Aquascaping Critique

[abcdefghi]

I am looking for some opinions on the aquascaping in my tank, until I can get real plants what I have in the tank is what I have to work with. I feel like I can make it look better than what it currently is, but not sure how to go about changing it. I can probably get plenty more slate if I need it, as a ton of it is in the back yard (I just need to be sure to get the pieces that do not have iron running through them).

Inhabitants are 3 x angels, 8 x peppered cory cats and 4 (eventually to be around 10) rummynose tetra.

Thanks.

[Hooked Newbie]

Live plants are definitely in order! :)

Other than that, it looks good. I am a fan of black backgrounds (I think it'd look great with sand) and placing the heaters horizontally when possible. That's just my personal taste though. Go with what YOU like above all else.

[abcdefghi]

Live plants are definitely in order! :)

Other than that, it looks good. I am a fan of black backgrounds (I think it'd look great with sand) and placing the heaters horizontally when possible. That's just my personal taste though. Go with what YOU like above all else.

Thanks, I really want to get live plants, its just money keeping me from getting them right now. I keep checking out the RAOK, as I probably have some things I could trade on there.

The background has black on the other side, I went with blue for now as I felt the tank might be too dark with the black (even though I know it makes the fish stand out more). Might try the black at some point now to see how it looks, and also will position the filters horizontally (I imagine this also helps to disperse heat through the water).

[BoredAgain]

I'm also a fan of black backgrounds, you should try it. For my tanks, I don't use anything fake except for the pots...though I will be getting rid of them soon. So my opinion is get rid of the fake cave on the right and anything else that is fake. When you can, add more driftwood, live plants, and slate. So far, with what you have, it does look pleasing.

As for the position of the heaters, I don't really care...though I use Stealths and I have a black background so that does a good job of keeping them...umm...stealthy.

EDIT: I'd also get rid of that stick on thermometer.

[Hooked Newbie]

Thanks, I really want to get live plants, its just money keeping me from getting them right now. I keep checking out the RAOK, as I probably have some things I could trade on there.

The background has black on the other side, I went with blue for now as I felt the tank might be too dark with the black (even though I know it makes the fish stand out more). Might try the black at some point now to see how it looks, and also will position the filters horizontally (I imagine this also helps to disperse heat through the water).

I wouldn't put the filter horizonal. ;)

[abcdefghi]

I wouldn't put the filter horizonal. ;)

LOL!! Yeah, that would probably not do so much for the aquascaping, or the filtration, or the carpet!! haha

[Que]

I'd ditch the pots. If your fish need hidey holes then use the slate you say you have available. The slate in the front left looks out of place somehow. I like the rock cave on the right. Do you need both heaters? I only need one for the summer but put the other one in too for the colder winter months.

Looks OK to me except for those pots.

Q

[abcdefghi]

Thanks again all. My cory cats really like the fake cave on the right, and the clay pots, but if I can find some flat slate in the back yard and a way to break it up I can just make my own caves. So will go rock hunting later :)

Que, the slate on the left also bothers me, but if I move it the output from my filter churns up the sand like crazy in that area. I put the slate there to deflect the water, but I don't like how it looks. Not sure what else I can do to stop the sand being blown all over the place by the filter.

[BoredAgain]

My cory cats really like the fake cave on the right
Yeah, I had the same fake cave and my spotted corys absolutely loved it....too bad! :) They got over it real quick when I gave them a nice big piece of Mopani that was kinda hollowed out a bit, they fell in love with that. So my spotted corys have the wood and my peppered corys have a slate cave that I built for them.

[BoredAgain]

Que, the slate on the left also bothers me, but if I move it the output from my filter churns up the sand like crazy in that area. I put the slate there to deflect the water, but I don't like how it looks. Not sure what else I can do to stop the sand being blown all over the place by the filter.
As far as HOBs, my Top Fin (Whisper) and Penguins did that with my sand in certain tanks at certain water levels, they never seemed to leave my sand alone. Now that I'm running AquaClears on all my tanks, this only happens when the water level drops considerably. AquaClears are good at shooting the water across the surface instead of almost straight down.

[jpappy789]

Yeah, I had the same fake cave and my spotted corys absolutely loved it....too bad! :) They got over it real quick when I gave them a nice big piece of Mopani that was kinda hollowed out a bit, they fell in love with that. So my spotted corys have the wood and my peppered corys have a slate cave that I built for them.
Same happened to me!:grinyes:

If you truly want a more natural looking tank than ditch the cave and the pots and find some more rock and driftwood. And the plants when you can ;)

[Kashta]

The tank looks great. And a lot of people start out with fake plants, then just swap them out for real ones over time. (Or not.)

Don't know what you've done since with the slate and the pots. From what's still pictured, I'd keep one pot and remove the other. One pot is a nice accent piece, visually. It's an interesting focal point... some added personal touch. Having two like that detracts for the visual interest you'd get only having one. Since you have the slate available, you won't lose the hiding place.

[fishorama]

The tall plant in the middle has the smaller plants too close for me. They look squashed together. IMO if you have fake plants it's ok to have pots for caves. Maybe lean some slate on the pot in the erosion zone with some plants beside it.

[abcdefghi]

As far as HOBs, my Top Fin (Whisper) and Penguins did that with my sand in certain tanks at certain water levels, they never seemed to leave my sand alone. Now that I'm running AquaClears on all my tanks, this only happens when the water level drops considerably. AquaClears are good at shooting the water across the surface instead of almost straight down.

Funny thing is its my AquaClear that is doing it, I might try and move some stuff around (maybe move the tall piece of driftwood there to deflect the flow).

I made some updates last night, changed the background and cave, also loaded a couple pictures of the angels.

[jpappy789]

nice angels!

[BoredAgain]

If your AC is doing it then I say your water level is too low. If you see bubbles shooting down into the water, your water level is too low. If you can't find that right level for some reason, then you will need to just work with the contents of your tank, as you have been, to deflect some of that flow. I have tons of driftwood, and I mean tons, to help with the flow in my tank.

Nice Angels, can't wait until I get mine, about 3 more weeks when my Bolivian Rams are out of quarantine.

[fishorama]

That looks much better! I like it. Pretty angels too. Not sure about the tall wood though, seems "forced" somehow.

[abcdefghi]

If your AC is doing it then I say your water level is too low. If you see bubbles shooting down into the water, your water level is too low.

I do see bubbles shooting down from the AC, but not sure how much higher I can fill the water. I usually fill it so that you can't see the water line below the tank frame, will experiment with the next water changes.

[BoredAgain]

I do see bubbles shooting down from the AC, but not sure how much higher I can fill the water. I usually fill it so that you can't see the water line below the tank frame, will experiment with the next water changes.
Yeah, just experiment with it. For my AC 110 on my 55g, I just keep filling it until I get the desired results, it's about half way between the bottom of the frame and the lip of the frame.

[abcdefghi]

A few updated pictures, I took out the pots, the fake cave and one of the fake plants. Added 2 new slate caves, and 2 real plants. Ignore the level of sand around the 1 plant, its just to keep the roots covered for now, when I move house I am either going to change substrate or get some more sand to level it out and keep the roots covered.

I am thinking of taking out a coulpe of the taller fake plants now that I have some real ones in there. Thinking of removing the tall one on the right since it never stays up anyway, and then moving the 2 tall ones in the middle to the right. Hopefully the Amazon Sword and Crypt that I have in there will grow nicely and I can start to add more plants once I feel ok to try some more in there.

[BoredAgain]

Looks good. I still suggest adding some floating plants, the easiest of them all.

[abcdefghi]

Looks good. I still suggest adding some floating plants, the easiest of them all.

What are some good low light plants that you recommend? Now I have 2 real plants in there, I want to get on and replace all the fake ones for real.

[BoredAgain]

What are some good low light plants that you recommend? Now I have 2 real plants in there, I want to get on and replace all the fake ones for real.
You really can't go wrong with Java Fern, if you get a large one, I think they look great. I suggest some Amazon Frogbit for the top, I love the atmosphere that it creates by creating shadows and its roots hanging down. Hornwort or Anacharis, either floating or anchored would look nice as well. These are all low light, easy to care for. For more recommendations, go HERE (http://www.plantgeek.net/plantguide_list.php?category=1&filter_by=2).

[abcdefghi]

Thanks, I had already planned to get some Java Fern, and Hornwort. Was also looking at getting some Java Moss. I will take a look at Amazon Frogbit, thanks for the link to PlantGeek, I have already been using that website for a bunch of my research :)

[jpappy789]

Along with java moss/fern, anubias, pennywort, anacharis, vals, and crypts do pretty well in low-light setups IME.

[BoredAgain]

Thanks, I had already planned to get some Java Fern, and Hornwort. Was also looking at getting some Java Moss. I will take a look at Amazon Frogbit, thanks for the link to PlantGeek, I have already been using that website for a bunch of my research :)
If you end up liking the Amazon Frogbit and can't find any, I have a ton that I need to unload, for a reasonable price. ;)

[abcdefghi]

Actually, this thread reminds me of something.............. how many of each plant should I be looking to get? at the moment I have 1 Amazon Sword and 1 Red Wendtii, now I am guessing that once they have grown enough I can take plantlets and plant in other areas in my tank, but how many plants should I be looking at to get to start off with, this is in a 55G tank. Would 1 of each that I want be OK? assuming good growth rates.

[BoredAgain]

Actually, this thread reminds me of something.............. how many of each plant should I be looking to get? at the moment I have 1 Amazon Sword and 1 Red Wendtii, now I am guessing that once they have grown enough I can take plantlets and plant in other areas in my tank, but how many plants should I be looking at to get to start off with, this is in a 55G tank. Would 1 of each that I want be OK? assuming good growth rates.
In my opinion, I say add plants like you would add fish, slowly. If the ones you add are looking good with no health issues, after a few weeks, add more. Also, with the low lighting and low bio load, they aren't going to grow that fast, except for the floaters, generally.

[fishorama]

Wow, that's looking great, glad to see you want more real plants. Java fern "windelov" (lace java) is nice & very easy tied to wood or rock. There a few kinds of anubias with different leaf shapes.

My newest low light plant I like a lot is a crypt spiralis, thin tank high leaves. I have ceratopteris cornuta (like water sprite) floating, it can be planted but needs more light than I have. Floating plants can be a PITA if they get stuck on the filter intake.

Try a couple kinds to see what grows well for you. Most low light plants are slow to propagate, not a bad thing for low maintenance.

[omgtessa]

Looks pretty good.
But I'm Aquascaping challenged, so maybe my opinion isn't that great? lol.
How do you keep your sand so neat? I've tried it and it kept blowing around the whole tank, like a mini duststorm.

[abcdefghi]

Looks pretty good.
But I'm Aquascaping challenged, so maybe my opinion isn't that great? lol.
How do you keep your sand so neat? I've tried it and it kept blowing around the whole tank, like a mini duststorm.

Cory cats.......... lol, they keep it looking clean, but blow it all over the tank as well. I am looking to get a heavier sand at some point in the future, I have playsand now but think the grains are too small.

[NJLuke]

It's amazing what switching a background can do. Looks really nice.