How to create more hiding space

[Nova16]

I recently got back into the hobby. I had kept plants in the past but never a fully planted tank that I am going for now. This is a 20g. It is a week and a half along and still in the middle of cycling so I won't get any fish for a few more weeks at least. My plan is to have a school of cherry barbs, a betta, maybe some otos later and shrimp.

I am trying to figure out how to create a more interesting scape. Places for the fish and shrimp to hide and duck into. I originally had two large pieces of driftwood sitting across the rocks but they would not sink even after weeks of sitting underwater. I was also going to try and find more mid ground plants. It currently has no CO2.

Does anyone have any good recommendations for how to improve the scape and possibly what other plants I could add? I plan to add red root floaters but haven't had much luck finding them.

 

[Cyberfish]

I recently got back into the hobby. I had kept plants in the past but never a fully planted tank that I am going for now. This is a 20g. It is a week and a half along and still in the middle of cycling so I won't get any fish for a few more weeks at least. My plan is to have a school of cherry barbs, a betta, maybe some otos later and shrimp.

I am trying to figure out how to create a more interesting scape. Places for the fish and shrimp to hide and duck into. I originally had two large pieces of driftwood sitting across the rocks but they would not sink even after weeks of sitting underwater. I was also going to try and find more mid ground plants. It currently has no CO2.

Does anyone have any good recommendations for how to improve the scape and possibly what other plants I could add? I plan to add red root floaters but haven't had much luck finding them.

In my experience, adding plants doesn't really give more hiding spots unless they're thickly planted. Your best bet is rocks or driftwood. If the wood isn't sinking, you could glue rocks or weights to it using silicone, and it should stay down.

 

[Fishfur]

I am trying to figure out how to create a more interesting scape. Places for the fish and shrimp to hide and duck into. I originally had two large pieces of driftwood sitting across the rocks but they would not sink even after weeks of sitting underwater. I was also going to try and find more mid ground plants.

You should post image# of the driftwood. It’s unusual for it to persist in floating for weeks on end if it’s a suitable wood.

Using different shapes & sizes of rocks can create a lot of hiding spots.

 

[Noroomforshoe]

I was shopping on temu and there are many corner hide outs for sale. I dont think I can post the image here but type it in google if you are interested.

Durable Resin Aquarium Corner Cave Tunnel Shelter -

Unfortunatly non are large enough for my fish I plan to make somthing similar with a large opening.

 

[kallililly1973]

Cholla wood would be a nice addition to the center of your tank. You can get multiple pieces and stack and lay it flat and stand it up . Any other type of driftwood in the center would be a nice addition to the center as well. IMO

 

[A201]

A big chunk of Spiderwood would certainly upgrade your aquascape.
It's easily found online. I bought all my Spiderwood at local fish stores.

Large pieces of Spiderwood will sink in a few days, if soaked in a big tub of warm water. Spiderwood does in fact leech tannins, but diminishes greatly after a few months.

Here's a pic of my favorite, octopus looking, chunk of Spiderwood.

.

 

[TClare]

You can make wood sink by weighing it down temporarily with an appropriate rock.

 

[Nova16]

You should post image# of the driftwood. It’s unusual for it to persist in floating for weeks on end if it’s a suitable wood.

Using different shapes & sizes of rocks can create a lot of hiding spots.

Here are my two pieces of driftwood. I also linked a photo of how the hard scale was supposed to look. I weighed the logs down with rocks too but I guess the rocks weren't heavy enough. I used round river stones.

I was considering trying again with the bottom piece; soaking it for a few more weeks. I collected them from a wetland area while working. The bottom piece is more solid.

 

[AuroraDawn]

Did you sanitize the wood?

 

[Nova16]

Did you sanitize the wood?

I boiled it for about an hour.

 

[Fishfur]

Here are my two pieces of driftwood. I also linked a photo of how the hard scale was supposed to look. I weighed the logs down with rocks too but I guess the rocks weren't heavy enough. I used round river stones.

I was considering trying again with the bottom piece; soaking it for a few more weeks. I collected them from a wetland area while working. The bottom piece is more solid.

I suspect the problem is simply that these wood pieces are extremely weathered and very dry,

Being very weathered is no bad thing but being very dry may mean it will take quite some time for water to penetrate enough to waterlog the piece so it will sink.

It can take substantial weights to keep a really dry piece of wood all the way underwater and having it completely submerged is the quickest way to sink it.

Patience will serve you best with this. It WILL sink but it might take another month or even longer.

I have used a bucket ( standard 5G type) and put wood in it, filled it to the brim and then put a lid on and piled weight on the lid to keep all the wood underwater. I leave it for at least a few weeks before I check on how well the pieces are sinking.

I’ll change the water and put it all back to soak longer for any pieces that have not sunk yet.

 

[DaveKS]

It can take substantial weights to keep a really dry piece of wood all the way underwater and having it completely submerged is the quickest way to sink it.

Actually completely submerging them underwater is the worst way to go about it.

2 pieces like that I would get a 5 gal bucket, set them in there oriented vertically and then set up a drip that will slowly fill up bucket. Wood has a capillary pore structure to it, completely submerging the wood underwater just traps the air inside the woods pores and it will only dissipate via osmosis through wood, taking weeks if not months.

Now if you slowly fill that bucket with water (drip,drip over coarse of a 2-3 days) air has way to easily escape up through the pore structure of the woods capillary veins, water pressure will push air inwards, up and out of wood. When you get to within 1” or so from top of wood stop fill and let it set for a day and then do a final fill. 90% of that air trapped inside wood will now be evacuated from inside the wood.

If wood has a bigger cut base end you want that at top and it to be the last part to be completely covered with water.

 

[ckarta]

I have had success in keeping the driftwood pieces under water by screwing flat pieces of wood at the spots the wood is supposed to touch the substrate, and then weighing these flat pieces down with rocks.

If you are willing to drill the wood partially at the side no one will see, drill small 2-3mm (1/8 inch) holed about half way, being careful not to drill through and through, as the holed would ruin the look. These small holes add locations water can penetrate deep into the wood. They will also create hiding spaces for shrimps fry.

I feel it is risky to weigh large pieces down with large rocks in a fishtank. As wood absorbs water differentially, it's buoyant points may shift from how it was floating when you start. Eventually at one moment the wood may twist/rotate under the rocks and violently come afloat hurling the heavy rocks on the glass.

 

[TClare]

I have had success in keeping the driftwood pieces under water by screwing flat pieces of wood at the spots the wood is supposed to touch the substrate, and then weighing these flat pieces down with rocks.

If you are willing to drill the wood partially at the side no one will see, drill small 2-3mm (1/8 inch) holed about half way, being careful not to drill through and through, as the holed would ruin the look. These small holes add locations water can penetrate deep into the wood. They will also create hiding spaces for shrimps fry.

I feel it is risky to weigh large pieces down with large rocks in a fishtank. As wood absorbs water differentially, it's buoyant points may shift from how it was floating when you start. Eventually at one moment the wood may twist/rotate under the rocks and violently come afloat hurling the heavy rocks on the glass.

No, you have to make sure initially by placing the rocks carefully in such a way that this could never happen

 

[A201]

I think the best solution to sinking driftwood is to spend a few bucks and buy dense wood such as Mopani, Malaysian, Manzanita and thick Spiderwood.

I know it's awsome to harvest aquarium decor from the wild, but then you have to accept the difficulties that come with it.

I've had Manzanita and Malaysian in the past and currently have three huge chunks of Spiderwood. The big pieces cost about $25 locally. Smaller pieces were less than $10.

Sensible spending alleviates aggravation.

 

[KribensisLover1]

Wood can take years to sink I am positive. I put suction cups on mine and suction them to the back wall.