Artesia's 60 Gallon Goldfish Tank Redecoration Journal

[ArtesiaWells]

UPDATE:

Though I'm working on pictures, just today I took the opportunity during a 50% water change to do some experimenting with the decor already in the tank...I moved the bridge ornament to the very center, sloped the gravel up towards the back so the sides and rear corners appear higher and moved the Asian gazebo piece and Bonsai tree to the direct left and direct right of the bridge in the middle...

I thought I liked it, but it just didn't work; even my wife noticed the changes to the 'scape without me even telling her about it...she couldn't stand the gazebo right up against the bridge or the Bonsai tree right up against the bridge as well, and just thought the little "garden" we made out of the cut up pieces of plant mat looked stupid where I rearranged it, coming off the gazebo and meandering now to the right of the tank...

Indeed, the whole thing looks sloppy and off; I don't know what to do to fix this decorating/theming situation...in a little while, I am going to attempt to get back in the tank and move the bridge back to the "off left" position it was in before, on an angle, while moving the gazebo back to the right side of the tank with the "garden" coming out of it and going to the left, towards the center of the aquarium...the Bonsai tree I am going to try and get back to the left side of the bridge, kind of "shading" it with its far-reaching branches, but I don't know what to do outside of these tasks...this whole "Zen" thing doesn't seem to be working in my opinion, but she just doesn't want to give up on it...

Also -- another thing that concerned me was the fact that now that I saw the bridge in the center of the tank, I am not so sure that the idea I had to place the castle pieces to either side of it, so it looks like the bridge is "connecting" them, is going to work, either; the bridge seems "strange" as a dead-spot centerpiece, looking better on an angle I think, but I don't know how to make it come together beyond that...

I would appreciate anyone's input at this point, even if you have to make suggestions based on the fact that there's no images at this very moment to describe what I'm talking about; it was one of our members with "Kim" in her name who suggested to me in another thread that the bridge off to the left of the tank on a "side angle" looked good because it drew the eye towards the length of the aquarium...I think I totally see her point now...

Would anyone agree that the bridge should NOT be in the VERY center of the tank with two pieces on either side of it? If I keep the bridge on the left and the gazebo on the right, what should go in the middle?

Any input from anyone at this point would be greatly appreciated; thank you...

 

[ArtesiaWells]

UPDATE:

Okay, put everything back to the way it pretty much was before...that is, the bridge off to the left with the Bonsai tree to the left of it, the gazebo off to the right, fixed the taller plants so that they were genuinely in the upper back corners...I still don't know if I like this design; I mean, the tank looks so "naked" and "cold" and doesn't really have a "theme" at all as far as I can tell...

Can anyone lend some insight here? Would it be easier to envision if I supplied actual updated pics?

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Also -- this tank received TWO water changes today...a 50% this morning and then removal and replacement of 15 gallons later this evening when I repositioned all the decor...was this okay?

Is there such thing as water being "too clean"?

 

[ArtesiaWells]

In continuing to think about the "shipwreck" retheming, if we continue to not be able to pull this Zen/Asian thing off, here are the ships I think it's come down to in terms of a centerpiece decoration ornament (I believe they're all made by Penn-Plax, who seems to be the only name, outside of Petsmart's own Top Fin and such, still doing quality resin decorations):

The "Galleon" Two-Piece:

The "PIRATE TREASURE SHIP" with the gold coins spilling out, also sold in two pieces:

The "SUNKEN GARDENS SHIPWRECK" which I had discussed with Kim in our membership roster here, also sold in two pieces and which comes with silk plants attached:

Then, of course, there's the "STRIPED SAILS PIRATE SHIP" also sold in two pieces and which I have seen in pictures in people's tanks:

Here are my thoughts regarding these: I am leaning towards the "Pirate Treasure Ship" because I think the gold coin pieces spilling from it would look cool against my natural-colored gravel and perhaps a dark background on the tank...

I don't know if I am digging the "Sunken Gardens Shipwreck" even though it comes with some plants already attached because it's hard to make out that this is even a ship of some kind when you first look at it -- it's almost as if the detail is "obscured" or "confusing"...

I like the giant striped sail ship and though this is definitely the "cheesiest" one, there's something about it that seems like it would just make sense -- maybe it's the sheer size of it and that I can picture it taking up a great deal of room in our tank so it would be a real centerpiece...plus, as I stated, I have seen images of this particular ship in people's setups...

Here's something else I have been contemplating: What if I utilized that "tree stump" decoration piece that I removed from the tank when I thought we were going with the "natural" theme and somehow incorporated it into the shipwreck setup? Perhaps place the stump in the middle, with the two pieces of broken ship off to its sides, like an underwater stump had "grown" between the shipwreck? What are your thoughts?

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Hi
I personally like the shipwreck idea better, especially if you get blue LED lights, and you can get some type of moss, like x-mas moss to grow on the shipwrecks, it will look pretty cool!
The thing is, you already invested some money on the Asian decorations, so I don't know if you want to give everything you already have to get the shipwreck, I don't know

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Hi
I personally like the shipwreck idea better, especially if you get blue LED lights, and you can get some type of moss, like x-mas moss to grow on the shipwrecks, it will look pretty cool!
The thing is, you already invested some money on the Asian decorations, so I don't know if you want to give everything you already have to get the shipwreck, I don't know

Hi Loach!

Thanks fo much for chipping in and giving me some feedback; by the way -- how are your own tanks doing? Is the Moor still changing colors?

With regard to your suggestion of doing the blue LED lights -- do you mean to kind of have the LEDs INSIDE the shipwreck (I've seen this done on someone's shipwreck piece on YouTube...VERY cool)? Or do you mean the blue LEDs that come in the Marineland "double bright" hood packages and strip lights?

You like the shipwreck theme better than...what -- the castles or the Asian thing?

 

[ArtesiaWells]

HERE'S that guy's galleon ship in his tank with the changing LEDs inside; WICKED cool. Tell me what you think:

Shipwreck Aquarium - YouTube

Do you see this being able to be pulled off in my 60 gallon? I don't even know if he ever put fish in the tank (according to his video text, there were none in there as of this video...)...but the tank IMO looks awesome...

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Well, I like it better than both, and I mean by the blue hood lights, to make your whole aquarium blue
My moor died he jumped out of the water, and when I came back, it was too late

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Well, I like it better than both, and I mean by the blue hood lights, to make your whole aquarium blue

Gotcha...

My moor died he jumped out of the water, and when I came back, it was too late

WHAT??!! I didn't know about this -- did you post about it in your other thread? I'm so sorry! I know you really liked him; what happened, though? You didn't have a cover on the tank?

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Gotcha...

WHAT??!! I didn't know about this -- did you post about it in your other thread? I'm so sorry! I know you really liked him; what happened, though? You didn't have a cover on the tank?

Well, I was changing the water of the entire tank tank, so I put my fish in shallow boxes while I changed the water, I told my mother to watch over them, but she didn't really do a good job, I was cleaning out the tank, and when I came back, bam, there he was, I put him back in the water, but he didn't come back

 

[Alyxx]

HERE'S that guy's galleon ship in his tank with the changing LEDs inside; WICKED cool. Tell me what you think:

Shipwreck Aquarium - YouTube

Do you see this being able to be pulled off in my 60 gallon? I don't even know if he ever put fish in the tank (according to his video text, there were none in there as of this video...)...but the tank IMO looks awesome...

That does look awesome. That's the kind of shipwreck piece I like, it looks old, rotted, and really wrecked, not like a perfect ship magically transported underwater. The lights are really cool, too.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Well, I was changing the water of the entire tank tank, so I put my fish in shallow boxes while I changed the water, I told my mother to watch over them, but she didn't really do a good job, I was cleaning out the tank, and when I came back, bam, there he was, I put him back in the water, but he didn't come back

Oh, brother......

I'm sorry dude...I know what it's like to lose a valued member of our pet family; do you have any plans on getting another Moor?

Funny thing that just happened tonight that you might be able to relate to, given your current situation -- I too was changing some of the water so that my Moor could have fresh, clean conditions based on the fact that yet another "lump" is forming under her scales for some unknown reason, and all of a sudden, she swam up into my Aqueon syphon tube and I was like "NO!!! NO!!!" and she was stuck to the end of it where the water is squeezed into the tube before it goes through into the bucket end...I had to yank the tube out of the water and let her crash back into the tank to remove her....she seems okay, but I was like "You dingy fish!!"

 

[ArtesiaWells]

That does look awesome. That's the kind of shipwreck piece I like, it looks old, rotted, and really wrecked, not like a perfect ship magically transported underwater. The lights are really cool, too.

Hey, Al -- thanks for the input!

So, you prefer this over the Penn-Plax red-and-white striped sail two-piece ship? What about as compared to the "Pirate Treasure Ship" in which the gold coins are spilling out of the wrecked hull? For some reason, that one keeps calling to me...

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Oh, brother......

I'm sorry dude...I know what it's like to lose a valued member of our pet family; do you have any plans on getting another Moor?

Funny thing that just happened tonight that you might be able to relate to, given your current situation -- I too was changing some of the water so that my Moor could have fresh, clean conditions based on the fact that yet another "lump" is forming under her scales for some unknown reason, and all of a sudden, she swam up into my Aqueon syphon tube and I was like "NO!!! NO!!!" and she was stuck to the end of it where the water is squeezed into the tube before it goes through into the bucket end...I had to yank the tube out of the water and let her crash back into the tank to remove her....she seems okay, but I was like "You dingy fish!!"

Hah, wow, your lucky he's alive
No, as much as I want to, I am not getting another moor, I am only getting allowed a 10 gallon, and that is not enough for them, I will not listen to the pet stores dumb "advice" I am getting a nano tank, but not another goldfish until I get at least another 30 gallon

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Let me know how that progresses...

Again, sorry for your loss...

Please give me any further input with regard to the shipwreck theme as you think of anything; your opinions have been appreciated!

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Let me know how that progresses...

Again, sorry for your loss...

Please give me any further input with regard to the shipwreck theme as you think of anything; your opinions have been appreciated!

Sure! I'll see some decorations I can think of and some ideas
Thanks, now I know not to tell my mom to watch over the fish

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Sure! I'll see some decorations I can think of and some ideas
Thanks, now I know not to tell my mom to watch over the fish

Indeed...good idea...

So, just so I'm clear on your stance, you like the SHIPWRECK theme over, say, the Asian/Zen, Castles or even perhaps the Ancient Greek Ruins?

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Yup, that's it

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Thanks, bro...

Keep any ideas you have comin'...

 

[ArtesiaWells]

So, as of right now, THESE are the ships I am considering as a centerpiece IF we go with redesigning this tank with the "shipwreck" or a "touch of pirate" theme:

Above is the two-pice "Pirate Treasure Ship" by Penn-Plax, which includes the gold coins spilling out of the insides which I think is kinda cool...

Then, there's the "Sunken Gardens Shipwreck" also made by Penn-Plax, which includes silk plants aready attached to it:

The Sunken Gardens set comes in two pieces, in varying sizes, but there's something I just don't care for the more I look at these; it's like, you can't immediately "tell" it's pieces of a ship the way you can with other decorations I have come across...like the detailing is "confused" and "vague"...does anyone agree with me, or see it?

Then, there's the "Striped Sail Pirate Wreck", also by Penn-Plax, which is the largest of all these pieces of decor which intrigues me because I have a tall tank:

This also comes in two pieces for realism, and looks like this when put into a tank:

While cool to look at upon first glance because of the colorful sails (the set is made of resin, with no silk or cloth sails that always collect diatoms and algae), there's something that makes this selection more...well..."childish" and "amateurish" looking compared to the others I'm discussing here...any thoughts, please?

Then, we have the "Galleon Wreck" made by Penn-Plax as well, and which looks something like this:

And, finally, I would consider THIS three-piece set from the Foster's & Smith site -- as suggested to me by Alyxx I think it was, but which I had already seen in past Googling -- though I'm not a fan of the "horse head" emblem they slapped on the end of this:

At this point, I would like to get some further input from the Aquarium Advice membership roster on which of these ships you guys and gals like the best and why...any and all recommendations, suggestions, tips and thoughts are welcome and would be greatly appreciated!