Views On Co2 Kits And Aquascaping?

[connor_09]

I Have recently been looking into changing my tank up a little and have been looking at a lot of aquariums online for inspiration, I came across this website www.aquascapingworld.com now i had know idea this went on even though i wouldn't class myself experienced by any means i have had my aquarium for almost a year now (not a shade on most of the people on this forum i know)now iv'e had a chance to look into aquascaping i have since found it's rather serious business with many different styles, much like architecture and when done well looks stunning. Here are just a few which i loved and gave me much of the inspiration i needed to decide to research further into aquascaping,

http/www.aquascapingworld.com/aquascapes/full_view_aquascape.php?item_id=150&aquascape=
http/www.aquascapingworld.com/aquascapes/full_view_aquascape.php?item_id=146&aquascape=
http/www.aquascapingworld.com/aquascapes/full_view_aquascape.php?item_id=159&aquascape=

As i said i am now looking into revamping my tank much like these tank above and have noticed many if not all of the tanks have CO2 kits installed as many of the plants need moderate amounts of CO2 to survive and grow which brings me back to my original question, does anybody here use CO2 kits in their tanks do you think they are good/bad and if anyone could tell me the pros and cons of installing one that would be fantastic? Also is anyone here a keen aquascaper? Do you have any advice? tips? I was going to put this on tropical discussion but figured i am a newbie to aquascaping and CO2 (plus a lot of the big guns who come in here often may be able to shead some light on my situation as always )

Thanks and all views/answers much appreciated!

 

[zophie]

Hello,
I'm an aqua scaper, I do this as a part time job, desighning peoples tanks.
I find that the best thing to think of when aqua scaping is to try and create something that is different. Don't just make a plant,wood,and rock set-up. Create a beutiful world with mountains, mines, crystal caves, and a beutiful sky. Often I find, people find fantasy tanks (the term used for un-realistic set ups) stupid, but when created with naturel materiels and beutiful yet sutle colours, a fantasy tank can be a true wonder. Here's what I do with my clients.
I ask them what sort of scene they would like in there tank.
The last tank I set up, the man wanted a mountain with tiny trees.
So, I looked at my meteriels. I took a huge chunk of rock, and chipped it intill it looked like a tall mountain peek. then, using a chisle, I carved out tiny dents in the rock. Here I tied Java Moss which soon spread over the whole mountain, creating the tree on mountain affect. I placed the mountain in the tank, then took tiny for-ground plants and planted around the hole bottem of the tank, to create a forests below. Small rocks covered in Java Moss created hills, and a deep clef in the substrtae created a vally, which I planted with Java Moss on coconut shells,and small flowers.
I touched it up with a mountain background, and a sunlight LED light systim.
My sharing this with you, I hope you get the idea of a fantasy landscape, you can create a beutiful and mysticle land and still have a amazing, tank, that is not at all "tacky".

As for the air pumps, look at you're fish. Some love air, and some don't. I don't like using air pumps, but I do use a power filter (external) that airiates the water.
It is really a pearsonal choice.

if you need any help with your aqua scaping, talk to me!

Zophie