Beginner scaping help

[djlombar]

I am staging my hardscaping and roughly planning out the plants as well. I have never done a natural tank before so I am looking for any advice/help I can get. Some quick details about the tank (thanks @Byron @Wills @Slaphppy7 for the advice thus far!):

• 55 gallon tank, play sand substrate with some river pebbles mixed in, Fluval 407 filter, Full spectrum light, dual 150W Eheim heaters
• Planned fish (introduced over time of course):
  • 12-15 Neon/Cardinal Tetra
  • 3-6 Bolivian Ram
  • 5 Clown Killifish
  • 5-6 Corys
  • 10 or so Amano Shrimp
  • 3-4 Gobys (hopefully)

Below is the tank with the added sand and some rocks thrown in for now. I have assorted river rock I plan on using from small pebbles to the large 3-5" stones shown in the tank. This will be a low-tech setup so I am thinking of plants like Anubias, Java Fern, Moss, Cryptocoryne, and a floating plant (probably Redroot?).
What suggestions do you have as far as rearranging and placement? Besides not having a good eye for design, one of my biggest concerns is getting the right amount of plants give I do want a bunch of fish.

Thanks in advance! If anyone is willing to DM me for more back and forth I would be grateful!

 

[Rocky998]

I personally love a mangrove root look where the roots are coming down...
So maybe try flipping the wood upside down and putting it in different areas to see how you like it.
Then get some nice 1-4 inch river rock and stack it in some areas, pushing some into the sand.
This would be great if you had gobies as most love a nice cave

 

[djlombar]

I personally love a mangrove root look where the roots are coming down...
So maybe try flipping the wood upside down and putting it in different areas to see how you like it.
Then get some nice 1-4 inch river rock and stack it in some areas, pushing some into the sand.
This would be great if you had gobies as most love a nice cave

I like the branches reaching out but I will flip this and play around with it! Maybe a dumb question with the stacked river rock, but in doing so how do you deal with cleaning? If a lot of debris gets in there is that a concern and will I need to periodically move the rock to help siphon some out, or with the plants is that no concern?

 

[Rocky998]

I like the branches reaching out but I will flip this and play around with it! Maybe a dumb question with the stacked river rock, but in doing so how do you deal with cleaning? If a lot of debris gets in there is that a concern and will I need to periodically move the rock to help siphon some out, or with the plants is that no concern?

Yes there will be debris caught up in there but it's really not noticeable and you don't have to clean it every time. I have stacked rocks and I have almost never cleaned under them.
Maybe you could clean it every 2-3 months but it's not necessary and can sometimes kick up bad stuff.

 

[KiwiGal77]

I was also thinking you should try flipping the wood over to make roots coming down, creating different territories within the tank for the fish to hide and explore.

I also think tanks look best when the scape draws the eye from left to right, rather than right to left. I think it's probably natural for those of us who read left to right for our eyes to want to travel in that direction.

 

[Byron]

First comment is on the placement of the large branch piece...I would suggest moving this just a few inches to the left. Do not centre it, that always looks "artificial," but right now it is a bit right-sided heavy. Just a few inches. Second, you cold get a couple more "chunks" of wood to represent roots or sunken trunks, or you could stand some solid pieces as tree trunks. Or perhaps a few more rounded river rocks of varying sizes--landscape centres are good places for inexpensive but safe river rock.

Two cautions on the fish list. More cories, definitely. Around 12-15 at absolute minimum, but 20-25 would be better. You can mix species provided there are a few of each species, I can elaborate if asked. But definitely have more than 5 or 6 for their well-being.

Second, Bolivian Ram. There is space here, but that still may not prevent trouble. I had a solitary male in a 5-foot tank for 12 years, and he made it very obvious to all other fish (cories and characins) that he considered the tank "his" space. Comical to observe at times, but he was in deadly earnest. Two males might not last long, and "pairs" need to bond to be successful long-term.

 

[djlombar]

First comment is on the placement of the large branch piece...I would suggest moving this just a few inches to the left. Do not centre it, that always looks "artificial," but right now it is a bit right-sided heavy. Just a few inches. Second, you cold get a couple more "chunks" of wood to represent roots or sunken trunks, or you could stand some solid pieces as tree trunks. Or perhaps a few more rounded river rocks of varying sizes--landscape centres are good places for inexpensive but safe river rock.

Two cautions on the fish list. More cories, definitely. Around 12-15 at absolute minimum, but 20-25 would be better. You can mix species provided there are a few of each species, I can elaborate if asked. But definitely have more than 5 or 6 for their well-being.

Second, Bolivian Ram. There is space here, but that still may not prevent trouble. I had a solitary male in a 5-foot tank for 12 years, and he made it very obvious to all other fish (cories and characins) that he considered the tank "his" space. Comical to observe at times, but he was in deadly earnest. Two males might not last long, and "pairs" need to bond to be successful long-term.

I have plenty more river rock, anywhere from pebbles to 4" rounded rock and would think about stacking some clumps together as suggested by @Rocky998 . I know one side is more empty but I was thinking a small jungle of Vallisneria to balance out the other side. Do you think that would suffice?

I'll look at more Corys...do you think that is going to amount to too much bioload with the others? I may reconsider another bottom-dweller.

Noted about the rams; I've read Bolivians are less aggressive than others. What about Apisto's as an alternative?

 

[djlombar]

I was also thinking you should try flipping the wood over to make roots coming down, creating different territories within the tank for the fish to hide and explore.

I also think tanks look best when the scape draws the eye from left to right, rather than right to left. I think it's probably natural for those of us who read left to right for our eyes to want to travel in that direction.

I swear I got the opposite advice (right to left) . I will play around with it though!

 

[Rocky998]

I have plenty more river rock, anywhere from pebbles to 4" rounded rock and would think about stacking some clumps together as suggested by @Rocky998 . I know one side is more empty but I was thinking a small jungle of Vallisneria to balance out the other side. Do you think that would suffice?

I'll look at more Corys...do you think that is going to amount to too much bioload with the others? I may reconsider another bottom-dweller.

Noted about the rams; I've read Bolivians are less aggressive than others. What about Apisto's as an alternative?

Some vals would look great when placed correctly!

In your tank you could get away with about 15 corydoras in my opinion. That does depend on what type of gobies you get or if you have any other bottom dwellers.

 

[Rocky998]

I also agree on left to right... Feels more natural to look at

 

[djlombar]

Some vals would look great when placed correctly!

In your tank you could get away with about 15 corydoras in my opinion. That does depend on what type of gobies you get or if you have any other bottom dwellers.

Looking at some Stiphodon. This would be further down the road as I know they are more difficult. I just really like gobys (mainly saltwater but thats not an option).

As far as the Vals, I was looking for sort of an effect like this:

Would it be inadvisable to surround the filter intake with these guys or is that not an issue (to help hide it that is)?

 

[Stan510]

You might like moving the wood to the center of the tank. Sort of the classic Ikebana seen in natural aquariums. Americans call it cow horns look.

 

[Byron]

I have plenty more river rock, anywhere from pebbles to 4" rounded rock and would think about stacking some clumps together as suggested by @Rocky998 . I know one side is more empty but I was thinking a small jungle of Vallisneria to balance out the other side. Do you think that would suffice?

It is a visual thing, and admittedly subjective (my preference vs your preference). Wood and similar hardscape will define an aquarium. Now, adding another substantial chunk of wood on the left would balance the existing wood and make the tank seemlarger. Plants won't do that. I would just move the wood to the left maybe 4 inches, or 5 inches, no more.

What is the GH and pH? Fish suggest it is on the soft side, not hard. Vallisneria will manage but better in hard water, it is native to the rift lakes for example. Echinodorus would work here, the taller maybe 3 or 4 or 5 (never 2, again unbalanced), and the pygmy chain sword for the front?

I'll look at more Corys...do you think that is going to amount to too much bioload with the others? I may reconsider another bottom-dweller.

No where near too many...bioload is another thing that is often misunderstood. Fish that need more numbers will always have less of an impact than having too few of them. And with space as here, and the wood, it cries out for a shoal of cories.

Noted about the rams; I've read Bolivians are less aggressive than others. What about Apisto's as an alternative?

A cichlid is always a cichlid. Defending their perceived territory can vary depending upon the individual male, but always assume normality, not hope for an exception as it may not happen. It is the number with any of the dwarf cichlids. Apistogramma are fine, but some species like a harem while others do not. Nothing wrong with the Bolivian, lovely fish...but if you get a male that is "normal" it is going to decide its territory, and then depending upon its individuality may or may not defend it to the death.

 

[Lynnzer]

Why something like the rams or apisto's?
Do you need to have them as show-off species or for diversity?
It's just that rams and apistos aren't easily bred as they tend to need to be bonded with a female from early in their life cycle.
I've had both and never had any bonding relationship between sexes. In fact I think one or more females have been killed by the males.
Also anything more than a pair to tank will cause problems.
As well as the species selected look at their individual needs, ie water parameters. A wrong water hardness or pH could be detrimental to their health.

 

[Beastije]

Just a couple of points from my point of view, though may not be relevant. All advice says the substrate should be higher at the back and gradually lowering towards the front, making it in a slope like fashion, which makes the debris sit down at the front of the tank, easier for cleaning.
Aquascaping advices I have seen talk about a triangle shape or U shape for design. so either left to right or right to left, highest at one side, going lower to the other side. This site has some nice ideas and pointers, I plan to look at it as well
Vallisneria is a prissy kind of plant. Needs high level of substrate, doesnt grow in the direction you want it and at some point, the roots grow through the substrate fully, I tried to get rid of it once and realized I didnt have substrate, I had just root system with bit of sand and it looked like this and I started with like 6 plants and this was a year after

Corydoras appreciate a shade and resting place UNDER things, so if you get more wood and rotate it to create a cave sort of system underneath it, they will appreciate it more. You wont, cause you cant clean under it but hey, that is life.

So my overall advice is to go more. More substrate in the places where you want rooting plants, more wood, more stones that need to be near each other. Lot of open spaces for the corydoras, more stones in a sort of hill setup,...