LittleNami
Aquarium Advice Activist
Hey everyone! Here again with my latest attempt at conquering my tank with an aquascape idea derived from some others I have seen, hopefully you guys can give me your takes on this idea and possibly good sites that might offer what I am looking for if my sites intended are not the best offers. On with the show!
Ok, here is the scheme in mind. I plan on using a near white sand from the majority of the front of the tank and trailing it back towards about back center of the tank like a winding trail. Then I will have some jagged like rocks off on the sides overtop of eco complete, a ground cover of some type will be placed near those rocks to some time cover them, leaving a nice piercing formation, with tall stalk plants to the far sides and back corners, hoping to grow out and create a jungle effect and some cover for my tetras.
As for the initial idea, sound alright? I plan to keep plant species to a minimum here since too many and I would forget what I had amidst the jungles ^^
Now for the details, your input is needed sorely here. For the jungle effect, I am thinking of using Rotala "green". I have seen it used in small tanks before and it looks very nice, but not overwhelming. I suppose I will have to worry about pruning it, but that should be simple enough. Another choice is possibly Micranthemum, either micranthemoides or umbrosum. Limnophila aromatica is also a choice for its nice little purple/pink like tipping, since all the green might be too much, but I am worried that it might conflict with the big focal point of the sandy path, although that might slowly be overcome by the ground cover. Possibly should I use more than just one jungle stem plant or just stick with one species?
The ground cover I am thinking will be Riccia fluitans since I am really keen on the pearling images I have seen with it. I thought of glosso at one time, but I don't like its larger leaf size, but I am not too big on hairgrass or moss either for its non distinct shaping, hence why I like Riccia, for being kind of middle ground. What kind of luck have you guys had with it?
Ok, onto the heavy hitting stuff now ^^ For rocks, I am thinking something with very noticeable edging, although not terribly sharp to prevent any injuries on my fish. What kind of hard, smaller sized rocks would anyone recommend?
I know that for the plants I have in mind, I will need to increase my lighting to get enough growth from them. My tank is about 18" long, so I was looking at the lights from here:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=13637&N=2004+113345
I am assuming I will have to put a glass plate down since the light would otherwise fall into the tank, but then it also raises the issue of my filter possibly being in the way. I've already mentioned possibly doing odno, but to be honest it sounds a bit more in the expert realm of electric and fiddling. Any suggestions?
I currently have 9 neon tetras in my tank and 1 yo yo loach, the latter I plan to move to my mother's 100 gal when she gets it set up, and instead getting shrimp to clean through the plants since my loach would get way too big for the small tank. I am considering Amano shrimp since I wouldn't have to worry about getting a massive bunch of fry all of a sudden, but I also noticed something on cherry shrimp. Any opinions on this species or any luck anyone has had with them?
Well, thats pretty much all for now on this little escapade. Any suggestions or help is greatly appreciated, even suggestions on sites to visit to get any plants or supplies for the tank, since everyone here has already been of so much help already ^^ You guys have no idea how often you've saved my hide and inspired me in aquascaping to this magnitude.
Hopefully at some point I will be able to finally get pictures to everyone to show how it looks as I slowly move along on this.
Ok, here is the scheme in mind. I plan on using a near white sand from the majority of the front of the tank and trailing it back towards about back center of the tank like a winding trail. Then I will have some jagged like rocks off on the sides overtop of eco complete, a ground cover of some type will be placed near those rocks to some time cover them, leaving a nice piercing formation, with tall stalk plants to the far sides and back corners, hoping to grow out and create a jungle effect and some cover for my tetras.
As for the initial idea, sound alright? I plan to keep plant species to a minimum here since too many and I would forget what I had amidst the jungles ^^
Now for the details, your input is needed sorely here. For the jungle effect, I am thinking of using Rotala "green". I have seen it used in small tanks before and it looks very nice, but not overwhelming. I suppose I will have to worry about pruning it, but that should be simple enough. Another choice is possibly Micranthemum, either micranthemoides or umbrosum. Limnophila aromatica is also a choice for its nice little purple/pink like tipping, since all the green might be too much, but I am worried that it might conflict with the big focal point of the sandy path, although that might slowly be overcome by the ground cover. Possibly should I use more than just one jungle stem plant or just stick with one species?
The ground cover I am thinking will be Riccia fluitans since I am really keen on the pearling images I have seen with it. I thought of glosso at one time, but I don't like its larger leaf size, but I am not too big on hairgrass or moss either for its non distinct shaping, hence why I like Riccia, for being kind of middle ground. What kind of luck have you guys had with it?
Ok, onto the heavy hitting stuff now ^^ For rocks, I am thinking something with very noticeable edging, although not terribly sharp to prevent any injuries on my fish. What kind of hard, smaller sized rocks would anyone recommend?
I know that for the plants I have in mind, I will need to increase my lighting to get enough growth from them. My tank is about 18" long, so I was looking at the lights from here:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=13637&N=2004+113345
I am assuming I will have to put a glass plate down since the light would otherwise fall into the tank, but then it also raises the issue of my filter possibly being in the way. I've already mentioned possibly doing odno, but to be honest it sounds a bit more in the expert realm of electric and fiddling. Any suggestions?
I currently have 9 neon tetras in my tank and 1 yo yo loach, the latter I plan to move to my mother's 100 gal when she gets it set up, and instead getting shrimp to clean through the plants since my loach would get way too big for the small tank. I am considering Amano shrimp since I wouldn't have to worry about getting a massive bunch of fry all of a sudden, but I also noticed something on cherry shrimp. Any opinions on this species or any luck anyone has had with them?
Well, thats pretty much all for now on this little escapade. Any suggestions or help is greatly appreciated, even suggestions on sites to visit to get any plants or supplies for the tank, since everyone here has already been of so much help already ^^ You guys have no idea how often you've saved my hide and inspired me in aquascaping to this magnitude.
Hopefully at some point I will be able to finally get pictures to everyone to show how it looks as I slowly move along on this.