I redesigned my tank! What does everyone think?

[FishOverseer909]

Ok so I finally got around to redesigning my first fish tank and I think it looks way better now all I need to do is wait for it cycle then I'm planning on adding 3-4 multis and a breeding pair of masked julies. But still let me know what you guys think

 

[Nanonanny]

Looks good, maybe a little moss on the wood to set it off?

 

[FishOverseer909]

Looks good, maybe a little moss on the wood to set it off?

The first photo is my redesign the second is what it used to look like

 

[BananaBean]

The first photo is my redesign the second is what it used to look like

It does have a nice clean look, if that's what you were going for! Personally, I would add more wood and plants, and put a honey gourami in there, but that's because I'm obsesssed with them! Your current stocking ideas seem pretty cool!

 

[FishOverseer909]

It does have a nice clean look, if that's what you were going for! Personally, I would add more wood and plants, and put a honey gourami in there, but that's because I'm obsesssed with them! Your current stocking ideas seem pretty cool!

Thank you I've tried honey gouramis but my water is super hard and alkaline so I can really only have cichlids and shrimp

 

[BananaBean]

Thank you I've tried honey gouramis but my water is super hard and alkaline so I can really only have cichlids and shrimp

Well, it was just what I'd do, I know your idea would look amazing too!

 

[TClare]

I think the Julies would appreciate a bit more rock work with gaps and crevices and caves if possible. Also it would be good to try and hide the filter at least partially, maybe behind the rock pile? How big is the tank?

 

[ThatBlueOne]

Looks nice, if you wanted to go with wood again maybe look for a smaller piece that fits the tank better

 

[bumblinBee]

I love the new look, riverstone is always an attractive direction! I would add a few more larger stones to build a little more height on that diagonal slant you've got going. If you scattered a few smaller stones along the edge of the hardscape I think it would help the transition from sand to stone be a little less stark. Lots of room for more plants here! Sticking with just anubias would be a really cool and niche look. More anubias can be used to build height as well by stacking them over the rocks as you've been doing. I would also add some anubias nana pettite to accent little nooks and spaces between the stone, particularly toward the left as the stones get smaller - this will assist with scale as well!

It really does look quite nice as is, take all this with a grain of salt and be proud of the design you've already got because you've done an excellent job here happy aquascaping!

 

[Huckleberry77]

The redesign is very elegant. I would add a simple solid color background to give it a finished look. I always spraypaint the backs of my tanks black. This is the best look for rainbowfish. Other fish might look good with different colors.

 

[FishOverseer909]

Looks nice, if you wanted to go with wood again maybe look for a smaller piece that fits the tank better

Yeah my tank did look way different compared to that photo but that was the only photo I had

I think the Julies would appreciate a bit more rock work with gaps and crevices and caves if possible. Also it would be good to try and hide the filter at least partially, maybe behind the rock pile? How big is the tank?

The tank is a 26 gallon and I could try to expand a little but but I wanted to leave plenty of room for the shell dwellers

 

[TClare]

The tank is a 26 gallon and I could try to expand a little but but I wanted to leave plenty of room for the shell dwellers

Yes, I do appreciate that aspect of the design, but I was thinking you might be able to build the rock pile higher rather than across more of the bottom, creating more caves and crevices in the process. This would provide the Julies with more vertical space as they like to be amongst rocks... you might also be able to hide the filter behind it perhaps. Of course you would have to be careful to do this safely with no risk of collapse, but it can be done using a terrace type arrangement.

 

[MacZ]

Honestly... it's ok for Shelldwellers alone but not big enough for a second, rockdwelling species. They will not be ok with that - sorry - little heap of pebbles.

Here some examples of working habitat tanks.

And some footage from the wild.

The videos should be saying more than a thousand words I imagine.

Please, unless the tank is bigger than 250 liters, stick to species tanks for Tanganyika cichlids.

 

[FishOverseer909]

Honestly... it's ok for Shelldwellers alone but not big enough for a second, rockdwelling species. They will not be ok with that - sorry - little heap of pebbles.

The videos should be saying more than a thousand words I imagine.

Please, unless the tank is bigger than 250 liters, stick to species tanks for Tanganyika cichlids.

Why can't I just build my rock work up and out a little bit for more Amp space like what TClare was saying

 

[MacZ]

Because both are colony breeders (with few exceptions). At one point you will get interspecies and intraspecies aggression which in a tank with so much open space ends with dead fish.

 

[FishOverseer909]

Well that sucks I still thought it would be cool to build up so I did this

 

[MacZ]

That's indeed a bit better. For Julidochromis I'd build up to the top and that would mean you'd have to take even more of the footprint away from the shelldwellers. Shame the footprint of the tank limits you a lot.

Ooor you could leave the shellies, add even more rocks and focus on the Julidochromis. I think besides rarer species like Telmatochromis or Altolamprologus sp. "sumbu shell" shelldwellers are kinda boring anyways. Open sand, shells, that's it. Meh. When you've had one colony of shelldwellers you had them all.

 

[TClare]

Yeah, I was thinking the same afterwards. Sorry, I was wrong to suggest that it might work, but really the tank would need to be bigger for both species. I also agree that of the two the Julidochromis would be more interesting and the tank set up more attractive.

 

[sslliitthheerr]

i like it but maybe add some plants in the wood to thicken up the scape and use a reallyu dark natural color of gravel next time you scape best of luck
or even just black gravel

 

[jackywacky]

its a cool idea but could add more plants

 

[sslliitthheerr]

its a cool idea but could add more plants

brooooo that's what I said!!! tWINsies!

 

[MacZ]

Did you two even notice what fish and habitat the tank is designed for?

 

[sslliitthheerr]

Did you two even notice what fish and habitat the tank is designed for?

no i just like heavy planted tanks

 

[Mudminnow]

I prefer the sand over multi-colored gravel, so that's a nice change. My first thought when looking at your scape was that it could make a nice home for some little shell dwellers...provided you added some shells of course.