Az's Amazon Planted Tank

[Azrael]

Ok, I've had my 42 gallon set up for a couple of weeks now. I'm using an FX5 for filtration and a Rena 200W for a heater. I've also got 70W of lighting, 2 nutrafin fermentation canisters for CO2 and currently im using plantamin (although I'm planning on switching to TPN+ when it runs out).

I'm aiming for a heavily planted Amazon biotope, probably with these as the fish:

12 * Cardinal Tetras (8 currently in tank)
2 * Angelfish
6 * Bronze Corydoras (1 currently in tank)
2 * German Blue Ram
1 * Bristlenose

I had originally wanted to use topsoil underneath a sand as a substrate - sort of like the Walstad method. However, when I was putting the water in, I forgot to put in a plate and the soil has ended up redistributed over the tank (as you might be able to see in the picture).

Anyway, so any suggestions for improvements, particularly with the plants, would be greatly appreciated. I want a lot more, but I'm not really sure what to go for (in fact, I'm not totally sure what I've got now, any names would be very useful).

 

[Jamepsss]

Looks very good, the soil gives it a natural look. I can see Cabomba, (back left) Crypts (front left) and Amazon swords on the right. The plants you have should get pretty big and a black background would improve the look further.

 

[Biulu]

You have a nice piece of wood there, but it looks kind of isolated and not part of the scape. Attaching plants (anubias or moss) to it would help or try to plant around it. Your crypts are useful for that.

You have planted densely, well done! I suggest you add a 'red plant'. Either in front or behind the wood. In front you could think of cryptocoryne wendtti red and behind hygrophila rosanervig or alternathera reineckii.

Are you sure your cory is a bronze one? It looks more like an albino to me, but it might be the photo...

 

[lljdma06]

Filling up the tank and putting a background are two ways to spruce it up. This will also allow you to take stock of the aquarium. Like Biulu says, the wood will become a feature of your scape, you just have to figure out what you plan to do with it. Lots of potential for attaching anubias, mosses, and ferns.

 

[Azrael]

The background is a good idea, how would you normally go about it? Glue stiff card to the back perhaps?

 

[lljdma06]

Not necessary. You can use a black trash bag cut to size. Static will cause the bag to stick to the back of the glass. If I use paper, I'll use tape to secure my background not glue. Some will paint the background with a safe to use paint, but that should have been done prior to tank setup. Or, I'll make a "live" background, by creating a moss wall.

 

[TheDarkGoby]

Just a quick question; wont the angels kill the cardinals? Some angels have been known to do that.

Albino cories are the albino version of the Bronze cory.

Very nice plants! I wish I could find some Amazon Sword. It is a stock item at my nearest Petsmart, but they never carry it.

 

[GrayScale]

As I think the plant recommendations are great mentioned above but they are going for a biotope which consists of plants in the selected region. I'm sorry if some of the above are from that region i'm not too sure but I will have a look when I get home to see if I can find suitable plants for a biotope.

+1 on the background and bringing the wood into your scape with attached plants. We shall figure out what plants from the amazon will attach.

 

[lljdma06]

The presence of the crypts already change the biotope aspect.

 

[Verminator89]

Crypts are Asian, Swords South American. So as llj says, the biotope isnt strict already.

Azrael, those Echinodorus Barthii i sold you do you plan on planting them in here. If so i'd advise giving them a little space toward the back somewhere, as they get quite big and spread out a fair bit

 

[Azrael]

Yeah, I've realised the crypt doesn't fit in. Bit of a misssell on the part of the LFS. I'm gonna keep them in there for the moment, but I'll be looking to get rid of it as soon as the other plants have grown out a bit.

Verminator, I've put them in there now. I've currently got 4 background plants in there: theres 2 stems of star grass which you can't really see atm, so the whole thing is going to need a rescape. The only foreground plant I've got is the dwarf chain sword, does anyone have any suggestions for other good ones? I need to find something I can attach to the wood as well, that would really help bring it together.

 

[Verminator89]

If your going with a biotope generalised to SA you could use HC cuba (Hemianthus Callictroides 'Cuba'). Fantastic little plant and when it thrives it looks stunning as a lawn. Can be grown in lower to mid lighting and doesnt require CO2, although i've only had 'good' results with CO2 injection. Ideal temperature for is it 24C (optimum), but can do fine in up to 30C.

In general for your biotope though the focus is on rounded river rocks (normally) with tree roots scattered around, then with taller Swords around.

 

[Azrael]

The rocks would be a good idea, I'll see if i can find some good ones. After filling it up and adding a binliner background:

 

[Verminator89]

Now doesnt that look a zillion times better with a black backing. I love how the bag has gone slightly baggy and you can see creases in it, it seems to give the tank added depth. That is some awesome cabomba growth i must say! Very impressive.

 

[GrayScale]

Muuch better. That wood is super funky and I like it but I don't think it'll be as easy as attaching plants to it to make it fit in. Maybe tilt it a little left so it's propped up on the left knot as well as the leg it's on now and maybe bring the base about an inch or 2 closer into the middle? That might add some more dimension to it.