It's Time to Start Thinking About Aquascaping & Theming Our 60 Gallon Goldie Tank...

[Convict2161]

Wait -- do you mean with regard to those Marineland hoods? Did you get a chance to take a good look at them? It seems that would solve my problem short of wanting to keep the hoods I have now, no? And they ARE the LEDs that are in the "Double Bright" strip system like you run, aren't they?

So no additional "statuery" or ornaments beyond the bridge and gazebo, right? LOL....

The rest do up with plants?

I'd do the rest with plants. Stick with natural looking plants and colors. I like the silk plants the best. They look so real and even move with the flow of the water. And yeah... LOL no towers or anything lol.

And those hoods look like they will work, I have to bring a lunar light back tomorrow to this fish place about 30 minutes from me. I'm gonna ask them about those hoods in regards to your tank. Can you give me the exact model of your tank! I have the link for the lights. I'll ask tomorrow and report back my findings.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

I'd do the rest with plants. Stick with natural looking plants and colors. I like the silk plants the best. They look so real and even move with the flow of the water. And yeah... LOL no towers or anything lol.

Understood.

What do you think of these examples for fake plant aquascaping? They really caught my eye when I was foolin' around on Google Images:

I was thinking the CENTER of the tank could be "built up" like this....what do you think?

And those hoods look like they will work, I have to bring a lunar light back tomorrow to this fish place about 30 minutes from me. I'm gonna ask them about those hoods in regards to your tank. Can you give me the exact model of your tank! I have the link for the lights. I'll ask tomorrow and report back my findings.

Thank you SO much for assisting me -- it's truly appreciated, my friend. Here is the EXACT tank we bought:

60 Gallon Aquarium » Marineland® 60 Gallon Heartland Aquarium Ensemble | PetSmart

 

[Fresh2o]

Okay here's an idea for the stream or path. Use glass pebbles like the ones pictured here:

of course select a color that would make sense. If you keep the gravel on the shallow side then there might not be a need to have gravel under the glass pebbles. Thus no mixing of the substrates when you vacuum.

 

[Convict2161]

I like the plants, they good, nice and natural looking and will go with your theme. Sorry Fresh lol but that idea is KILLING ME lol

I like idea but not those. I'd rather see natural colored stones, maybe a light or dark grey or even black. Not sure if you meant those colors though now that I think of it lol.

This is fun!!

 

[ArtesiaWells]

I like the plants, they good, nice and natural looking and will go with your theme. Sorry Fresh lol but that idea is KILLING ME lol

I like idea but not those. I'd rather see natural colored stones, maybe a light or dark grey or even black. Not sure if you meant those colors though now that I think of it lol.

This is fun!!

Yeah, I agree about those wildly colored stones; in all fairness, Fresh did say use a color scheme that would make sense...but I think I'd like the natural/gray/black better for a path lining, as you mentioned D...

I LOVE the look of that aquascape I clipped for you above -- for a center "build up" kind of attempt. ACTUALLY DOING THAT the way it's pictured there is going to be a completely different matter after all, and probably won't be attainable...but it looks like they have a dark background there as well, no? You did suggest black for the background...

 

[Convict2161]

Yes a dark background. Black would be ideal.

 

[Fresh2o]

Yes a dark background. Black would be ideal.

The wild colored glass pebbles image was more of an example of the type of substrate, not necessarily the color. But you figured that out. Something dark to contrast the natural colored gravel. An alternative could be polished pebbles. Perhaps a bit more natural than glass. Here is a screen shot of several different colors:

I have seen the zen garden look pulled off quite well with garden ponds and water features. Bamboo, stepping stones, raked gravel, bridges, statuary, etc. I guess the goal is to capture that in your scape design. You'll get there.
Oh, yes I agree that plants can really help out here. They would have to be hardy because of the goldfish and probably low to medium light needy. Perhaps a backdrop of vallisneria on one side to mimic a stand of rushes or bamboo. Or maybe driftwood with tufts of moss to represent a bonsai tree.

 

[Convict2161]

Haha I kinda figured that Fresh... I like the driftwood/moss idea. Those stones/peddles look much much better.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Yes a dark background. Black would be ideal.

We're still debating on black, a 3D variant or simply one of the kinds you can pick up at Pet-not-so-Smart that depict an underwater/planted/river rock etc. scene...

 

[ArtesiaWells]

The wild colored glass pebbles image was more of an example of the type of substrate, not necessarily the color. But you figured that out. Something dark to contrast the natural colored gravel. An alternative could be polished pebbles. Perhaps a bit more natural than glass. Here is a screen shot of several different colors:
View attachment 154667

I see; thank you for the suggestions...

I have seen the zen garden look pulled off quite well with garden ponds and water features. Bamboo, stepping stones, raked gravel, bridges, statuary, etc. I guess the goal is to capture that in your scape design. You'll get there.

Yes, indeed I love the idea of the "sloped, raked" gravel idea, as right now ours is pretty much flat with no dimension or terrain to it; as I said though, and as we know, goldfish normally change this on their own.

My concern with the bridge we purchased is that it's not really an "Oriental" elemented bridge, even though Pet-not-so-Smart featured it on their staged demo tank online for the Top Fin 55 gallon starter kit; this really looks, to me, more like a bridge that would belong with the aforementioned castle theme. But I am hoping to change that by adding Bonzai plants around it, as they did in the demo tank, to give it that Asian flair.

Oh, yes I agree that plants can really help out here. They would have to be hardy because of the goldfish and probably low to medium light needy. Perhaps a backdrop of vallisneria on one side to mimic a stand of rushes or bamboo. Or maybe driftwood with tufts of moss to represent a bonsai tree.

We're not doing real plants, but tell me what you think of THIS idea for "building up" the center of the tank with fake plants, using the red/green color scheme...I think it looks incredible IF we can get it to come out like this:

Now...this would be, as I said, a design element for the CENTER of the aquarium, and the bridge piece would be slightly off to the LEFT, with the gazebo off to the RIGHT...

 

[ArtesiaWells]

So as I begin stage one of the rescape, let me see if I can finalize and gather some elements Fresh, Dino and I agree on:

DEFINITELY remove the tree stump piece from the left of the tank, yes? This CANNOT work in any which way with an Asian theme?

Move the bridge from dead-center of the tank (where it is now just for staging purposes) to slightly left, so it's "OFF-CENTER" (kind of where the stump is sitting now)? We don't want the bridge as the dead-on-center focal point in the center, right?

The remainder of the tank build up with plants (Bonzai and some of the ones, if I can find them, as pictured in the images above), leaving just the gazebo and bridge as the ornamentation?

 

[Convict2161]

So as I begin stage one of the rescape, let me see if I can finalize and gather some elements Fresh, Dino and I agree on:

DEFINITELY remove the tree stump piece from the left of the tank, yes? This CANNOT work in any which way with an Asian theme?

Move the bridge from dead-center of the tank (where it is now just for staging purposes) to slightly left, so it's "OFF-CENTER" (kind of where the stump is sitting now)? We don't want the bridge as the dead-on-center focal point in the center, right?

The remainder of the tank build up with plants (Bonzai and some of the ones, if I can find them, as pictured in the images above), leaving just the gazebo and bridge as the ornamentation?

I think you pretty much have it! The stump just doesn't go at all with the theme and will create an imbalance in a Zen theme. Not good when trying to accomplish Zen.

The bridge yes. Don't keep it dead center it will look to placed like thought out, if that makes sense. You want your underwater world to flow and look like its been there your decades. And now your fish have found this majestic Zen place and now call it home. Make it look like its been there and not "Built over night"

Hope that made sense.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

As always, thank you D...I will consider your input and get back to the thread later this afternoon.

 

[Convict2161]

As always, thank you D...I will consider your input and get back to the thread later this afternoon.

Anytime! I'll be standing by.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Just out of sheer fascination and curiosity, why do you feel so strongly about the stump not flowing with a Zen theme?

Trying to get my aquascaping learn on from those more experienced!

 

[Convict2161]

Just out of sheer fascination and curiosity, why do you feel so strongly about the stump not flowing with a Zen theme?

Trying to get my aquascaping learn on from those more experienced!

Well it's simple really. Take the picture of what your trying to achieve. Picture that stump, where? How does it flow with the tank? What purpose in a Zen like themed tank does it serve?

Nothing, you have the greens and reds in your plants. The slate grey color of the decor and a tall vine like structure that's a stump? Doesn't fit IMO. Again you do what you want I just feel if your gonna put all this time and hard work into a theme tank Zen keep it all tight and together. To me the stump is way out from left field if ya feel me.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Feel ya, word up...

Thanxx!!

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Ive been reading along with this, and I agree with convict......the stump doesnt make much sense in your asian/zen theme.
Its all about personal preference though. Some people like bright plants and pebbles with spongbobs pineapple house, others go with a totally themed tank, and some go all natural. If you love the stump, put it in, and work your theme around it.
Do you have existing pieces from your previous tank you can scavege through? Its always more cost effective to re-use what you can and save te money for nice focal pieces. Tank decor is NOT cheap, lol. I use natural pieces in my tanks like wood and rocks, and let my fish be the focal point, but my mum wanted a pirate theme for the tank I set up at her house (my tank, her house....she wins , lol). I spent about 200 bucks on that theme, and while its not my cup of tea, she loves it, and it does look awesome, with or without fish....haha.
Again, go with what make YOU happy. You will be the ones looking at it everyday

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Hey Kim,

Thanks for your input and contributions to the thread!

Ive been reading along with this, and I agree with convict......the stump doesnt make much sense in your asian/zen theme.
Its all about personal preference though. Some people like bright plants and pebbles with spongbobs pineapple house, others go with a totally themed tank, and some go all natural. If you love the stump, put it in, and work your theme around it.

We've actually removed the stump just today, and I'll go into how that went in the next post...

Do you have existing pieces from your previous tank you can scavege through? Its always more cost effective to re-use what you can and save te money for nice focal pieces. Tank decor is NOT cheap, lol. I use natural pieces in my tanks like wood and rocks, and let my fish be the focal point, but my mum wanted a pirate theme for the tank I set up at her house (my tank, her house....she wins , lol). I spent about 200 bucks on that theme, and while its not my cup of tea, she loves it, and it does look awesome, with or without fish....haha.

No, no more pieces from the last tank; that aquarium was riddled with a nasty bacterial infection due to poor water maintenance on our part, so we just threw away the pirate ship, skull, other ornaments, gravel and plants. I even threw away the HOB media because it must have been saturated with the infection. We decided to go with a totally different theme than the pirate variant now, so those pieces wouldn't make much sense anyway...

 

[ArtesiaWells]

STAGE 1 OF THE RESCAPE HAS BEGUN: But I Don't Like What I See So Far...

So I did a 50% water change on the tank, and while the level was low, my wife and I attempted to do the first stage in the rescape, which was, based on everyone's input here, to remove the tree stump decoration and move the bridge from mid-tank to kind of off-center towards the left (where the stump resided). We accomplished that, and put some of the small, "spiky" plastic plants that used to stick out of the holes in the bottom of the stump around the sides of the bridge, but I still don't like what I'm seeing. Of course, this is without the benefit of tall plants to surround these pieces and a dark background and such, but to my eye, this bridge just doesn't LOOK Asian; it belongs, in my opinion, and as I said before, in a setup with perhaps two castle ornaments on either side of it because of its "old world/King Artthur era" stone look...

I am HOPING the Bonzai trees we plan to add to the sides of the bridge bring it together for an Asian angle -- after all, Petsmart did use this bridge in their "staged" getup for an Asian-style tank on their site for their Top Fin 55 gallon starter kit. I just don't see it going in that direction in our tank....