# Not sure what to add to my 72 gallon



## berniekooi (Jan 26, 2009)

I've had this tank up for about a year now, but every 3 months (or less) I feel the urge to rearrange everything in there because I am not too happy with the way it looks. Therefore, I figured I would try to get some input from you more experienced aquascapers and hopefully I won't have to rearrange my tank as often any more.

It's a 72 gallon bowfront
2 54w T5HO 6700k bulbs
Co2 injected (but still somewhat new to Co2 so I keep the bbm fairly low because of fear of a pH drop, read that somewhere, and also because the Red Sea Reactor 500 doesn't do a great job at dissolving all of the Co2 and I dont really want the burps all the time)
6 gallons of AquariumPlant.com's own substrate (seems to be helping out quite a bit)

Now its time for the plants that I believe are in my tank8-[ from left to right
-Rotala Indica _(I believe)_
-1 small anubia nana
-1 anubia barteri
-some Hygrophilia Difformis "Water Wisteria"
-_Not sure what the one infront and to the right of the rocks is_
-Cryptocoryne wendtii (right foreground)
-_Not sure what the taller long leaved plant is in the middle_ - Hygrophila Angustifolia - problem solved
-Ludwigia Repens _(I believe)_
-Bacopa Carolina

When I bought these plants, I really didn't do much research just went to the LFS and told them what I had and what I would like. I did not write down what they were because...no good reason. Therefore I have a few questionable plants in my aquarium so if you might know what they are please let me know.

But again any help, input would be greatly appreciated. I am looking to get some more manzanita here soon and still waiting for some plants to arrive from a RAOK.

Bernie


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## Knotty Bitz (Mar 11, 2009)

Try to add in another layer of plants. It looks like you have plants in the background and foreground, but none in the middle. Adding in some more midground plants will make the aquarium look like it has more depth. It's looking good so far though. Good luck!


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## vangel34 (Sep 17, 2009)

Can't wait to see it after you've added the new DW. I agree, you need more midground and foreground plants. Keep us updated!


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## berniekooi (Jan 26, 2009)

Just found out from someone on another forum that the tall narrow leaf plant is hygrophila angustifolia...one less to identify haha.


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## berniekooi (Jan 26, 2009)

Well I got a big piece of driftwood for free...I helped out someone with their light fixture (had to re-wire it and put in a new ballast) so they gave me that as a thank you. But I will be finishing the basement sooner or later here so I am going to wait to put in the driftwood because the aquarium is headed to the basement. Taking everything out and bringing it downstairs is not going to be fun. I'll post some pictures here soon because I received some new plants from a RAOK.


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## berniekooi (Jan 26, 2009)

Well I got all my plants in and driftwood in place and now I am just waiting for everything to fill in.

Front View









Right Side View









Let me know what you guys think! Perhaps any suggestions on placement or anything would be greatly appreciated.


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

hi!
welcome to APC glad you stopped by.

i like that piece of drift wood. what i would suggest is have some structure to the tank.

take the plants of the same type and group them together to get a better impact. maybe try a mound look of placing the stem plants behind the drift wood and the crypts around the wood.

or maybe a right triangle look. place the wood a lil off center the the left and again do the same with the stem plants and crypts.

i used my wisteria as a foreground plant. u will need to trim it a bit more to keep it that way but i like it.

best of luck if i dont make sense ask me what i mean lol


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## berniekooi (Jan 26, 2009)

You make a lot of sense. After looking at it some more and keeping your advice in mind I see what you mean with the "right triangle look" so I will be changing it here in this next week. Right now I am also just kind of seeing which of the new plants do well in my setup, and I have found 2 plant types that did not like it too much so I tossed them. I will rearrange hopefully early next week and post again. Let me double check with you regarding the right triangle approach though. Move the driftwood over to the left, just off center but not all the way to the left. Put stems behind it in groups and then place the cryps along with some stems around the driftwood and then try the wisteria as a foreground.










Quick little photoshopping to get the rough idea of what you mean, and then some stems behind the driftwood.

Thank you very much for your advice!


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

also what u will want to do is get some form to the stems. i like what ur going to attempt. let us see when u get us some pictures.
btw to increase ur wisteria amount without buying more.cut the heads off replant those and leave the bottoms there. then u will get two heads


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## berniekooi (Jan 26, 2009)

I did the re arranging on friday (had more time on my hand than planned) so I will get pictures up whenever the lights turn on and the fish aren't all in front of the camera lens. I kept all of the stems together in groups so we will see how this turns out. Again all and any criticism is always welcome. I've only been doing this for a little less than a year so I am still learning.


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## berniekooi (Jan 26, 2009)

The picture looks a bit dark...but you get the point kind of. I am glad I moved the driftwood because I found out the I was not getting much or any water movement behind there. Time to add a powerhead.


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## berniekooi (Jan 26, 2009)

Well I got some plants moved around and ordered a few new things and pulled some out. I got dwarf hairgrass (not completely separated yet) some anubias nana petit and A LOT of java fern. I pulled out the crypts (never really liked them anyways) pulled out most of the angustafolia. The anubias will be tied to the driftwood here soon.




























And I got the idea from Niko to put the window screen over my canopy so thank you Niko for your help.










Let me know what you guys think!


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## berniekooi (Jan 26, 2009)

Took some pictures and just seeing what all I can improve on.


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

FIRST OFF WOW! i love the purple flower! what is it?

the tank is looking great berniekooi i may just have to drive down to see this tank in person ( and come get some starts of the red plants you got!!!!) u reall have gotten this tank scaping down now. what a difference!


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## berniekooi (Jan 26, 2009)

Haha well thank you, its still a work in progress...waiting for things to fill in more. The flowering plant is the Aponogeton Longiplumulosus. I am going to try to cross pollinate it so that I can have more of these plants...I guess there are fairly hard to pollinate but I'll give it my best shot.


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

I think you did a pretty good job. Alot of good pruning and some adjustments in the main area will make it even better. 72Gs are sometimes tough to scape.


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## berniekooi (Jan 26, 2009)

Thanks, speaking of pruning...what is the best way/place to prune a plant? 72gallons are hard to photograph because its hard to get a sense of depth, but practice will hopefully solve that.


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

best way is just to cut the plant down to a tad bit shorter then what u want. this will get it to put some side shoots out and then u can plant the new plant (top) back into the gravel. u can shape your plants too like im sure u have seen in other pictures.


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

btw what are the names of the red plants you have all the way over to the left. i love the colors and would like to get some


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## berniekooi (Jan 26, 2009)

Thanks for the pruning advice, that's what I some what thought I had to do but wasn't sure. I am just going to let it grow wild for a bit then trim to my liking.

The red plants are mostly Limnophila Aromatica and I believe a stem or two longs stems and a few short stems of Popostemon Stellatus 'Broad Leaf'.


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

any updates for us?


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## berniekooi (Jan 26, 2009)

We just got back from the visiting some family and it seems like all the stems grew out of control so I will be doing some trimming here shortly. Visiting my family today so hopefully before new years I can get some time to work on it.


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

well u can always send me the stems you dont want!!!! lol hope to see a picture soon


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## berniekooi (Jan 26, 2009)

Got some time today and also got some new fish and moved plant around and trimmed some. I would take more pics and post more but wife put me in charge of getting the party stuff going for tonight. Happy New Years to all!

Aquarium

















Tiger Lotus - got two giant mother plants and about 6 smaller ones









Angelfish - Got these guys for free...I really like them.









Furcata - Got 6 of these, 4 males 2 females









Kilifish (fundulopanchax gardneri) - Got one male and one female, the female is just plain orange and she always bites me whenever I put my hand in the aquarium...so every time I have to change something I put her in a net in 'time-out'


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## Knotty Bitz (Mar 11, 2009)

How did you get them for free?


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## berniekooi (Jan 26, 2009)

The person didn't want them because he wanted to keep "pearl" angelfish or something. Hey I'll take em haha. The other new fish with tiger lotuses and 9 ottos I got for $30 so that was a pretty good deal. Also got 3 more rainbows in my 10 gallon.


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

u might want to watch the killies angels and rainbows in the tank the barbs can be quite fast eaters and the angel might bet picked at by the barbs as well looking good. what is behind the wood? or are waiting to fill in?


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## berniekooi (Jan 26, 2009)

Oh the tiger barbs are in a different tank all by themselves so that they can just annoy eachother. Behind the DW I have rotala indica that I cut too low and am waiting for it to grow back in.


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

okay well good to here that also watch the rosey barbs. you know what i love about your tank?.............

the color is so intense and the fish just match that so well. u have great plant choices. the pinks, red, and golds are strong and just enough, and the green is that lime green that just makes everything amazing!!! please dont add any dark greens lol


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## berniekooi (Jan 26, 2009)

The roseys seems to be more interested in the kilis than the angelfish so thats good. Thanks for the compliment but I do have some dark green in there, the back left but since its in the back its not as noticable. I am having a problem with some filamentous algae and it relaly likes to cling onto my rotalas...anyone have any advice on how to deal with this? Must have gotten it when I traded some plants...wonderful. Quick pictures.

























Any reason why one angel is always less colorfull than the other?








Bright red espei








Male and female kilis








And ofcourse the one fish I will never be able to catch to get him out of the tank...CAE. Anyone have any suggestions on how to catch him in a planted tank? Every time I come near the tank he hides, even when I leave a net in there for an hour he will still be hiding.


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

first i guess thats good bout the rosies lol 

the angelfish is just the dominant one and im sure the others color will come and go.

algae well i cant answer that cuz i always ask bout it for me and i never seem to remember how i did it last time lol

the cae well u can set a trap for him. or u could try getting him at night. shine a red light to find him and then slowly put the net in and scoop him up. fish cant see red light


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

berniekooi said:


>


if i can be a bit judgmental lets loose the stems up front and by the lilies in the back. move them to the back. they just are way to wild for my taste. would make it look a lot more cleaned up and defined:sorry:


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

I think your tank is really looking good. I do think I'd tighten up the red stems in the front middle. I really like the red plants playing off the color of your dw. 

Get your stems a little thicker and tighter and enter the TOTY contest. You never know...


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## berniekooi (Jan 26, 2009)

So the Rotala sp. 'green', Ludwigia Repens and the Bacopa Carolina should all be moved? I am trying to grow the Repens in nice and tights and it seems to be working just need a bit more time for it to be nice and filled in. The Rotala sp. 'green' is growing relatively quick and will either need some trimming or moving to somewhere else, might move to in front of the Limnophila Aromatica just to fill in that area. 

Thanks for the compliment Tex Gal! I don't think my tank is quite ready for TOTY but maybe next year...although it won't hurt to give it a try.


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

dont move the green to the front i would put it behind the aromatic make the aromatic pop more.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

The plants I would move and/or keep trimmed low are the ones in the front of your log in the middle front. Carry your hairgrass all the way across the front of the tank.

I think the L. repens would look great in the back to bring the red across the back and let the red of the dw stand alone in the front surrounded by your different greens. 

The good news is, that you are the one that you are doing this for. If you like it, then don't change it.


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

i agree with that as well it really is your tank so do what u want but we are here just for suggestions but i find if u do do some things that people say do open up alot of good for me lol i just did and im so happy!!


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## berniekooi (Jan 26, 2009)

Quick update.










I also won't be having a lot of time to spend on the aquarium because I am starting my full-time job on monday, woohoo! 'funemployment' is what made me spend wayyyy to much thinking and being angry with my tank but how I will have limited time to think about it and more funds to work with.

I agree, in the end it is still my tank and if I like it then so be it but I am always accepting suggestions and what not. I actually want to do a whole minimalist tank here soon I think, but that might just be a side effect from being frustrated with the way it looks now haha. I did move both intakes and returns to the left side of the tank and I am giving away the Aponogeton Longiplumulosus (plant with purple flower) because that plant is huuuuuge, too big for my taste.

Thanks for all the advice though!


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## berniekooi (Jan 26, 2009)

But anyways, I am going to be re-scaping in spring so I am holding off on any changes but I will be selling off all of my plants except for the DHG come spring time. Now that I am back to work full-time again I don't want to do a lot of maintenance and would like a new piece of DW and not rush it this time. I will keep my fish out of my tank for about a month and doing a little bit at a time but until then looking to buy some mosses and manzanita.

Preliminary design for just hard scape with DHG. The rectangular thing in the back left will by my filtration...getting rid of canister filters and having a GIANT 4" deep piece of foam and a pump behind it to create a current.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

I'm really loving your last px. I'd hate to see it go!!! Love the contrast of all the colors. You should enter the TYOY contest! I'm not kidding!

Congrats on the job!


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## jocky (Jun 24, 2008)

The best thing I like when I am looking at your full tank shots is the lotus.

It is a very attractive red.


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## berniekooi (Jan 26, 2009)

Thanks TexGal and I don't really want to tear it down but I have gotten to the point where I have toooo many types of plants in there and to me it looks a bit sporadic but if I can get a few good shots here soon I might submit something...I did move the equipment around and did a 4 day blackout for a small annoying algae that I have so plants are still recovering but doing good. But I won't be tearing down any time soon because I still have a lot of planning to do and my job is keeping me from doing so haha.

The tiger lotus is a very nice plant indeed, I might keep that with the DHG and that would bring in some great contrast.


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

forget the new design keep this one and just let it grow in. all you will have to do is trim and post plant clippings up for sale bout once or twice a week. lol please please keep this tank going i so love the colors and i want to come see it!!!


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## berniekooi (Jan 26, 2009)

Ehhh...the design is ok, its too much of a hassle to keep it like this though I think...I'll let it grow out for another few months then decide for sure but until then I will continue to buy bits and pieces for the new layout. I will be going to find some granite around my house when it warms up so that should be fun. I will keep a few aspects of the color but ehhhh...Thanks for the compliments though!


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## berniekooi (Jan 26, 2009)

Well its been almost 4 months so I figured I would post something on here again.


























That is from about 2 months ago, it has filled in my both of my CO2 bottles ran out of juice and finally got around to refilling one today, but ofcourse I have to get it tested and they are backed up. So the tank has been neglected for about 2 months. Should be getting the CO2 by the end of the week if not first thing next week. My bigger concern is that my java fern has been deteriorating very quickly and is turning all brown...I figured, let me buy some more maybe it was going dormant or something crazy, well the new fern is starting to turn brown slowly too. Been adding some excel recently but dont want to kill the amano shrimp that's in there (cherries will soon be added). Any advice on what to do with the browning of the java fern???

I am still trying to get some rocks/stones for me to finalize my scape and start adding mosses (looking for all different kinds of mosses so if you have any and would like to sell/give some let me know).

Its a bummer than I have been ignoring all of my tanks due to nice weather and working outside in the other scape. But I will be selling my L-shaped tank so that I can set up a 30 long and try some different filtration methods.

Anyways, I will post more recent pictures soon (camera battery is dead at the moment)


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