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This is my 75g cichlid tank. They don't uproot plants but tend to pick at them ]:|

Right now I have three Amazon swords in the back, three in the middle. Anubias in the front corner which my plec rests under. The piece of wood on the right is fake; the other three are real, two have some java fern and java moss attached. One terra cotta pot which my GT and blue acara used in the past for spawning.

There is floating anacharis and hornwort which is normally more spread out. I had started a water change when I took these pics (thus the filter output showing on the left) and had to keep pushing the plants back.

I'm open to any ideas other than fake plants...I really like this tank and the fish but the aquascaping has never seemed quite right to me yet.


with flash:



without flash:



edit: I'm still messing around with it, I'll post a new pic soon

Last edited by Theresa_M at 20-Jun-2005 09:50[/font][/font]

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There is water at the bottom of the ocean

Ok, here's what I did quickly today with the water change.

Thoughts or ideas?



Theresa_M attached this image:


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There is water at the bottom of the ocean

Hey Theresa,

I think what you just did to it looks great.

In a peaceful community tank you have more options, since the inhabitants don't really effect the look or condition of the plants etc. But having cichlids and a pleco puts a limiting factor on what you can do. The first thing in my mind is that there are certain parts of it that could be "fuller," but probably any stem plant you put back there will get uprooted or eaten. Once the swords grow in things should start to look better, with more depth. One thing to do immedietely would be to put a nice blackbackground on the tank. Taping a piece or two of black poster board should work just fine.

Another option would be to play around with rockwork and drifwood pieces to fill in the empty spots - but that would take more work than planting, I think, and would require some serious planning... which to me is a good thing but I'm not sure how creative you want to get

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Back in the saddle!

I like the arch in the old design on the left...did that piece get removed or do I just need new eyes :%).
Other than background, what I would like to see in the tank is something to give it height. Right now all the wood is on the bottom and just makes the tank very bottom heavy (especially as wood is dark itself).
Specific ideas...nope ..havent got any .

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Other than background, what I would like to see in the tank is something to give it height. Right now all the wood is on the bottom and just makes the tank very bottom heavy

Yeah, that's what I was talking about when i mentioned using extensive rockwork or more driftwood - using those things to fill in some of the space... maybe look for some larger driftwood pieces, tangly ones, and have them take up one corner or side of the tank.. or something along those lines...

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Back in the saddle!

Theresa_M

I have E/m you some ideas contact me when you have a good look at them.

You certainly have some good pieces of DW there.

Keith

Last edited by keithgh at 20-Jun-2005 23:19

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I'm very hesitant to add any more driftwood or rocks. We kind of have a weight issue here being in a third floor apartment with wood floors...and there are four more tanks on the same wall

The only way I could get height out of the driftwood would be by propping it up against the glass (back, corners). Would this be a problem and would it leave the front looking too empty?

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There is water at the bottom of the ocean