Aquascaping - Ideas

[dclark]

So I'm about to set up a new 180l tank and looking for some ideas on how best to design a planted aquarium.

I've been looking for ideas on The Green Machine website But naturally these guys excel in this field. I have guppies, panda corys, and thinking of getting some neon tetras, zebra danios, shrimp, and maybe a red tailed black shark or fighter fish. Haven't quite decided yet.

Either way I'm thinking some form of rock mountain with a tunnel, perhaps a cave, and well planted with a mixture of synthetic long plants, real plants, and some moss balls.

Really looking for some placement ideas but wondered what other people take for inspiration when designing their tanks?

 

[aqua_chem]

I browse the journals on Plantedtank.net for ideas sometimes, or think of a particular plant that I want to include and see what comes up on google image search. There are some really nice plants out there that no one ever sees state-side because the webpages where they are posted are in dutch or something of the sort.

Also

well planted with a mixture of synthetic long plants, real plants, and some moss balls

Don't do that. It will look silly. That's like putting a freshman art student's painting next to a Picasso.

 

[dclark]

So here's my new tank set up.

It's 90x30x40 so about 108L, and I've put in a fluval u4 (internal) filter, and 24inch 18w lights.

The fish include 7 guppies (4x female, 3x male), 6x harlequins, and 3x yomato shrimp (I really want red cherry shrimp but can't find any in the LFS).

I'd like to put in more fish but can't decide whether to mix further or go for more of the same type. The guppies will of course breed and I'll no doubt soon have more. Thinking I'll move 4x panda Corey's in, but I'd quite like to add possible some neon tetras or endless tetras and one show fish like a Siamese fighter or red tail black shark.

Anyone got some ideas?

The tank is planted mostly with real plants but I do have one plastic (the large plant in the picture). Hoping the other plants will grow/spread.

 

[Rivercats]

Nice scaping, I especially like the rockwork. As for stocking, I always used to keep a betta in my tanks, but then I always lucked out and got the really laid back guys. If you have a second tank he could be moved to you could always try one out and see if he's an easy going guy or a nipper. He will eat the guppy fry. A Redtail shark would occupy more of the lower areas of the tank and give you more movement there and would stand out quite well against your rockwork and gravel. They only get to about 10cm so the size would work with your tank. Neons would give a good flash of color and you could add a small school. I almost think I like the idea of a shark, it would give a nice contrast in size and color to any color guppy. The one thing I would do is add an area of thicker plants (real or not) to give guppy fry a place to hide that is too tight for adult fish to be able to get in and eat them.

 

[dclark]

Nice scaping, I especially like the rockwork. As for stocking, I always used to keep a betta in my tanks, but then I always lucked out and got the really laid back guys. If you have a second tank he could be moved to you could always try one out and see if he's an easy going guy or a nipper. He will eat the guppy fry. A Redtail shark would occupy more of the lower areas of the tank and give you more movement there and would stand out quite well against your rockwork and gravel. They only get to about 10cm so the size would work with your tank. Neons would give a good flash of color and you could add a small school. I almost think I like the idea of a shark, it would give a nice contrast in size and color to any color guppy. The one thing I would do is add an area of thicker plants (real or not) to give guppy fry a place to hide that is too tight for adult fish to be able to get in and eat them.

Thanks, although not quite what I was aiming for, I'd like to get some driftwood and make it more like a British aqua scape. Im hoping the fry could hide the cave or tunnel I've created but do appreciate the point of having thicker plants, I'm hoping what I have now will get bushier as they grow, otherwise will definitely invest in some more; thinking I might get some moss balls.

I do have another smaller tank (fluval edge 23L) so good suggesting about the siamese. I think I might try that and if he gets aggressive I'll move to the fluval edge and replace with the shark.

Here's some additional close ups:

 

[Rivercats]

I'm a big DW fan! I just think it adds such visual interest and texture to a tank. I have two llarge pieces in my 833L tank. Then if you wanted you could add some Java fern or moss to it or go with some Anubia. Don't know what your LFS carries but I know in Europe there is such a larger selection of plants than here in the states. You'll have to post more pictures if you put any DW in. I went with a slightly modified Dutch Style for my tank but I really like seeing what other people design. For me seeing other tanks can give me ideas of improvements I might want to do on mine. Good luck!