Synodontis petricola Riparium Display

[hydrophyte]

I decided to go with the leather fern as the centerpiece plant. I figured out a general theme and got a few plants in the tank to illustrate. This is only half-planted, but you can imagine the general idea--a background with the grasslike Acorus gramineus and a few other plants with more unusual foliage as accents. I will also add stem plants on trellis rafts all along the emersed midground. This will cover up those planters and create more visual depth.

 

[hydrophyte]

I have a pretty good idea for a midground plant, and I already picked one up at a local garden center. Basket grass (Oplismenus) grows as a sprawling plant in moist and shady spots, and it has this terrific foliage.

The small, broad and dark green leaves of this plant will set up a good contrast with the Acorus gramineus. I am going to plant up most of the midground trellis rafts with the basket grass. Here is a shot of these two combined from the 65-gallon tank that I had going a while ago.

I have found that Opllismenus does not root so well in the gravel in a hanging planter, but it grows just fine with its roots right in the water, so it's a good choice for planting through the holes on a nano trellis raft.

 

[hydrophyte]

Here's a FTS from last night.

 

[mellowvision]

sweet. I like the 2 islands feel it has.

 

[hydrophyte]

THanks. That was actually an accident. I had to pull the Syngonium out of that spot because it wasn't doing so well, but I like the way it looks with the little gap too.

 

[mellowvision]

accidents are the best.

 

[fishycat]

The "islands" give it a very marshy feel, very natural-looking. That basket grass is lovely! I've been thinking of a small container pond for my parents' front porch (no direct sunlight... would it work?) and that foliage is very eye-catching! The vertical growth of the Acorus gramineus really appeals to me.

 

[hydrophyte]

Thanks so much fishycat! I think that basket grass might work for a container pond. It is a good plant for partial shade.

I like the Acorus too. THis is the first layout where I have used it as the dominant plant and I think that is is really successful.

The other night I took a picture for a better view of the underwater area. The fish tend to get lost in the full tank shot, but you can see them pretty well here. A couple of the Synodontis are zooming around there in the foreground.

Those underwater plants are all planted in Tank Planters. Here is a 'Marble Queen' sword that I potted up last night.

 

[hydrophyte]

I was admiring the Oplismenus grass tonight and got a quick picture of it. My glary camera flash actually made a pretty nice effect lighting up the grass there in the middle of the frame.

This is a real easy plant. I just have the stems planted right through the holes i na couple of trellis rafts and with the roots right in the water.

 

[hydrophyte]

It has been a while since I posted for this setup, but I got a quick update tonight. Everything is looking pretty good. The Oplismenus grass and Pilea had gotten to be overgrwon and leggy, so I trimmed them and replanted before getting this picture. The fish are looking pretty good. There is virtually no algae in the tank now.