Sil's Aquascapes

Say hello to my oldest running tank. This is actually my very first tank established years ago. It was one completely artificial and easy to care for, and actually almost all of these fish are older than my son. We'll just call them my first real fish.

This tank has been through good and bad. I've I started with the Serpaes really, had 8 in total and slowly had to euthanize their population because of a genetic defect I wasn't aware of until much later.




While surfing the web about any other cases of tumours I came across a picture of him before he really started looking like this on Google. Yeah, I found my buddy from a post that brought me to fishlore, really looking for answers on why I eventually became the grI'm reaper of my favorites.




6 months later




It's really hard to get a picture of him up close. I tried for an hour so you're going to have to trust me that he's not doing great...the tumors start small like ich but visible internally, and grow throughout the body, then they rapidly pick up pace. He was fine in the first pic but now... tumors have moved to his mouth, gills. I euthanized another one some time ago that had a tumor near his eye that eventually blinded him.

Now, I'm not ready to kill him yet, but what I am going to do is give him a heck of a tank to live in for the time he and his family have left. Not just him but all of them... all the Serpae are genetically flawed and destined to die from complications or me.

So I decided to start a aquascape thread to show what I'm going to do for these guys over the next few weeks or month. I originally was planning to never mention my guys again, but for the sake of my first real fish they deserve something good.

First ever design. 100% artificial.




A remodel I did a week ago.




Yes, it's a small 20 gallon tank for the fish population. Almost all of them are adoption fish that my wife has tried to slip into tanks. Some may get moved, but this is a tank for my deformed tetra breed and black skirts. There will never be additions to their populations in the foreseeable future. I have an idea of what I want but I'll leave it up to you guys to decide on-

High light/ low
Co2/ no
Plants you may like to see?
Changes after I give it a go

So any thoughts or ideas I will happily listen to. I've grown an extensive supply of plants, and would just need to buy a light and am really just looking to know what the community would like to see done? Any tthoughts, questkons, concerns just can answer? I'm going to transfer and do a remodel now, so we'll see how we all like it.

 

Alrigty. I finished a first draft kind of thing on the tank. I completely went against my original idea, and just freelanced an idea. Be kind, most of this isn't actually set to a spot to accurately create the depth I want because I didn't plan on using driftwood so it's all trying to float away and I have the lips, lid, and filters helping hold my forest down. As it waterlogs I can actually place stuff in a spot of depth perception.

Never done this style of scape, so it may change.


First, I intended to use local minnesota rocks only. Found out in was sick of rocks so I found some woods.




Drained tank check.




Put fish in garbage can... oh yes I did...




Tools check! Begin!







About an hour later we refills and place fish for a quick look, and it's ugly but I can see where I'm headed if only I'd soaked the wood first and didn't run out of small rocks... and th in sticks... oh wwell guess I get to hunt some supplies down today.




As soon as the wood stops trying to float and I find a few more rocks from the road... and a few more sticks it'll start looking like a forest. I promise. The fish absolutely love this change! Can't wait until I can add some depth and move everything where it needs to be.

And I went ahead and stuck some lava rock in places I intend to be thick with moss because, quite frankly, lava rock and moss is just too easy. Easy to attach, easy to remove and clean.

 

You could get some java fern and put it on the rocks too. If you want too make it look like your forest has leaves you could put some java moss on the wood . I have seen aquariums with "trees" in them. I think your tank will look good when you are done.
Sorry about your fish too.

 

You could get some java fern and put it on the rocks too. If you want too make it look like your forest has leaves you could put some java moss on the wood . I have seen aquariums with "trees" in them. I think your tank will look good when you are done.
Sorry about your fish too.

Stellar ideas! I was really considering what kind of mosses to use. I knew I wanted a lot of it, just wasn't sure on which. Funny thing is I have a ton of java moss and wasn't even thinking about using it until you mentioned it. Thanks!

I'm think I'll use Christmas moss on the actual driftwood once I get it all set in their right places, and java moss as a carpet for the base of the "forest".

Usually I'm a java fern hater and they're about the furthest plants from my mind, but I can definitely see some quality uses here. I have an okay narrow leaf propagating well, but I think there's a less tall variety that I can't remember the name of right now. I'm going to look into it for sure!

-------------

And as a quick update. I pulled some pieces free and most of them are easily sinkable now so I'm going to get everything in place tomorrow. I want to do it right now, but it's a bit late. Haha! Anyways some of the bigger pieces still need some soak time.

I'm thinking of using dwarf pennywort (I forget the actual name) in combination with the java moss as a layered carpet in places. Thoughts? You know, plant the dwarf Wentworth right through the java moss once it grows in so it's actually two carpet layers at certain points.

And one plant I've literally never touched is anubais. I'm wondering if there's a variety that's relatively short in height? I know absolutely zilch about this plant. Haha! I think it could have a place too.

 

Well! Moved hardscape to a more final position and was trying to get a good photo but there's just too much light in the room during the day, so bare with this set of crummy photos and I'll take better tonight.










I tried to add some real depth to this scape. Although it may be hard to see I did manage, but we'll see if j still like the look later. One thing just love these green rocks! Haha! they literally are just stones outside my home.

And just kind of got a weird set up going on right now, but no time to fix it. Tonight!

And I was rounding together some lighting ideas.

1.) 3x cfl in 5 1/2 " shop reflector (DiY)
2.) 24" planted 24/7
3.) 24" stingray

Forget the stingrays. I'm torn between my biased love of the 24/7 and making a fixture due to the height of the woodscape. I feel like with 3 cfl I could get the lighting exactly right. Any thoughts?

 

I had some free time tonight so I aesthetically tidied myself over until I figure out a lighting solution, and then realized I'm probably going to want a canister filter. Ouch in the $. Haha! I m considering a SunSun, but I don't know... maybe...

While in earlier pictures I removed part of the plastic rI'm on the top of this 20H. I finished completely removing it for that open feel I know this scape requires. I remember researching extensively before removing my 20L rI'm and reading how you could take a 20L rI'm off, but shouldn't remove a 20H. Honest!y the 20H doesn't even bow after removal where my 20L bows 1/4". Haha! I'm not by any means telling anyone to go ahead and remove a rim. FyI




Since the rI'm is what holds the previous hood on I had a different light dilemma, so as a quick fix I used the now removed trim and glued LEDs to it. The legs are for. My 24/7 light.




And as a final eye catching piece I stuck an old background I had lying around.




I've now officially spent $0 on this transformation, and my temporary lighting I rigged is turning me off to the idea of getting g a strip LED such as the 24/7 because there's so much in height and in the water column I just don't think it can be lit properly. Of course I'd suspend it above the tank, but I still doubt it.

What do you all think? You like so far?

 

I am super new to all of this but that looks super cool! I can't wait to see it with the plants and moss! I am about to be setting mine up as soon as the substrate comes in that I ordered. Now I realize I don't have enough things to make mine look good... It's going to be so dinky

 

A New Look For My Oldest Tank and Fish

I am super new to all of this but that looks super cool! I can't wait to see it with the plants and moss!

Thanks!

I appreciate the compliment, and hope not to disappoint! I've been tying Java Moss to bits of broken wood and stones for the last 30 minutes, then shoving them in various spaces in my highlight aquascape to get it growing so as soon as I determine the best way to light this scape I'll get a good deal of plants in there so hopefully it won't be too long before you'll see green.

I Was fortunate when doing this out of the blue that I hardly ever throw away plants while trimming my other aquascapes unless I have an obscene amount for projects just like this! As I look at it I think I may only need to buy some Dwarf Anubais and one other variety to have most everything I need to make something work here. Whether that something is good or bad we'll just have to wait and see!

It will hopefully look like a Forest in Minnesota.

I am about to be setting mine up as soon as the substrate comes in that I ordered. Now I realize I don't have enough things to make mine look good... It's going to be so dinky

That's fantastic. It's one of my favorite feelings to finally bring everything together in a new tank, and then just hope the creative inspiration starts kicking in when you pour in that substrate. Sometimes it's instant and other times you set it up and tear it down only to build something else entirely, which is why I put this off for so long because it's less fun In a tank filled with fish. At least for me.

And don't worry about not having enough "things". It just takes time to accumulate, especially if you're resorting to eBay/Amazon purchases. I do that on certain projects but every piece in this particular one I just went on a few walks near me and grabbed anything I thought looked pretty. I did so over the course of a week or so. Not having too much is usually what makes or breaks an idea or scape for me, and is another reason I prefer 40G and under because smaller sizes means less gathering. What size is your tank? Any ideas?

And whenever you don't have enough rocks or wood or whatever the best trick I know is to fill the emptiness with stem plants. You can always yank them out later when you get more pieces, and that way the time between isn't spent looking and dwelling over empty spaces while feeling inadequate with what you're doing.

 

A New Look For My Oldest Tank and Fish

I have seen a few tanks that resembled a forest of sorts... But none with the wood the way you have them! I will surely be waiting to see the updates.

So I just only have a 5 gallon tank. And I had gotten some bulbs, 2 were no good and the other is sprouting now. I am not sure what exactly what they are. They were just labeled as betta bulbs and in doing at bit of searching online I saw that they could be a few different things... The substrate that I have coming in is a more natural reddish brown gravel in very small size. I really like the natural look. I have seen some really great pieces of wood in other tanks that I would love to try to find. I never thought of going out and looking for rocks or wood. I live in Alaska and have PLENTY around me. I guess I thought it had to be special wood or rocks for aquariums.





I am not sure that I can go for so many plants for my first time trying. And with my little tank...But I love those. I also really like the photos you posted originally. So pretty!

 

Your tank is looking awesome Silister Trench I'm looking forward to the finished product!

I'm in Minnesota too where are you located? Where do you find all those cool wood pieces for your tank and how do you know if they're safe to use? I'm always too paranoid! Lol

 

A New Look For My Oldest Tank and Fish

I have seen a few tanks that resembled a forest of sorts... But none with the wood the way you have them! I will surely be waiting to see the updates.

I wish a could claim a unique direction, but they're out there. If I hadn't seen the idea somewhere I probably wouldn't have ever thought to do it. Haha!

I have seen some really great pieces of wood in other tanks that I would love to try to find. I never thought of going out and looking for rocks or wood. I live in Alaska and have PLENTY around me. I guess I thought it had to be special wood or rocks for aquariums.

That's a common misconception yet a good 'rule' for beginners to follow s they don't use harmful materials. Most woods are just fine, but we stay away from soft woods because they decompose and break down into a mess. I wouldn't use anything cut from a tree - live - or any pieces that are from trees heavy in sap. It's also better to remove all bark for the same reason as why you should avoid soft woods. Rocks are slightly more challenging, but I just commonly stay away from anything with crystal formations or specs of crystal, most porous rocks and anything with mineral stains, then you give them a Muratic Acid test to make sure.

I am not sure that I can go for so many plants for my first time trying. And with my little tank...But I love those. I also really like the photos you posted originally. So pretty!

That first pic is definitely most inspiring to me at least, and probably the best guide to someone just starting out scaping because of it's simplistic allure of a 7 (I think) stone IwagumI hardscape and minimal use of plants, but it's light requirements for plants isn't necessarily beginner-level. Alternanthera ReneikiI (left) pales to a rusted brown without high light in most cases, Dwarf Baby Tears (foreground) requires carbon supplementation and higher light unless certain criteria is met to grow like that, yet Dwarf Pennywort (background) has always been simple enough without highlight.

Just remember to take lots of photos along the way so we can see a thread with whatever direction you take.️

That first pic just assured me I'm going to use Dwarf Pennywort in my forest.

 

A New Look For My Oldest Tank and Fish

Your tank is looking awesome Silister Trench I'm looking forward to the finished product!

I'm in Minnesota too where are you located? Where do you find all those cool wood pieces for your tank and how do you know if they're safe to use? I'm always too paranoid! Lol

Hey thanks, and I hope I can provide something resembling beautiful.

And I live about smack dab in the middle of the state on the western side near the ND boarder and I want to say I'm sincerely sorry you live in this geologically bland state, as well. I get so sick of our round rocks! Here's a hint, though: travel north towards Duluth and Lake Superior and you can find some unique hardscape.

As far as safe wood? Here's my exact approach. I found a low area that has a lot of water run-off after big storms. There's enough water running when it's raining that it sort of carries wood through it which gets caught in the longer grass. Most of it is barkless and looks aged when I find it. I grab whatever I thought looked cool at the time and bring it home, where I boil it for a few hours, then I drop it all into a tub and scrub every piece with a rough dish pad. This removes any dirt and any bark that may be on it. I'm also able to feel each piece and toss anything that's brittle with dry/wet rot and any wood that's soft/spongy/weak. You're looking for hardwoods because soft woods break down into a mess, and you're looking to remove the bark because it does the same thing. Avoid trees that are sappy, bug infested or that have fungus/mold. I'm sure there are trees out there that are not great for aquarium life (I won't necessarily say poisonous) but I haven't found any. After that I boil and soak it and look for anything that might be bleeding out of it. If it passes those checks I go for it. You can also look up trees in the area to guage potential hard/soft woods or any threats. Oh yeah, and nothing living. I'm looking for dead stuff with easy to remove bark that's dry, or mostly dry.

You could also grab a couple pieces of Malaysian (or oak for that matter) or aquarium driftwood in the store next time and give it a feel. You're looking for weightier pieces you can't easily break, but you don't necessarily NEED this. a softer piece just has a shorter life expectancy in your tank.

Let's say you do add a soft wood even after sorting, you'll notice it degrading faster than stronger stuff and it begins to crumble. Just yank it out and replace. Even store bought Aquarium Driftwood eventually will do this over time, although that could be 10 yrs in comparison to 1.

Even being selective and mildly careful whenever I put something in a tank I've found I keep a close eye on how the fish are reacting and interacting with it for a while because ultimately they're reaction will have final say on whether it's good for them or not. You're more likely to find rocks that kill than wood, and although caution is a good thing, I still haven't found a piece that I stuck in a tank and changed the tanks health. My logic for this approach stems from this thought: what exactly makes store bought aquarium driftwood ideal for an aquarium? Well, it's free of contaminants like sprays and pesticides, it's hard like oak so it doesn't rot as quick, and it's dead, dried, cleaned, without fungus, parasites or full of worms or bugs.

If you can find a piece that meets most of the requirements of what I believe makes driftwood in a store safe, then why wouldn't it be okay to use?

 

UPDATE: I've been narrowing my decision down for lighting and I'm leaning towards the idea I know had originally scrapped before even considering it and that was 1 or more Finnex Stingray models over the tank to provide adequate light spread between the trees, so checked prices. Now, I'm not after PAR just more equal light but when I saw a 24" stingrays runs about $50 I almost wrote Finnex an email beginning with: "lol! What? $50?!?" This light is alright, but it is in no way worth $50 a unit when there are at least half a dozen lights for 1/2 - 2/3 that price with much more functionality such as dimming and moonlight.

No way. Lol! If I was going to give Finnex $100 I'd get my second 30" 24/7, raise it up about 6" and feel confident enough light would filter through the forest to grow java moss at substrate level and low lit dwarf Pennywort for this 20G standard, and that way I'd have a fixture I could use in high tech set ups down the road.

Nope, nope, nope... I did some looking around and came across Beamswork Lights for about the 1,000th time and wanted to locate something related to PAR because all the 24" fixtures were $20-25 and I've read success stories with them. After some digging I found what I needed to know. That according to this -



There is a beamswork light that actually matches the Stingrays PAR, has moonlight, AND one has a few other options. On eBay I found one selling for $22.00 and for that price I almost bought it right away to see what one looked like in person, and I'm glad I didn't because after contacting a close friend turns out he just bought one and was willing to let me play with it for a weekend to see what I thought, so he'll bring that around in the next few days so we can see how it looks and if it's a viable option for my tank. I think at the same time I'll move my Finnex 24/7 over toget a guess at how much the driftwood will block light from plants and if I'll be getting a second 24/7

So as soon as I get my hands on said beamswork I'll have an answer to my lighting worry and hopefully we can keep moving right along but until then does anyone have some success story with beamswork? Or just throw me an opinion on light and what' any of you consider a

My next update I have a secondary lighting problem and design I'm just about ready to share but would like some others views so we can get a light a d some green in my scape.

 

Beamswork has success, but data is difficult to dig up. Tank dimensions? Budget? Ideal lighting level?

 

Beamswork has success, but data is difficult to dig up. Tank dimensions? Budget? Ideal lighting level?

You're definitely right about that! I always had a problem finding data that wasn't someone's claims that it beamswork "should work".

Tank Dimensions: 20G high - 24 x 17 x 13

Substrate depth is probably 14" - 16" and the plants down there will be a mixed carpet of java moss, Dwarf Pennywort with Rotola Green in background at 14" depth. Now the lights don't need to be intense enough to carpet with Dwarf Pennywort but enough to grow because I'll propagate most of the aquascape in my high tech tank.

At the front between middle rock structure I'll use Anubais Nana.

So overall low light is my best option down there because I won't be able to trim it easily and will have to leave cleaning g 70% up to an algae tea. As far as a budget I started at $150 for whole tank but raised it to $300 after deciding to switch filters and incorporate a frosted background that's backlit with a visual sunrise/moon settings I'm building which would effectively add more depth outside of the tank, it requires no light as the plants behind the background will be artificial and silk.

Probably $100 -150 but could be higher.

Thanks for taking a look Grimund!

 

That's a big budget for lighting! Have you looked at the new Fugeray Planted Plus?

The light might be a little high, but at least having too much light is easier to fix than not enough. Here's where I got PAR and it's for the 24" fixture, too. Has a nice 120° spread and Moonlights.

 

A New Look For My Oldest Tank and Fish

yeah, my wife sort of lets me get whatever I believe is needed because she knows if it's not as close to perfect as I want something to be I'm going to mull for weeks until I figure out how to make it just so. Well, that reason but also because she likes showing of MY hard work to her boss. Haha! I'm also a firm believer of setting a budget high enough you have no regrets on purchase when done and lights is something you can regret.

Yeah. I've definitely looked into the Planted Plus line quite a few times. My biggest worry is spreading the light between the driftwood in my aquascape. I'm concerned if I just put a single LED light down the middle it won't be even enough distribution and eventually I'd need a 2nd light.

I like the idea of the planted plus because of its 120 spread for this particular set up, though. And hands down Finnex lights make scapes look visually nice and definitely grow plants.

I can't justify 2 X $50 stingrays, but I could 2 X 20" or 24" Planted Plus because you could get medium-high out of them too and they have moonlights. They're distribution of light isn't the best, but it may work great for this set up and something I hadn't considered. What do you think of maybe 2x 20" or 24"

Maybe a 24" and a second light of a different kind a couple hours to help bring light through the forest?

 

2 Fuges should leave you plenty of light and spread, but I think that leaving shadows with low light plants, especially bushy looking Crypts in the back, would justify a single light and give a forest look that it seems like you're trying to achieve. It generally gets more dense the further you go in, but that's my idea.

Go with 1 or 2 of them. No single light on the rI'm will give you your look

 

A New Look For My Oldest Tank and Fish

Haha! You have some very valid points there, Grimund. I actually really like that you brought up the Planted Plus. You, TexasDomer and others recommend it here and there but I've always been a 24/7 person so I would like to try the Planted Plus and give her a whirl., which is great because I already have a hanging system installed above this tank and easy to access Co2 injection while trying to figure out lighting height.

I'll give it a try. Worst thing that happens is I get too much green on the tops of the wood. Haha!

 

That green would be a benefit to help seal the look and give it a polished feel after the plants are established. The moss effect without the moss.

The FRP+ was first to mind because I actually bought one recently after a good bit of research. I have the 20" over a 10 gal, but I'd recommend the 24". Mine is raised 2 inches (on plexiglass) and there's plenty of light, but I'm going to lower it soon.

You could use low pound test fishing line to tie stems to a few pieces of wood for a vine effect, wisteria comes to mind.

Edit: seeing a start gets my juices going, just tossing ideas out there

 

Well keep the creativity flowing! I don't know if I've ever seen that vine technique used, but I think it's sounds like something to try and you get a +1 for suggesting Wisteria with it. All the fish in the tank are pretty big so nitrates are high. A plant like westerns would be awesome! I own a wide variety of plants, but never wisteria for some reason, so I'll have to pick some up.

 

Well keep the creativity flowing! I don't know if I've ever seen that vine technique used, but I think it's sounds like something to try and you get a +1 for suggesting Wisteria with it. All the fish in the tank are pretty big so nitrates are high. A plant like westerns would be awesome! I own a wide variety of plants, but never wisteria for some reason, so I'll have to pick some up.

Neither have I! It was just an awesome thought. Being bunched up my ludwiga had a curl, so it was only natural it could be replicated. Wisteria looks awesome and would be a cool addition to a vine woods look.

The vine tech is probably because of the lack of sheer vertical pieces in the aquaria. Most are horizontal, slanted, or limited in height.



With the right trimming and start with a small piece, add patience and care, it would look really cool toward the back. Mine willows at the top toward the light, so it could offer a light canopy effect if you let it.

 

A New Look For My Oldest Tank and Fish

I totally dig it.

It's leaf structure and all the different ways you can groom wisteria immediately stuck right out to me.mI have got to get some! Haha! Even if I stick it and it really doesn't work well I have about two more tanks I wouldn't mind having wisteria in.

I definitely want to try a vining effect and see how it turns out, and heck, if lights are too strong tie bits to the tops of the wood, like low growth tree branches. These are the plants I'm going to add through it.

Plants:
Foreground - Java Moss and Annubias Nana
Midground Java Moss and Dwarf Penneywort as a multilayer carpet
Background: Dwarf Pennywort and Rotola Green

I'll try vining wisteria on one of the two larger pieces at the foreground, and use Christmas moss as a start for covering tree trunks. It's low light appearance is what I'd be after, but if Christmas doesn't look quite right then probably fissidens.


I have loads of everything already so all I need to buy is Annubias Mana and Water Wisteria. I've been considering a low profile Java Fern 'somewhere' buying think I'll wait and and see what sort of magic I can work with the six I listed.

I'm getting mosses to attach to a few pieces in my high light tank before setting them in place, and will probably get frosted background done on this tank and another one before getting a Planted Plus on there and dropping plants. It's just easier to get grow out in my other tank right now, and I've been waiting for the white fungal spread on the wood to see how bad it gets. It happens on every piece I find/buy pretty much always. A couple underfed Platy usually eat it all up pretty quick.

 

I totally dig it.

It's leaf structure and all the different ways you can groom wisteria immediately stuck right out to me.mI have got to get some! Haha! Even if I stick it and it really doesn't work well I have about two more tanks I wouldn't mind having wisteria in.

I definitely want to try a vining effect and see how it turns out, and heck, if lights are too strong tie bits to the tops of the wood, like low growth tree branches. These are the plants I'm going to add through it.

Plants:
Foreground - Java Moss and Annubias Nana
Midground Java Moss and Dwarf Penneywort as a multilayer carpet
Background: Dwarf Pennywort and Rotola Green

I'll try vining wisteria on one of the two larger pieces at the foreground, and use Christmas moss as a start for covering tree trunks. It's low light appearance is what I'd be after, but if Christmas doesn't look quite right then probably fissidens.


I have loads of everything already so all I need to buy is Annubias Mana and Water Wisteria. I've been considering a low profile Java Fern 'somewhere' buying think I'll wait and and see what sort of magic I can work with the six I listed.

I'm getting mosses to attach to a few pieces in my high light tank before setting them in place, and will probably get frosted background done on this tank and another one before getting a Planted Plus on there and dropping plants. It's just easier to get grow out in my other tank right now, and I've been waiting for the white fungal spread on the wood to see how bad it gets. It happens on every piece I find/buy pretty much always. A couple underfed Platy usually eat it all up pretty quick.

Going to jump in here; there is a smaller version of Anubias Nana called Anubias Nana Petite. Its a little spendy but it stays the smallest of all the anubias variations and has the smallest leaves. I have some on my driftwood on my 40 gallon build thread if you wanted to look and can provide you with a better picture tonight if you need it. For scapes that need a "tree" like look, the smaller the leaves, the more balanced the finished product looks and IME bigger leaves just overwhelm driftwood to the point where it just looks like driftwood covered in plants rather than the "tree" look.

You'll really enjoy wisteria if you don't already have it, as its very undemanding and grows like a weed once it's settled in.

I've always been a fan of your work so I just thought I'd drop in with my two cents

 

Hey thanks Lchi87! I did some looking at Anubais and thought the smallest one was Nana, so I'm glad you jumped in and corrected that before I started buying. I always have problem with my ADHD whenever I look through 60 variations of Anubias, Java Ferns and Crypts.., especially crypts! Haha!

I should have everything I need to make a 'living/artificial background display with frost glass' by Friday so once that's done we'll get rolling on planting. I drew out a design for this background so when I'm done at the college I'll show off some ideas, but the original design came from a thread on fish lore I found before ever joining. I just want to take it a step further and bring artificial moon and sunsets. Also and idea for a 'living water cloud display' but that's not ready yet. Haha!

 

They do all start looking the same after hours of browsing I've noticed lol. Looking forward to see what you've got planned!

 

Lchi87 -that's why I love wisteria! The leaves take on different sizes and shapes depending on the conditions. I have small full leaves at the bottom and larger filigree ones closer to the light.

Good call on the petite, too. Some of those leaves get huge on anubias. LFS has a few (broad leaf, but proving a point) with leaves the size of my palm and bigger
Silister Trench -you could get away with some red or bronze varieties of crypt wendtii. They don't 'pop' with color, which can be a good thing pulling the whole scape cohesively, but add some depth besides just greenery without the usual hassles of vibrant red plants. Just my opinion

 

A New Look For My Oldest Tank and Fish

Silister Trench -you could get away with some red or bronze varieties of crypt wendtii. They don't 'pop' with color, which can be a good thing pulling the whole scape cohesively, but add some depth besides just greenery without the usual hassles of vibrant red plants. Just my opinion

Great minds think alike! Haha! I went over bronze crypts for a while yesterday but most I saw grew to a size I didn't want, so decided to use my favorite plant in case I really needed that other color. Good old Alternanthera ReinekiI sp. mini. Most people try to grow it like I did here-




But if I need the color and position it in low light I get this A ReinekiI most people don't want and it's low profile., like I did here -




It does look nicer when the tank isn't going through that newly established phase. I promise haha!

 

Ha ha! Nice. That's actually a great idea. I've little experience with loads of plants and I either find high demand plants or the usual Crypts, Val, and anubias. I recently bought wisteria, Ludwiga, and an aquarium lily, but I may want a bit more

I may have to consider it for Titan. Is it a low demand plant?

 

Here's some drawings I did of a frosted glass "Living" background.




Here it just shows the frosted glass being lit from with RGBWarm White in various places to hopefully replicate a setting sun throughout the aquascape.




And this is what actually will make it "living". By placing the LED's it illuminate 2-4" wood, rock, artificial plants behind the frosted pane to give the aquascape further depth. Behind the lighting/decor will be some other backing to cut off the frost view of any wall.




And then an hour before lights go off these three lights kick on, throwing blues into the background and a warm or cool light at the top to simulate (hopefully) light reflection from a moon. 1 hour later the daylight sunrise/sunset LED's go off with the overhead lights and moonlights turn on above.

I originally got the idea from a poster on fish lore some time ago about this background behind a background, but wanted to see if I can take it further with the LED lighting. Hopefully my orders will come in by the weekend. ️

 

A New Look For My Oldest Tank and Fish

Is it a low demand plant?

Nah. You'll get violet hues on the underside of leaves with this red plant in high light. High/Medium it turns a lighter red, but low light it's very rusted looked. It's "technically" a high demand/high light plant that needs great substrate, but I've never really had problems growing it under low light. It definitely becomes rusted brown, and does need some form of carbon added.

I have seen people grow the taller Alternanthera and keep it pink/red with no co2 and low light, but it acts like Ludwigia and becomes redder the closer to the light it gets.

Honestly Ludwigia should be outted from "easiest red plant" in aquarium and Alternanthera should get the props it deserves. This thing always looks red no matter.

 

I'm working with medium light and using Excel, Root tabs, and onyx sand. The rust color doesn't bother me a whole lot because it's between red and green and won't stick out a bunch in a dominantly green scape.

I've got a bit of work to do to mine tomorrow as my most of my ludwiga managed to loose themselves and a little bit of diatoms to get off the glass and lower my light an inch. Maybe a few suggestions after I've done what I need to put the tank back together? I have a feeling where I'm going with it, but new ideas can spring up

 

I'm working with medium light and using Excel, Root tabs, and onyx sand.

You'll be able to bring out the truer red colors if you're thinking Alternanthera ReinekiI Mini. It's just a method of keeping it in good water flow, root tabs beneath it, and keeping from being blocked from light. Then, learning proper trimming and care on it. It's never felt high demand to me, but it does have preferences and hates being uprooted.

Maybe a few suggestions after I've done what I need to put the tank back together?

Definitely!

 

Rediculously Low flow in the tank. Canister works wonders, but little flow. My betta likes it a lot but that plant may not then.

 

Then I'd just get Alternanthera Reinekii, and not the MinI version.

 

not for me. It looks like it gets pretty large

 

Hey, Silister. Just click the link in my signature. I've posted a pick of the last revision at the last post. Didn't have as much time today as I would've liked, but oh well.

 

PLANTS & Background

A little update for you all. I'm running a cheap light to keep moss growing, but I did manage to get about 2/3 of the moss covered rocks in the tank, and actually ended up using a darker stone. I also frosted the background and just started playing with lighting so here goes. The color is a bit off because I have a friend's light over the top, waiting on mine.




I have it subtle lit with blues in this pic. I'm hoping to finish the background tomorrow.




I gotta nail this backlighting a bit better when I set it all. I had it close to how I wanted but moved the lights to make it more drastic in the pictures. Tomorrow I'll get some shots of it all complete.

A week late, but was busy

 

I like it !!!

 

24/7 Backlighting

Sometimes I have strokes of genus - contrary to what some may think. This might be one of those rare moments. I figured I'd take a picture of the cycle I built it on before continuing to make it "living". This is one of those projects I really didn't enjoy doing, but the end result says it all.

7:00A.M. - 2:00P.M.




2:00 P.M. (Lights on)




9:00 P.M. - 12AM




12AM (Lights Off)




1:00 A.M. (Foggy Moonlit Night)




Turned out alright. I feel like the pictures really caught colors off my wall to make the rest period at night eerie. I'm not sure a name for this scape yet, and usually it's my family that spurs an idea. I dunno.. I keep thinking its what I imagine the road Little Red Riding Hood met The Big Bad Wolf on was like...

Next up -

Order: Annubias Nana Petite; Flame Moss; Water Wisteria

Raid my remaining moss collections and get the foreground rocks covered and hack my Rotola for a background.

Siphon white cosmetic sand out and replace with ADA cosmetics... cuz it bugs me to no end...



Let me know what you all think!

I like it !!!

Thanks! I aI'm to please.