Where to start with scaping a new tank!

[Isaac M]

@laritheloud I am a little late to the party here but what I do is start with a vision for a general layout and then adjust as needed with the materials I am able to find.

Given that you have an artistic background, I think you are very well aware of the difficulty of starting a drawing or painting on a clean canvas or piece of paper. The good thing with aquariums is that you can piece it together and then redo it as much as you want, it is very easy to erase haha so it is very important to just get started, sometimes a new vision will come to you once you already have some of the materials.

Also, I think it is important to have some sort of vision of what you want as with art, drawings and paintings at the start look nothing like they will at the end. You have to have the vision to pull you through to the end with direction and confidence as @ARMYVET mentioned.

But in the end, you have to make sure that you enjoy your aquarium. You can use the rule of thirds if you like to but do not feel like you must follow these rules. See them more as helpful guidelines or suggestions, the “rule” should be to put together a masterpiece that YOU will enjoy. Sometimes seeing the aquariums of others will help you distinguish styles that you like or do not like.  

Here are two of my aquariums, a new 55 gallon and a established 40 gallon where the aquascape has changed over time with the plant growth. 

55 Gallon:

40 Breeder:

[ARMYVET]

@Isaac M Both tanks are awesome! 

I especially like how the 55 represents the mangroves we have here in south Florida.  The way the fish can swim in between the roots to the trees....If you dont know what the mangroves of Florida look like everybody...He nailed it whether he knew it or not!!

Simply awesome!!

You sir do not scape aquariums yours are real pieces of art!

[Isaac M]

@ARMYVET thank you very much! Yes I am aware of the mangroves, correct me if I am wrong but if we are thing of the same thing, they are in shallow saltwater or brackish water? I know there are freshwater mangroves as well though. The look I was going for was tree roots in water where the soil had been eroded away which is why it looks so much like it haha I will admit, most of my inspiration comes from nature. 

For example, my girlfriend who was not too much into aquariums wanted me to scape a 5 gallon for her that involved a tree because she liked the look of other aquariums that I had shown her online. So I took some inspiration from “The Lone Cypress” in Pebble Beach, CA and came up with this for her:

5 Gallon(At its peak in my opinion):

The Lone Cypress:

[ARMYVET]

@Isaac M simply amazing…is the for the pea puffer?

[Isaac M]

@ARMYVET yes the pea puffer will be going into that aquarium haha

[Patrick_G]

@ARMYVET, I was thinking the same thing about the mangrove roots. Nice scape @Isaac M!

[laritheloud]

On 6/30/2021 at 9:18 PM, Isaac M said:

@ARMYVET thank you very much! Yes I am aware of the mangroves, correct me if I am wrong but if we are thing of the same thing, they are in shallow saltwater or brackish water? I know there are freshwater mangroves as well though. The look I was going for was tree roots in water where the soil had been eroded away which is why it looks so much like it haha I will admit, most of my inspiration comes from nature. 

For example, my girlfriend who was not too much into aquariums wanted me to scape a 5 gallon for her that involved a tree because she liked the look of other aquariums that I had shown her online. So I took some inspiration from “The Lone Cypress” in Pebble Beach, CA and came up with this for her:

5 Gallon(At its peak in my opinion):

The Lone Cypress:

your tanks are stunningly gorgeous!!! I love them so much!

I have a question, though. Did you bother to boil that massive piece of driftwood? I 100% do not have pots big enough to boil something that huge

[laritheloud]

Also I want to add -- I'm looking to create a low-maintenance planted aquarium with my 55. I love the plant life in my 29 gallon but I'm frustrated by how the stem plants get uprooted, and it kind of freaks me out a little to get liberal with trimming (I have an irrational anxiety that I'll crash the cycle if I trim too many plants). So my goal is low-tech, low-to-medium-light, easy to care for plants and floaters that will manage itself once they settle.

[Guppysnail]

Im in process now. Im odd i let mine evolve. I throw all the plants in with substrate and plant weights and get it going then add a few fish. See what does well where. Once thats sorted itself out i decide on what hardscape will look good with where each plant decides it wants to do well. Ive gotten some great stuff that way but it definitely looks more natural (wild) than design scaped. Then once its all done my snails dig it up and put it where they want it day ROFL. 

[Dancing Matt]

I throw my hard wood in the dishwasher, haven't had any issues yet though one piece always funguses up every time despite my cleaning (I don't use that piece currently).

For my scaping, I allow my self to re-organize the tank if I don't like it. I have a 45 and a 10 gal that have both gone through several iterations since first getting them. Since I am continually learning, this has been instrumental. It allows me to start a project that otherwise I would procrastinate on because of being overwhelmed. I do let them sit for months, to allow plant growth, before deciding if something needs to be changed. Also, I have found that if I am not happy with the scape/tank I don't put as much effort into caring for it. So having an enjoyable setup is important for me.

TLDR; Plan it out, have fun, do it and if you don't like it in 6 month, change it up.

Edited July 1, 2021 by Dancing Matt

[Guppysnail]

On 7/1/2021 at 10:39 AM, laritheloud said:

Also I want to add -- I'm looking to create a low-maintenance planted aquarium with my 55. I love the plant life in my 29 gallon but I'm frustrated by how the stem plants get uprooted, and it kind of freaks me out a little to get liberal with trimming (I have an irrational anxiety that I'll crash the cycle if I trim too many plants). So my goal is low-tech, low-to-medium-light, easy to care for plants and floaters that will manage itself once they settle.

Use suction cup clips and attach your stem plants that won’t stay rooted to the floor.  Cover with substrate 

[laritheloud]

On 7/1/2021 at 11:53 AM, Guppysnail said:

Use suction cup clips and attach your stem plants that won’t stay rooted to the floor.  Cover with substrate 

Now why didn't I think of that? THANK YOU!

[Isaac M]

@laritheloud thank you! I have never boiled a piece of driftwood in my life, I usually use stones to weight it down. The 55 gallon is 3 pieces of driftwood that I placed together and they are so large that they actually hold tight against the glass. 

As for uprooted stem plants, you can also use plant weights, the metal bendable kind to hold them down. I believe Aquarium Co-op sells them as well. 

The 55 gallon I posted here is low light with only anubias and bolbitis in it. The rest of the plants sit with only the roots in the water and foliage above the water line. It sounds similar to your goal. 

[Guppysnail]

On 7/1/2021 at 3:18 PM, Isaac M said:

@laritheloud thank you! I have never boiled a piece of driftwood in my life, I usually use stones to weight it down. The 55 gallon is 3 pieces of driftwood that I placed together and they are so large that they actually hold tight against the glass. 

As for uprooted stem plants, you can also use plant weights, the metal bendable kind to hold them down. I believe Aquarium Co-op sells them as well. 

The 55 gallon I posted here is low light with only anubias and bolbitis in it. The rest of the plants sit with only the roots in the water and foliage above the water line. It sounds similar to your goal. 

You seriously need to open your own aquarium art gallery.  Your works are amazing

[Isaac M]

@Guppysnail haha thank you but I am not that good, all I make are low maintenance jungles really 😂