Aqua Scaping

[Duckquarium]

That looks like el nino fern

Thank u
I suggest that

 

[I Like Rare Fish]

Switch substrate to black sand or fluval stratum, which can grow a variety of plants. Taller plants in the back, maybe a small species of valisneria…not sure if there are any! Color also helps. Perhaps rotala indica or some other species of rotala to brighten up the tank.

 

[SparkysBois]

here is the new arrangement just with the stuff I already had. . . .

I removed the mid-size plant from the back as it was getting very sparse and not growing very well. I have bought a background that is being shipped to me. Should I get more of the tall plant in the middle of this photo? Thinking I might actually take out the fake rock and pot. Would you recommend a large stony hardscape or driftwood? I am not very good at arranging things so may need help once I have bought them.

 

[SparkysBois]

here is the plants listed on the website of the fish store so suggestions? They don't seem to have them in one place in the store so I might have to go hunting. Please nothing too expensive im still in school and can't afford it

 

[Colin_T]

Wow, huge difference and so much better now.

Don't get more plants, just take cuttings from what you have and plant them. If you do want more plants, the only ones I would get from the list is Hygrophila polysperma (either type or both), Vallisneria asiatic (contortionist), Echinodorus magdalensis (dwarf chain). Find out how big the dwarf Sagittaria subulata gets. If it's not too big (less than 20cm), maybe get some.

The long skinny plants with flexible stems can be laid down on the gravel and small weights put on them. They will grow roots into the substrate and grow new stems along that.

Leave the pots and rock until you have added more plants and see how they look then.

 

[Lynnzer]

I recently bought a load of plants myself. While planting them in the tank I got lots of floating bits and pieces, way too small to use as they were. However I got a seed tray, filled it with compost, topped it up with water so it soaked the compost but not above it. I added some Easy Start Nitro into the water. Then put a lid over it, with a spare light on top. Hey presto. I have loads of them now, all racing to the top of the tray.
Oh, and an angry missus who's sick of me being untidy......

 

[BigBen1989]

Hi! I 2nd taking a look on MD fish tanks on YouTube. I am also not very good at scaping tanks but have got better over the years with practice. My general style is to create an island with a piece of Manzanita wood, or something similar and rocks and cover them in epiphyte plants like java ferns, Anubias and Buchephalandra. I find these plants bullet proof.

I personally think a sand substrate makes any tank 100% better. You can get them relatively cheap if you use pool filter sand, or play sand. These are very fine so come with a bit of extra maintenance as the sand compacts, which can cause pockets of gas. It just needs stirring at water change time. I also threw in Malaysian trumpet snails as they burrow in the sand. Many see them as pest snails though, I think there is no such thing as a pest snail .

This is what I have done recently:

 

[SparkysBois]

Wow, huge difference and so much better now.

Don't get more plants, just take cuttings from what you have and plant them. If you do want more plants, the only ones I would get from the list is Hygrophila polysperma (either type or both), Vallisneria asiatic (contortionist), Echinodorus magdalensis (dwarf chain). Find out how big the dwarf Sagittaria subulata gets. If it's not too big (less than 20cm), maybe get some.

The long skinny plants with flexible stems can be laid down on the gravel and small weights put on them. They will grow roots into the substrate and grow new stems along that.

Leave the pots and rock until you have added more plants and see how they look then.

is the long skinny plant the one floating on top or at the back?

 

[SparkysBois]

Here is the final product (I think). I applied the background, and replaced the fake rock with some real ones. I got some new plants (the front left and front right) and trimmed some of the other ones to be more tidy, then replanted them

 

[Colin_T]

is the long skinny plant the one floating on top or at the back?

The one at the back that was planted.

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You should remove or rearrange the rocks in the corner. Fish, fish food and waste can collect between the rocks and if a fish dies in there, it will cause water quality problems.

Any rocks in tanks should have room around them so the fish and gunk can move in or around them without being trapped.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You need to be mindful of the water requirements of the plants too. I have had many plants melt away to nothing over the years all because the water was too hard.
I'm one of the lucky ones. I am within 20 miles of the most amazing place in the UK for aquascaping. Horizon Aquatics. View attachment 157312

Beautiful fish room