New Tank - ideas/suggestions needed
- Thread starter pedzola
- Start date
I too am a fan of black backgrounds.
I've started using black fabric as it is less reflective than the regular aquarium backgrounds.
I've started using black fabric as it is less reflective than the regular aquarium backgrounds.
hey i went through the same process just a few days ago. This is what i got:
1) I need to figure out how to get the back of the tank black (paint? fabric? window tint? painted cardboard?)
Black is best in imo, with my vis thermal stealth heaters and aquaclear filters. They are all black and blends right in and almost unnoticable with tall plants in front.
2) I need to pick a substrate.
This is what i got from petco:
Kordon small natural beach pebble wonder rock
small smooth natural looking pebble substrate. Good for bottom dwellers.
3) I need to find some nice driftwood and/or rocks.
My requirement differ from yours here, i only needed for decor purpose not a requirement for fish, so i got this:
Penn Plax Tank Terrace Corner Shelf Kit
Plan to put a small treasure chest on the shelf, think it will look very cool.
4) I need to find fake plants that will look good and work w/the rest of the decor.
This gets more complicated.
1) you want silk and not plastic. The difficulty is most fake plants are plastic and online stores do not label them.
2) you want long leaf plants only, not flower petal type plants. Because petal will gather all the gunk over time, and it is very difficult to clean without tearing the peddles. Not to mention they all look FAKE, while leaves only plants look very real and natural. Also avoid plants with short leaves and a lot of stem exposed, they will look fake as well.
To save you the trouble, those are the resources i used:
a)Sea garden silk plant index - you can quickly look through all the plants:
http://www.aquariumsystems.com/decor.htm
b) get very large and clear picture of each plant listed above here:
http://www.marineland.com/company/mediakit/decor.asp
c) once you picked the ones you like, buy it from here:
http://www.thatpetplace.com/Products/KW/F48BX/PgNo/1/Class/Fish+Supplies+Silk+Plants/Shopay00.aspx
Here's what i picked, i think it's a bit overkill but whatever they cheap:
F46LX 0081 0029 Capt Kidd's Buried Treasure EE387 (Blue Ribbon) 1 $3.69
F48BX 0291 0238 Cryptocoryne 8.5" Silk Plant (Penn Plax) 1 $1.95
F48BX 0291 0240 Hairgrass Silk Plant (Penn Plax) 1 $1.69
F48BX 0291 0186 Hairgrass Large Silk Plant (Penn Plax) 1 $1.95
F48BX 0291 0153 Lilaeopsis Medium 4.5" Silk Plant (Penn Plax) 1 $1.69
F48BX 0062 0299 SeaGarden Balansae 24 in. (Aq. Systems) 3 $8.49
F48BX 0291 0153 Lilaeopsis Medium 4.5" Silk Plant (Penn Plax) 1 $1.69
F48BX 0062 0333 New Red Rubin - Small (Aq. Systems) 1 $1.69
F48BX 0062 0211 SeaGarden Brown Balansae Large (Aq. Systems) 1 $4.67
F48BX 0062 0338 Apongeton Crispus - Large (Aq. Systems) 1 $4.67
F48BX 0291 0169 Amazon Sword Medium 7.5" Silk Plant (Penn Plax) 1 $1.69
The base plants (foreground) from here looks very good half buried under gravel I got one of each.
Also those from petco are nice
good luck!
gaga
1) I need to figure out how to get the back of the tank black (paint? fabric? window tint? painted cardboard?)
Black is best in imo, with my vis thermal stealth heaters and aquaclear filters. They are all black and blends right in and almost unnoticable with tall plants in front.
2) I need to pick a substrate.
This is what i got from petco:
Kordon small natural beach pebble wonder rock
small smooth natural looking pebble substrate. Good for bottom dwellers.
3) I need to find some nice driftwood and/or rocks.
My requirement differ from yours here, i only needed for decor purpose not a requirement for fish, so i got this:
Penn Plax Tank Terrace Corner Shelf Kit
Plan to put a small treasure chest on the shelf, think it will look very cool.
4) I need to find fake plants that will look good and work w/the rest of the decor.
This gets more complicated.
1) you want silk and not plastic. The difficulty is most fake plants are plastic and online stores do not label them.
2) you want long leaf plants only, not flower petal type plants. Because petal will gather all the gunk over time, and it is very difficult to clean without tearing the peddles. Not to mention they all look FAKE, while leaves only plants look very real and natural. Also avoid plants with short leaves and a lot of stem exposed, they will look fake as well.
To save you the trouble, those are the resources i used:
a)Sea garden silk plant index - you can quickly look through all the plants:
http://www.aquariumsystems.com/decor.htm
b) get very large and clear picture of each plant listed above here:
http://www.marineland.com/company/mediakit/decor.asp
c) once you picked the ones you like, buy it from here:
http://www.thatpetplace.com/Products/KW/F48BX/PgNo/1/Class/Fish+Supplies+Silk+Plants/Shopay00.aspx
Here's what i picked, i think it's a bit overkill but whatever they cheap:
F46LX 0081 0029 Capt Kidd's Buried Treasure EE387 (Blue Ribbon) 1 $3.69
F48BX 0291 0238 Cryptocoryne 8.5" Silk Plant (Penn Plax) 1 $1.95
F48BX 0291 0240 Hairgrass Silk Plant (Penn Plax) 1 $1.69
F48BX 0291 0186 Hairgrass Large Silk Plant (Penn Plax) 1 $1.95
F48BX 0291 0153 Lilaeopsis Medium 4.5" Silk Plant (Penn Plax) 1 $1.69
F48BX 0062 0299 SeaGarden Balansae 24 in. (Aq. Systems) 3 $8.49
F48BX 0291 0153 Lilaeopsis Medium 4.5" Silk Plant (Penn Plax) 1 $1.69
F48BX 0062 0333 New Red Rubin - Small (Aq. Systems) 1 $1.69
F48BX 0062 0211 SeaGarden Brown Balansae Large (Aq. Systems) 1 $4.67
F48BX 0062 0338 Apongeton Crispus - Large (Aq. Systems) 1 $4.67
F48BX 0291 0169 Amazon Sword Medium 7.5" Silk Plant (Penn Plax) 1 $1.69
The base plants (foreground) from here looks very good half buried under gravel I got one of each.
Also those from petco are nice
good luck!
gaga
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Wow thanks for all the plant info!!
I kinda had an idea of the plants I liked.... but I wasn't sure. I may reconsider due to your endorsement of the silk plants.
As for substrate... I saw that stuff at petco... but I really want a darker substrate. If I can't find what I'm looking for I might go back and pick up some of that. :\ We'll see.
THANKS!!!
I will get pics and hopefully make a lot of progress today!
I kinda had an idea of the plants I liked.... but I wasn't sure. I may reconsider due to your endorsement of the silk plants.
As for substrate... I saw that stuff at petco... but I really want a darker substrate. If I can't find what I'm looking for I might go back and pick up some of that. :\ We'll see.
THANKS!!!
I will get pics and hopefully make a lot of progress today!
New Tank - PICS!! Ideas needed.
Pictures....
I didn't get pics as I was setting up, 1 piece at a time, but here is the end product at least.... What do you all think of the aquascaping? I think I did a decent job... wish the eheim inlet hose wasn't so GREEN!!
Pictures....
I didn't get pics as I was setting up, 1 piece at a time, but here is the end product at least.... What do you all think of the aquascaping? I think I did a decent job... wish the eheim inlet hose wasn't so GREEN!!
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Get a couple of tall silk plants to put in front of the inlet or attach some vine directly to it.
Yeah I dunno... I don't want to block the water flow into the filter of course... I'm thinkin maybe I just deal w/it as-is.
Red K - I would also like a school of colorful tetras! Unfortunately the PH is too high for most to be happy I believe. And I also think my red tail shark would go nuts on them.
Apparently the water at my parents house has a ph of 7.4 from the tap. ;| I had to add some seachem stuff. It's supposed to soften the water and put the PH at 7.0 exactly... forgot what it's called.
Forgot to mention that I painted the back w/black acrylic paint. Came out pretty well if I do say so myself! Theres like 3 or 4 coats on there.
So... again... theres gonna be mostly loaches in here... clowns, yoyos, and my shark and some kinda dither fish... not sure what yet... maybe tiger barbs. *shrug* Somethin the shark won't harass so much!
Red K - I would also like a school of colorful tetras! Unfortunately the PH is too high for most to be happy I believe. And I also think my red tail shark would go nuts on them.
Apparently the water at my parents house has a ph of 7.4 from the tap. ;| I had to add some seachem stuff. It's supposed to soften the water and put the PH at 7.0 exactly... forgot what it's called.
Forgot to mention that I painted the back w/black acrylic paint. Came out pretty well if I do say so myself! Theres like 3 or 4 coats on there.
So... again... theres gonna be mostly loaches in here... clowns, yoyos, and my shark and some kinda dither fish... not sure what yet... maybe tiger barbs. *shrug* Somethin the shark won't harass so much!
