Hunt for the right elements

[LittleNami]

And once more I pop in here in my quest to do some aquascaping. Currently I have a low light tank, the 12 gal that I have talked of often, that is holding plants to be grown a little bigger for my mother's 55 gal tank. However, once those plants are removed, I want to create a specific aquascape. The first and second picture are examples of the layout I am looking for, but there are a few things I am not sure of.

1. I like the hard rock features of the picture labeled Layout, what kind of rocks would I have to use to create those angular edges?

2. I plan on opening up the middle a little more and creating a kind of pathway of sand that leads from to back, like what the picture labeled Path is planning on doing, but without the rock in the way. But what kind of sand exactly is that? Can I just easily come across it at the common lfs? So far I haven't seen it around.

3. Since the tank is small, only 12 gal, I plan on making it a dramatic scale difference from small groundcover in front to tall and lush growth on either side. The ground cover I am pretty sure I know what I am going with Riccia fluitans, Glossostigma, or Hemianthus Callitrichoides. In the 3 pictures labeled Ground Cover, is that what any of those plants are used for the ground cover? I want to make sure I am getting a realistic view of what it will grow to be like? Also, because it is a small tank, what should I do for a side growth? I can't identify what the plant is used in either of the 2 first tanks, but I also am thinking that I want the fish to be able to swim comfortably through it (neon tetras). Would that lush of a growth prevent them from doing so?

4. I notice in a lot of professional aquascapes, there seems to be a ripple at the surface often, created from some type of a dripping mechanism. What exactly is that thing?

Edit: Might be better to click on the picture and see it a little less pixelated like that ><

 

[czcz]

3) 1 is Cladorpha algae, 2 looks like Glosso but may be something else and 3 is Riccia behind what looks like M. umbrosum but may be HC or HM. Linking the source of larger pics will make them easier to ID, though others here can probably do it

Neons won't likely swim through a carpet unless they're poking around for food. They'll probably swim through your stems and taller growth though. Dense growth provides lots of shelter, and such a small fish will find lots of places to swim between plants.

4) Fan or a blow dryer.

 

[Purrbox]

I recognize some of these pictures as being from AGA. If that's the case you should look at the desc of the tank as they list the types of plants used in their tanks and often will list the type of subtrate used and other similar details.

One sand that you can use in an aquarium is Pool Filter Sand, I have no idea if this is what was used in the pic you aking about however.

 

[LittleNami]

AGA! Of course! I had forgotten where I had found these pictures. Thank you for reminding me of that Purrbox, it will help me identify plants and algae cleaners they used in such small tanks. I must say that site is so wonderful, not only to prvide such a source of great aquascapes, but that each tank creator would provide all the details to create such a nice scape ^^