bassbonediva
- #1
Alright, so this summer (really, as soon as the weather warms up some more), I'm going to be doing a minor re-'scape and restock on my 55gal. Right now, I've just kind of let the 'scape do whatever it wants. This tank is fairly moderately planted (I would almost venture to say heavily planted) and I want to keep it that way. Plants are jungle val, a couple of amazon swords, a couple of argentine swords, a crypt (not sure exactly what kind, but it looks a lot like a sword that's been grown emersed, with the big spade-like leaves), giant hairgrass and java fern. The tank does not have a background on it, as it serves as the dividing "wall" between the entry into my apartment and my "bedroom" area (I live in basically a studio apartment). The hardscape consists of two large pieces of driftwood (one long arched piece and one kind of wishbone shaped piece), a couple of big rocks to hold down the driftwood (it's been in the tank for two years straight and STILL won't sink completely!) one or two clay pots, and two Egyptian ornaments (a sphinx and a set of columns).
FTS (Front):
FTS (Back):
Cool shot from the end, just because I can:
This is what the tank looked like before I moved last year:
Okay, so I kind of want to mix the two 'scapes and change up some elements.
A) I want to keep the driftwood. I think it is absolutely perfectly suited to the tank. I want to find some different (smaller, flatter) rocks to hold down the driftwood, however (it's only the long, arched piece that needs to be held down).
B) I want to keep most of the plants.
C) The Egyptian decorations are being moved to another tank (recreating an Egyptian-themed tank I had a couple of years ago for my new DT male betta). However, I love mixing natural hardscape with artificial decorations. I think it lends a touch of whimsy to the tank. So, I'm thinking Grecian ruins (I'll explain in a bit).
Here's what I'm thinking...
Plants: Keep the jungle val, but trim the runners way back and limit them to the far right third of the tank (about to where the sphinx decoration is right now). Get some more swords and line the across the rest of the back of the tank. Keep the crypt and place it right at the junction of the two pieces of driftwood (directly at the junction, which is just to the right of the columns if you look at the back view of the tank right now). I definitely want to keep the giant hairgrass, but I'm not sure what to do with it. Ideas there?
Hardscpae: As said, find smaller, flatter rocks to hold down the driftwood so they aren't as obtrusive as they are now. There is pea gravel that used to be sitting on top of the PFS substrate, meant to look like gravelly patches of a river bottom, that is now mixed in with the PFS. I'm thinking of dredging the pea gravel up and placing it as it was before. As said before, the driftwood will remain as it is.
Decorations: As said, the Egyptian decor will be gone. In its place will be Grecian ruins. I have this set of ruins already: . I am thinking of putting that set of ruins half-hidden in the jungle val "forest" on the right side of the tank. This ornament: would grace the middle of the tank, under the arch of the big piece of driftwood. In the far left corner, behind the wishbone piece of driftwood, would be this ornament: . It would be hooked up to an air pump and the airline would be run under the sand to the right side of the tank (The right side is where all the equipment is because that is the side by the wall). Scattered at random around the tank would be columns ( one set of these: and several individual columns), some laying on their side, others leaning up against the side of the tank or various other elements, like the rocks or driftwood.
I will try to make up a tank layout conceptual drawing and either scan it in or take a pic of it and put it up so you can see what I'm seeing. Just know that I suck as an artist. lol
So, thoughts or ideas?
Addendum: I will also be replacing the bulbs in my T5HO fixture. I am currently running actinic and 10K bulbs. I will be keeping this the same, since they've worked very well for me and I like the lighting effect (more cool, blue light than warm, white light).
FTS (Front):
FTS (Back):
Cool shot from the end, just because I can:
This is what the tank looked like before I moved last year:
Okay, so I kind of want to mix the two 'scapes and change up some elements.
A) I want to keep the driftwood. I think it is absolutely perfectly suited to the tank. I want to find some different (smaller, flatter) rocks to hold down the driftwood, however (it's only the long, arched piece that needs to be held down).
B) I want to keep most of the plants.
C) The Egyptian decorations are being moved to another tank (recreating an Egyptian-themed tank I had a couple of years ago for my new DT male betta). However, I love mixing natural hardscape with artificial decorations. I think it lends a touch of whimsy to the tank. So, I'm thinking Grecian ruins (I'll explain in a bit).
Here's what I'm thinking...
Plants: Keep the jungle val, but trim the runners way back and limit them to the far right third of the tank (about to where the sphinx decoration is right now). Get some more swords and line the across the rest of the back of the tank. Keep the crypt and place it right at the junction of the two pieces of driftwood (directly at the junction, which is just to the right of the columns if you look at the back view of the tank right now). I definitely want to keep the giant hairgrass, but I'm not sure what to do with it. Ideas there?
Hardscpae: As said, find smaller, flatter rocks to hold down the driftwood so they aren't as obtrusive as they are now. There is pea gravel that used to be sitting on top of the PFS substrate, meant to look like gravelly patches of a river bottom, that is now mixed in with the PFS. I'm thinking of dredging the pea gravel up and placing it as it was before. As said before, the driftwood will remain as it is.
Decorations: As said, the Egyptian decor will be gone. In its place will be Grecian ruins. I have this set of ruins already: . I am thinking of putting that set of ruins half-hidden in the jungle val "forest" on the right side of the tank. This ornament: would grace the middle of the tank, under the arch of the big piece of driftwood. In the far left corner, behind the wishbone piece of driftwood, would be this ornament: . It would be hooked up to an air pump and the airline would be run under the sand to the right side of the tank (The right side is where all the equipment is because that is the side by the wall). Scattered at random around the tank would be columns ( one set of these: and several individual columns), some laying on their side, others leaning up against the side of the tank or various other elements, like the rocks or driftwood.
I will try to make up a tank layout conceptual drawing and either scan it in or take a pic of it and put it up so you can see what I'm seeing. Just know that I suck as an artist. lol
So, thoughts or ideas?
Addendum: I will also be replacing the bulbs in my T5HO fixture. I am currently running actinic and 10K bulbs. I will be keeping this the same, since they've worked very well for me and I like the lighting effect (more cool, blue light than warm, white light).