14 Gallon: Journal with Photos

[FallenAngel]

Another few tanks that I love..

The Enchanted Garden - Shay Fertig. Dutch Style

Lake Malawai Biotope - Artis Aquarium, Amsterdam. Rift Lake habitat

Mountainscape - Peter Kirwin. Nature Style - Inspired by Takashi Amano

These are the tanks that make me want to spend all day aquascaping.

 

[fishycat]

That's doable, sans discus. :

Nature/Iwagumi style can be tough... you will probably need lighting upgrades as well as adding co2. fert dosing will definitely be needed. You'd also need epic rock/wood.

you should look around at what local stores have - wood is usually easier to find than rock. Especially ADA-style rocks.

 

[FallenAngel]

Yeah, I really like how the mountains are made in the photos I provided above.. I was thinking maybe a mini-version of that? Not sure about Co2, but I can definitely dose with Flourish Excel.

I may get glosso? Not sure yet. I need to find some good looking rock, but also, maybe driftwood. I don't think that it would fit in though.

But I don't want many fish in the tank. The corys + gouramis + harleys + ottos.. All small fish so, hopefully it won't look crowded.

 

[fishycat]

One of the things to consider... look at the image you posted with the mountainscape. The scale of the scape with your fish has to match, or else it just looks out of place.

It would probably be cool if you found some epic gnarly knotty wood, used either light or dark sand, then went crazy with mosses (peacock, flame) and maybe mini pellia, bolbitis growing from the sides... :drool: ah, sorry. Where was I? Oh yeah, off in lala nano tank land. :duh:

Anyway - realize if you go the mountain route, you'll have to use a fairly large piece of rock to make the mountain scale work with the fish you have. This will reduce the amount of water and may affect your stocking a bit.

 

[FallenAngel]

I actually really like your idea with the sand and driftwood, but I would have to go with fine gravel, not sand, and black, to show less poo and dirt. But I can only find java and christmas moss around here, so I'd have to stick with those. I think they would look great!

With the wood idea, were you thinking sort of like the wood in the Amazonian Biotope picture I posted? Or something like the one in my axolotl tank?

 

[fishycat]

How about something like this?

I just love Ugly Genius' tanks over on TPT. He constantly takes my breath away.

 

[FallenAngel]

That tank is awesome! It looks like a mountain scene, like a clift with grass (moss) and little trees (java fern). That Hairgrass (?) even looks sort of like swaying waves hitting the clift. I can't do it this high, but definitely can do it long. What do you think?

 

[FallenAngel]

Update..

Yesterday I bought a big grey/black/white rock and a nice piece of driftwood for the 14g.
It's not looking great, yet, but that's because (I think) I need more plants.

Here it is at the moment:

I plan to move the wisteria to behind the driftwood more to the left, and put a bunch of stargrass in its place. The hairgrass will be moved further back to be just in front of the heater, and I will put a twisted val. in its place.

Blue - Where I will put the wisteria, and get more Zelandia and Brazilianeus (Grassy things).
Green - Where the wisteria is, and I will replace with stargrass.
Yellow - The hairgrass will be moved further back to hide the heater, and will be replaced at the front with twisted val.

I will most probably also get a carpeting plant like Glossostigma Elatenoides to cover the ground. I might add a nice clump of java fern to the driftwood on the top or the bottom to provide more cover.

Also, the stock will be soon changed to something like this:

- 3 Honey Gouramis, 1 Male, 2 Females
- 6 Harlequin Rasboras
- 1 Bristlenose Ancistrus (Through its juvenile stage.. When it grows bigger it will be moved)
- 6-10 Pygmy Corydoras

I will also be building up a (very small) school of Otocinclus, about 3, as the Bristlenose gets bigger.

I'm interested in what you think of the new layout!

 

[FallenAngel]

Any ideas?? Interested in any comments.

 

[FallenAngel]

I have an idea.... I can choose between 3 Honey Dwarf Gourami, 1 Neon Dwarf Gourami, or a Betta. I think if I can find a stunning betta I'd go with it, otherwise the neon dwarf. Pretty much because the neon dwarf and honey dwarfs cost the same, and I don't really want to triple the price by getting 3 honeys. Also, my favorite color is blue, so the neon dwarfs seem to suit me well

I have to admit, they're interesting and beautiful fish. I've heard that in some places they are over-bred and aren't as hardy as they could have been, then again, I live in New Zealand, and it's pretty closed off to most other countries. I mean, we don't even have any freshwater shrimp! So I'm not too worried about the virus or whatever, they seem extremely healthy and swimming well in the LFS.

What do you guys think??