I need an aquatic interior decorator!

[rachael.chesnutt]

Hello everyone! Since I've started my tank, I've been seeing all of these tanks online with beautiful aqua scape and really cool ideas and such.

I have an 8 gallon, and I'd like some advice, ideas, or creative thoughts on what I should do. I wanna make something a little different, but am limited by my lack of knowledge of this stuff.

Plus! The least expensive the better! Haha!

Thank you! Idea me away!
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[meegosh]

With a little more information about your tank we can give some better advice. What are the current inhabitants? Those mentioned in your signature? Any others? Also, what type of lighting do you have on the 8gal tank? This will let us guide you in the direction of some plants that might work with your light levels.

There are many things you can do to "scape" your tank. Most are personal preference. It seems like one of the most popular is layering the tank. IE, making different layers in the tank. You can use anything from slate to plastic to make a wall for your gravel to make a higher spot in the corners or in the back. Doing this in a 8gal tank may be a challenge.

Short of adding some live plants and maybe some driftwood, there might not be a whole lot to do. Like I said, its all personal preference. Hope it helps.

 

[rachael.chesnutt]

I was thinking mixing some black and white gravel together and lining the base with that, then adding some larger stones in one corner, and a small piece of drift wood in the other with plants all around it. Maybe live... haven't decided yet. And set up an airstone in the driftwood to have the bubble affect coming out of the holes in the wood.

Can anyone visualize that? Any ideas to add on to that?

 

[new2betas]

Rachael,
I have white and black gravel in my 29g and I like it alot! I also have a large homemade built rock formation in one side with driftwood on the other and LOTS of life plants. I will try to get my picture of it posted with this....What you want to do sounds great!

This picture was only taken about a month ago and my tank looks so completely different now. I have rearranged alot of the plants and they have grown SO much. Most of them are now reaching the water level. I will try to get a new picture of my tank today.
Also, I want to get a video of Balthazar for you to see. He is so cute!

 

[new2betas]

Updated tank shots

Pictures taken this morning. It has grown in so much in the last month!!

 

[rachael.chesnutt]

Sadly the driftwood I found floats, haha. I forgot about the DRIFT part. But I am going to get the heavier fake one. Hopefully it doesn't mess up the flow of my aquarium! Thanks Dottie! I can't wait to see Balthazar!

 

[2cvbloke]

Sadly the driftwood I found floats, haha. I forgot about the DRIFT part. But I am going to get the heavier fake one. Hopefully it doesn't mess up the flow of my aquarium! Thanks Dottie! I can't wait to see Balthazar!

Just leave it in the water, it'll soon sink...

 

[new2betas]

Sadly the driftwood I found floats, haha. I forgot about the DRIFT part. But I am going to get the heavier fake one. Hopefully it doesn't mess up the flow of my aquarium! Thanks Dottie! I can't wait to see Balthazar!

Rachael,
He's in the fw tank showcase just below here. I should have put it in phototgraphy section probably, but thought just to put it there.
Oh...and yes...the driftwood, you need to boil it first for a few hours then soak in dechlorinated water until it is water logged and then put in your tank.

 

[Purrbox]

Until driftwood is water logged it probably won't sink. Some driftwood will never sink even when water logged, so it has to be attached to rock or some such to be used in an aquarium.