Aqua Scape Suggestions

[Miss Wiggle]

right i'm getting there with my little tank, it's nowhere near as special as all your tanks but i really struggle with aquascaping! just struggle with inspiration.

so can anyone give me any thoughts, comments, suggestions.... what would you do to improve it?

also what's the plant back left, bought it the other day and can't remember!?!

stats -

8gish, got a trickle filter in the hood, t5 lights one 'standard' bulb that came with the tank, upgraded the other to an arcadia one that's designed for good plant growth, can't remember the name! dosing daily with flourish excel, weekly with flourish and flourish iron and there's a few flourish root tabs in there too. Just got binky the SD male betta in there, excuse his tatty fins he caught himself last week and tore it a bit, treating him and he's on the mend.

so with all that I'm actually getting plants to grow and not die which in itself it a massive achievement for me, so now it's time for the next step and to try and make them look pretty!!

now i know i need a background on there (need to rip down the awful wallpaper too and re-decorate!! ha ha) was just gonna go with plain black.

so what else do you think I could do?

 

[Fillet 'O' Fish]

Beginnings of a Nice tank there Wiggle
Look like its on your bed side table? (If thats a pillow to the left). Doesn't the filter noise etc drive you mad when you are trying to sleep?
Mind you it would be nice to be able to lay in bed and relax whilst watching my tank. mmmm........
No I dont think I could convince the wife to let me have my 450 litre beside the bed

 

[stang1]

Your tanks looking good, Miss Wiggle.
How about a little piece of rock in the back right corner or a little ornament he could swim through?

 

[Fillet 'O' Fish]

Yes I agree there is a gap on the back right that could do with a plant or rock etc.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

thankyou, yes it's on the bedside table.

no it doesn't drive me mad, if i can sleep through Ian's grunting and snoring i can cope with the tank!!

I kind of like the blank space to the back right??? how about just extending the 'crypt carpet' right to the back?

 

[stang1]

thankyou, yes it's on the bedside table.

no it doesn't drive me mad, if i can sleep through Ian's grunting and snoring i can cope with the tank!!

I kind of like the blank space to the back right??? how about just extending the 'crypt carpet' right to the back?

That'd look fine. At the end of the day, you'll find the perfect solution. I spent ages mucking about with my Betta tanks until I got it how I wanted it. To be honest, your tank looks good as it is anyway and once the plants mature they'll fill it out anyway.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

thankyou, yes it's on the bedside table.

no it doesn't drive me mad, if i can sleep through Ian's grunting and snoring i can cope with the tank!!

I kind of like the blank space to the back right??? how about just extending the 'crypt carpet' right to the back?

That'd look fine. At the end of the day, you'll find the perfect solution. I spent ages mucking about with my Betta tanks until I got it how I wanted it. To be honest, your tank looks good as it is anyway and once the plants mature they'll fill it out anyway.

thanks, i know it'll be better once things mature, i just feel like there's something missing dunno really!

 

[stang1]

How about anubia? I think thats the right name. I have some in a couple of my Betta tanks and it looks really nice.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yeah i've some in other tanks, i've thought about putting things on the wood but i don't want to, just wanna keep that as wood so java fern, anubias and moss is pretty much out

 

[stang1]

How about making a background just to give it something a bit different. I used a slate background on one tank and a pebble background on another. Takes a bit of time and completely mind-numbing but worth it when you're finished!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

How about making a background just to give it something a bit different. I used a slate background on one tank and a pebble background on another. Takes a bit of time and completely mind-numbing but worth it when you're finished!

hmmm sounds interesting, have you any pics of yours?

 

[stang1]

How about making a background just to give it something a bit different. I used a slate background on one tank and a pebble background on another. Takes a bit of time and completely mind-numbing but worth it when you're finished!

hmmm sounds interesting, have you any pics of yours?

Just took these pics!

Boromirs tank. Pebbles, could of done a better job but I'll know next time!

Aragorn's tank. The slate only comes half way up and the ornament has a hole in the back which the filter runs in to. This keeps the water still.

Gandalfs tank. Used a tree background for this one. Had some left over so jutted it out at an angle and he loves swimming under it. In fact, it's his favourite hiding place!

I'm still in the process of making one for my yellow Betta, Legolas. Probably going to use a blueish type of rock for his.
Hope it helps!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

that looks really cool, how did you make them?

 

[stang1]

that looks really cool, how did you make them?

My other half brought a big bit of green slate from the garden centre and chiselled bits off. I just overlapped a couple of pieces and used silicone to glue it.
The pebbles are a different story! Brought two bags from lfs, £3 each. I laid the tank on its side and just siliconed pebbles on. I tried having some sticking out more than other for a bit of depth. In hindsight I should have overlapped them a bit more so the back didn't show. I had some pebbles left over so I got a big piece of slate and built an ornament on top of it, a sort of tower. I left a big gap either side which Boromir loves hiding in! About two thirds of the way up I siliconed some slate on top and then siliconed more pebbles on top. This left a hole in the top so I put some sand and gravel in it and put a plant in the top.
Took ages, but I must admit I did enjoy it!
As for the other tank, I just brought the background and silicioned it on. I placed another piece at about a 45 degree angle from the back just to bring it to life.
And re-reading this, I've just realised I've got too much time on my hands!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

that looks really cool, how did you make them?

My other half brought a big bit of green slate from the garden centre and chiselled bits off. I just overlapped a couple of pieces and used silicone to glue it.
The pebbles are a different story! Brought two bags from lfs, £3 each. I laid the tank on its side and just siliconed pebbles on. I tried having some sticking out more than other for a bit of depth. In hindsight I should have overlapped them a bit more so the back didn't show. I had some pebbles left over so I got a big piece of slate and built an ornament on top of it, a sort of tower. I left a big gap either side which Boromir loves hiding in! About two thirds of the way up I siliconed some slate on top and then siliconed more pebbles on top. This left a hole in the top so I put some sand and gravel in it and put a plant in the top.
Took ages, but I must admit I did enjoy it!
As for the other tank, I just brought the background and silicioned it on. I placed another piece at about a 45 degree angle from the back just to bring it to life.
And re-reading this, I've just realised I've got too much time on my hands!

ha ha not at all, they looks cool, especially the slate one, means a total strip down of the tank though

i'll think about it though!