Pank's Planted 55g

[pankelephant]

After many fits and starts, I've made enough progress on my tank to start keeping track of everything.

First, the plan. I had this theme going - I wanted to do something evocative of a dead/shattered volcano and the idea of new life coming back into an area of desolation. This began because I found this amazing piece of obsidian. Now that the hardscaping is done, I don't think that idea has really come through. That's fine, but it leaves me without any kind of theme. Any comments and suggestions on the hardscape are very much welcome.

The other part of the plan is easy - Tank O' Tetras.

Equipment:
Eheim 2217 filter with standard media
Aqueon Pro 300w heater
Odyssea 48" T5HO 4x54 lighting with stock bulbs
50/50 play sand & all-purpose sand
PPS-Pro (will include MgSO4 because KH & GH are both 2)
Liquid carbon (glut)
Seachem root tabs

Stock (planned):
10-ish each -
Blue tetra (Boehikea fredcochui)
Serpae tetra
Lemon tetra
Black Neon tetra
Some combination/number of -
Corydoras hastatus
C. pygmaeus
C. habrosus

Plants:



These are some I feel fairly sure I want -
Echinodorus tenellus
Crypt Parva
Lilaeopsis mauritana
Micranthemum umbrosum
Water sprite
Flame moss
Various anubias

These are some I like -
Eleocharis montevidensis
Hygrophila corymbosa
Echinodorus cordifolius
Vallisneria Spiralis
Alternanthera reineckii 'roseafolia'
Staurogyne repens


And this is where I need help. Are any of these plants particularly good or bad ideas? Are there better choices? I'm so overwhelmed with options that I'm kind of brain dead on this. I'm all ready - but no plants. Honestly, any comments that are along the lines of "go buy these" would make me very happy, lol. Help!

Also, pictures:

 

[Billbug68]

I don't really have any help to provide... But this is honestly one of the most natural looking hardscapes I've seen in a while. VERY VERY well done, I love it!

Edit: there's a guy on YouTube with an in wall 75 gallon, he had planted some blyxa japonica and just let it grow out like crazy... I think something like that would look awesome in a setup like this, really bushy around the driftwood with colorful stem plants in the background.

 

[Billbug68]

Check it out...

http://youtu.be/MjopLbkSu0A

 

[pankelephant]

I don't really have any help to provide... But this is honestly one of the most natural looking hardscapes I've seen in a while. VERY VERY well done, I love it!

Edit: there's a guy on YouTube with an in wall 75 gallon, he had planted some blyxa japonica and just let it grow out like crazy... I think something like that would look awesome in a setup like this, really bushy around the driftwood with colorful stem plants in the background.

Thank you very much! Rather predictably, I changed it. I wanted to try adding my third piece of driftwood and the single stone on the far right was bugging me. I hope I haven't ruined it!


BTW, that blyxa is amazing! Makes me think about maybe only having a few species rather than a whole list.

 

[Billbug68]

It looks even better! yeah, just my taste, but i don't really like having a ton of different plants, I mean there's a point where it has to look like there is some direction? Ya know what I mean?

BTW, where did you get your driftwood? I've been on the hunt for some branches for one of my tanks...

 

[Billbug68]

Also, keep in mind that was like 6 months of growth in a high tech tank to get the blyxa that big...

 

[pankelephant]

It looks even better! yeah, just my taste, but i don't really like having a ton of different plants, I mean there's a point where it has to look like there is some direction? Ya know what I mean?

BTW, where did you get your driftwood? I've been on the hunt for some branches for one of my tanks...

Manzanita Driftwood

I only got three because they're having a special (buy 2 get one free) and I'm so glad I did.

It took about a week to sink. The first two days I cycled really hot water. Then I just dumped it in a Sterilite tub with almost boiling water, put some plates on to keep it submerged, put the lid on and left it alone.

 

[Billbug68]

Manzanita Driftwood

I only got three because they're having a special (buy 2 get one free) and I'm so glad I did.

It took about a week to sink. The first two days I cycled really hot water. Then I just dumped it in a Sterilite tub with almost boiling water, put some plates on to keep it submerged, put the lid on and left it alone.

Cool, their prices seem reasonable and I just noticed they're in SoCal... I wonder if I could pick up and save on shipping...

 

[ASF07003]

Hey there,

Love the hard scape! Perhaps 2-4 different types of plants to complement the hard work you've already done rather than everything on your wish list. That and the schools of tetras you have planned should make everything pop.

Good luck!

 

[Billbug68]

Heck, fill it up now and it looks like a great hardscape only biotope for some angels or discus!

 

[pankelephant]

Hey there,

Love the hard scape! Perhaps 2-4 different types of plants to complement the hard work you've already done rather than everything on your wish list. That and the schools of tetras you have planned should make everything pop.

Good luck!

Thank you! I think I'm coming to that as well. Now I just have to narrow down my list. I'm thinking to stick with bright green plants; you're right about the colors with the tetras.

Heck, fill it up now and it looks like a great hardscape only biotope for some angels or discus!

I've already ordered the ferts - no turning back! Honestly, I can't keep any plants alive above water, so I'm trying my hand at below. I'll take any kind of green thumb I can get ... even if it's wet.

 

[somecallmedaniel16]

Awesome scape! The mixture of driftwood and lots of stones looks great. I think some anubias on your driftwood/stones would be a good idea, and then lining the back with a row of corkscrew vals would look really great! You could plant some shorter bunch plants throughout the mid- and foreground as well. I think Billbug's suggestions would also work really well. I think having 5+ kinds of plants could easily make the tank look too busy, but that's just my opinion.

 

[jpmurphy]

I've already ordered the ferts - no turning back! Honestly, I can't keep any plants alive above water, so I'm trying my hand at below. I'll take any kind of green thumb I can get ... even if it's wet.

Haha, we're in the same headspace! Best of luck (not that you'll need it)

 

[pankelephant]

I've narrowed my plant list to the following:

Heteranthera zosterifolia (Stargrass)
Vallisneria asiatica (or torta? or americana var. biwaensis? Too many names. I'm looking for the twisty one that won't grow out of the tank.)
Echinodorus bleheri 'compacta' (Amazon sword 'compacta')
Hemianthus micranthemoides (Baby tears)
Anubias barteria var. nana petite (Anubias nana 'petite')
Taxiphyllum sp. Flame Moss

I'm stuck on two things - one, which val is which? And if they're frequently mis-identified, where's the best place to go to get the one I want? Two, I cannot seem to find anyone selling the sword. Any ideas? Or should I just ditch it and go with Cryptocoryne wendtii 'green'? Or something else?

Any thoughts would be welcome.

 

[Billbug68]

Are talking about corkscrew Val? Or what's rereferred to as dwarf Val? Check the for sale section of TPT. You can pm the users and make sure it's the right plant you want.

Edit: or shoot jetajockey a pm.

 

[Fresh2o]

Nice scape! Will you be placing small sections of flame moss on the manzanita branches? I like that look.

 

[pankelephant]

Are talking about corkscrew Val? Or what's rereferred to as dwarf Val? Check the for sale section of TPT. You can pm the users and make sure it's the right plant you want.

Edit: or shoot jetajockey a pm.

It looks like corkscrew, but isn't as tall. That said, I'm having trouble figuring out what I need at this point. I'm thought star grass as background, baby tears as mid ground and the Anubias petite in the front. For fillers in between, I was thinking the smaller Amazon sword (which I can't find anywhere) and the val. But now I'm thinking the val won't really look right - its shape is too different from the others. Maybe another kind of sword? I dunno. Maybe I need to start fresh with a list.

I did look at Peabody's, but he didn't have a whole lot of what I'm looking for.

Nice scape! Will you be placing small sections of flame moss on the manzanita branches? I like that look.

Thanks! Yes, the flame moss will be all on the manzanita. I like the look as well. And it's by far favorite moss.

 

[Billbug68]

Maybe use some crypt wendtii, maybe red or bronze for the mid ground? They look amazing when they really fill in.

Or like I said the blyxa... Haha

 

[Billbug68]

Btw, google vallsineria tortifolia. I think this may be the one you're looking for... Says it stays small.

 

[PC1]

I like the way you set it up. Great job! Be sure to send me a pic when its all done