20g Freshly Scaped

[Crepe]

Well, due to popular demand I present you my latest and last scape[at least until winter or spring rolls around].

The tank is 20gallons. Questions and comments are welcome.
The picture is a tad shoddy, camera was out of batteries so I rushed it. That middle most stick is pointed way too high...it just won't not float. (rubber banded to a rock atm). I'm also getting some anubias barteri petite to fill in some spaces on the right. The left most corner is kinda blah right now. Gonna figure out something to fill it with. Suggestions? (Thinking about getting a nice bunch of D. Diandra.

 

[Aquarium1]

nice! love the sand river those tetras look good too.

 

[mellowyellow]

Your tank looks great. Yesterday I added 6 neons and three fancy guppies to my 20g freshwater tank. My LFS didn't have any in her store so, off to Petco I went. I really wanted to put some stock in the tank so that my parameters keep working. Eventually I'll add some live plants to the tank, too. Right now I have all artificial. I'm wondering if live plants in the substrate make it more difficult to vacuum. What do you think?

 

[kobrinfamily]

The Fish are very preatty!!

 

[Crepe]

Your tank looks great. Yesterday I added 6 neons and three fancy guppies to my 20g freshwater tank. My LFS didn't have any in her store so, off to Petco I went. I really wanted to put some stock in the tank so that my parameters keep working. Eventually I'll add some live plants to the tank, too. Right now I have all artificial. I'm wondering if live plants in the substrate make it more difficult to vacuum. What do you think?

I don't gravel vac anymore. When you first plant try to avoid putting the vacuum near the plants as they haven't rooted yet. But when they do you can just waggle the tube around amongst the plant to remove any dead leaves and mulm that's built up on the leaves. The mulm and junk will become plant food. Red cherry shrimp are great for cleaning a lot of excess crap off of leaves.

 

[mellowyellow]

Thanks. What do you mean you don't vac any more? Is there another way that's easier? If so, let me in on the secret.

 

[Aquarium1]

I'm gonna assume he means he doesn't put the vacuum into the substrate. Just siphons out the water and adds it back to control the nutrients.

 

[logansmomma1228]

how do you have the substrates seperated like that? do you have some kind of plastic divider or something? very nice!

 

[Crepe]

Yep he's right. I use a turkey baster and blast water over everything to get rid of the collected crap and then just drain 50% of the water and add it back. It's just to keep nitrates at a reasonable level and to keep up the EI regimen.

edit:
The substrate was separated with an index card and then I just added the sand and removed the card. I repeated all the way down. I'm thinking of replacing the sand with something like HC or glosso but I'm broke at the moment.

 

[mommytron]

looks awesome. lovin the sand as well