What does everyone think of my tanks?

[Cliptys]

Hi. Just got into fish keeping a month ago and have really been enjoying it and i have recently found a set up that i really like in 25l rectangular tank. It has 2 female and 1 male cherry barbs, with a atlandsberg sword and a moss ball and salvina natans. The sword is planted into straight gravel and doing suprisingly very well living off plant fertilzer and fish ****. And the floating plants took a while to acclimatise but are now creating little copies of them selves! While the hex tank has 4 "mini" platies(tuxedos) and 1 variable platy. Which all seem to be female. Right now it has 1 plant of valisneria which seems to be okayish. They did send off runners and i cut them off once they matured but later they died and im not sure why. I want some more plants for my hex tank but im not sure what to get and where to get them online without crazy delivery charges i see alot.

 

[Magnum Man]

the tanks look great, but as something I've learned, don't put too much stock in what others think of your tanks, as long as they look good to you and are functioning well...

I have many tanks, and I'm way out of the box on what I do ( apparently too far ) as I enter a lot of tank of the month contests here, often ( of course just my opinion ) I have the best looking of the tanks, sometimes by leaps and bounds, ( not this particular TOM contest ) and I'll end up with the least amount of votes... it's definitely not good for my ego, but I'm not pouting, that just tells me, everyone has their own opinion of what looks good, ( that or everyone hates me )

 

[Magnum Man]

I do have one question... what are the rocks in the rectangle tank... they look kind of porous... if they are limestone or coral based, they may alter your water to a level that the fish you have in there right now, may not thrive... you can test the rocks with an acid ( like vinegar ) and if they fizz, you may want to find a more stable rock...

 

[Cliptys]

the tanks look great, but as something I've learned, don't put too much stock in what others think of your tanks, as long as they look good to you and are functioning well...

I have many tanks, and I'm way out of the box on what I do ( apparently too far ) as I enter a lot of tank of the month contests here, often ( of course just my opinion ) have the best looking of the tanks, sometime by leaps and bounds, ( not this particular TOM contest ) and I'll end up with the least amount of votes... it's definitely not good for my ego, but I'm not pouting, that just tells me, everyone has their own opinion of what looks good ( that or everyone hates me )

Your tank in the current one looks great! I just think many people prefer the "clean" look rather than blackwater. But they dont realise the health benifits that come with it. Anyway any plant reccomendations for the hex? Im thinking java moss on the bushy wood some atlandsberg sword and whatever else i can get my hands on. Primarly something that feeds mostly from the water column. Ive been scared off from anubias and java fern due to anubias slow growth and all the posts about java ferns always dieing. Aha

 

[Cliptys]

I do have one question... what are the rocks in the rectangle tank... they look kind of porous... if they are limestone or coral based, they may alter your water to a level that the fish you have in there right now, may not thrive... you can test the rocks with an acid ( like vinegar ) and if they fizz, you may want to find a more stable rock...

I dont think they are to be honest ive tried the "vinegar test" and it never fizzed but i then tried it on my counter top and it fized and thats plastic so im not sure how much i trust it aha. I got them in yorkshire trading £1 per kg so i think its all good. They seem to be tumbled too.

 

[emeraldking]

Both look great and I do love the shape of the tank on the right...

 

[BigDog]

Your first aquarium setup looks good.

Believe me you will be changing your landscape very often.

As you find newer and cooler things to place in your aquarium.

You may even go lager aquarium like I did.

I wish you the best of luck with your new aquarium.

 

[Ed Pursell]

Your hex tank wood branches/pieces look great! Possibly a little Java Moss or something will set it off! Keep it going!
Ed

 

[Cliptys]

Your hex tank wood branches/pieces look great! Possibly a little Java Moss or something will set it off! Keep it going!
Ed

Thanks alot! I found the wood in a forest how many grams of java moss would you reccomend?

 

[Ed Pursell]

Clip, don’t know about grams, I’d start with a “hand full” of the moss, Java Moss will spread, tie or glue hunks along the wood. The moss will take hold and attach to the wood( or stones) and spread out. Does not have to be buried. Just attach to pieces of your landscape, I’ve used Gorilla Glue Gel on a few rocks and worked great over the years, it will eventually spread and expand and grow. I trim mine every few months including in my Fire Belly Toad tank. Very easy type of green cover for starting out.
Ed

 

[MaloK]

I never really modify a scape once done, minimally... As soon as it gets older I leave them alone... Besides maintaining plants. But I can play with filtration for years.

Your setup are young and will develop their personality... The kind of fish you have likes swimming space... But try some more plants...

Put a nice dark background and keep front glass clean... The good old saying.

 

[Fishmanic]

Nice tanks! Be sure you enter them in our Tank of the Month contests.