Adding height to substrate

Aquarium Decor, DIY and Equipment.
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Maisie123
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I’m going to add some height to the substrate at the back of my tank, I don’t have that much of it and I know it tends to fall level over time. I was thinking I would use an old fish bag full of large gravel to put underneath my chosen substrate- is it dangerous to have plastic in the tank over time? Will it give off any toxins in the water? If so, does anyone have any alternative suggestions :)
Thanks
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mikeyw64
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thats pretty much what I've done with Sunnyside. Filled some mesh bags (like the ones used to put bio media in in many canister/sump type filters) with alfagrog so that I could bulk up the height without using a shedload of substrate material.
Maisie123
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I’m worried the plastic bag will give off toxins, I could maybe put the gravel in some tights? I’m not sure what is fish-safe
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fr499y
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I wouldn't use plastic, go with filter media bags or barley bags ( same but bigger, designed for filling with straw/barley for ponds )
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mikeyw64
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Maisie123 wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2020 15:54 pm I’m worried the plastic bag will give off toxins, I could maybe put the gravel in some tights? I’m not sure what is fish-safe
I would avoid fishnet stockings in case they get caught ;o)
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Ric
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mikeyw64 wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2020 16:07 pm I would avoid fishnet stockings in case they get caught ;o)
Sounds like the voice of experience speaking there ROFL
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Ricrhys
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If you watch some of the green machine videos on youtube he uses plastic dividers to shore up the banks he makes.
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fr499y
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foam board works as well :)
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Image
Behind the rocks on the left is, in Spanish, Arcilla. A man made porous stone. This is topped with substrate. On the right hand side is a piece of black foam to allow a bit of circulation. The rocks are sitting on a 5cm piece of polystyrene foam. The substrate goes up from front to back. Still cycling, no urgency to populate the aquarium yet until the cold spell here is over.
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We used to use small pieces of slate years ago that were tucked in the substrate and build it up from there.
WARNING - DO NOT BREED, FEED OR PET THE PUDDLE! :dodgy2:
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