AQUA-SCAPING!

[canarsie11]

I am a newbie to this hobby, and while I have read and found tons of info on a bunch of things. How hard is it wo make a great looking tank? I see tons of pics of great tanks, but I am scared that mine won't look good.

I will be using plastic and silk plants, but have no idea how to set this up!

 

[MasterDrummer]

well just do what you want... experoment with different things until you get it right. It doesn't matter what other people think, if you like the way it looks. Good luck with your tank

 

[jams.alaskan]

Exactly! Just fidn some tanks that you like parts of in the pictures. Take the ideas that you like and add a few of your own. Practice putting it together until you like what you have.

ALASKA

 

[Fresh_Start]

Maybe there are some tips for aquascaping? Like how to place the plants and what do with the gravel floor.

 

[modernhamlet]

If you haven't made up your mind completely, think about going with real plants. It is possible to have a well-planted low-maintenance tank, even with standard lighting.

Also, plants in sufficient quantity are incredibly good at stabilizing the aquatic environment.

Also, plants look cooler.

 

[canarsie11]

Maybe there are some tips for aquascaping? Like how to place the plants and what do with the gravel floor.

This is exactly what I am looking for!!!!!!!

 

[tstenback]

Try out the how does your garden grow forum on this site for some plant info. Also have a look at some the great tanks in the pictures area and then decide what you would like to do. My suggestion like modernhamlet is go for the real plants. Some are very easy to raise and they are identified in a pinned article in the garden forum mentioned above. This is what makes this hobby unique to the owner...its your tank make it beautiful for YOU.

Good Luck

 

[canarsie11]

If you haven't made up your mind completely, think about going with real plants. It is possible to have a well-planted low-maintenance tank, even with standard lighting.

Also, plants in sufficient quantity are incredibly good at stabilizing the aquatic environment.

Also, plants look cooler.

Do you have to use special gravel for real plants?

 

[TheWaterBoy]

I wondered the same thing when I started. I just picked out a few different kinds that I liked. Then got a bunch of them in different sizes. I was amazed at how many plants it takes to get a "full" look in a 55g. and you have a bigger tank then I do. (fake plants BTW just so you know)

Also when I start experimenting it seems like the ideas just kinda came to me on how I wanted things.

 

[modernhamlet]

Do you have to use special gravel for real plants?

I did (flourite), but i've seen a lot of people around here that use standard aquarium gravel or sand. I don't use any fertilizer though and my plants are doing great for me. Maybe I'll worry about CO2 or better lights or fertilizer someday, but right now, my plants are quite healthy and low maintenance, unlike my fish!

 

[Bol]

I successfully grow plants in just gravel.

Do yourself a big favor, though, and research to find correct plants for your conditions. Usually, this means "low-light" and/or "low-maintenance" plants. Lists of examples are fairly easy to find.

If you just choose plants haphazardly, chances are you'll get disappointing results, and it could turn you off plants, which personally, I think would be a shame. But, that's me.

 

[vantgE]

Has noone asked what kinda fish she wants,

say mbuna african cichlids need rocks, and tanks can look really nice

And i believe angels and stuff do better in planted

Maybe you want a biotope or a toyish aquarium


and for picks look at the freshmikes tanks thread in aquarium pictures specifically as well as others freshmike rightfully get's alot of totm i hear and theirs lot's of cool photos and tanks in that thread

good luck

 

[bartender_in_ny]

i set up my 1st tank recently myself....i skectched several drawings then went to the store, i went with all plastic plants, but i got real good ones, they look great, i got 4 bigger ones acroos the back (ambulas or something i think) and then lil shorteer ones in front of those then some diff size ones here and there around diff spots...i like a nice *lush-look* and my fav thing in my tank is the chucnks of shale and my rocks, u would be surprised at what afew pepples marble sized do scattered around look like!!!! also have a few lil mini stacks of flat (skipping stone size lil rocks) with a nother smaller size on leaning on it, kinda like a mini rock slide...i love the natural look like that acroos the substrate..i made lil caves too with rocks, and u wil be surprised to see your fish using them as bedrooms if u sneak up on um in the morning to peek lol, all my fish have there *claims staked out* lol + rocks in diff positions is the most popular and they look so cool!!!!

try it, but research a lil on rocks, i got mine at my creek, but they have to be inert. i read if u pour reg vinegar on them + if it foams DONT USE THEM!!!! then all i did was scrub um in very hot water, NO SOAP!!!!!! AND DRYED UM IN A STRAINER and added um to tank, the fish love um!!!! but as i say research b4 u just go dwn to the creek and start collecting.....good luckm isnt this such an aweswome hobbie!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yeeeeeeeee -hawwwwwwwwwwwww