Aquascaping Advice Needed

[tenohfive]

I'm in the process of setting up a new tank for SA cichlids - it's a Rena Aqualife 370L, and is an expansion for my 180L SA tank. The eventual stocking list will be:

Sajica
Rainbow cichlid
Severum (probably Rotkeil, but I've not quite decided)
Nicaraguan cichlid
6-7 pim pictus.

I'm happy with the stocking list (it goes without saying that if they don't get along I'll be rehoming and rejigging the list) but I'm struggling with how to scape the tank - I'm hopeless at coming up with something that looks good but is functional.

Below are a few photo's of my first attempt and I'd welcome some advice on how to improve it. I also need some advice on planting - the room is naturally dark, so any suggestions as to what to add? I don't mind light planting but don't want a tank devoid of any plants.

Apologies for the state of the photo's, phone pic's and the sand hasn't quite settled (I should have cleaned it better.)

Cheers.

 

[twodoctors]

Nice pieces of wood you've got there. I would add lots of plants just at the background. I am useless with names of plants but if you look at my signature the two plants at the background of my larger tank are very fast growing.

Adrian

 

[england]

As stated get some plants, as i always did plastic easy to care for and there are alot that look good, try to define area's within the tank for each cichlid, however iam abit worried with that many cichlids in that size tank, also 6-7 pims,i think thats too small for them, pims are soooo active, all over the tank, when i had mine a group of four in my 5/2/2 i felt that group was enough, they like alot of length for speed swimming

 

[tenohfive]

Anyone any good with plants that can recommend some that will be happy in relatively low light conditions? I've never been keen on fake plants.

As for stocking, I'm going to monitor things because ultimately a lot will depend on the temperament of the individual fish. I've been through the rehoming/rescaping/reintroducing game with SA cichlids before and I'm not the sort to let fish die through stubborness, but I'd like to give it a go. I'll see what I can do to add more territories - I'm pretty sure one piece of bogwood (tripod shaped) is an instant territory, I'll move that across as well.

As for the pims, I've got 5 already and they're surprisingly good dither fish - my rainbow is often chasing them off, and they're far too fast to come to harm. I was only planning on upping the numbers for security. I've deliberately gone for a dense floor at the back of the tank with the front third of the tank as open swimming space (and I've found they're equally happy swimming at 90 degrees against the tank glass) but I'll see if I can open the room out a little.

 

[L_Plates]

Try to get some moss stuck on the wood aswell will help break it up a little, look at java moss.

I am currently waiting on some arriving that i will be adding to a piece of mw wood to create a carpet effect on the top of it.

LP

 

[tenohfive]

Sounds like a good idea.

 

[L_Plates]

Keep us posted,, i am following this thread as i need ideas as well for my tank

 

[Davo86]

Just to say most Sevs will devour most plants, although Java fern or anubias might work,

As for silk plans i can highly recommend the 'flexible bamboo' made by Rosewood