Could you do a George Farmer style V scape? So you have the chunky bit in the middle and then a branch or branches going to either side? Not quite a true island layout but comparable.
Finally tearing down ugly 57g, building new 36g to replace it!
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kross
New Member
I like this one the best, but I see you already tore it down and tried something else.
Personally I wouldn't lean the wood pieces against the glass, simply because it makes cleaning the glass more difficult. If you don't care about that, then never mind.
Also, I enjoy your posts, keep 'em coming!
OP
OP
Nothing to really show yet I'm afraid, but thank you for checking!
I couldn't get a hardscape arrangement to work the way I wanted it to, despite messing with it when I got a chance and checking out different inspirations from the Tropica site and youtube vids, and I haven't wanted to settle for something I'm not happy about yet, since it's much harder to change once you've planted it up, you know? Once that arrives and I know what I'm working with, I'll loosely arrange it and some plants in pots and snag some photos to share.
But, I ordered a bunch more plants, and some more wood and dragonstone that should arrive in a few days, and have moved closer to some main tank ideas in my head, so haven't stopped progress altogether! Will have a better idea once I've seen the new wood and cleaned up the new dragonstone.
Excited about the plants too, will do a full plant list once they arrive since I forgot to make a note of what I ordered, lol! But Pro Shrimp had some new plants available that they didn't have when I ordered the last batch, including Crinum calamistratum, which is a plant I've wanted for years, but never found a shrimp safe one for sale anywhere.
Really liking some of the species from the last order I got too, that are still in pots in one of my established tanks. One of the fern like ones especially I think will help with a moody, dark forest cave like theme with the largest piece of bogwood. Think "sunken, overgrown jungle" for the type of look I have in mind, although that may change as the tank goes on of course!
Giving an alternanthera another try as well. Never had any real luck with one before, this one is alternanthera sessilis.
Last ones I tried were reineckii, which survived for a long while, but never really thrived, colour wasn't great in a low-tech tank, and gradually lost plants one by one until it wasn't worth keeping them anymore. I don't mind trying new plants though, even if it doesn't always wind up working. It's all part of the fun of planted tanks, right?
Bit gutted that the red root floaters I got last time didn't survive. I added them to the established tank, but they just withered away and vanished. I will order some again and give them another try if still available once the tank is up and running though.
OP
OP
I like this one the best, but I see you already tore it down and tried something else.
Personally I wouldn't lean the wood pieces against the glass, simply because it makes cleaning the glass more difficult. If you don't care about that, then never mind.
Also, I enjoy your posts, keep 'em coming!
Aaaww, thank you!
Excellent point about leaning hardscape against the glass making life difficult later, have been bearing that in mind more since you mentioned it, thank you! I will secure the hardscape more solidly once I'm okay with the arrangement. But I hadn't really been considering the clean up/plant maintenance side of it, so the reminder is useful.
I do also have a tendency to use too much hardscape when I first set up a tank, then end up gradually removing pieces as the plants grow in and I decide they need more room! Easily done, when you want a tank to look full and like an established tank from day one.
I've gotta be patient though, and think of the hardscape more as a skeleton to build on rather than the main visual, the way it's easy to do before the plants and fish are in!
@Wills and @mbsqw1d , to give a better idea of the theme and style that appeal to me, I went through the tropica inspiration pages at length! I'm drawn to tanks with a huge variety of plants, and an almost jungle type look - not surprising, given how overplanted and left to run wild my tanks have always been! I love these ones especially...
Tropica layout 123:
Tropica layout 108:
Not to try to copy the advanced nature or high tech of course! Just what I'd call the "mood" and the variety of plants going on really appeals. The first one especially, even the designer admits it was hugely elaborate and a pain to work around and maintain. But I love the gloomy forest theme, and the way he built it up. The second one is a George Farmer one. I would be delighted to have something even half as nice! Without the carpeting for me, since this tank is mainly for my plecos and corydora school.
Now, shooting for me achievable for me, check out layout number 68, marked as easy:
But has a similar "sunken overgrown forest scape" feel to it, I think. I'm aiming for something in between the two extremes! Some interesting looking hardscape that provides cover and hidy spots for the plecs/cories, and can have many varieties of plants attached and around it, and some open sand for cories to feed and play.
@mbsq, this one really appealed as well and is closer to what I'd like to achieve, and also reminds me of your tanks!
Hope this makes sense to others! Just to give an idea of where my mind is at with it at the moment, but you all know how tank plans tend to change and evolve with planted tanks especially, and for people like me who love live plants, but aren't aquascapers!
ETA: fixed broken image.
The red root floaters that I got just last week completely died in my tank as well. THey were slightly brown upon arrival though so the seller is sending a replacemnt. Hopefully these survive
OP
OP
Dang, that sucks! Glad you're getting a replacement though, fingers crossed those survive and make it, please let me know how they get on! Mine were in a 1-2 grow pot, and while the leaves looked okay, the usual jelly had gone quite liquidy. I've been fine with water lettuce, frogbit and (my most hated) duckweed, so the floaters were the one plant I wasn't really concerned about! But within days, it was just gone. Only fish in the tank are cories, otos and a few elderly retired male guppies, nothing that would snack on them. It just curled up and died really quick.
Hmm interesting. Maybe there was too much water movement?
OP
OP
Not in my tank, the filtration is a sponge filter and a gentle HOB.
What do you think of the tank layout ideas in my last post?
What a great story and great tanks. I loved reading about your Dad. Those old guys can be cantankerous and willful but they do know their stuff. He sounds like the kind of guy I'd love to sit and hear his stories. Made me think of my Old Man. Thanks for posting this.
I like the first one the mostNot in my tank, the filtration is a sponge filter and a gentle HOB.
What do you think of the tank layout ideas in my last post?
OP
OP
Haha, thank you! Yep, my dad is a wonderful man in so many ways, but can also be very stubborn and hard-headed! He's both endearing and infuriating, possibly in equal measure...
I wish he would talk more about his old stories and life history. Since he was born in 1937, evacuated as a child, grew up during rationing and spent years in the army before working some interesting jobs, including my folks owning their animal businesses, I'd be fascinated to hear more too! But he never really talks about things like that, not from his personal life anyway, even with prying. Most of what I know I've learned from my mom and his late sister. Younger generations could learn so much from The Silent Generation, especially now during/after a global crisis. I think the attitudes and self-sufficiency that post-blitz Britain cultivated were wonderful, and I try to keep those same phrases and attitudes when the world and news seems overwhelming now. Trying not to be wasteful, to work together and know that even when things are hard and terrifying, that there are still good things to hold onto, and that it will eventually pass.I learned more about dad's history from things like when I was a kid, seeing how his feet were deformed. He has large feet and high arches, but some messed up toes and stuff - and I remember my mother being religious about taking us as kids to have our feet measured often for new shoes, being very careful about making sure our growing feet were okay. As a curious kid asking about my dad's feet, she explained that new shoes weren't something many could have very often in the late 30s/early 40s, so they would be patched, repaired, lined with cardboard etc, just to make them last as long as possible. My dad lost his mother as a very young kid, and his dad expected his stepmother's to handle things like that, so dad was usually forcing his growing feet into much too small shoes for way too long, leading to the shape of his feet now. He never complains, and has always been active and going on walks etc with a super strong work ethic still, but no doubt his feet have caused him pain, and he has some after effects from that, especially at his age now. It also explains why mom was so focused on our foot health when we were kids.
Another time my dad pointed out some shrapnel damage that remains on buildings in our city (Bristol, UK) from WW2 bombs, and then I found out more about him being an evacuee etc. Their generation lived through an incredibly hard time in history, and the scars are still visible on them and the landscape today. They were incredibly tough, generous, and brave. But it's hard for someone of my generation or younger to wrap our minds around living with that ourselves, you know? Sorry for the long ramble, lol. If your old man was anything like mine, then you also were blessed to have him, and I hope he shared many wonderful stories with you! I would love to hear any that you'd care to share!
You said it all. Perfectly. Even over here on the other side of the pond all those old guys are alike. I love your phrase "The Silent Generation ". I know exactly what you mean. My Dad has been gone for nearly 19 years. He was born in 1918 and lived through the Depression and served in the Navy during WWII. He was as tight as a fiddle string , watched every penny and never bought himself anything and he never uttered a word about anything either. You're blessed and lucky to still have him. I envy you.
OP
OP
Played with the hardscape some more today. Wanted to see how it would look as a central island. I have my heart set on using this large curved wood piece, since I got it specifically for the plecs, I like the shape, and it also has a flat bit on the top that makes building onto it pretty easy (sorry for cloudiness, all the substrate moving did it, have a filter running on it now):
Any of the other wood and stone I have, I'm flexible about what to include. I do think it needs more hardscape than the one large piece above, I want some height to it, and places to attach plants and have plants weaved through, not just plants in the substrate.
I do think that a centre island with dragon stone around it, some wood pieces on top could look great. If this tank was longer, like a 40-50 gal, so there was more space on either side for the fish to explore and play, I'd go for it. But since room here is more limited, I'm going to go for having a built up island on the left side, a clearer, more open area on the right as a feeding/playing space, like a clearing in the sunken forest.
Still not the final arrangement - waiting on another piece of mopani to arrive, going to keep messing with it, and later tonight I'll be removing the scape and sorting out the substrate again. Building more height on the left using bags of gravel, then covering with sand. The amazon swords will be planted on the left and behind the wood, perhaps some vallis and/or limnophilia sessiliflora too. Mosses, buces etc will be attached to the wood and any dragonstone I add, some crypts dotted around and the new plants! Looking forward to getting planting soon.
Any of the other wood and stone I have, I'm flexible about what to include. I do think it needs more hardscape than the one large piece above, I want some height to it, and places to attach plants and have plants weaved through, not just plants in the substrate.
I do think that a centre island with dragon stone around it, some wood pieces on top could look great. If this tank was longer, like a 40-50 gal, so there was more space on either side for the fish to explore and play, I'd go for it. But since room here is more limited, I'm going to go for having a built up island on the left side, a clearer, more open area on the right as a feeding/playing space, like a clearing in the sunken forest.
Still not the final arrangement - waiting on another piece of mopani to arrive, going to keep messing with it, and later tonight I'll be removing the scape and sorting out the substrate again. Building more height on the left using bags of gravel, then covering with sand. The amazon swords will be planted on the left and behind the wood, perhaps some vallis and/or limnophilia sessiliflora too. Mosses, buces etc will be attached to the wood and any dragonstone I add, some crypts dotted around and the new plants! Looking forward to getting planting soon.
ClownLurch
Fish Gatherer
Good to see you back AS.
I too have slung my more solid lumps of wood. I’ve replaced them gradually with spidery branchy type pieces. It allows more water in the tank, more circulation and I love to see the smaller fish swimming through them as opposed to around them. I’m drifting over to even smaller fish these days. Probably due to the tale below.
We‘re also ploughing through one of your livebearer explosions. I spotted a beautiful light blue lyre tail male Endler in PAH months ago and he was still there the following week when MrsLurch popped in there for cat food so he was snapped up. (reads badly that doesnt it!).
After three weeks solitary she put four of her females in with him instead of the two I suggested. 140+ fry later it’s still impossible to do a WC of the female tank without inducing another 5-15 fry. Every week it’s happening.
Your last arrangement in the post above is the one to use as a starting point imho.
I too have slung my more solid lumps of wood. I’ve replaced them gradually with spidery branchy type pieces. It allows more water in the tank, more circulation and I love to see the smaller fish swimming through them as opposed to around them. I’m drifting over to even smaller fish these days. Probably due to the tale below.
We‘re also ploughing through one of your livebearer explosions. I spotted a beautiful light blue lyre tail male Endler in PAH months ago and he was still there the following week when MrsLurch popped in there for cat food so he was snapped up. (reads badly that doesnt it!).
After three weeks solitary she put four of her females in with him instead of the two I suggested. 140+ fry later it’s still impossible to do a WC of the female tank without inducing another 5-15 fry. Every week it’s happening.
Your last arrangement in the post above is the one to use as a starting point imho.
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