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If people think it's a good Idea to completely redo my plant tank .[link=http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/Planted%20Aquaria/52537.html?200501051233]http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/Planted%20Aquaria/52537.html?200501051233" style="COLOR: #FF0000[/link], I'm going to be looking at restocking it with plants, and I'd appreciate some ideas.

Tank Dimensions:
38 Gallon 36L" x 12W" x 20Tall"


New substrate:
Probably 100% flourite or similar substrate

Co2 supplementation with reactor

I have liquid and tab ferts, I only use the tab ferts right now.

Lighting:
1 20w plant grow bulb
1 20w full spectrum bulb
2 20w day bulbs

for ~ 2wpg


I'll be looking to plant more fast growers this time around, probably line most of the back with them and the back corners. I like the looks of rotala sp., hygro sp., and watersprite, but would be willing to look at any other suggestions.

I'd like a sword plant as a centerpiece, because I have a tall tank and I like swords, but I'd also look at other suggestions.

I'm wide open to foreground plant suggestions. I like green wendtii, but they seem to continue to grow upwards in my tall tank.

I'd appreciate stocking ideas, and design/layout ideas, because the 3 times I've rearranged my tank, I haven't liked it, but they do keep getting better. I've seen someone do a paint layout that was cool, I'll try to do one of those for the current layout in the next day or two

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Hey Matt,

Well it all comes down to what type of plants and textures you like and how to combine them (froad leaves with narrow ones and such). Also the tones of greens and other colors your plant can achive in your tank conditions. so here is a siggestion.

Foregrouund:
-Dwarf Rotala (Rotala Rotundifolia)
-Dwarf Sagittaria (Sagittaria Pusilla)
-Anubia Barteri var. Nana. You can even grow it as a carpet or a background if you attach it to a stainless steel or plastic mesh
-Giant Bacopa (Bacopa Caroliniana) Kept trimmed.
-Hairgrass (Eleocharis Acicularis)
-Java Fern "Windelov" (Microsorium Pteropus "Windelov)
-Java Moss

Midground:
-Cryptocoryne wendtii "brown"
-Cryptocoryne wendtii "green"
-Brazilian Pennywort (Hydrocotyle Leucocephala)
-Tiger Lotus (Nymphaea Lotus)
-Milfoil (Miriophyllum Aquaticum)
-Crinum (Crinum Calamistratum) Great eye catcher
-Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia Mummularia)
-Alternanthera rosaefolia (Alternanthera Reineckii) Would do a great contrast with the greens of the background plants.

Background:
Giant Hygrophila
Water Wisteria (Hygrophila Difformis)
Ludwigia Brevipes (Ludwigia Brevipes)
Giant Vallisneria
Dwarf Ambulia (Limnophila Sessiliflora)
Narrow-leaf Ludwigia (Ludwigia Repens) Also great combination of color.

As for swords:
Balck-red Amazon Swordplant (Echinodorus Horemanii)
Dwarf Swordplant (Echinodorus Quadricostatus var. Xinguesis) This one makes an excelent forground plant.

If you wish to get more info or profiles on all these plants [link=click here.]http://=plantdatabase.qwertydigital.com/" style="COLOR: #FFF200[/link]

I can help you doing a digital mock for the acuascape, but i have to know if you have a special piece of rock or drift wood (photos will help a lot) or what you want in general for your tank to look like.

Ok for pictures:

This is my most recent pic, everything is a little more filled out, but the watersprite was taken over by algea, and was replaced with clippings from the hygro seen on the right side of the tank. Right now everything is pretty much being devoured by the green and beard algea.



mattyboombatty attached this image:


Last edited by mattyboombatty at 05-Jan-2005 22:59[/font]

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

And this is what it looked like before, but you can see my driftwood(2) and rock(1) better.

mattyboombatty attached this image:


The one piece is outlined to show it's real shape as it's behind the crypts and has some java fern on it so it's mostly invisible, especially in the first pic (look next to the other driftwood). I'm not attached to any of the pieces, but they looked the best of what I've seen at the lfs.

I've selected a few species from each tank placement:

Foreground (in order)
Dwarf rotala
Hair grass
Dwarf sag

Midground: (couldn't pic favs)
crypt green
tiger lotus
crinum

background: (in order)
ludwig repens
dwarf ambulia
giant hygro

I also liked the black-red sword.

I wouldn't want all of these, I just picked some that I liked in order to narrow the list.

Last edited by mattyboombatty at 05-Jan-2005 22:54[/font]

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

I really like the front/bottom section of the tank (mainly 'cos it looks similar to my own) and the rock placement is very good.

But, overall it's a bit of jumble with nowhere for the eye to rest, and the colors leaf shapes and textures all a bit samey. The very obvious equipment is really distracting.

Firstly I would not chuck everything out, those crypts and the sword look really healthy- a shame to toss them.Although I would get rid of the watersprite (I just don't like that plant too weed like) and the moss ball (too gimmicky, the plant equivilant of a sunken treasure chest)but that's just my own personal preferences.

Foreground, I'd leave some the crypts and replace some with Anubias Nana for a bit of contast, different leaf shape. I leave the rocks where they are but with a bigger piece of driftwood between, the current piece is too small and lost.
Where the watersprite is I'd replace it with Hydrocolyte that Falstaff mentioned. I love this plant and it will look perfect in that section. The round leaves would be a perfect contrast and it's very easy to get into a sloping shape , looks fanstastic wioth rocks and wood and gives a very natural appearance.
Rear right hand corner is crying out for some type of tall stem plant. Firstly to cover up that equipment, and the smaller leaves on the stem plants will contrast with the lrger leaved plants in front. Hyrgo polysperma, Ludwigia Repens or Wisteria are excellent candidates, Cambomba or Ambulia would work also.Choose one type and plant thickly in this corner.My own choice would be the Polysperma, with Ludwigia Repens used in the opposite corner behind the Hydrocolyte (the color of the Repens and the leaf shape would be a great contrast to the Hyrdro's bright green round leaves - Cambomba would be another good choice here).

For a centerpiece plant a Red Rubin Sword would be nice, a real splash of color.

Once these key areas are sorted you can sparsely plant a few other speices just as highlights/contrast to the main groupings. My personal favorites for this role are Rotala Indica (love the small leaf shape and red green coloring), Red Tiger Lotus (unique shape and color make a great solitary plant),Reineckki (the erect bright red leaves sticking out a field of green wgives a nice dash of color without being garish), Bacopa Carolina (love the color and shape), the smaller Vals can also make nice highlights if kept under control and not allowed to overtake the tank.

Actually I think your main problem at the moment is you have a lot of highlight plants but theres nothing for them to highlight so it looks "unstructured".

You have the basis of a really nice tank and all your plants look to be in pretty good health, work with it and organise it and it will eventually come together. My own tank took months of moving things about and trying things before I found a "shape" I was happy with.

Hope all that helped

:

Last edited by bensaf at 06-Jan-2005 01:45

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

I'd go with a large sword towards one side of the tank, surrounded by stargrass, pearlweed, rotala, or any other fast growing, fine leaved plant kept trimmed. Some taller plants, especially red ones such as thin leaf ludwigia/ rotala magenta would round out the back. Next, a large piece of DW alongside a dwarf hairgrass lawn with the occasional dwarf sag in it's midst would fill the front. On the other end of the tank, a nice moss extension plus other taller, bushy plants such as wisteria, hygro sunset, and the other aforementioned fast growers would be great :is now dreaming of a tank:

Ok thanks for the ideas ben, cup, and falstaf. I've been looking around at some tanks online and I really like the look of [link= this tank. ]http://www.azgardens.com/images/BA2004-RoyDeki.gif [/link] What I like about it is the slope I think and the contrast of colors.

Instead of the glosso, I think I'll use the hairgrass, and keep it trimmed well. @bensaf the only things that are still that healthy are the green wendtii and the sword, but the sword is questionable. I think I will keep those using the green crypt as midground where the crypt is in the link and put the sword as Cup said as the tall portion, surrounded in back by fast growers maybe ludwigia repens or ambulia. I might try to cover my wood with java moss and use it at the short end. One thing I think I could add would be a nice long/low peice of driftwood that creates a visual barrier from the hairgrass to the taller plants. All I need is something to fill in the front left and the back right. Maybe some anubias nana in front left. hmm...something to ponder.

Last edited by mattyboombatty at 06-Jan-2005 15:59

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients