How To Improve My Tank!

[Lizi_angelfish]

Just finishing cycling my second ever tank - my first tank was over ten years ago so I can't remember much of what was in it.
Hope that some of you whizzes will have some much needed advice for this tank!
Some initial thoughts are:

1) Unsure what the inhabitants will be yet but I am really keen for some kind of 'grassy' look to the bottom of the tank.
2) Maybe a mossball somewhere too? Hoping some shrimp will eventually be added so will be great to have some moss for them.
3) Too much bogwood?

I appreciate the image isn't the best quality, sorry!

 

[Tuxyu3]

Wow! what a great little setup, if you want some moss for the shrimp but also a grassy look would you be interested in some kind of carpeting moss? Some moss (java maybe?) would look good on the wood. What kind of lighting do you have? Do you use fertilisers or carbon?

 

[BerryAttack]

look good, just a tad too much bog wood... and is the purple plant real?

 

[Tuxyu3]

look good, just a tad too much bog wood... and is the purple plant real?

I suppose you could be right about the wood, it really depends on their personal preference and what they want to stock i suppose.

 

[Lizi_angelfish]

I have no idea what kind of lighting it is - its just a bulb that came with the hood of the tank... That sounds a bit dense but I don't know the first thing about lighting!
Java moss would be great! Berryattack, I know what you mean about the bogwood but I hope that once it is covered in moss/java fern it might look better?
Oh, and the purple plant is fake and is going in the bin haha. I think I'm going to move the plant on the far right and put it in place of the purple 'thing'...

 

[Tuxyu3]

Do you have the name/make & model of your tank to hand by any chance?

 

[Lizi_angelfish]

It's a Hagen fluval and says light-glo on the side. It's second hand so not entirely sure but a similar tank on seapets at the mo seems to be using Sunglo 15w Fluorescent Bulbs! Thanks for your help!

 

[BerryAttack]

I have no idea what kind of lighting it is - its just a bulb that came with the hood of the tank... That sounds a bit dense but I don't know the first thing about lighting!
Java moss would be great! Berryattack, I know what you mean about the bogwood but I hope that once it is covered in moss/java fern it might look better?
Oh, and the purple plant is fake and is going in the bin haha. I think I'm going to move the plant on the far right and put it in place of the purple 'thing'...

oh lol i looked at the pic and was like hmmm plant in pot... looks fake, but somehow real.. must ask xD and i think you are right, adding the moss/java on the wood and having it grow will look better because its a new landscape right now that is just throwing it off. but in the end it'll look great

 

[Lizi_angelfish]

i think you are right, adding the moss/java on the wood and having it grow will look better because its a new landscape right now that is just throwing it off. but in the end it'll look great

Thanks - just needed some reassurance haha! How can I encourage good growth of the moss? Don't think I will be investing in co2 or anything just yet but is there anything else I can do?

 

[Tuxyu3]

Java moss will grow in lots of conditions, although it may be slowed if they are not ideal. You could try using a liquid fertiliser.

 

[BerryAttack]

i think you are right, adding the moss/java on the wood and having it grow will look better because its a new landscape right now that is just throwing it off. but in the end it'll look great

Thanks - just needed some reassurance haha! How can I encourage good growth of the moss? Don't think I will be investing in co2 or anything just yet but is there anything else I can do?

yea use a liquid fertilizer and also when adding it to the wood. just put it on and tie it to the wood so that it can root and not float away... if i'm thinking of the right plant that's what you have to do for it to grow on stuff 0.o

 

[tribalbrit]

Anubias and crypts are always a good choice IMO.

And the bogwood looks fine.

Get rid of the fake plant tho.

 

[fluttermoth]

There's a plant called dwarf sagittaria which makes a good 'grass'; it does look a bit like a lawn that needs mowing, but is much easier than most carpeting plants, which need lots of light, CO2 and fertilizers.

Here's what it looks like in my tank;

 

[Electric Warrior]

There's a plant called dwarf sagittaria which makes a good 'grass'; it does look a bit like a lawn that needs mowing, but is much easier than most carpeting plants, which need lots of light, CO2 and fertilizers.

Here's what it looks like in my tank;

Is that giant vallis on the top of your tank??

 

[fluttermoth]

Sorry for not replying sooner!

Yes, it's giant vallis.