with sealant, but then I wonder if this is really necessary.

I want to do thinner gravel over most of the tank as it is easier to vacuum up all of the debris, and of course less likely to get nasty pockets of goop. But I understand the thicker areas are required for plant growth ...

Any ideas/comments would be much appreciated.

Adela

[Silurus]

There's a terraced setup in the Shane's article. May be a bit extreme for your needs, but it's a starting point.