Totally lost with my scape' need some serious direction!

[Ezzie]

Hey guys, I figured that since I'm totally stuck with my 9 gallons scape to the point im considering scrapping the whole tank. I would ask some pros to help me in the right direction.

The tank is the fluval EBI with no modifications or addons, I'm using the stock light and so far don't have a problem with low to medium plants. I am adding a second one of these lights towards the end of the month. I have no co2 and I don't really feel ready to give that a go yet.

The tank first started in February of this year with some random plants splattered together with an unfitting driftwood piece.
Guppies had babies and I decided to rescape the tank.

Second was a reduction in plants and adding this massive chunky driftwood. My god was that even worse, if left no room for anything else, ruined the ph, re- started my cycle and I gave my guppies away.

Third go the massive driftwood was removed, the 3d backing was removed that came with the tank, added some more substrate and added some smaller branchy kinds of driftwood to try and give it a "root" kind of look, ended up STILL not liking it.

I bought some more random driftwoods again, and rescaped it for the 4th time within 2 months. And I hate it..

I'm so totally lost as to where I should be going / where to place things.
I'm also lost with plant species that would be good, so far I think I have spent well over $150 on decorations and I keep changing my mind!

I attached some photos from the second to the most recent scape (I since have a new phone so no photos of the first one) I still have ALL the pieces of driftwood avaliable...

Also a note: I'm not bothering with fish until I decide what I like and get the thing cycled again. I'm going to add ONE blue ram cichlid and a mystery snail so I'm looking for a scape that suits the amazon / root theme..

 

[Ezzie]

Third scape..

 

[Ezzie]

Most recent scape, set up yesterday..

 

[Rodeo one]

IDK....I kinda liked all of them ? What was your original vision?

 

[Ezzie]

I would love something that looks like tree roots with some basic plants, kinda like what you would see on the eroded bank of a river however I have struggled to find driftwood that suits my needs which is why I thought going with the gold vine twiggy looks but i couldn't get it to look correct...

 

[Rodeo one]

I looked at the second pic again. For the look you want, try placing the DW ,that s now pointing up on the right, between the one on the left kinda in the middle of it. To me, both should be pointed downward.

 

[Rodeo one]

Oh geez, it s been a lonnngg day! I meant put the one on the left in between the one on the right pointed down

 

[Ezzie]

I'm going to purchase some more plants within this week and rescape it (again...) with the branchy driftwoods and see what I can pull off.. Does anyone have any suggestions with a good not so over the top background plant? I was thinking those long thin tall plants (god forbid I can't remember the name!)

 

[Oohitsae]

Vallisneria?


I really love your 3rd scape! I would have stuck with that, added some dwarf saggitaria (or Pygmy chain sword) in the front open space, then put a couple of bushier stem plants like Myrio in there to give it a bit more height and interest. Vallisneria would be a great background plant, I'd go with corkscrew since it'll add some more interest, but there are a ton of different types to choose from.
I'd also just stick with a plain black background rather than the 3D one

Your most recent scape looks really nice too. I'd just add some type of carpet plant to where you are empty, or a few stones, and call it a day

 

[Oohitsae]

Oh and if you aren't ever going to use that piece I see in the 1st pic again and are willing to let it go, PM me!

 

[Ezzie]

Yes Vallisneria!

I really find that in my area my LFS have such a really really limited selection of plants. They hardly ever sell anything that I've seen people use on their own scapes..

Once I get a second light I would LOVE to have some dwarf baby tears! I adore the look of it carpeted but with the light I currently have its not possible!

When adding moss to driftwood, do you just tie it with some thread and it will grow along the wood or will it just grow into a bushy part in that one section, I would love to grow it along the length of some of the branch sections but not entirely sure how that will work!

Thanks for the input guys, really means alot when someone gives there own opinions!

Also, where abouts are you? I had plans for it eventually when I do up my betta fish tank however it's just too chunky for a nano tank..

 

[Wiggles24]

I agree, I really like the 3rd scape!

 

[Ezzie]

I saw a scape once someone did where they used foam and cement and made it really look like the bank of an eroded river ( cannot find it for the life of me!) and I was wondering if I could do the same with my 3D background, somehow manage to stick the ends of the branches into it and glue it in so it kinds sticks out from the back instead of sitting straight in the water. Just an idea..

 

[Zimmanski]

I actually really liked the first pic, but I would have hacksawed the DW so the lid would fit, and I also agree that the 3d background should be taken out. The 3d background takes space away from your ability to create a unique scape and takes space away from the tank volume. It's really ease to remove too, it peels right off and a razor blade will easily remove the silicon behind it. One other thing, I wouldn't blow off the light that came with the tank, its not the best but it can actually grow carpeting plants, its growing DBT really well in mine, but I have a good fert regimen and a little co2.

 

[Ezzie]

Wow that's great! I had DBT at one stage but scrapped it because I didn't feel confident growing them! Ill certainly look into it again!

I think I have a little idea of what to do, but your tank certainly puts mine to shame! Ha!

 

[Toon.inc]

Is that black soil in the bottom?

 

[Ezzie]

It's a mix between fine gravel and fluval shrimp stratum it says not to mix it but I don't see the harm, gives the plants something to hold onto a bit more i think!

 

[bthomas]

I really like the 3rd scape. I think the smaller thinner branches fit with your tank much better than the huge chunk of dw. They look like vines in the middle of a jungle with all those plants. Good luck! I think we're all a little over critical of our own tanks thats why we "rearrange"