Freshwater Aquascape Designs??

[Chippy2006]

My fiancée recently bought me, knowing that I have always wanted a nice tank, a 60 gallon eclipse retrofit acrylic tank. We were so excited to get it up and going. We have it going and fish are in! It is very nice, but it looks bare... I pondered the idea of a shipwreck theme, but was discouraged because I have heard a lot of people that set it up and were unhappy about the ship: rest of tank ratio. Me, having OCD myself, now think it is probably a bad idea for me as well haha. I also bought a few plants, but thought maybe I should figure out a plan before I actually plant them. My dimensions are 12x48x24. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas or suggestions?

 

[thursyanna]

I searched for aquarium setups before I did my scaping. That might help you decide what to put in and where to put it. I would definitely put some tall plants in the back to give it some definition. Here's mine but it looks kind of messy to me with all the plants and rocks in there.

 

[Convict2161]

I can offer up some ideas, opinions but I will stress this. It's your tank and only you have to be happy with it no one else. With that said...

A background would be really nice. It would hide all Thais wires, filters and wall. It will give the tank a whole new look. Choose anything that makes you happy. Black is popular and blue also. Another idea is get those disposable cutting mats they sell at say bed bath and beyond and use that. The white frosted one gives the tank a really nice look.

Maybe some nice taller rocks in the corners and then smaller rocks to the front leaving the center open for a nice piece of driftwood. Google images of other people's tanks to get your motor of thought going. Check out YouTube and members tanks right here!!

Aqua scaping is an art, there's no right or wrong. It what you like.

Here's my 75 gallon African cichlid tank

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/members/46421-albums11717.html

Here's my new planted tank

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/members/46421-albums12003.html

 

[Chippy2006]

I have been looking around for a while now, but can't seem to find quite what I'm looking for. If you don't mind me asking did you make that rock background yourself? Because I have been looking for something like that with the ledges and such. With my tank being tall I was looking for an elevated surface of some sort to give it different levels. Maybe I am just looking in all the wrong places ha.

 

[Convict2161]

These videos always get me. Not only the scape but what he says.

http://youtu.be/OZ0WBDcEWZE


http://youtu.be/nCMe-bu4-tk


http://youtu.be/JIyK0wgaqsI


http://youtu.be/BpIk_igQR9c

If you have time I think you'll enjoy these along with his other videos.

 

[thursyanna]

I have been looking around for a while now, but can't seem to find quite what I'm looking for. If you don't mind me asking did you make that rock background yourself? Because I have been looking for something like that with the ledges and such. With my tank being tall I was looking for an elevated surface of some sort to give it different levels. Maybe I am just looking in all the wrong places ha.

Thanks. I made it with syrofoam and Quikrete. There are lots of videos on Youtube about different ways to do it. I posted some pictures on my profile of my process. Plus, someone on here has an article on how they did theirs. I think if you search for 3D Backgrounds you fill find plenty of ideas. It was pretty easy and a lot cheaper than buying one. I spent $50 total, including a syrofoam cutter and silicone. My fish seem to love all the places to explore and hide. If you have any questions on it, just ask. I'll answer everything I can.

 

[giffmastaflex]

How did you get it to stay in the tank? How heavy is the background and I was thinking of putting a sand waterfall in it as well

 

[thursyanna]

How did you get it to stay in the tank? How heavy is the background and I was thinking of putting a sand waterfall in it as well

I used GE Silicone I to "paste" it to the tank. Plus the Quikrete makes it a little heavier. That helps. Don't be stingy with the silicone. I used 3 tubes and probably should have used part of a 4th tube as well.
I wish I would have made a sandfall in my tank. I've been researching them and still might build one and add it to the tank. If I do, I'll put it where the air stone is. Right in the center. That way it'll still cover up the silicone I used when I put my 2 pieces of wall together in the tank.

 

[giffmastaflex]

How did you put the concrete on the foam? Just pour it?

 

[MMantelli]

How did you put the concrete on the foam? Just pour it?

Brush it on I've also made one

 

[giffmastaflex]

Is there away to make it a different color? Like different depth? And has anyone thought of doing a sand river? That is slightly slanted to the sand just continues to go down the path? Would the suction tube work if it was sideways?

 

[thursyanna]

How did you put the concrete on the foam? Just pour it?

I bought some cheap paint brushes and brushed it on. The first coat is thin like thin pancake batter. Let it dry for 24 hours. The second coat should be a little thicker, like normal pancake batter. That's when you put the cement stain in if you want it a certain color. Let the 2nd coat dry for 24 hours also. Then I mixed up some more thin quikrete and brushed it on in different spots just for a little definition. After another 24 hrs I took it outside and hosed it off to get the loose stuff and the dust off. Then I let the whole thing dry for 3 days just to make sure it was really dried good. Then I put silicone all over the bottom and the back and pasted it inside the aquarium. I laid it on it's back so that there would be some pressure against the silicone. I let that dry for a couple of days before I put water in the tank. I had to empty and fill the tank several times to get everything clean. Then I cycled the tank.

 

[MMantelli]

Quickrete makes coloring for it

 

[clearancepuppy]

Butterfly koi has an awesome project somewhere on here she did. I would love to do one as well ( watching you guys go first lol).

 

[giffmastaflex]

I really don't want to silicone it to the side, I might do something like a heavy duty magnet and have one on the outside the other on the inside attached to the background, might put felt on both sides as to not scratch the glass too