Sloping and Substrate Help!

[hyena]

I am building a 70% land 30% water paludarium.
This is my best reference and inspiration:


I am not sure how to mimic the sloping for one but my other major concern ..given that there will be more land area is the substrate used. I was originally thinking hydrodon and soil but this picture seems to use nothing like that. I am confused.. what is the best thing to do?

[beckdg]

in that pic the wood and rocks in the water section seem to be holding the substrate back and the sloping is probably what just naturally settled.

[Grimm]

Other then the moss, none of the plants in that viv are planted in the "substrate"...I remember reading about this viv somewhere, but the "substrate" is actually some sort of aquarium/pond clay. That is one heck of a viv though. I have that same picture saved in a picture folder called "amazing vivariums" that I use for inspiration

[trayp]

Maybe it's Caribsea's Eco-Complete Red or Seachem's Flourite. Here's a link with useful info >>> Substrate materials for the planted aquarium | Aquariums Life