What Is Your Honest Opinion?

[Colonel Dibble]

Personally I'd get rid of the Elodea (I hate the stuff

) and get Vallisneria or Bacopa Monnieri or maybe even try a variety of Aponogeton - Crispus and Longiplumulosus are the most common varieties I believe. It's just a personal thing mind you. Other than that, the tank looks great. 

 
 
Yeah, I quite like Elodea at the minute, there is better stuff out there but Elodea, at the time was good for me, because it was available and cheap, it is doing well in my tank, but i might get something to go with it. Some hygro or something. ALSO, I have some vallis at the back if you can see, i hate it. It's too messy.
 

Personally I'd get rid of the Elodea (I hate the stuff

) and get Vallisneria or Bacopa Monnieri or maybe even try a variety of Aponogeton - Crispus and Longiplumulosus are the most common varieties I believe. It's just a personal thing mind you. Other than that, the tank looks great. 

 
Elodea was my first plant and believe it or not I bought it because it looked nice to me

Needless to say that I actually managed to kill it. If one likes the look of it, it is very good in terms of oxygen production compared to other plants. I am not a fan of vallis or bacopa for that matter. Had them both too.
 
I think the tank looks lovely as it is. You already have some dwarf sagittaria and adding vallis at the back will look a bit off I think as they are very similar.

 
Thank you!
 

Ahh thank you so much. It's a good point you bring up. The rim of my tank hides some of the sand so it is a little deeper than you can see. I would say about 2 inches deep. I did a little research and asked my fish knowledgeable cousin; Kuhli's generally don't dig further than an inch, so I hope I will be fine!

2 inches should be fine - it doesn't look that deep

Much deeper and you'll start to get issues with gas build up.

 
Ahh okay, thanks!
 

That's a fair comment. Don't get me wrong, I don't think it looks hideous and I certainly don't dispute it's place in one's aquarium but that's what I'd do. To paraphrase the OP, they thought it looked a little messy. Which is why I jumped in! 

 
I'm not the world's biggest fan of Vallis and nor am I a big fan of Bacopa, I'm simply suggesting stuff from the top of my head ^^

 
I think the vallis is making it look messy, I have ripped all of it out and it looks much better, I will take a picture for you guys to see. Just elodea at the back which looks a little plain but i have some more things coming to make it look a little more full back there
 
I may get some Hygro.

 

[snazy]

Oh, no, I didn't mean to be rude and I know what you mean. Just sometimes aquarists go with what's fashionable rather than what looks better, is more practical and even healthier for the tank. It's not about what plants you have, it's about how you aquascape it and whether you manage to keep it healthy and flourishing in the current enviroment with the resources available/affordable and time you wish to dedicate. So I wouldn't say that vallis or bacopa(just an example) look generally better than elodea. All of them can look bad or good depending on the tank.

 

[tomtomtom1230]

Likewise, I didn't mean to come across rude either, I like the tank. All I meant was I'd change the background plants due to my personal vendetta but this is not my tank

 

[DreamertK]

I'd get a second row of  Elodea in the back to fill in the gaps. Lookin good!

 

[betta fish]

Hi, the tank looks good! the things I would change is the lcd thermometer strip for an internal glass or digital one as they are far more accurate, the elodea looks nice but I find they don't really like tropical water and tend to melt over time they fare far better in a cold water tank or pond! is that Anubias I spy floating on the right hand side? I would attach this to your Mopani wood

 

[Colonel Dibble]

Likewise, I didn't mean to come across rude either, I like the tank. All I meant was I'd change the background plants due to my personal vendetta but this is not my tank

 
Vallis is now gone, going to keep the Elodea for a while, as it is doing fairly well, we will see! I will keep this thread updated if you are interested 

 

I'd get a second row of  Elodea in the back to fill in the gaps.

Lookin good!

 
I have ordered some more Elodea and Crypts, so I will post a picture when they are in.
 

Hi, the tank looks good! the things I would change is the lcd thermometer strip for an internal glass or digital one as they are far more accurate, the elodea looks nice but I find they don't really like tropical water and tend to melt over time they fare far better in a cold water tank or pond! is that Anubias I spy floating on the right hand side? I would attach this to your Mopani wood

 
Thank you! I have been put off by the internal ones. My cousin had one which kept falling off so it seems pretty annoying. The digital one is probably a good idea, however, the way my lid sits I won't be able to have it on the front of the tank So i will stick with this for now! It is Anubias! My cousins anubias. I hate the stuff so I think i will just return it back to him. I have tied some moss to the wood if you can see, so hopefully that grows out nicely and makes the wood look a little different
 
Thanks again for all your feedback guys.
 
Any opinions are welcome, even if you really don't like it!
 
Also forgot to mention this is my first tank 

 

[techen]

I had Elodea in my tank, It fights green blue algae and its really good for your tank. I myself like the looks of it but many don't. But heck I ended up with twice as much in the first 2 weeks of Elodea and went on to sell it all due to going high tech.
 
I wouldn't go digital, Go glass inside. Never had a issue with mine. However I did have a issue with my digital, Poorly made and sometimes the reading can be way off at times. Just be wary of them.

 

[Colonel Dibble]

Ahh, Blue Green Algae. I have brown algae, why is that happening? do you know?

 

[KevM]

People that complete a fishless cycle often find that their tanks develop brown algae. It is usually caused by excess silicates and nitrate (as well as low oxygen levels and low light). In your case, it is likely the result of your play sand and a lack of water changes. I'm sure your water is very well oxygenated, although your lighting is quite low. Just give any affected areas a good wipe and then make sure you keep on top of your water changes now that your fishless cycle is over. Adding more plants will help, so it's handy that you've bought some more.

A lot of people would suggest you buy an algae-eater such as Ancistrus spp. or Otocinclus spp., personally I wouldn't bother. Just keep up with water changes, keep a good light cycle, have plenty of plants, and manually remove any algae that you can see during your water changes, and you'll shift it easily enough.

 

[Colonel Dibble]

Thanks very much for that information. Appreciated! Very helpful!


My Fish are in!!!! I will get a picture of the tank tomorrow.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I've gotta be honest - I don't like it.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I love it!  

   As a first tank goes, I'm very impressed with the scape.  How long did you think about it before you put it together?  I know I think and ruminate and reconsider and move and remove and replace and - well you get the idea - about a scape before I am happy with it.  And then I look at it for about 6 months, before I come up with a plan I like better...  The good news is that the fish get a lot of attention, as I stare and stare at the tank trying to decide what to do with it next.
 
Great job, and please do keep it updated.  Its always fun to look at other's tanks.  It also sparks new ideas for others.
 
 
And to jump into the elodea discussion...  I have elodea, and I find its quite nice.  Its not my favorite plant, but I do enjoy it.  I really like anubias - so easy.  And mine has flowered! 

 Another VERY easy plant is java fern!  Great for low light, low tech!

 

[betta fish]

Yes, please don't get rid of the anubias they are a fantastic plant! will really look good tied to the bog wood and they are hardy too

as for the thermometer glass is fine, I don't like the internal digitals that you read inside the tank but I do like the probe ones that you place on the outside they are only a couple of quid on ebay

 

[Colonel Dibble]

I've gotta be honest - I don't like it.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I love it!  

   As a first tank goes, I'm very impressed with the scape.  How long did you think about it before you put it together?  I know I think and ruminate and reconsider and move and remove and replace and - well you get the idea - about a scape before I am happy with it.  And then I look at it for about 6 months, before I come up with a plan I like better...  The good news is that the fish get a lot of attention, as I stare and stare at the tank trying to decide what to do with it next.
 
Great job, and please do keep it updated.  Its always fun to look at other's tanks.  It also sparks new ideas for others.
 
 
And to jump into the elodea discussion...  I have elodea, and I find its quite nice.  Its not my favorite plant, but I do enjoy it.  I really like anubias - so easy.  And mine has flowered! 

 Another VERY easy plant is java fern!  Great for low light, low tech!

 
Haha, oh wow! Thanks buddy! I think it was a bit of begginers luck, when it came to scaping. My cousin (Dogsout) told me a few things when scaping, such as don't p[lace anything dead centre, and where the human eye naturally looks first. Tanking those into consideration this is how I started: I did look at loads of videos but most of them where impossible to do with my low lighting and the substarte I wanted. The substrate was an easy choice for me as the first fish I knew I wanted was the Kuhli's. £3 for 15KG of sand at Argos. Play sand for the win! My mum owns a florist and she had various bits of bogwood around her shop which I helped myself to, so they fell in place quite easily. I did re-arrange them a lot at first but I kind of let them just fall into each other. I placed the bit of wood on the bottom first then the tall piece. I think there are 3 tall rooty pieces around the tall one, I literally just dropped those next to the existing ones and they formed a nice little layout. I secured them in the sand and that was the wood done. Then I decided on plants. I didn't know absolutely ANYTHING about plants, I only knew i wanted moss, which I bought and put into all the little crevices on the wood. No tying needed. Luckily Dogsout was selling a bunch of low light plants so I had a look at them and liked a few. Vallis, Elodea, Dwarf Sag, Amazon Swords and Crypts. So i just stuck with these. The Vallis and Elodea instantly went to the back of the tank, to try and create a back layer. I moved the crypts everywhere and couldn't find a good spot for them but then when I scattered them around the wood I thought it looked great. The Amazon Swords where another random guess, because I didn't know how big they would get, they just got plonked on the right side to fill that space out more. I saw the right to right-middle was a little bare so I thought rocks would be a great idea. With the left over moss i had, and some beautiful rocks donated from Dogsout the Kuhli cave was formed! (Which they love!) Then the Dwarf Sag was an easy placement, a bit of cover for the cave and a nice bit of greenery near the middle. As for the Anubias... I just don't like it at all. I really do want to tie it to the wood now, because I have had so many suggestions to do it, but... not feeling it. I think when the moss grows out over the wood it will look better
 
I will keep it in mind though.
 
Today, the fish are in and swimming their hearts out. I really want to change loads of things. I want move a few of the Red Crypts I put in yesterday as some of them are too tall for the front. Now I know the swords will grow really massive, I am simply going to shift them back a bit. I may change the rock cave and open it up a bit ( this is an afterthought really.) 
 
BUT, I am not going to change anything. When the lights come on in my tank, which is around 2 I think, I will get a picture of how it all looks now! 
 

Yes, please don't get rid of the anubias they are a fantastic plant! will really look good tied to the bog wood and they are hardy too

as for the thermometer glass is fine, I don't like the internal digitals that you read inside the tank but I do like the probe ones that you place on the outside they are only a couple of quid on ebay

 
I just don't like it at all, I think it looks strange tied to wood. I will bare it in mind for the future though. I promise
 
As for the thermometer I am just going to keep my **** one, I have already spent so much on fish this month! lol.

 

[Tizer]

I've gotta be honest - I don't like it.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Darker sand would show the CPD colours off a better than a light sand, i've had a tank full of them before and tried both options, dark wins. 
 
I have so much hate for Elodea its untrue. Its quite possibly the worst plant you could ever put in a heated aquarium, in a pond outdoors, fine, but tropical....eeew
 
Amazon swords grow huge, your tank cant really support more than one without looking a mess. Plus they need quite a lot of light and nutrients and unless you use a few root tabs to help out, its going to grow a massive root system and take everything it can from all the other plants, also the leaves are big, theres no way they can grow well being so close to the glass, it will just get cramped.
 
You defiantly need a background and attempt to hide the heater and filter pipes.
 
That thermometer is an eye sore, ditch it.
 
The wood is pretty ming, looks like you picked it up on a dog walk..get some nice stuff ...that said, a darker sand as mentioned before and it might look nice, also, i do like the little area you have planted up around it near the snail shells, that, does look natural.
 
that me and my opinions

keep at it, nice little tank to toy around with.

 

[Colonel Dibble]

I've gotta be honest - I don't like it.
 
Darker sand would show the CPD colours off a better than a light sand, i've had a tank full of them before and tried both options, dark wins. 
 
I have so much hate for Elodea its untrue. Its quite possibly the worst plant you could ever put in a heated aquarium, in a pond outdoors, fine, but tropical....eeew
 
Amazon swords grow huge, your tank cant really support more than one without looking a mess. Plus they need quite a lot of light and nutrients and unless you use a few root tabs to help out, its going to grow a massive root system and take everything it can from all the other plants, also the leaves are big, theres no way they can grow well being so close to the glass, it will just get cramped.
 
You defiantly need a background and attempt to hide the heater and filter pipes.
 
That thermometer is an eye sore, ditch it.
 
The wood is pretty ming, looks like you picked it up on a dog walk..get some nice stuff ...that said, a darker sand as mentioned before and it might look nice, also, i do like the little area you have planted up around it near the snail shells, that, does look natural.
 
that me and my opinions

keep at it, nice little tank to toy around with.

 
Ahh okay. I was hoping for a full house

. Yeah Dogsout recommended i got darker sand for many different reasons, however i quite like the light sand

ALSO 15kg for £3 sealed the deal for me. I have had to take what was easily availabe for me, as i dont have a lot of money to spend on this tank

 
Yeah, Elodea isn't great, but I am going o stick with it for a while, I am almost certain I am going to remove it and get hygro.
 
Osmocote is being used

I was trying t get them to stay a bit upright by being next to the glass.
 
Not rally sure how to hide them

I can't really do much about that.
 
Hahaha, i dont think the thermometer is thaaaaaat bad

 
like i said before, had to take what i was given

Beggars can't be choosers

I really like the wood though

 
Thanks for your opinions, i will bare some things in mind for the future, if i do change anything

 
 
ANYWAYS, I forgot to say i Updated the album! Doh. http/imgur.com/a/CXyab