Ok, so I want to rescape my tank. Its a 29g that has been running for about 18 months. I have a fluval canister filter that is rated for a 75g tank. I have grasses, one small and one large anubias, a bunch of Amazon swords and a low growing plant that grows in a rosette,(don't know the species as it was the first plant I put in there a year and half ago). The anubias are on a large piece of drift wood. I will include a pic. Right now all the swords are bunched up and quite tall almost in the center of the tank towards the front. most of the grasses are low and all on the left side. I want to move all the really tall swords to the back and have the rosette style plant show more towards the front and let the grasses grow right up front. In order to create sort of sandy beach circle in the front with no plants in them at all. The drift wood with the anubias I want to try and keep where it is. I have a few questions.
1. I read on here that someone said that uprooting their plants caused pockets of ammonia to be released and could have caused some of the fish to die. Is this something that I should worry about? I have lost a couple of fish in there over the last year that I never found and could they be rotting in the soil?
2. Should I do a water change before, after, or during this project? If so how much? Water is always testing really good and I typically do 20% a week.
3. Is it okay to leave the fish in the tank while I do this? They big enough that I won't accidently scoop them out with seeing but I worry about the stress.
4. If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them. Some of the tanks I see on this forum are just stunning and I know that I would be getting some great tips!
5. What's the best why to approach this?
6. Am I being a worrywart for nothing? Can I just dive in and do it and not have to do anything special, just pick them out and move them to the new spots?
One other thing . I started this tank a year and a half ago wanting a planted terrarium with a few fish as an accent. that was my goal. What I have done is having a fish tank with planted décor that is not really working for me(But honestly it does seem to work for the fish because they all seem to have their own unique hiding spots. like the neon like zigzagging through the stems like its an absticle course. The dwarf gourami has a special place. Th rio negra pleco stays in the cavern the drift wood has inside its bulk. The dojo loach loves basking in the short grasses. he will have to go soon but I can't part with him yet and he is still quite small and peacefull. The algea eater, on the other hand is going to the first lfs that takes him. He is mean and too big for my tank (thanks lfs for telling me he would be perfect for my setup.)
I am sure that any advice you give I will probably do most of if not all.
Oh and what about the backing? I am thinking of changing that to an all blue or maybe nothing. What do you think.
Sorry for the long post. I took my prescription sleep aid and its really kicking and I can't seem to stop typing! So excuse the typos they a result of my fingers not doing quite what I am tell them to.
Anyway here are some pics.
Oh substraite is gravel mix I bought that was supposed to work well for giving the plants mutrients and fine sand mixed togetherThought it gave a more natural look.
This Is fullfrontal
This is the left side of tank
This is the large anubias and the driftwood it is attached to
this is the cener of the tank showing how the swords are all bunched together
and this is the rosette plant that I don't know the name of. If someone can ID that would be nice. It has only grown 3 inches tall and is about 6 or 8 inches in diameter with lightly colored green leaves. (which is what attracted me to it.
Again any advice would be greatly appreciated and I can update on how its going with new picks during the process and after completion. Thanks
1. I read on here that someone said that uprooting their plants caused pockets of ammonia to be released and could have caused some of the fish to die. Is this something that I should worry about? I have lost a couple of fish in there over the last year that I never found and could they be rotting in the soil?
2. Should I do a water change before, after, or during this project? If so how much? Water is always testing really good and I typically do 20% a week.
3. Is it okay to leave the fish in the tank while I do this? They big enough that I won't accidently scoop them out with seeing but I worry about the stress.
4. If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them. Some of the tanks I see on this forum are just stunning and I know that I would be getting some great tips!
5. What's the best why to approach this?
6. Am I being a worrywart for nothing? Can I just dive in and do it and not have to do anything special, just pick them out and move them to the new spots?
One other thing . I started this tank a year and a half ago wanting a planted terrarium with a few fish as an accent. that was my goal. What I have done is having a fish tank with planted décor that is not really working for me(But honestly it does seem to work for the fish because they all seem to have their own unique hiding spots. like the neon like zigzagging through the stems like its an absticle course. The dwarf gourami has a special place. Th rio negra pleco stays in the cavern the drift wood has inside its bulk. The dojo loach loves basking in the short grasses. he will have to go soon but I can't part with him yet and he is still quite small and peacefull. The algea eater, on the other hand is going to the first lfs that takes him. He is mean and too big for my tank (thanks lfs for telling me he would be perfect for my setup.)
I am sure that any advice you give I will probably do most of if not all.
Oh and what about the backing? I am thinking of changing that to an all blue or maybe nothing. What do you think.
Sorry for the long post. I took my prescription sleep aid and its really kicking and I can't seem to stop typing! So excuse the typos they a result of my fingers not doing quite what I am tell them to.
Anyway here are some pics.
Oh substraite is gravel mix I bought that was supposed to work well for giving the plants mutrients and fine sand mixed togetherThought it gave a more natural look.
This Is fullfrontal
This is the left side of tank
This is the large anubias and the driftwood it is attached to
this is the cener of the tank showing how the swords are all bunched together
and this is the rosette plant that I don't know the name of. If someone can ID that would be nice. It has only grown 3 inches tall and is about 6 or 8 inches in diameter with lightly colored green leaves. (which is what attracted me to it.
Again any advice would be greatly appreciated and I can update on how its going with new picks during the process and after completion. Thanks
