Suggestions for a rebuild?

[trennamw]

I'm a glutton for plant advice ...

I'm moving this weekend and in the process am going to fill this tank with real plants. I'd love any thoughts you all have ...

I am keeping it low tech, low to medium light, spending about $100 at the LFS on Sunday morning, and moving the tank Sunday afternoon. Spending about 1 hour to rebuild for the sake of the fish.

Here it is today, is all its plastic loveliness ...



3 crypts ... Of the craigslistius variety ...

A very loved fake thing, with 2 anubias that aren't thriving, and 3 java fern that I don't like ...

Or real driftwood, unprepared and in a shape I don't love ...

I'd love plant and layout ideas. Tank is 29 gallon, 30" long x 18" tall x 12" wide.

My most creative thought has been angling the centerpiece across one corner and filling the other with lots of swords to balance. And scraping off the black paint on the back.

I don't want to dump the substrate because I appreciate it's colony of Malaysian trumpet snails. I'd consider mixing in fluorite or something the way the gravel is mixed in now.

I also like this a lot, in my betta tank ... I hooked "v" branches of pennywort around the heater cord and then itself. It'd work in the center of this big tank if I silicone a clear shower curtain ring to the tank ...




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[azmodan]

Regarding the pennywort you can just use plastic suction cups with hooks or clasps on them (such as the ones you can buy at Petco). I've seen people do this to hook the rhizome of anubias and Java fern so they stick to the back walls.

If you're going lowlight I'd suggest lots of different crypts. Parva up front, balansae in the back, different wenditiis scattered around, etc etc. I'm a big fan of smaller leafed Java fern carpeting driftwood too. My 29 has a big piece of driftwood covered in Java fern 'Philippine' that I love. Looks very similar to this: http://www.aqmagic.com/images/PL-FE05-01.jpg (not my pic, obviously) and does well in lowlight. And yeah, the mosses I mentioned in your other thread would also be perfect.

Any idea on the light you might get? Got a budget?

Here's a good crash course on aquascaping if you've never read it: http://www.thegreenmachineonline.co...position-the-golden-ratio-creating-perspectiv

 

[Fishperson]

Crypt Undulata is also a great option.

 

[trennamw]

Ok, with azmodian and nano Brian pressing natural wood I've been turning this piece of driftwood around and around and around ...

I like this ok but feel it's kind of big and heavy ... It's larger than the one I like and fully solid.



Or I could angle it a little with tall swords behind in the back left corner, and short plants to the right side (isosceles triangle) ...




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[trennamw]

And thanks for the suggestions and the article. I'd read it and lost it.

I'm going for something a little less perfect than an Amano tank, but not as jungly as a lot of what I've seen under Walstad. I love Tom Barr's stuff.

I was going to DIY out of some strips of 6500k LEDs that are 100 lumens per foot, for the light. With a glass lid. Probably adhering the LEDs to the bottom of an ikea lack shelf with rubber feet.

I'd like to expand outside crypts, java fern, and anubias ... Lol ... I love cabomba, and I feel like I need a dramatic high low thing going ... Carpet and stems with few rosette plants. I have 3 crypt wenditii I think, and 2 that are graceful and green to bronze. I have 2 java fern with about 4 4" leaves, 2 babies, and 1 medium. 2 anubias with 3 big leaves each. 1 Marimo I keep thinking of hacking up and tieing down ...

How would I prep the driftwood? I am a single mom packing and moving an entire 2 bedroom apartment mostly by myself this weekend ... Lol.


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[trennamw]

I'm really liking the u shape ... Forget the wood and try some rocks ... I wouldn't be surprised if I upgrade to a 55 and it seems like the more mobile (6 rocks with stuff on them). Also dramatic and covers the mechanicals. But would it work with my power head ... Hmmm ... The fish do love the current!

The tank sits very low, on an antique school desk dropped to be the height of a coffee table. And tends to be in the center of a room. My 4 year old helps and likes to sit and gaze in. As do I.


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[azmodan]

That wood looks pretty big for a 29 gal. How about some stones instead? Seiryu/ohko/mamaya/etc type stone layouts are always fun, plus you can always look for these sort of stones out in the great outdoors.

Some stems I've had success with in low tech tanks include hemianthus glomeratus, many bacopas (particularly australis and caroliniana), and hygrophila angustifolia. Many people also like water sprite and wisteria but I've never personally grown them before.

 

[Fishperson]

I agree the wood looks too big but I do think it gives a better natural effect than stone. Your choice but buying some nice, smaller driftwood at your local store would be a good option if you cant find any good stone.

 

[trennamw]

Obviously I need to go up to a 55 gal ... Lol.

I'll look at the wood and stones at the store. No time for a nature hike this week. I may wait till I go back home in September, and get manzanita and river rock from the CA mountains where I was born.

Have I heard correctly that some new rocks and wood affect water chemistry?

Also what about the substrate? Should I add a little Eco complete or other favorable stuff?

And what should I pick up besides excel? I have equilibrium, flourish tabs, and 2 liters of flourish potassium (someone gave me some with the craigslist plants).


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[azmodan]

Obviously I need to go up to a 55 gal ... Lol.

I'll look at the wood and stones at the store. No time for a nature hike this week. I may wait till I go back home in September, and get manzanita and river rock from the CA mountains where I was born.

Have I heard correctly that some new rocks and wood affect water chemistry?

Also what about the substrate? Should I add a little Eco complete or other favorable stuff?

And what should I pick up besides excel? I have equilibrium, flourish tabs, and 2 liters of flourish potassium (someone gave me some with the craigslist plants).


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A 40 gallon breeder would another good option if you're looking to upgrade -- many people prefer its footprint.

For liquid ferts I'd pick up a bottle of Seachem Flourish, Flourish Excel, and API Leafzone. Once you start with more demanding plants though eventually you'll want to make a possible switch to dry ferts, but the trio I mentioned is a solid lowtech combination of micro and macro nutrients with some carbon supplementation (Excel/glutaraldehyde).

Here's a good resource regarding adding natural decor to your tank: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/introduction-adding-decor-aquarium/

 

[Fishperson]

Have I heard correctly that some new rocks and wood affect water chemistry?

Yes. Wood leeches tannins into the water which causes the water to get softer and lowers pH. Mopani wood is SUPER full of tannins, Malaysian leeches a lot but not as much as Mopani, I'm not sure about Manzanita or how much it leeches though.

Also what about the substrate? Should I add a little Eco complete or other favorable stuff?

Eco complete is a great gravel for medium light tanks. I recommend it. It isn't necessary but seems to be helpful. As long as you have quality root tabs for your root feeders you should be fine.

And what should I pick up besides excel? I have equilibrium, flourish tabs, and 2 liters of flourish potassium (someone gave me some with the craigslist plants).

You should also choose between PPS pro, EI, or premixed fertilizers. If you go with the premixed than I would say Flourish Comprehensive and API Leaf Zone.

 

[trennamw]

You all are so awesome.

Since I was given 2 liters of flourish with ... Phosphorus I think ... Can I use it? Or will it be off balance. Just for a few weeks till I can get dry.

And will that trio of liquids work with seachem equilibrium? Or is that over doing it?

Do I need to introduce ferts gradually? I always worry about the Otos.
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[Fishperson]

You all are so awesome.

Since I was given 2 liters of flourish with ... Phosphorus I think ... Can I use it? Or will it be off balance. Just for a few weeks till I can get dry.

And will that trio of liquids work with seachem equilibrium? Or is that over doing it?

Do I need to introduce ferts gradually? I always worry about the Otos.
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I don't think you should. Dosing lots of one nutrient will just cause algae. If you see signs of phosphate deficiency (if that is indeed what the bottle is for) then yes, dose as recommended.

Oh and equilibrium, I thought, is not a fertilizer but a way to remineralize RODI water.

 

[trennamw]

So here's a thought ... Found these rocks today. They're surely cultured not natural but oh well.

The white duplos represent similar red-white streaked pebbles.



With "plants" ...



I'm now thinking low light only. Vals in back corners, tank open in the center, crypts and swords around the rocks, some mosses and crypt parva in the foreground.


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[trennamw]

Or ...

Fewer rocks, more drama with the plants.



With this one I can spend $90 on the plants. I'd probably go for a wider variety ...

Jungle vals
Echinodorus martii "ruffle sword"
Cryptocoryne spiralis
Cryptocoryne wenditii (red), I have these already
Existing crypts, green-bronze, long thin leaves, that I have (2)
Bolbitis heudelotii "african water fern"
Microsorium pteropus 'Windelov' (lace java fern)
5 small existing java fern
Flame moss front and center, if I can $$ ... might wait for later and adhere to rocks instead

So that has me purchasing 5 types of plants ... meaning I can average $18 of each species. Oh wow that's actually a lot I think ... The Wet Spot prices nicely.

I like the greater focus on the plants of this 3-rock formation yet I feel the rocks are a little undersized. It feels like using an area rug that's smaller than the couch, KWIM? But then the 5-rock formation is quite big. The trunk they're set up on is the width of the aquarium.

 

[trennamw]

I do currently use Equilibrium because my tapwater is basically distilled, and Equilibrium has a wider array of minerals than cichlid salts. But I've also seen it listed often as part of a plant feeding regimen (traces, I think?)

The big bottle of Flourish Phosphorus was given to me when I bought the plants on Craigslist. I've never opened it because it seemed like it'd invite algae.

I'm shying away from the Excel-supplemented, fertilized, medium light tank and am thinking more about the minimally dosed, low light, "natural" tank. My life is a little crazy to be dealing with daily dosing, particularly if it involves handling a toxic chemical (as I understand Excel is), early in my very rushed mornings. My 4 year old is very good so far about not touching the chemicals but it only takes once.

 

[trennamw]

Last one, taking a challenge from the scaling article and not doing a centered island ...

Rocks go triangular in 2 dimensions ... Lots of the ruffle sword exploding from the back left. Some vals on the right. Big field of moss front right. Java fern and crypts tucked in the rocks.

A little of a highly vertical plant low front left, and a little crypt low front right. Basically another of the triangles is the spread of leafy rosette plants, and the spread of vertical stem plants.



I'm going to have to decide, and glue rocks together, Saturday I think. They aren't very stable.


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[azmodan]

Have you tried the vinegar test on those rocks?

 

[Fishperson]

Sounds good!

I think that whichever layout you go with it will turn out well, although the one with 5 rocks good be too much rock.

The long thin leaved crypts are probably undulata. Do they look like the ones in the middle of my tank?:



Because those are cryptocoryne undulata.

 

[trennamw]

The rocks are from PetSmart, so I didn't test no.

And thanks for the ID Fishperson. Those are undulata in my tank.


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