Keeping 2 substrates separate?

[FallenAngel]

Well I have 2 different substrates in my 35g:

1) Black Gravel (Approx. 70%)
2) Silica Sand (Approx. 30%)

Now, I have the silica sand to act like a river basin, but the black gravel always finds a way to get on to it.

I need to know how to keep the gravel off the sand and keep the sand looking good, also I need to know how to separate them after they have mixed. There are also river rocks 'helping' to keep the substrates separate, though they are doing a bad job.

At the moment, there is black gravel mixed all through the sand, so I will also need to separate that aswell.

Please if you have any ideas, let me know so that I can work this out to make the tank as good looking as possible.

I may also lower the level of sand, if that helps your answer.
I've been thinking of possibly having a thin bit of plastic to separate them, but I want to keep it as natural as possible and a perfect separation seems a bit too obvious.

Also, off-topic, the filter bar goes right along the top of the tank, it really is ugly. Do you have any ideas that I can use to make it a bit better looking? The filter is an Aquis 1000 Canister Filter.

Here are some photos:

1) When the river bed was first set-up
2) The river bed a few days later
3) The river bed (Today)
4) Full tank shot (Today)

 

[jetajockey]

i'd use a screen of some sort to sift the sand from the gravel. I've read of some methods of keeping division in the substrate but cant think of any off the top of my head

 

[FallenAngel]

Okay, thanks for your help.

 

[Mgamer20o0]

you can use a plastic retaining wall or rocks.

 

[FallenAngel]

Thanks mg :thumbsup:
I think I'll just use the plastic wall and use the rocks as extra support.

 

[Haydn24]

Exact same happens in mine too dude

 

[FallenAngel]

Sure does Mr. Copycat

 

[soobie]

You could get a small kitchen strainer like this and use it to scoop through the sand and remove the gravel. Easy peasy- the sand falls through back into your sand ares, then just dump the gravel back where it's supposed to be. It would probably take all of a minute.

You'd just have to make sure the mesh openings are bigger than the sand grains and smaller than the gravel.

 

[FallenAngel]

Thanks soobie! I'll check the link when I get home, it's restricted on the computer I am on at the moment. I will most likely use it to separate them.

Thanks :duh:

 

[platytudes]

Plastic window screen/mesh works for me for layering substrate!