Need some quick Opinions of my Hardscape

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CleverBs

CleverBs

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
Aug 21, 2011
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Location
Omaha, Nebraska
I need some quick opinions of my hardscape. I want to fill the tank tonight and want to make sure that the hardscape looks good before filling it.

There will be some plants in it such as XXL Amazon swords (mother colonies).

Stock list:
Silver Arrowana
6x Geophagus Abalios
Royal Pleco
4x Electric Blue acaras
5x Silver Dollars

This is an amazon Biotope

220g Tank

img_3292217_0_b99c09d14554591ad0ec0f87f2141d6a.jpg
 
You've got some pretty sweet driftwood there. I like the placement of the leftmost piece (although it may even look better a little farther to the left); that's a good anchor point and place to start. But the two on the right seem too separate. Make sure you give yourself a few days to "adjust" to the look of the hardscape. You may find yourself liking one today, but by tomorrow you realize its no good.

I love that sand color. Is that pool filter sand? Remember to slope it up in the back because the water will refract light and if you don't slope it it looks flat. Although with geophagus you'd be fighting a losing battle, right? :lol:
 
Fishperson said:
You've got some pretty sweet driftwood there. I like the placement of the leftmost piece (although it may even look better a little farther to the left); that's a good anchor point and place to start. But the two on the right seem too separate. Make sure you give yourself a few days to "adjust" to the look of the hardscape. You may find yourself liking one today, but by tomorrow you realize its no good.

I love that sand color. Is that pool filter sand? Remember to slope it up in the back because the water will refract light and if you don't slope it it looks flat. Although with geophagus you'd be fighting a losing battle, right? :lol:
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the sand is higher in the back at least I got that part right. Yeah its HTH poolfilter sand. 12.99 for 50lbs cant argue with that. I agree they look someone separated...however Im not sure how to bring them all together. I am thinking that my plants may help with this. I may play around a little more tonight. My issue is that I want to leave it really open for the arrowana.
 
What about moving the piece on the far right closer to the back for more depth? I do agree with fishperson, letting the scape sit for a bit and looking at it as you pass allows for little tweaks. Scaping display tanks always cranks my OCD, I usually leave the hard scape for days, tweaking here and there before I'm satisfied. Plant placement is sometimes just as fun especially if they need specific placement to accommodate swimming space or avoid being uprooted.
 
Gillie said:
What about moving the piece on the far right closer to the back for more depth? I do agree with fishperson, letting the scape sit for a bit and looking at it as you pass allows for little tweaks. Scaping display tanks always cranks my OCD, I usually leave the hard scape for days, tweaking here and there before I'm satisfied. Plant placement is sometimes just as fun especially if they need specific placement to accommodate swimming space or avoid being uprooted.
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I may try moving the far right one back further. It wouldnt get in the way of the fish by doing that and I do fee that the tank is a bit "Flat" right now lacking depth.
 
Will the geophagus not be a problem with the plants? I've never had them but "earth eater" brings out worries. :D
 
Fishperson said:
Will the geophagus not be a problem with the plants? I've never had them but "earth eater" brings out worries. :D
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that is why I am buying really large Amazon swords and things like that for the plants. a 18" tall 5" wide amazon sword isnt going to get uprooted by a 3" geophagus haha.

I had the tank about 2" from being full and it proved to much for the piece on the far left and it floated up. So I drained the tank so that I can fix it. I had screwed a hdpe cutting board to the bottom of the driftwood in hopes that the sand would hold it down so I am going to put a couple of big heavy flat rocks on it this time and cover them in sand so they dont show this should fix the problem.
 
Once it gets waterlogged enough it will sink eventually. That may be a more feasible and aesthetically pleasing solution. Just balance stones on top so that they won't fall and eventually you'll be able to take them off and it will stay sunk.
 
Fishperson said:
Once it gets waterlogged enough it will sink eventually. That may be a more feasible and aesthetically pleasing solution. Just balance stones on top so that they won't fall and eventually you'll be able to take them off and it will stay sunk.
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well the goal is not being able to see the rocks at all you wont even know they are there. the issue with wood from canada is it makes great aquarium wood however its a bit softer then your typical hardwood so it never really becomes water logged and sinks alone. I have some nice big 2" think sheet rock that will work perfect because they are totally flat like they where cut with a saw
 
CleverBs said:
that is why I am buying really large Amazon swords and things like that for the plants. a 18" tall 5" wide amazon sword isnt going to get uprooted by a 3" geophagus haha.

I had the tank about 2" from being full and it proved to much for the piece on the far left and it floated up. So I drained the tank so that I can fix it. I had screwed a hdpe cutting board to the bottom of the driftwood in hopes that the sand would hold it down so I am going to put a couple of big heavy flat rocks on it this time and cover them in sand so they dont show this should fix the problem.
Click to expand...

You'd be surprised at how persistent the little buggers can be lol. I have 3 smallish amazons, that don't seem to be transitioning so well, so I may have to bite the bullet and spend 50 bucks on this huge mother plant because my geo fry aren't growing fast enough for a trade lol. My hope was to get a nice healthy root system quick, but it may not be in the cards for these plants.
 
Gillie said:
You'd be surprised at how persistent the little buggers can be lol. I have 3 smallish amazons, that don't seem to be transitioning so well, so I may have to bite the bullet and spend 50 bucks on this huge mother plant because my geo fry aren't growing fast enough for a trade lol. My hope was to get a nice healthy root system quick, but it may not be in the cards for these plants.
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Yeah thats why I am getting mother plants lol because I know how annoying geos can be. What kind of geo fry do you have?
 
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