Want Something Different...

[bmonki]

don't get me wrong i LOVE my fishies and my tank... but im getting bored by the look of it... what can i do to change it about a bit? i'll be replacing the shell cave back in when i've fixed it, but the neon plants and stuff are starting to get on my nerves! I have two moss balls but apart from that no real plants (i dont want high maintenance etc so please dont suggest anything that needs adding fertiliser etc cause i've just not got time to learn about it all)... it also still needs to look interesting and colourful as i have toddlers (hence the polar bear and nemo ornaments)

any suggestions?

 

[techen]

Needs plaaaaaants. Why don't you want to use ferts? Can buy some off aqua and all you do is dose every day and your good to do.

Get some crypts in there, vallis, Swords, Some java ferns. Would look epic.

 

[bmonki]

are all those ok to just be in sand? will cories/clown plecs/dwarf frogs dig them up?

mainly i dont want to use fertilisers cause id prefer to research everything and know exactly what im putting in, plus money could be an issue depending how much they are, plus im getting a bit forgetful lately and worried about overdosing... i dont want really an overgrown tank too so unsure how much maintenance plants will need?

 

[techen]

are all those ok to just be in sand? will cories/clown plecs/dwarf frogs dig them up?

mainly i dont want to use fertilisers cause id prefer to research everything and know exactly what im putting in, plus money could be an issue depending how much they are, plus im getting a bit forgetful lately and worried about overdosing... i dont want really an overgrown tank too so unsure how much maintenance plants will need?

I have corys and a pleco never have a issue with plants. You have to place java fern on wood but the rest can be planted in sand yes.

The thing is, I was like you with ferts. I didn't want to use them because of have confusing it sounded and such but it turns out its pretty simple. You can pay £22 for a 2000ml bottle of ferts that may last around 6 month or even more

Size of tank?

 

[bmonki]

its around 170l... that doesnt sound too epensive tbh, are there any pretty plants or just green? and how fast will they overrun the tank?

 

[techen]

its around 170l... that doesnt sound too epensive tbh, are there any pretty plants or just green? and how fast will they overrun the tank?

I have a 200L tank and I dose 12.5ML a day so you'd be aroud 10 - 11 ML a day and the bottles come with a meassure cup anyway.

It will take awhile for you to get overgrown as you won be usin CO2 so you'll have nice healthy slow growing plants in your tank. Really worth it.

 

[bmonki]

do you just buy the plants from an lfs? i wanted a new bit of wood so maybe the one that grows on wood would be a good starting place?

 

[greenmumma141]

I would go with the real plants as well, it'll look much more natural, and you'll be happier with it. For the kids though, I've seen some great ideas. I've seen tanks with the lego sets in there, i have to admit I've been looking at the batman cave lego set. The harry potter ones would be cool too, whatever they're into really. If they like dinosaurs, I would get some of the medium size dinosaur figurines and glue rocks to the bottom of their feet, then you would have a dinosaur jungle tank

 

[techen]

do you just buy the plants from an lfs? i wanted a new bit of wood so maybe the one that grows on wood would be a good starting place?

I tend to buy a lot of plants from here but aqua essentials has a really nice range of plants that come well packed and healthy.

I would start with java fern, easy to care for and hard to kill. Nice leafy plants

 

[bmonki]

I would go with the real plants as well, it'll look much more natural, and you'll be happier with it. For the kids though, I've seen some great ideas. I've seen tanks with the lego sets in there, i have to admit I've been looking at the batman cave lego set. The harry potter ones would be cool too, whatever they're into really. If they like dinosaurs, I would get some of the medium size dinosaur figurines and glue rocks to the bottom of their feet, then you would have a dinosaur jungle tank

i have girls... it would be either hello kitty, peppa pig or teddy bears not sure that would work lol!!

java fern is the one that you put on wood? i might replace my current bit of wood with a new bit with that plant on, then remove the blue and orange plants... see what i think then... once the cave goes back in I might like it more

 

[techen]

Can see my javafern on my wood

Get a large bit of driftwood and cover it with java fern, would be a great eye catcher.

 

[bmonki]

ooh thats really really nice! does that need ferts then?

 

[techen]

ooh thats really really nice! does that need ferts then?

I would feed it ferts, you don't really want to try and grow them without. But you end up getting more and more and more

 

[bmonki]

i can see another addiction on the horizon....

 

[techen]

i can see another addiction on the horizon....

Yup xD