How do I get started?

[Barliman]

Good to know! I don't mind slow growing. I want to watch it grow like my fish. Weird?

We're fishkeepers. We're by definition weird.

Our fish are weirder.

I want moss but I want to do this, and I don't know what all of that is? Just driftwood to make it look like a tree?View attachment 295929

Driftwood, or an ornament you buy at fish store. What people do is glue the moss to the "branches" with a bit of super glue gel. I think there are some videos on Youtube demonstrating this.

 

[Reykur]

There are a lot of vids about it, I was going to try doing this in my next tank as well, so keep me posted about how it goes!
I don't think it was weird, to me that's part of the fun of keeping anything living, be it plant, fish or whatevs.

 

[megi-lin]

We're fishkeepers. We're by definition weird.

Our fish are weirder.



Driftwood, or an ornament you buy at fish store. What people do is glue the moss to the "branches" with a bit of super glue gel. I think there are some videos on Youtube demonstrating this.

Lol!
Okay, I'll look something up.
I am thinking about adding platies and ghost shrimp to my tank with the cories and guppies. What do you think? Well rounded?

 

[megi-lin]

There are a lot of vids about it, I was going to try doing this in my next tank as well, so keep me posted about how it goes!
I don't think it was weird, to me that's part of the fun of keeping anything living, be it plant, fish or whatevs.

I had a mystery snail for just about 3 years. He was probably 3 when he died. I had him from a baby and watched him grow up to be a big ol' boy. I grew attached, quite attached. He's been gone about a month and a half now. But I miss him. He was so much fun and entertainment. His name was Gary. I hear a lot of people who lose snails early. So I was and still am proud of keeping him alive for SO long.

 

[Reykur]

I've never had a mystery snail, but I think they're a beautiful species with a lot of awesome variety. I'm sorry to hear about Gary, it's never fun having a pet pass after having them for so long.

I considered ghost shrimp, but after reading so many people say that packs of ghost shrimp will take down fish, I started looking at amano (yamato, or japonica) shrimp. I don't like that they're more often then not wild shrimp, due to the difficulty in breeding them, but they are a larger variety of shrimp that will tackle algae and detritus voraciously. Whichever you choose, make sure you have some good hiding spots for them, being near larger fish will stress shrimp out, prompting them to hide as a natural reaction. A quick word about the amano shrimp, they will eat dying and dead plant matter, some people say they have eaten whole plants, but I would say that is due to not allowing the plants enough time to bounce back after being introduced to the aquarium, or they had unhealthy plants and didn't realize. So if you do get that kind, just let your plants mature for a month or 2 first or until they have steady new growth.

 

[Bert2oo1]

Good to know! I don't mind slow growing. I want to watch it grow like my fish. Weird?

I want moss but I want to do this, and I don't know what all of that is? Just driftwood to make it look like a tree?View attachment 295929

I used this exact scape as my inspiration for my first planted tank. It went horribly wrong. Haha.

The moss used for the trees is called "weeping moss" or you can use willow moss.

Best driftwood to use for trees is bonsai wood.

I think the small bushy plants are fisseden (not sure on spelling)

The grass is most likely dwarf hair grass but that requires co2 and high light.

You can also use normal driftwood and a filter sponge for the tree. Just super glue the moss to the filter pad.

 

[Reykur]

I've never heard of using bonsai wood but my eyes got gems in them as soon as I read that. >

 

[megi-lin]

I've never had a mystery snail, but I think they're a beautiful species with a lot of awesome variety. I'm sorry to hear about Gary, it's never fun having a pet pass after having them for so long.

I considered ghost shrimp, but after reading so many people say that packs of ghost shrimp will take down fish, I started looking at amano (yamato, or japonica) shrimp. I don't like that they're more often then not wild shrimp, due to the difficulty in breeding them, but they are a larger variety of shrimp that will tackle algae and detritus voraciously. Whichever you choose, make sure you have some good hiding spots for them, being near larger fish will stress shrimp out, prompting them to hide as a natural reaction. A quick word about the amano shrimp, they will eat dying and dead plant matter, some people say they have eaten whole plants, but I would say that is due to not allowing the plants enough time to bounce back after being introduced to the aquarium, or they had unhealthy plants and didn't realize. So if you do get that kind, just let your plants mature for a month or 2 first or until they have steady new growth.

Will do! I am eager for my fish store to relocate so I can get started. They don't have anything in their current store as they rehome. :/

I used this exact scape as my inspiration for my first planted tank. It went horribly wrong. Haha.

The moss used for the trees is called "weeping moss" or you can use willow moss.

Best driftwood to use for trees is bonsai wood.

I think the small bushy plants are fisseden (not sure on spelling)

The grass is most likely dwarf hair grass but that requires co2 and high light.

You can also use normal driftwood and a filter sponge for the tree. Just super glue the moss to the filter pad.

Thank you! I'll have to ask for that at the store. I need a moss tree in my life. And more importantly, my fish need it in THEIR lives. Hehehe.

I've never heard of using bonsai wood but my eyes got gems in them as soon as I read that. >

I know!