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I plan on ordering lots of plants this week for my 55g. I have no idea how to arrange them to make them look good. I have plants in my 10g but I just threw them in and let them grow. Any tips on how to arrange plants? Should I put like plants together? This tank is much bigger than my 10g obviously so I am having a hard time picturing where everything should go. If needed I can list the plants I am going to buy.

*Kristin*

Hey,

If you could please provide us witht eh list ofplants you intend to buy, and also the type and how much lightin

This information will help us in helping you decide what is right for you. It would be a tragedy for you to purchase a bunch of plants and have them die due improper tank conditions.

Also Aquascaping is very much a method of learing, there is no right way, there are certain methods but overall the aquascape is an individual expression.

The core of the aquascape is athe hardscape, rocks and driftwood. Do you plan on using any?

GirlieGirl,

Megil says it all, you are sure up for a challenge, but for me that is the exciting part.

If you want to, peruse the web for the so called Dutch and Amano styles, they give you good ideas of two completely different philosophies about tank layouts.

And peruse our site for tank pictures as well as the more you see the better of an idea you get what you want to do. You can take a peak at my 3 tanks here: [link=My 20G]http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/Aquascaping/63901.html?200511200711" style="COLOR: #ff6633[/link], [link=My 29G]http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/Aquascaping/61406.html?200511200723" style="COLOR: #ff6633[/link], and [link=My 125G]http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/Planted%20Aquaria/64425.html?200511200551" style="COLOR: #ff6633[/link].

Eagerly awaiting your plant list,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Ok like I said its a 55g. Small gravel substrate. I have a compact fluorescent fixture with 2 65w bulbs...for 2.4 wpg. One bulb is 6700K and the other is 10000K. Ok heres the list...
Ludwigia Repens
Bacopa Caroliniana
Rotala Indica
Didplis Diandra
Giant Hygro
Crypts..Becketti, Lutea, and Wendtii Red
Anubias...Barteri, Congensis, and Frazeri
Java fern for one piece of driftwood
Dwarf Chain Sword
Corkscrew Val
Anubias Nana...already have
Wisteria...already have
Ozelot Sword...moving from another aquarium

I have a small piece of DW about 10" long and 3" wide and another larger piece that is about 12" long and about 5" wide. I have some slate rock and a few homemade caves for hiding.

Last edited by GirlieGirl8519 at 20-Nov-2005 15:19

*Kristin*

Impressive list, but too much of a plant salad. It will be
hard to incorporate all those plants into a coherent
aquascape, It would be best if you could narrow the list
down to a tops of 10 species. Didipilis diandra may not do
that well under 2.4 WPG. hmm the list is alright but i am
having a hard time putting all of them into a 55G and
getting a good aquascape, I would select one or 2 anubias,
and one or two crypts. The corkscrew val., though a pretty
plant I always have a hard time fitting it into an
aquascape. I would narrow your stem plants from 6 to 2 or
3 tops. You will soon realize the pain stem plants can
be, and 6 species will be alot of work to keep organized.

It is very good you have a list of plants, but to make a
nice aquascape we will need to cut down the list to one
that is a bit more manageable. I would come up with some
option but I ahve a 5 page paper to write for tuesday :88)
so, once I finish it I will think up some possibilities.
Ingo, Tetra, nowhereman, and bensaf are also very good
people to get input from . and Mattyboombatty too (sorry man)

HTH somewhat,
Megil.

Last edited by Megil Tel'Zeke at 20-Nov-2005 19:34

Last edited by Megil Tel'Zeke at 20-Nov-2005 19:50

Ingo, Tetra, nowhereman, and bensaf are also very good

what about me?



2.4wpg of PC lighting should be about enough to grow most plants, except the highest light hungry plants. You may not get all the color you want from them, but they'll grow.

I say plant them all and figure out which do best for you, and which you take a liking to(most of the time they are the same). Then you can simplify things a bit to make a nice aquascape.

A good general rule is small plants in front of medium plants in front of tall plants. Try not to have your driftwood be too central. Have it off to one side or another. Place it with enough room for a nice bunching of plants behind it, and so there is some room in front for your crypts and tenellus.

Last edited by mattyboombatty at 20-Nov-2005 19:47

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

GirlieGirl,

When are you planning to order? I will need some time to think about it some more

One thing right away, the Diandra is a little complicated, it likes settled tanks the best. It was recommended to me not to use it in a new setup (where all plants have to be established first).

And yes, Matty is very good too, I am sure his name just slipped Megil's mind. Matty taught me a lot .

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Hi,

Impressive list, but too much of a plant salad

Bingo! Ever notice how 20 cardinal tetras swimming together looks much better than 1 cardinal, one harley rasbora and one cory swimming around randomly? Same thing with plants. Grouping less varieties of plants together will make much more of an impact and will look much better than one plant here, another plant there. But before you even get to that, theres one bit of info missing...

...the hardscape! Any ideas for driftwood? rocks? It's extremely important to hardscape your tank first before planting. As LF is finding now, it's very difficult to make a tank look good with JUST plants. Remember, you don't just want to make the plants grow - you want the tank overall to look good. Look on ebay or in LFS for nice branchy pieces of driftwood, or look around for some nice dark colored rocks. Then think about how you'd like to arrange them in the tank, and then plant around them. It'll add depth and make things look more natural

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Back in the saddle!

I have a larger piece of DW and a smaller piece. I also have some rocks..more like stones. I have slate rock too. I did notice as I was typing my list that I have alot of different kinds. I will shorten the list. I was hoping to order tonight (Monday), but I gotta rethink it a little first so I may not order until tomorrow. I also have a paper due this week so I'm trying to get motivated for that and not think too much about my tanks...although I would much rather plan my aquariums than write a paper. :%) Give me a little time to redo the list and then I'll let you all give me more great advice.
I just like so many plants that I wanted them all...but can't do that.

*Kristin*

GirlieGirl,

The more research you do upfront the less money you will spent on wrong (or too many) plants.

Take your time and enjoy this process, I find the research and phantasy phase quite pleasing.

And see it from this perspective: let's say you buy $50 worthof plants and spend 1 hour to research them. So it cost you $50/h for your pleasure. If you research 10 hours the cost goes down to $5/h, ergo --> more pleasure for the buck. Did I tell you I am crazy ?

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

How does this list look:

Bacopa
Rotala Indica
Wisteria
Dwarf chain sword for the foreground.
2 Crypt Becketti
Crypt Wendtii...already have 1 in the tank.
Ozelot Sword

maybe java fern for a piece of DW

What could I use for a background plant instead of Corkscrew Vals? Or should I just use what I've got listed.

*Kristin*

better list. your stem plants will work as background
plants, as I have personally grown Bacopa, and Rotala
indica to length of over 4 feet. Your list is much ore
refined than your alst one which is good. You have
different leaf shapes and textures, and you have different
shades of green which should make for an intresting
aquascape. the pinkish growth of the indica will add a
subtle highlight to the tank. The only problem I see if
the sword, not that it get's too big, but it may get so
wide in the narrow tank that it will overshadow any plants
in front and around it. Strategic location of th
edriftwood should help minimize the problem.

Also I don't see any anubias in your final list. they
would make excellent candidates for your driftwood, I much
prefer it to Javafern.

If you could possibly post a picture of the driftwood you
have, so we can get an idea of what the hardscape is like.


Megil.

I have 2 anubias nana already..I will put the one I have in the 55g on the larger piece of DW I think. They are so wide that I didn't want another one. I tried anubias coffeefolia before and they died. I will get a picture of my pieces of DW. I just put the biggest one in the tank.

*Kristin*

Here is the larger piece...It won't sink by itself yet so I had to put rocks around it.


GirlieGirl8519 attached this image:


*Kristin*

And the smaller piece.

GirlieGirl8519 attached this image:


*Kristin*