In this video I kick off my first ever Amazon-inspired aquarium build, and this is Part 1 of a 3-part series where I’m purely focusing on the hardscape. The tank is my Acriel Opti 200 (200L, 101cm wide, Optiwhite glass), and the whole idea is to create an Amazon-style layout without going full blackwater or trying to be a strict biotope. I just want a natural, river-inspired look with big, chunky wood, cobbles, and loads of space left for heavy root-feeding plants like Amazon swords and possibly some crypts. I start by building the substrate properly because I know I’m going to be planting heavy root feeders. I lay down Colombo Nutri Base, mix in a bit of leftover gravel for height, then scatter Easy Life root sticks to bump nutrients even more. On top of that I add a mixed sand layer (pool filter sand, silver sand, and fine gravel) and slope it back to create depth. From there it’s all about playing with the wood and rocks until it looks right. The bogwood I’m using is really buoyant, so I’m planning contact points for gluing later (I’ll glue it in Part 2). I use garden center cobbles to lift and anchor the wood, then add smaller stones and a bit of natural gravel to transition from sand to cobbles. It doesn’t need to be perfect—hardscape is the base, and once plants go in, the whole tank will change anyway.