04-20-2012, 04:50 PM
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#1 | | | let me know what you think
This is my second time trying to aquascape a planted tank so I'm open for suggestions on what I could do different. The smaller tank I just set up today to become my future 10 gallon shrimp tank.
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04-20-2012, 08:55 PM
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#5 | | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Inga  You guys are both awesome. I am not good at visualizing. Well, actually, I can visualize, I just can't make my tanks look like how I see them in my head. I LOVE a very very full tank and to me, I can't have too many plants. I prefer tons of plants and few fish. I just think the fish are happy that way. I think if I were a fish, I would like that too. ha ha
I have heard Dwarf Baby Tears can be a bit challenging. I can't wait to see how yours do. They are so pretty. They need more light then I have and usually CO2 from my understanding. If yours do well and you don't do CO2, then maybe I will get brave and try some too. There are so many plants to chose from, I get all excited when I see new ones. I can't stuff anymore into my current tank as it is like a jungle but when I re-do my other tank or when I get my big dream tank (like I said, in my dreams) I will be trying some more new plants and the Dwarf Baby Tears is definitely on my list.
The only suggestion I would make is that I would lay the heater down so you don't see it so much. It can be hidden behind the plants and will be less distracting to the natural aqua-scape. | This definitely didn't come out the way I wanted. One reason is because I couldn't spend 100 bucks on the plants when I ordered them and also I think I'm going to need a lot more practice and playing around with different plant types. And after you said that about the heater it's going to bug me until tomorrow when I can change it. I don't know why I didn't do that in the first place, thanks for pointing that out. About the dwarf baby tears, I got some awhile back at the lfs and they didn't do good. They didn't die but they defiantly didn't grow, they just slowly started coming off the rock I bought them on. You can see whats left after about 2 months in the bottom pic. The little green spot on the rock. The plants that I have in my bigger tank now are the non dwarf version of the baby tears. I think from what I've read they are easier to grow with low light non co2. Thanks for the input.
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04-21-2012, 06:38 AM
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#6 | | |
Ha Ha Sorry, didn't mean to bug you with the idea of laying the water heater down. I hope the larger baby tears version does better. Do you know the scientific name for that plant? It is lovely.
I know what you mean about spending hundreds of dollars, it would be easy to do that but not necessary. All you need is some good choices and time. Plants reproduce and then you can begin filling in other areas of the tank with the cuttings or baby plants. I think you did a lovely job so far, not it is a matter of patience. Most of my problem with my aquarium, I am not a patient person and I am forever putzing with it, changing this or that. Sometimes it is just time that is needed.
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04-21-2012, 06:52 AM
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#8 | | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Romad It will look nice when grown in and Jakie and Inga have given you some great suggestions.
I was going to suggest a few large swords in front of the heater to hide it a bit but if you're going to lay it down it's not relevant anymore. |
But swords are always nice no matter what.   | |
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04-21-2012, 11:21 AM
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#9 | | |
That's coming along fine. I agree on a couple more pieces of hardscape as someone suggested, but rather than rock I would stay with bogwood (Malaysian Driftwood), two more pieces of differing sizes. One could be more vertical, that will add expanse to the space. I suggest wood over rock because of the fish (they come from habitats heavy with wood) but also because repeating similar hardscape creates a more natural feeling, as in nature. As soon as one starts mixing things, like different rocks and wood, you get a feeling that it is contrived or un-natural.
The 3's and 5's thing is to do with odd numbers. Items like wood are better in uneven numbers. Just as a vase of roses looks better with 1, 3 or 5 rather than 2 or 4. This applies to some plants too, if they are large and obvious, like the sword mid-tank; one is fine, and 3 would be better than 2 if you were to add more. Small plants don't matter as they fill in, but the larger remain single plants.
Floating plants are needed, and I know the floating Wisteria will grow and spread, so that will occur. That alone will calm the neons.
Byron.
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04-21-2012, 11:29 AM
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#10 | | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Byron That's coming along fine. I agree on a couple more pieces of hardscape as someone suggested, but rather than rock I would stay with bogwood (Malaysian Driftwood), two more pieces of differing sizes. One could be more vertical, that will add expanse to the space. I suggest wood over rock because of the fish (they come from habitats heavy with wood) but also because repeating similar hardscape creates a more natural feeling, as in nature. As soon as one starts mixing things, like different rocks and wood, you get a feeling that it is contrived or un-natural.
The 3's and 5's thing is to do with odd numbers. Items like wood are better in uneven numbers. Just as a vase of roses looks better with 1, 3 or 5 rather than 2 or 4. This applies to some plants too, if they are large and obvious, like the sword mid-tank; one is fine, and 3 would be better than 2 if you were to add more. Small plants don't matter as they fill in, but the larger remain single plants.
Floating plants are needed, and I know the floating Wisteria will grow and spread, so that will occur. That alone will calm the neons.
Byron. | Some thoughts here. What do you think about 3 small pieces of lace rock around the front middle, kinda in between the two set of 3 small plants. I would love to find a taller driftwood, malaysian is what i do have, for the right side. And I was thinking 2 swords in the corner where the heater is? Or should I do 3 swords there? Because stick with 3 there, or would I count my center one and only do 2 new swords.
About the floating plants, I think they are water sprites, at least thats what I ordered and they were different than the Wisteria that I placed on the left side of the tank.
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