My New Planted Tank Journal

[Tropical_Noobie]

Hi all and welcome to my new planted tank journal. I am still quite new to fish keeping (Only a few months) and have decided to go for it and plant some real plants and ditch the silk one's.

I have listed my setup (Below) and would be greatfull of any advice or tips on how to get the best look etc. My Tank is situated in a serving hatch between my Kitchen and Front room so I am trying to get the best views from both rooms if possible ? I would still like to be able to see into each room via the Tank to keep an eye on my Grandson when he is about (He is only one year old and into everything lol)

Tank - Rekord 60 (60 litres)
Filter - Tetratec EX600 Filter
Powerhead - Aquaclear 20 (Co2 and Powerhead come on together)
Co2 setup - JBL PROFLORA M601 (I am using a glass diffuser + Glass bubble counter) This is set to 2 BPS
Co2 Drop Checker - Nice Green colour
Lights - 2 x 15 watt T8 power-Glo (18000 K) inwhich I have on for 8Hrs a day (14:00 - 22:00)
Substrate - Medium size Gravel 2" deep
Fertiliser - Tropica Plant Nutrition + I dose 6ml once a week
Plants - Anubias (I think) Not sure about the others (Please see pic below) I have ordered 25 random from ebay
Fish - 6 x Gold Tetra, 3 x Green Tiger Barbs, 4 x Tiger Barbs and 1 x Golden Sucker Loach & 1 x Red Crab.
I have been told that the Barbs will grow to big for my Tank ? So any surgestions on what fish I can replace these with would be great! ( The more colourfull the better)

I am sorry for the Poor quality Pic's (I am waiting for a Memory card converter to arrive)

 

[SuperColey1]

Lol. you like taking on a challenge. It is quite hard to scape with a view to making both sides 'aesthetically pleasing'.

In a standard 'front view' aquascape there can be all sorts of things hidden behind what is viewable. Meaning that there may be plants that from the front you only see the top part looking lush and the bottom half leaveless. There may be rocks etc supporting the hardscape for the front view.

So it is important to plan so that there are no 'hidden' uglies that many of us may use.

Also with you wanting to view from both sides it means you are effectively dealing with a very 'thin' tank in that you need to setup any 'background' plants along the centre of the tank. Basically splitting 2 scapes down the centreline of the tank. I think that is pretty feasible as long as you aren't aiming for any 'real' height it can work.

If you do push the height too far in the centre because of the 2 'thin scapes' there will be no room to create a stagger in height from front to centre and rear to centre.

Good luck on it. Its a nice idea and definately something that isn't seen very often on any forum. Plenty of tanks in 'walls' or 'serving hatches' but normally only with a 'front view' aspect.

This will be an interesting project to undertake and for us to view and I would suggest anybody who comes into this forum should subscribe to this journal. You are going to see something different to the 'norm' here

Regards
AC

 

[PDSimon]

Good post AC.. you'll have to be careful on which plants you put where if you do want it to have background plants in the middle, especially in a fairly small tank (60 litres). I don't think it'll look bad on one side if you have loads of background plants. Just remember most fish will end up preferring the space that is open - well atleast my fish do anyways!

good luck noobie, will be watching this

 

[Tropical_Noobie]

I make you right AC I do love a challenge

I can see this is not going to be an easy aquascape to achive but with the help of the members of this top forum I can hopefully achive what I am after. I don't mind losing the Bogwood,Plants or pieces of Slate already in the Tank as there is not alot of room.

Here is a list of the Plants I have a choice of at present, Could you or anyone looking in please advise on which one's I should consider buying first and where to pace ?

Alterantha Reineckii,
Elodea Densa,
Straight Vallis,
Bacopa Monneri,
Yellow Cabomba,
Green Cabomba,
Hygrophilia Polysperma,
cardamine Lyrata,
Eichinodorus Bleheri,
hygrophilia 'marble green'
java fern
Didiplis Diandra
Hygrophilia Stricta
Shinnerversia Rivularis,
Twisted Vallis,
Indian Fern
Hydrocotyle Leucocephalus,
Nymphea Lotus - Red

Thanks for the Luck PD I think I will be needing it on this one.

 

[Biulu]

You chose very nice plants, but I think you should first of all narrow your choice. You have too many different species and it will look very 'busy' and heterogenous if you want to use them all. You have mostly chosen background stemplants. I would for instance replace the E. bleheri with a smaller echinodorus, such as wendtti or willisi. These make nice mid/foreground plants and the wendtti comes in a red form which is really beautiful and gives colour to your tank.

I suggest you try to cut down to 6 - 9 plants trying to divide these in 2 - 3 background plants, and then on each side of your tank 2 -3 mid/foreground plants.

Regarding your stocking: your shoaling mid section is covered with the tetras. As a centrepiece fish you could take 3 honey or dwarf gouramis, or a pair of bolivian rams for instance. Your sucker loach will grow too big for your tank (around 25 cm) and they are known to get agressive over time and start sucking mucus of other fish. Maybe you want to replace it with some otocinclus instead if you are looking for algae eaters? Or otherwise some shrimp or cories as a clean up crew?

 

[Tropical_Noobie]

You chose very nice plants, but I think you should first of all narrow your choice. You have too many different species and it will look very 'busy' and heterogenous if you want to use them all. You have mostly chosen background stemplants. I would for instance replace the E. bleheri with a smaller echinodorus, such as wendtti or willisi. These make nice mid/foreground plants and the wendtti comes in a red form which is really beautiful and gives colour to your tank.

I suggest you try to cut down to 6 - 9 plants trying to divide these in 2 - 3 background plants, and then on each side of your tank 2 -3 mid/foreground plants.

Regarding your stocking: your shoaling mid section is covered with the tetras. As a centrepiece fish you could take 3 honey or dwarf gouramis, or a pair of bolivian rams for instance. Your sucker loach will grow too big for your tank (around 25 cm) and they are known to get agressive over time and start sucking mucus of other fish. Maybe you want to replace it with some otocinclus instead if you are looking for algae eaters? Or otherwise some shrimp or cories as a clean up crew?

Hi Biulu Many thanks for taking the time to stop by with your suggestions

I am unaware that my choice of plants are mainly background stemplants Not much research on my behalf ) To be honest I just liked the look of them.

You mentioned "I suggest you try to cut down to 6 - 9 plants trying to divide these in 2 - 3 background plants, and then on each side of your tank 2 -3 mid/foreground plants"

I do not mean to be rude but did you read my opening post correctly ? Quote: My Tank is situated in a serving hatch between my Kitchen and Front room so I am trying to get the best views from both rooms if possible ? I would still like to be able to see into each room if possible.

Please excuse me if I have misinterpreted what you wrote but I am looking for Plants to run along the center of my Tank.

Quoting Supercoley1 Lol. you like taking on a challenge. It is quite hard to scape with a view to making both sides 'aesthetically pleasing'.

In a standard 'front view' aquascape there can be all sorts of things hidden behind what is viewable. Meaning that there may be plants that from the front you only see the top part looking lush and the bottom half leaveless. There may be rocks etc supporting the hardscape for the front view.

So it is important to plan so that there are no 'hidden' uglies that many of us may use.

Also with you wanting to view from both sides it means you are effectively dealing with a very 'thin' tank in that you need to setup any 'background' plants along the centre of the tank. Basically splitting 2 scapes down the centreline of the tank. I think that is pretty feasible as long as you aren't aiming for any 'real' height it can work.

Anyway I have now reduced my Plant list and below is what I am left with, Would you say this is a good choice? I am open to any suggestions.

Indian Fern
Hydrocotyle Leucocephalus
Nymphea Lotus-Red
Twisted Vallis
Didiplis Diandra
hygrophilia 'marble green'
Yellow Cabomba
Bacopa Monneri
wendtii (Your recommendation )

I like your suggestion of the Bolivian Rams they are very nice looking fish, Its a shame that the Golden Sucker Loach will grow to around 25 cm I have just looked at the cories and they are pretty cool! Could you or anyone else stopping by recommend some more clean up crew's to look at ?

 

[SuperColey1]

Pitbull Plec (Parotocinclus Jumbo)

Zebra Oto (Otocinclus Cocama) - I've linked to Liam's image on this forum as I haven't got any good piccies of these:

Both OK for your tank and bot very cool.

I know you have your plants list there but if it were me (and those cynical viewers will say I always use these plants ) but I would probably run some hardscape down the centre of the tank, on the ground not rising. Maybe a 'line' of different sized rocks and then at the beginnin concentrate on this centre line with anubias on the lower edges of the rock and ferns a little higher up.

You could then look for something to add variety to the substrate either side. A micture of Crypts as Biulu was saying i.e. Wendtii (green or brown or Tropica) or Parva etc.

I think your tank is about the minimum really for a pair of Bolivian rams. They may start getting a little fiery with their cohabitants. Much as they are one of the calmer cichlids, they do spawn quite readily and they will protect their 'brood' fiercely. Then after a few days of protecting them they often eat them. lol

Very pretty fish though:

AC

 

[Biulu]

What I mean with background plants is that you choose stemplants that grow 'high' and you would be able to plant these in the middle as a divider and then plant smaller plants on each side so you have your view from both sides.

 

[Tropical_Noobie]

What I mean with background plants is that you choose stemplants that grow 'high' and you would be able to plant these in the middle as a divider and then plant smaller plants on each side so you have your view from both sides.

You will have to excuse me Biulu I am a bit dyslexic, Well quite alot really

I totally understand now, Thanks for explaining further.

 

[ian]

dya know what i'd do with this tank...

I would scape it as a triangle scape, sloping the plants from left to right, then from both sides you'll have a good scape.

have a look here at the triangle scapes to get an idea...
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/328059-basics-in-aquascaping/

good luck!

 

[Tropical_Noobie]

dya know what i'd do with this tank...

I would scape it as a triangle scape, sloping the plants from left to right, then from both sides you'll have a good scape.

have a look here at the triangle scapes to get an idea...
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/328059-basics-in-aquascaping/

good luck!

Hi ianho,

Thanks for the link There are some good idears there. I have been looking all day at differant websites and found this which I like the most.

I have just ordered a peice of Redmoor Root Wood similar to the one in the picture above (A bit smaller)

All I need to do now is find some small Rocks to complete the look. I'm not to sure about the arch thou! (Not my cup of tea Lol)

Would you or anyone reading this have any idear what the grass in the foreground and the moss ? on the Root is called in the pic ?

I am still trying to decide what to use as a clean up crew, Some good surgestions so far. (Thanks Gent's)

 

[Tropical_Noobie]

I have noticed that Substrate in the above picture is made up of differant layers of material, Can I ask is this like this for a reason or just for show
Also about the grass looking plant in the foreground, Is there a dwarf one ? To save on the trimming ?

 

[SuperColey1]

I have noticed that Substrate in the above picture is made up of differant layers of material, Can I ask is this like this for a reason or just for show
Also about the grass looking plant in the foreground, Is there a dwarf one ? To save on the trimming ?

If you're talking about the gravel in the front corner, looks decorative to me

I have similar. If someone compliments me on the natural looking gravel on top of the sand I say thanks. In fact it has been laid there as the sand drifts away in the corners from current and livestock meddling and I don't want the clay underneath 'clouding' up the water. lol

Are you asking if there is a dwarf version of 'dwarf hairgrass' I shouldn't mock

AC

 

[Tropical_Noobie]

I have noticed that Substrate in the above picture is made up of differant layers of material, Can I ask is this like this for a reason or just for show
Also about the grass looking plant in the foreground, Is there a dwarf one ? To save on the trimming ?

If you're talking about the gravel in the front corner, looks decorative to me

I have similar. If someone compliments me on the natural looking gravel on top of the sand I say thanks. In fact it has been laid there as the sand drifts away in the corners from current and livestock meddling and I don't want the clay underneath 'clouding' up the water. lol

Are you asking if there is a dwarf version of 'dwarf hairgrass' I shouldn't mock

AC

I shouldn't mock You can if you like, I will not take it personally Lol.
Only I could ask if there was a dwarf version of that hairgrass lol!
I have to say my dyslexia is so bad some days it take me half an hour to write a couple of paragraphs let alone read anything from the web
(What a nightmare)
That is why I ask more poss stupid questions on here (It save's me hours on the net)

I take it you would recommend Sand as a subtrate then ? Sherly (I know don't call me Sherly) it must be better for the roots of the plants than plain old gravel ?

Going back to last post again, Do you have any idear of what type of moss on the root is by any chance?

 

[Tropical_Noobie]

I have just done my weeky water change and noticed that there is some signs of alge in the tank and on the leaves of the plants.

Any ideas what on what I should do next ? if anything ?
I have just found this moss and it looks like Vesicularia ferriei 'Weeping' in the picture above, Can anyone confirm this for me?