I need help with my layout and plants

[gaglersh]

Hey everyone or anyone!

I’ve just got a new setup after Not having a tank for 15 years.

I’ve gone for a nano tank this time (30 litres). Aquael with a CO2 setup.

I’ve got 8 beautiful little shrimp and five guppies but i just find that I’m not happy with my layout or aquascape.

Ive got a nice piece of driftwood and two rocks (one big and one small) but I feel like my tank looks like a beginners tank and I want to take it to the next level.

can anyone give me any advice or tips on what to do/where to move things/what plants I should get?

any advice would be greatly appreciated as I’ve never had such a small space to work with.
Thanks so much everyone !

 

[John Whatmough]

Sounds like it's a aquascape your trying to achieve. So l am no expert but your plant choice of a large java fern in the tank makes it harder to get perspective Take a look at Aquacaping basics series of videos by George Farmer . Journals by Tim Harrison Nigel95 Shadowmac should help. Your plants look healthy btw

 

[CRS Fan]

Hello gaglersh.

Welcome to the forum. I’m curious as to what your using for fertilizers? Are you using root tabs or are you column dosing? I’m curious because you have CRS and your substrate looks inert.

Best regards,

Stuart


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[gaglersh]

Thank you so much for the reply.
I’ll check out those references you gave me and will probably get rid of the java fern. I agree, the leaves are too big.

Thank you

Sounds like it's a aquascape your trying to achieve. So l am no expert but your plant choice of a large java fern in the tank makes it harder to get perspective Take a look at Aquacaping basics series of videos by George Farmer . Journals by Tim Harrison Nigel95 Shadowmac should help. Your plants look healthy btw

ja ks

 

[Linds]

Hi Gaglersh,

Yes, I agree with John. There are plenty of guides, you just need to find some you like.

It takes some time to get the hang of doing these things. Keeping and aquarium, fish and plants is a totally different skillset to aquascaping. It's an artistic expression and as with most artists they have to hone their skills. Both technical (how to put things together and how to grow plants) and artistic (how you choose and arrange objects for a pleasing look).

Straight off the bat there are a few things you could do easily that would make a huge difference.

1) Put a background on the back of your tank. Like black plastic or a frosted plastic etc. It hides a lot of 'ugly' stuff. Since your filter is black and on the back I'd go with black in this instance to minimise the look of it.

2) Always slope your substrate. Shallow at the front and deep at the back. This means you see more of the substrate crating the illusion of grater depth.

3) Put more things in. You want aim to visually fill your tank. Let's face it. You don't build an aquarium to look at the glass. They don't have to be expensive, but having more than enough hard scape will help you. If you don't want to fork out the cash to buy fancy rocks that cost a fortune then go on a trip and find some on the side of the road or in a garden centre etc. Better to have 100 free rocks that you can pick through and combine 10 to make a great scape than one rock that looks lost or does not quite fit your creative idea.

Good luck with it.

 

[John Whatmough]

Also try a simple scape box can be nothing more than a cardboard box of suitable size similar to your aquarium or wooden one in the garden . Put sand in the base to represent any substrate and with your rocks/wood off you go. Try to copy a scape you like to get a idea When your happy with it transfer your idea to the tank. When it comes to planting again have a look at aquascapes what you like .There is always a alternative "easier" plant " to more difficult ones for the same look

 

[gaglersh]

T

Hi Gaglersh,

Yes, I agree with John. There are plenty of guides, you just need to find some you like.

It takes some time to get the hang of doing these things. Keeping and aquarium, fish and plants is a totally different skillset to aquascaping. It's an artistic expression and as with most artists they have to hone their skills. Both technical (how to put things together and how to grow plants) and artistic (how you choose and arrange objects for a pleasing look).

Straight off the bat there are a few things you could do easily that would make a huge difference.

1) Put a background on the back of your tank. Like black plastic or a frosted plastic etc. It hides a lot of 'ugly' stuff. Since your filter is black and on the back I'd go with black in this instance to minimise the look of it.

2) Always slope your substrate. Shallow at the front and deep at the back. This means you see more of the substrate crating the illusion of grater depth.

3) Put more things in. You want aim to visually fill your tank. Let's face it. You don't build an aquarium to look at the glass. They don't have to be expensive, but having more than enough hard scape will help you. If you don't want to fork out the cash to buy fancy rocks that cost a fortune then go on a trip and find some on the side of the road or in a garden centre etc. Better to have 100 free rocks that you can pick through and combine 10 to make a great scape than one rock that looks lost or does not quite fit your creative idea.

Good luck with it.

Thank you SO MUCH!
I put a black background on the wall behind the tank and it looks much better and is hiding the filter a lot more.

I think I’ll get some more smaller rocks for the tank. My shrimp are breeding fast and I got some more moss for them and they love it!

 

[gaglersh]

H

Hello gaglersh.

Welcome to the forum. I’m curious as to what your using for fertilizers? Are you using root tabs or are you column dosing? I’m curious because you have CRS and your substrate looks inert.

Best regards,

Stuart


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

hi Stuart

I just have gravel because I didn’t like the look for the black soil that a lot of people have. I wanted my tank to be bright. Is gravel not good for shrimp?
I put fertiliser in my tank when I do a water change. I use Easy Life Profito fertiliser. I also have a CO2 setup which I have at a “normal” level pumping into the tank.

Thanks for your reply. I’ve not been on this site for a while so I’m sorry for the late reply.

cheers