7 Gallon Cube Re-Scape

Hello all. I initially setup my 7 gallon pretty hastily without really planning out my scape and just kinda tossed things in there. I pulled everything out and rescaped the tank. I tried to make a scape that looks good from two different viewing angles. Here's what I've come up with so far. Everything has some growing and filling in to do, especially the stem plants behind the stone. I'm not sure how I feel about that little sword plant by all the crypt parva. I think it's going to be too big for this scape and will probably pull it out and put it one of my other tanks. Might just let the Parva fill in that little ledge area. Anyways here's a before and after. The picture with driftwood is the before.

 

Beautiful!
Just a quick note, I noticed you have a flex light. They tend to rust (the flex band) after a year or so, you may want to treat it with something. If any evaporation from the tank gets on it, it will rust

 

Beautiful!
Just a quick note, I noticed you have a flex light. They tend to rust (the flex band) after a year or so, you may want to treat it with something. If any evaporation from the tank gets on it, it will rust

Thanks for the heads up! I'll do that.

 

As for treating the flex-band, I would use a type of cooking oil, like olive oil, because oil for non-food safe applications may cause fish to die if it gets into the water. Even a type of canola oil would work well because oils repel water. Thought I'd throw this in there is less margin for error!

 

As for treating the flex-band, I would use a type of cooking oil, like olive oil, because oil for non-food safe applications may cause fish to die if it gets into the water. Even a type of canola oil would work well because oils repel water. Thought I'd throw this in there is less margin for error!

I was thinking either a thin layer of silicone/aquarium sealant ( it won’t bend every again tho), electrical tape, or aquarium-safe paint?

Also correct me if I’m wrong here, but oil will float on water. It might prevent oxygenation and it may damage the bettas labyrinth organ. We don’t use any of the fixes for this reason (along with the reason they don’t work, that’s another topic in itself tho) would canola or olive oil be any different?

 

I was thinking either a thin layer of silicone/aquarium sealant ( it won’t bend every again tho), electrical tape, or aquarium-safe paint?

Also correct me if I’m wrong here, but oil will float on water. It might prevent oxygenation and it may damage the bettas labyrinth organ. We don’t use any of the fixes for this reason (along with the reason they don’t work, that’s another topic in itself tho) would canola or olive oil be any different?

Honestly, I don't know why I thought you meant oil specifically, so shame on me haha. I do mechanical work from time to time and I live in Michigan so things rust in winter due to salt, and I am used to putting oil on things so they don't rust, so this is why I jumped straight to this. In all honesty, I do not think putting a layer of high viscosity cooking oil, like olive or avocado and then wiping off any excess would cause any dripping or damage to an aquarium.

Excuse my banter, but it looks like the arm of the light is actually stainless steel, or already coated with a water resistant paint of some sort, so all this blabbing may be for nothing if that's the case lol

 

Honestly, I don't know why I thought you meant oil specifically, so shame on me haha. I do mechanical work from time to time and I live in Michigan so things rust in winter due to salt, and I am used to putting oil on things so they don't rust, so this is why I jumped straight to this. In all honesty, I do not think putting a layer of high viscosity cooking oil, like olive or avocado and then wiping off any excess would cause any dripping or damage to an aquarium.

Excuse my banter, but it looks like the arm of the light is actually stainless steel, or already coated with a water resistant paint of some sort, so all this blabbing may be for nothing if that's the case lol

I hope this is the case, but I have a general mistrust of flex lights. I’m sure the OP went with a good product tho

 

That's a really interesting looking chunk of wood but I do prefer the rock layout. Looks great. What sort of stone is it? I recently added a small amount of Seiryu stone to a 7 gal and it definitely affects the pH.

 

You can never be too safe in preventative rust techniques, haha. GlennO I'll be using that wood for a rescape in a different tank down the road. I actually have no idea what kind of stone it is, stumbled on it out on a hike a while back. They passed the hydrochloric acid test and parameters and hardness seem to be staying stable. I'm liking the rock scape over my old one. Hopefully in a few more weeks everything will have grown in.