twinkles Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 This is my daughters tank, which has always been a hodge-podge of various spare fish and plant cuttings from my tanks. Couple of months back i decided it looked pretty boring so added the wood and a better light, soon as the light went on a load of plants popped up that i thought had disapeared, some i don't even remember ever being there lol. So now it looks pretty good i think, and a good carpet of hairgrass has started growing. But short of changing the awful gravel what could i do to improve it a little? Still looks a bit bare i.m.o Its 100L or so, understocked but I don't want to add any more fishies unless i can find mates for the single ones, has a big algae eater, 6 guppies, a little rainbow, a celestial pearl and a female betta. Left side of tank - Right side - and don't suggest more plants in the right hand corner, Algae doesn't like them there and he removes them every time i try lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted October 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 here's some pics of the fish while i'm at it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supasi Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 Firstly, I recommend a darker bakground. Black or dark blue. It brings out the colour of the fish, and plants. You will be amazed at the difference it makes. Change substrate to a sand Fill it with more Furcatus Rainbows. LOL Did you end up getting more when you went to Auckland?? (BTW Hollywoods MT Roskill gave me all their Furcatus that had bent spines. No good for breeding but perfect for display tank) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted October 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 the tank is hard up against the wall, tried to get black paper in there once but it was too tight a fit. If i could find something quite stiff i'd be able to shove it in though. Otherwise i guess i could drain most of the water and move it forward a few mm's. Definately not changing the substrate! one day maybe, but i can't be bothered pulling the whole tank to bits at the moment. It actually has a thin layer of dark sand underneath too, thats what you can see in the middle of the tank, the plants do grow much better in it admitedly. Maybe i'll get the new substrate, then when i have a day spare i might get inspired and get round to doing it. Could kill two birds with one stone and do the background then too. Trip to aucks got cancelled, so i didn't get anymore furcatus, but i'm going up on labour weekend so will have a look then. Want a few more of them, and a few more celestials, i feel sorry for those two being all alone. The heater is one of those annoying non-submersable ones, so theres a big gap above the waterline. Its started looking a bit better lately since some of the woods were too long and poke up, and one of the plants is growing well above water too. I had planned to swap the heater when i can but now i think i might try to get more wood and plants going up there instead, quite like the way they look. The plant thats growing above water i need an i.d for, i've got no idea what its called, but its the one thats in the first pic on either side of the themometer with little round leaves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supasi Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 Thats Bacopa monnieri, Grows like a weed if conditions are right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted October 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 thanks does it have a common name too? looks suprisingly nice when it grows above the water, and yep, it grows like a weed, otherwise it wouldn't have survived in my other tanks with really bad lighting and fish nibbling at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 It is one of the many plants sold as baby tears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted October 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 nevermind found it on the main page plant info. so thats what babies tears is :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supasi Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 nevermind found it on the main page plant info. so thats what babies tears is :oops: Well no not really, I one of the many plants known as babies tears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 Where to start? :lol: If the plants seem to be growing well, let them grow until you can take cuttings and plant them in groups of 3 or 4, all stems in the same hole. Try to layer it, let the hairgrass take the front, medium sized plants take the middle and the stems take the back. Before it can eb aquascaped it needs to be tidied up a bit. No need to replace the gravel, the hairgrass should cover it. Any chance of a full tank front on shot? All the tems growing horizontal need to be cut and planted vertical. HTH, all I have for now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted October 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 lol, but mr. algae has different ideas. Every few weeks i grab all those big floating pinkish plants and snap them in half, and plant them again, and that night he pulls them out again. The few that are rooted have big rocks on them that he can't move easily. I think i might do the whole tank over afterall, then i can change the substrate cause i think its too big for the hairgrass to cover, even in the thickest part it still shines through really ugly, and add some rock piles to keep the plant roots under. I worry though that if i disturb algae he might decide to attack the hairgrass, he ignores it at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 What kind of a look do you want for this tank and how much are you willing to spend? It's kinda like getting a haircut. Find the picture of the one you want and go from there. Got a pic of what you had in mind? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted October 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 how much do i want to spend? nothing at all lol. Can get black sand for free though. what look do i want? not sure, i hardly ever pay any attention to this tank but its sort of started looking ok lately, which has snagged my interest and made me think what else i could do to improve it. i think i might pull it all apart on the weekend and change the background, substrate as suggested, replant everything and weigh the big things down with rocks, then see how it goes. With rain warnings inplace i'll need something to do for the day :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 Free black sand? PM me please about that 8) Have a look through some of these: http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2 ... w-showcase I suggest choose 640x480 and looking through the index. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted October 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 free black sand is = take some buckets to the quarry i'll post a pic of it in my other tank in a bit if you're interested, its black with a few bits of white pumice, but they're lighter than sand so easy to wash out if wanted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 That'd be awesome Twinkles Decided on a 'scape you like yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted October 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 i'll just put all the wood and stuff back, plus a load of rocks, and then fiddle with it if it doesn't look right. I think it'll be nice though as it is but with sand and a background. here's the sand in my other tank, its alot darker than in the pic - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 Ooo! I could go for some of that for the cube. Where can I get it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted October 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 how much do you need? i can probably bring it up or get a mate to, travel up there lots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 Enough for a decent covering in a 60x60cm, around 18L That's a bit too much though isn't it? If you ever do come up, I can give you some stems of Polysperma, Bacopa and Rotala if you'd like some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted October 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 thats only 2 buckets worth or so, can do easily. I'll bring it for you on labour weekend if you like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 When's labour weekend? Feel free to PM anytime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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