# rate my tank layout please



## ara35 (Oct 12, 2008)

i plan to add plants in the back corners and maybe some HC on the ground. just let me know how it is looking please!!!


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## Scouter (Mar 3, 2008)

I can't see a pic- sorry.
Scouter


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## ara35 (Oct 12, 2008)




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## cichlidChad (Jul 24, 2008)

I like the layout. I dig the canyon type look that you have going with the rocks. I give you a 7. Good work!


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Along with tall plants in the corners and the HC foreground, I'd put some midground plants in there, heavy enough so the bulk of the rocks is hidden and only the top halves are seen. Just my opinion.

-Dave


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## dawntwister (Sep 29, 2007)

Great start!!! Where did you get the rocks? The only thing that bothers me is the 3rd rock on the rock. I wish it was a bit more straight.


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## chunkylover817 (Sep 28, 2007)

nice tank, 8 out of 10 from me, all you need is a carpet plant, some vallisneria in the back, with blyxa. and bam! a 10 out of 10. just a thought


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## ara35 (Oct 12, 2008)

what would be a good carpet plant to keep with cories? also, i was thinking the spiral vals? sound good?


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Spiral vals grow tall. I don't know how you would use them as a carpet plant. Many tanks like this have UG, or HC or dwarf hair grass. Marsilea is a nice plant too. Check out the plantfinder and see what look you like.  BTW Nice start!


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## chunkylover817 (Sep 28, 2007)

tex gal- i believe he was thinking putting them in the back.
ara35- i would say hc or hm or any moss, or microsword, or if you have really high lighting ,glosso. Either way you cant go wrong with any of these choices as far as carpeting goes. And spiral vals sound good, although i use vallisneria nana in my setup, i should try spirals though,hmmm...

PS: I think the blyxa would look really good around those rocks, just sayin.


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## ara35 (Oct 12, 2008)

well i have a new problem. i have cories in my tank and the more i look, the less likely it seems that i can get any kind of ground cover. any suggestions??


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## chunkylover817 (Sep 28, 2007)

move them to another tank ? or forget foreground plants, and put sand instead, sand looks very attractive too. I have cories too, and they dont really seem to disturb my plants too much to uproot them, plus it gets harder to pull out plants when they have long healthy roots. I personally, when i encounter that problem with fish and plants , think of the plants like a tree, a young tree will be easily yanked out or damaged, while a big mature tree will be hard with the size and roots extending far into the ground to anchor it down. I would say let the plants grow by seperating the cories if you have another tank, then once ur carpet is done, put them back in.


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## rekles75 (Apr 10, 2008)

I would rate it, but I want to wait to see some plants in there.


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## kiwik (Apr 3, 2007)

how many cories are we talking about?


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## ara35 (Oct 12, 2008)

4 bronze


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## Scouter (Mar 3, 2008)

ok, I don't know much about cories-just that they tend to pull up plants somehow- but what about a large mat of moss? If you use a large screen of moss, I wouldn't think that they could tear it up. Kind of like the weed sheets you put down for landscaping. I dunno if that is actually feasible. just thinkin
Scouter


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## Metalmaid (Dec 2, 2008)

ara35 said:


> well i have a new problem. i have cories in my tank and the more i look, the less likely it seems that i can get any kind of ground cover. any suggestions??


If you don´t think Blyxa gets to high as a foregroundplant it works splended with cories.


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## ara35 (Oct 12, 2008)

i thought blyxa was hard to take care of.which type should i get and how high would it grow?


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## Metalmaid (Dec 2, 2008)

ara35 said:


> i thought blyxa was hard to take care of.which type should i get and how high would it grow?


Anything is possible as long as your willing to give it a try.

I have Blyxa japonica and I woldn´t consider it hard to take care of, moderate I would say. Co2 and high lightning isn´t necessary to promote growth. Important though is that the water is soft and that the substrate is nutrition-rich. The height varies from setup to setup, 7-15cm.

Sagittaria subulata might work aswell and that spiecies spreads more rapidly.


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## ara35 (Oct 12, 2008)

heres the thing, i like the idea of having some blyxa and (not or) sagittaria subulata in the foreground at the base of the rocks and leave the valley unplanted to make it a real focal point. the problem now would be a background plant. i think vallisneria looks to similar to these plants and would just look like overkill in my opinion. i think java fern might work well but i dont know what to tie it down to. i was also considering a type of moss covering the rocks but i think the reddish tint of the rocks will be a nice contrast to the green plants where as moss would just make the whole tank green. i ordered my light (it'll be here next tues) and i got my diy working (just waiting for plants to start it back up again). also, another question is how hard would this be to move in about 9 months. it is worth it to put the money into if i have to move back home right?


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## Metalmaid (Dec 2, 2008)

When I´ve had Java I´ve tied it to mangrove.

Ever concidered plants with small leaf as Micramenthemum umbrosum or Rotala rotundifolia for example, or plants with large leafs as Echinodorus? They make a nice contrast to grass-like plants.


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## dawntwister (Sep 29, 2007)

I am doing something similar. I will have an area with just pool sand. Previously I had a tank with sand as the top substrate. I buried the java fern in the sand. Care of rhizome plants states not to bury the rhizome but they grow fine buried in the sand. At present have a bunch of java fern that just sit on top of the substrate.


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## ara35 (Oct 12, 2008)

got an update with some questions. i got my nova extreme light 2x39 watt bulbs so about 2.6 watts per gallon. i ordered my plants as well!!!! i got h.m., blyxa japonica, bacopa carolinia, and some wysteria. how does it sound?? will i need some ferts?


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## dawntwister (Sep 29, 2007)

Are the lights T5 HO 10K/460nm? Is that a 40gallon tank?

Researching your plants I found that the Blyx japapo is the main plaint that you will need to keep an eye on. It needs high light and co2. Perhaps you can use flourish excel instead of co2.

Whether you need ferts depends on the plants reaction to your light and the minerals in your water column. The substrate will also provide some nutrients. What is the substrate?

Some dose on a regiment and do weekly water changes.

I lean toward the minimum, thus once the tank is establish water changes only have to be done monthly. The blyx will probably need some potassium nitrate.

Dry ferts can be bought cheap on line at http://www.rexgrigg.com/ or www.aquariumfertilizers.com. Rex is cheaper but delivery slower than the other.

For potassium nitrate I am using Specracide stump remover from Lowe's. Something suggested at 1 of the aquarium forums I visit.


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## ara35 (Oct 12, 2008)

the lights are T5 HO.
i already have a diy CO2 system set up which seems to be working fine.
the substrate is Seachem flourite black sand.

So should i try without ferts and see what happens at first?
and how will the plants stand against barbs and cories??


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## maknwar (Feb 28, 2008)

I would like to see how it would look with all the rocks towards the back left corner. Tall plants behind it, and an HC foreground. Blyxa jap. around the rocks.


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## ara35 (Oct 12, 2008)

i like that idea alot. rocks with the bacopa and wisteria behind it, then bushes of the HM in the background where theres no plants, and then blyxa around the bottom of the rocks. then get some HC or other ground cover... thoughts?


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## dawntwister (Sep 29, 2007)

I have no experience with injected co2 but I have seen tanks that have lucious plant growth with just injected Co2 added to the tank.

Here is some info on the Bacopa caroliniana:
If lighting is intense and nitrates are low, this plant will turn a dull copper or brownish color. When phosphates are limited, it will attain a pink blush.

So if the Bacopa caroliniana doesn't produce the colors you want adding 5mm potassium nitrate may bring out the pink. I have found potssium nitrate the most beneficial fert to help my plants outgrow the algae.


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