# How do you do Mountain Ranges - Hardscape?



## Byronicle (Apr 18, 2009)

Hi all, its been awhile since I've posted here mainly because of school and such, but I am looking to get back into the aquarium hobby again lol.

I am trying to create a mountain range scenery but I am wondering how do I go about doing this? I want plays to be growing on the mountain as well, so do I just pile rocks together and try and pack in substrate between the crevices to allow plants to grow? 



I believe this would create lots of anaerobic bacteria to grow since the depth would be great, so how would I go about avoiding this?



I always see great aquascapes with mountain ranges and goggle hasn’t been kind to me in trying to find out how to do this. Any advice would be great.



Thanks, Byron


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## tom g (Jul 8, 2009)

*advice*

why dont u go to aqua inspiration and ask sam how he made the hilly landcape in the one tank , i am sure they just piled dirt on top of each other 
i rally like that specific tank . its more of a hill then a mountain but i am sure once u visualize it u will get it 
good luck 
cheers 
tom


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## ThaChingster (Feb 25, 2011)

I think some people put like a sort of hard plastic sphere as a base layer, so they don't have to use as much substrate.


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## fyns (Dec 22, 2011)

Styrofoam man. Styrofoam, acrylic paints, drylock, aquarium safe silicone ( 100% silicone and not for kitchen or bathroom- has anti fungal or bacterial additives in it ) or i suppose a chisel and stone lol

of course that depends on the type of mountain range. you can also use the expanding foam insulation as an adhesive for rocks to create a mountain range effect, but it also needs to be drylocked afaik.


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## Byronicle (Apr 18, 2009)

fyns said:


> Styrofoam man. Styrofoam, acrylic paints, drylock, aquarium safe silicone ( 100% silicone and not for kitchen or bathroom- has anti fungal or bacterial additives in it ) or i suppose a chisel and stone lol
> 
> of course that depends on the type of mountain range. you can also use the expanding foam insulation as an adhesive for rocks to create a mountain range effect, but it also needs to be drylocked afaik.


what is the drylock for?


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## fyns (Dec 22, 2011)

Drylok is to seal. it's a latex based concrete sealer, here in ontario you can find it at Canadian tire. I seen a really good step by step hardscape in a forum. i will try to find it for you, and post it here. I myself am going to be doing some DIY deco's ( "floating" islands at the back of my tank so I will be doing some research on the subject tonight anyhow.


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## Byronicle (Apr 18, 2009)

fyns said:


> Drylok is to seal. it's a latex based concrete sealer, here in ontario you can find it at Canadian tire. I seen a really good step by step hardscape in a forum. i will try to find it for you, and post it here. I myself am going to be doing some DIY deco's ( "floating" islands at the back of my tank so I will be doing some research on the subject tonight anyhow.


thanks a lot, i appreciate it


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