Thoughts on this hard scape?( answers wanted fairly quickly )

[connorlindeman]

What would you change?

 

[Byron]

That is a very good start...to suggest next step(s), what fish are you intending for this tank?

 

[connorlindeman]

That is a very good start...to suggest next step(s), what fish are you intending for this tank?

This is my shell dweller tank. I had an insane amount of cyano bacteria so I stripped the tank replaced the sand(I wanted to do that anyway) and now im adding rocks.

 

[connorlindeman]

I moved it around some more and added the shells

 

[Byron]

Good. I was going to mention the shells, but you posted as I was typing, so that's covered. A background is needed, and I would suggest plain non-glossy black, I used construction paper.

 

[connorlindeman]

Good. I was going to mention the shells, but you posted as I was typing, so that's covered. A background is needed, and I would suggest plain non-glossy black, I used construction paper.

Ok thanks. I'm also adding some Val's. How would you suggest arranging them?

 

[Byron]

Ok thanks. I'm also adding some Val's. How would you suggest arranging them?

Depends upon species. I will make the assumption they will be the more common smaller species Vallisneria spiralis rather than the Giant "Jungle" plant V. americana. The tightly-twisted "corkscrew" form remains much smaller than other varieties, the 5 to 10 mm wide leaves attaining up to 30-50 cm (12-20 inches). I would spread them out, in the right rear corner, the left rear half tank, but not fully across the back as this immediately draws attention to the back of the tank rather than leaving it "open." Basically a plant in each of those openings between the rocks, I see 4 or 5 such openings. once settled, the plant will send out runners and you can leave the adventitious plants in some places according to how they fill in, up to you. Good choice in plants as they are native to Lake Tanganyika and they readily assimilate carbon from bicarbonates (as opposed to carbon dioxide) and thus do exceptionally well in harder water.

On a taxonomic note...There is considerable confusion over the nomenclature of this genus [see comments following], and several different "species" and varieties may be encountered in the literature; one may therefore find the same plant under various names. The "corkscrew" variety is frequently seen under the name Vallisneria spiralis forma tortafolia, and a few taxonomists have elevated this form to a distinct species, V. tortissima. A near-identical plant differing only in the structure of the flower and in having narrower (3-5mm) leaves is Vallisneria americana var. biwaensis. The genus Vallisneria was named in honour of Antonio Vallisneri (1661-1730) by the "Father of Taxonomy" Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) and he described the species Vallisneria spiralis in 1753. The epithet spiralis actually refers not to the leaf shape but to the long spiraling stalk of the female flower. The common name of the natural form of V. spiralis is "Straight Vall" because of the straight ribbon-like leaves. This original form can grow to 120 cm (4 feet). There are several variants, natural and hybrid, with a variety of leaf forms.

Until the recent developments in phylogenetics, the confusion over the species in this genus has largely occurred due to the difficulty of identifying them by anything other than the flower structure. The leaves of plants in the same species can appear very different depending upon growing conditions, both in nature and in the aquarium. As previously noted, the spirally-twisted leaf form of V. americana is basically identical to the screw-like twisted leaf of the corkscrew form of V. spiralis. Studying the flower of each species is complicated by the plants having distinct female and male flower forms that occur very rarely in nature and are therefore difficult to obtain. Extensive research detailed in published studies in 1982 by two independent botanists, R.M. Lowden and Christopher D.K. Cook, came to the same conclusion: the genus Vallisneria holds only two species, V. americana and V. spiralis, and both have two varieties. The relevant taxonomic criteria to determine the true species turned out to be the arrangement of the carpels in female flowers and the number of stamens in male flowers. Since the vast majority of aquarists will not be familiar with flowering Vallisneria, detailing these distinctions here would serve little purpose, but there is a summary in Kasselmann (2003) for those who are interested. The species endemic to Australia was determined to be Vallisneria nana by Jacobs & Frank (1997). More recent work (Les, et al. 2008) using phylogenetics has resulted in 12 species being identified by molecular data, and an additional 2 to 3 species by morphological differences within groups that were invariant at the molecular level. Two new Vallisneria species (V. australis, V. erecta) are formally described in the same study.

The flowering may interest some:

All species are dioecious, having male and female plants that both produce flowers. The female flowers grow on long scapes and float on the surface; male flowers are produced at the base of the male plant and become detached and float to the surface and open. The water then carries the pollen to the female flower. Seeds are not produced in aquaria, and the plants spread by numerous daughter plants that arise from runners. These daughter plants may be left to form an extensive mat of plants or separated once they have developed several leaves and roots and planted in another location.

The Hydrocharitaceae family of floating and submersed aquatic plants, commonly called the Tape Grasses, contains both marine and freshwater plants found on all continents in the tropical and temperate zones. With the exception of the Asian genera Blyxa and Ottelia, the plants in this family tolerate very hard water. All species are flowering, the marine species being pollinated submersed and the freshwater on the surface; pollen is dispersed by water except for Stratiotes and a few species in Ottelia that are insect pollinated. There are 18 genera, several containing plants commonly seen in aquaria.

 

[connorlindeman]

Depends upon species. I will make the assumption they will be the more common smaller species Vallisneria spiralis rather than the Giant "Jungle" plant V. americana. The tightly-twisted "corkscrew" form remains much smaller than other varieties, the 5 to 10 mm wide leaves attaining up to 30-50 cm (12-20 inches). I would spread them out, in the right rear corner, the left rear half tank, but not fully across the back as this immediately draws attention to the back of the tank rather than leaving it "open." Basically a plant in each of those openings between the rocks, I see 4 or 5 such openings. once settled, the plant will send out runners and you can leave the adventitious plants in some places according to how they fill in, up to you. Good choice in plants as they are native to Lake Tanganyika and they readily assimilate carbon from bicarbonates (as opposed to carbon dioxide) and thus do exceptionally well in harder water.

On a taxonomic note...There is considerable confusion over the nomenclature of this genus [see comments following], and several different "species" and varieties may be encountered in the literature; one may therefore find the same plant under various names. The "corkscrew" variety is frequently seen under the name Vallisneria spiralis forma tortafolia, and a few taxonomists have elevated this form to a distinct species, V. tortissima. A near-identical plant differing only in the structure of the flower and in having narrower (3-5mm) leaves is Vallisneria americana var. biwaensis. The genus Vallisneria was named in honour of Antonio Vallisneri (1661-1730) by the "Father of Taxonomy" Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) and he described the species Vallisneria spiralis in 1753. The epithet spiralis actually refers not to the leaf shape but to the long spiraling stalk of the female flower. The common name of the natural form of V. spiralis is "Straight Vall" because of the straight ribbon-like leaves. This original form can grow to 120 cm (4 feet). There are several variants, natural and hybrid, with a variety of leaf forms.

Until the recent developments in phylogenetics, the confusion over the species in this genus has largely occurred due to the difficulty of identifying them by anything other than the flower structure. The leaves of plants in the same species can appear very different depending upon growing conditions, both in nature and in the aquarium. As previously noted, the spirally-twisted leaf form of V. americana is basically identical to the screw-like twisted leaf of the corkscrew form of V. spiralis. Studying the flower of each species is complicated by the plants having distinct female and male flower forms that occur very rarely in nature and are therefore difficult to obtain. Extensive research detailed in published studies in 1982 by two independent botanists, R.M. Lowden and Christopher D.K. Cook, came to the same conclusion: the genus Vallisneria holds only two species, V. americana and V. spiralis, and both have two varieties. The relevant taxonomic criteria to determine the true species turned out to be the arrangement of the carpels in female flowers and the number of stamens in male flowers. Since the vast majority of aquarists will not be familiar with flowering Vallisneria, detailing these distinctions here would serve little purpose, but there is a summary in Kasselmann (2003) for those who are interested. The species endemic to Australia was determined to be Vallisneria nana by Jacobs & Frank (1997). More recent work (Les, et al. 2008) using phylogenetics has resulted in 12 species being identified by molecular data, and an additional 2 to 3 species by morphological differences within groups that were invariant at the molecular level. Two new Vallisneria species (V. australis, V. erecta) are formally described in the same study.

The flowering may interest some:

All species are dioecious, having male and female plants that both produce flowers. The female flowers grow on long scapes and float on the surface; male flowers are produced at the base of the male plant and become detached and float to the surface and open. The water then carries the pollen to the female flower. Seeds are not produced in aquaria, and the plants spread by numerous daughter plants that arise from runners. These daughter plants may be left to form an extensive mat of plants or separated once they have developed several leaves and roots and planted in another location.

The Hydrocharitaceae family of floating and submersed aquatic plants, commonly called the Tape Grasses, contains both marine and freshwater plants found on all continents in the tropical and temperate zones. With the exception of the Asian genera Blyxa and Ottelia, the plants in this family tolerate very hard water. All species are flowering, the marine species being pollinated submersed and the freshwater on the surface; pollen is dispersed by water except for Stratiotes and a few species in Ottelia that are insect pollinated. There are 18 genera, several containing plants commonly seen in aquaria.

Thank you Byron for all the information and for the help
Here is the tank after adding plants, filling it up, and re adding the fish.

The heater looks pretty ugly. I'm not sure how else to fit it so it's works well...

 

[Byron]

On the heater...I know the reason many recommend horizontal heater placement, but I have never done this, mine are always vertical in one of the rear corners. However, I always have the return from the filter next to it, so as the warm water rises the filter current naturally carries it down the tank.

Keeping the heater horizontal...I suppose you could move the two rocks in the rear right corner forward just enough to have the heater horizontal with the substrate (not on but above the substrate). Still see it, but less "obvious."

 

[Deleted member 149562]

How about disguising the heater.....like this....

Heater Cover - 002 | Aquarium Tank Products | Universal Rocks

www.universalrocks.com

 

[connorlindeman]

How about disguising the heater.....like this....

Heater Cover - 002 | Aquarium Tank Products | Universal Rocks

www.universalrocks.com

hmmm thats pretty cool!

 

[connorlindeman]

On the heater...I know the reason many recommend horizontal heater placement, but I have never done this, mine are always vertical in one of the rear corners. However, I always have the return from the filter next to it, so as the warm water rises the filter current naturally carries it down the tank.

Keeping the heater horizontal...I suppose you could move the two rocks in the rear right corner forward just enough to have the heater horizontal with the substrate (not on but above the substrate). Still see it, but less "obvious."

I think that I will try to have it vertical by the filter. I will return this heater that I got because its too tall. Its a 300w. I think that I can return it and get the 200w. That should work for my 40g...

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Keeping the heater horizontal...I suppose you could move the two rocks in the rear right corner forward just enough to have the heater horizontal with the substrate (not on but above the substrate). Still see it, but less "obvious."

This is what I thought when I saw the heater and scape. One of mine is like that, hasn't been a problem.

I really like the scape! Especially after you'd changed it around a bit and added the shells. Looks wonderful! And vallis is a great choice too. Excited to follow the thread!

 

[Deleted member 149562]

hmmm thats pretty cool!

If you were to put a rocky type background on the aquarium, then get a rock like heater cover....you can also get filter covers too...it would all blend into the background quite nicely

If you happen to be creative you could possibly make your own cover that blends into the background too

Failing that, you could always build up the rock levels in the aquarium a little more and lay the heater flat horizontal just above substrate level behind the rocks

 

[GaryE]

Set a trap for the eye - a slightly off centre sand patch, bare, leading like a road (narrowing toward the back).