Looking for aquascaping inspiration!

[iron chef]

I will soon be setting up a 90 gal bowfront planted tank. I am not going totally crazy with lighting and CO2, but I will have almost 2.5 W/g and Eco-Complete substrate, so I should be able to keep SOMETHING alive. :) Oh, I have already painted the back of the tank black, but beyond that... I dunno what I am doing.

Currently I have a 37g (tall) tank, and a 5gal tank at work. They have river gravel substrate, and are decorated with driftwood and basic plants like Java fern. They don't look bad, but they sure aren't exciting. (and the plants are really barely holding on since the substrate is so plain but that's another story)

I would really appreciate it if people would post links to pics of interesting tanks -- your own or others' -- or any other links or ideas that you wish you had tried when you were setting up.

I am especially interested in examples of tanks with terraced substrate... I really want to create areas of varying elevation... maybe even build something up onto the back of the glass somehow.

Many thanks in advance for your input!

[plantbrain]

Bow fronts are nice but they often lack much light in the front region.

You might try something like the AGA's Luis Navarro's plantless foregrounds with as nice hill design on the back.

More is less is a good method. You can later add complexity as you get a good feel.

I will say this: get as many plants in there from the start as you can.

Check out the AGA contest and other contest, Amano's sites etc.

You have the right amount of light, a good substrate(add aboyut 2 handfulls of ground peat moss and some "dirt/mulm" from the other tank (vaccumed, then the settled dirt on the bottom of the bucket) to the very bottom then top with the Eco comlpete.

This will enhance your set up time and aid the tank's growth.

CO2, get a good handle on this and keep it at 20-30ppm at lighting peroid long.

You might want to place an order for some fert's from wwwlitemanu.com

K2SO4
KNO3
KH2PO4

Traces: SeaChem's line works well, Tropica does as well.

What is tap water like?
GH/KH/PO4/NO3.

Call and ask.

Also, what types of fish do plan on adding? You might want to ask: "Will they go with my design ideas?"

Regards,
Tom Barr

[iron chef]

Thanks for the reply, Tom! I am already finding some good stuff. This one, for example, I quite like:

http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/?&op=showcase&category=0&vol=2&id=75

I'll Google Luis Navarro too. Oh, hey, here he is:

http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/?&op=showcase&category=0&vol=2&id=83

Very nice too, I'll look for more.

As far as the peat goes -- is it strictly for pH or is it for plant nutrients? If the former, I have room for it in my cannister filter.

Ferts: I already have a batch of PMDD mixed up and I was planning on using that for water column fertilization... though it doesn't cover P so I will have to find a supplement I s'pose.

Fish: I am about 90% certain that I will stick with a basic tropical community tank... loaches, barbs, that kind of mix. I am not planning on any diggers or other problem critters.

> I will say this: get as many plants in there from the start as you can.

Will do.

My goal is not to grow the most exotic or difficult plants, just a simple but attractive mix. If I couldn't grow anything but Java fern and Java moss I would probably be happy as long as they were healthy. Though of course I will set my sights a little higher than that... ;)

Thanks for the help!

[plantbrain]

Your goals are certainly good for what you plan.
Easy plants, nice good looking tank, you are not trying anything too wild.

You'll do well.

The peat is added for the plant's roots and to jump start the tank's gravel. Same for the mulm but each does different things.
Peat adds some binding and reduction of cations making the substrate evironments slightly more reductive and condusive to plant growth. It also adds some slowly broken down matrerial for the bacteria to grow well and in sufficent biomass.

The mulm is added for the source of live bacteria and the organic matter also.

If you think about what are the differences between an established aquarium vs and new one, mulm is the only difference really.

Both amendments are relatively safe.

Peat really does not help anything in the water column for plants in our planted tanks.


PMDD I typically add the ingredients dry, it's easier in some ways and allows you to change things around to suit the tank, tweak things more.

For PO4, you can use Fleet enema(sodium phosphate) or KH2PO4 from www.litemanu.com.

PO4 is often present in tap water also so call them and ask about that and NO3.

Water changes can add enough PO4 if this is the case.

Worry and focus on CO2 for now, the nutrient part is easier and less problematic for most folks.
Get the substrate set up well like I suggest, don't delete the mulm/peat part, it's worth it.

Test kits: KH, GH, pH.

Your fish sound good. I will use a darker background for brighter colored fish(say like Neons), brighter plantings with duller colored fish.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[elgecko]

You will enjoy live plants.

Here's a link to my tank.

http://www.geocities.com/elgecko1989/community.html

[iron chef]

Thanks guys!

[Robert H]

Here is what Steve Dixon did with a bowfront:

http://www.aquabotanic.com/images/dixoncollage.gif

And this is Oliver Knotts bowfront

http://www.aquabotanic.com/images/knott123cm.jpg

You will find it in this gallery:

http://www.aquabotanic.com/gallery.htm