Flat looking scape.

[DrwHem]

I'm not very good at laying out an aqua scape, everything I have just seems kind of flat.

It would be nice to have a way to plant some of my Amazon swords in a pot that looks like a rock, for example.

Anyone have any tips on how to redesign this tank? My tank seems too tall for a carpet to ever grow so I'll be adding in mostly Java fern, swords, and some wisteria once these things die off.

But i want to try something more interesting than just planting all on the same level.

[JoeQ]

I am absolutely horrible at it as well, but here is a link where you might get some inspiration from. https://tropica.com/en/inspiration/

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Hi. 

Pots add a whole lot of interest to a tank- things like Aquarium Co-op's easy planter would work for a rock look and there are others out there you can buy. Java fern and Anubias are a couple of my favorite plants because they are rhizone plants you can glue them to decorations and wood and put them middle tank instead of just on the substrate areas. I agree, tall tanks are really hard to carpet so I'd trash that idea. I have two 20 talls- but I think I've done a good job for a low tech tank to fill the space using pots, wood, glue, suction cups and allllll easy grow plants.  If you take a look at my profile page (linked below, the solid facts, scroll to bottom for pics) you can see where I've utilized pots and glued and/or suction cupped Anubias and java in different areas of the tank. @Guppysnail is also good with use of pots, so check out journals there for ideas!

When looking for pots don't limit yourself to pet/aquarium stores, lots of safe ideas outside of that- like garden stores. 

Edited June 13, 2022 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[Guppysnail]

Another thing I do is use suction cups to clip things like anubias and have fern to glass. You could also add something full like guppy grass to float. I also like lucky bamboo to add dimension to the back wall and it is awesome for sucking up up nitrates. 

I also want to add those plants look a bit new. Have patients things will grow in lush and full.  That bush of guppy grass threatening to take over the world in my tank was 6 tiny strands 3-4 inches long 1-2 months ago. In 1-2 months it became that and I’ve removed a handful to my panda tank. I think your tank is a lovely start

[Guppysnail]

Creeping Jenny does wonderful as carpet in taller tanks. It will grow tall if you let it I just keep trimming it. To the left of the terra cotta feeding bowl in the guppy grass picture

[Seattle_Aquarist]

On 6/13/2022 at 9:27 AM, DrwHem said:

I'm not very good at laying out an aqua scape, everything I have just seems kind of flat.

It would be nice to have a way to plant some of my Amazon swords in a pot that looks like a rock, for example.

Anyone have any tips on how to redesign this tank? My tank seems too tall for a carpet to ever grow so I'll be adding in mostly Java fern, swords, and some wisteria once these things die off.

But i want to try something more interesting than just planting all on the same level.

Hi @DrwHem

The first thing I would do would be add a background to the tank so you don't see the wall behind it (along with filter tubing and electrical cords).  I use the plastic sheeting you can pick up at the local aquarium shop myself but black velvet material also works well.  This helps the fish and plants stand out and the eyes are not distracted.

To improve visual interest I agree using plants of various heights will help.  Also plants with different leaf shapes, different leaf colors (including shades of green), planting in groups or bunches, and repetition of species in a tank will improve visual interest.  Many of the rules that photographers and painters use to improve visual interest in a photo or painting work for aquarium aquascapes as well such as the Rule of Thirds and using the Golden Ratio to place hardscape where they will have the greatest visual impact.

Lastly, remember beauty is in the eye of the beholder....if you like it then it is good!  -Roy

This is a 45 gallon tall (24" tall) and you can see plants going almost up to the top

[DrwHem]

Other than Java fern and anubis, what other plants can survive being glued to rocks? 

I'm thinking about removing those pots in the right and putting a stack of flat rocks instead.

[Cbass]

On 6/13/2022 at 12:31 PM, DrwHem said:

Other than Java fern and anubis, what other plants can survive being glued to rocks? 

I'm thinking about removing those pots in the right and putting a stack of flat rocks instead.

I've read that repens can actually be tied and they'll grow. But I've never seen them other than in substrate. I've also seen scapers use monte carlo grass on rock, but it's like planted tank black magic.  Bucephalandra are also another type of rhizome plant that can attached to hardscape and pretty popular. Some of them have some very nice deep reds and purples. You could also do moss, but mounting it "properly" (which tends to look really clean IMO) is super tedious. Although, I've had some success with christmas moss without having to go full on glue each strand separately and just gluing clumps on driftwood and rock. 

@Guppysnail I never thought about using suction cups! Brilliant. Will need to try that in my betta tank. 

Edited June 13, 2022 by Cbass

[Seattle_Aquarist]

On 6/13/2022 at 12:31 PM, DrwHem said:

Other than Java fern and anubis, what other plants can survive being glued to rocks? 

I'm thinking about removing those pots in the right and putting a stack of flat rocks instead.

Hi @DrwHem

Hygrophila pinnatifida can be attached to hardscape and is fairly easy to grow. -Roy

Hygrophila pinnatifida @arrows....note the runner at the "B" arrow at the bottom

[nabokovfan87]

On 6/13/2022 at 10:02 AM, Guppysnail said:

Literally about to do this in both my tanks with the floaters I'm tired of gluing over and over.

If you're looking to add verticality to your tank, I'd recommend letting the Bacopa Caroliniana that you have grow a bit further, it will get tall pretty easily.  As well as Vallisneria and Pogostemon Stellatus Octopus.

you can also let some of your stem plants just float.

Edited June 14, 2022 by nabokovfan87
fix store link

[FlyingFishKeeper]

Hi, at least in my opinion I'd move the big piece of hardscape to one side, preferably around 1/3rd of the tank away from the nearest left or right wall, like the above post says, as well as push the roots in a bit to make it look established. I might try tinkering with elevation with substrate if you have any to spare (just making some variation in the substrate depth can add a lot of interest, as well as trying to create a background, midground, and foreground of the tank with the tallest plants in the back, then shorter plants traveling forward. 

Something that I've also found helps quite a bit for me is just taking a literal step back from the tank, closing your eyes, then opening them while looking at the tank, and see where your attention naturally gravitates. If you like how your eye "moves" around the scape then you've done well, however if you don't like how it moves, then that's the time to tinker, think about where you're putting stuff, rinse, and repeat. As a bit of a side note, try to keep most the interesting parts of the scape in one area, rather than spreading it around the tank so the eye has a definite area to rest on.

[Tanked]

My best advice is always to take a walk in the woods and see how nature does it.

A solid background would be a good second step.

The first thing I see when I look at the photo is the tree stump. You could move the stump to the back of the tank and add substrate, partially burying the back of the stump, to resemble an eroded  river bank.  I would move it to the left side to help disguise the heater.  Some Anubia or similar growing on or in the stump will add depth and height.

A mesh bag filled with lava rock or similar, buried under additional substrate will add elevation 

A long(ish) interesting rock (slate?) placed on its side can be used to build a raised planted terrace. 

 

[DrwHem]

If I glued an anubias and Java moss to the same rock, would that work? Or would the Java moss smother the rizime?

Never really planted with moss before

[Guppysnail]

On 6/14/2022 at 12:45 PM, DrwHem said:

If I glued an anubias and Java moss to the same rock, would that work? Or would the Java moss smother the rizime?

Never really planted with moss before

No as long as it’s trimmed to allow the anubias light. It will however attach itself to the anubias rhizome eventually. I still have one that grows Java moss from the rhizome in a tank I don’t want moss that I allowed Java to grow into. 

[Torrey]

On 6/13/2022 at 10:27 AM, DrwHem said:

I'm not very good at laying out an aqua scape, everything I have just seems kind of flat.

It would be nice to have a way to plant some of my Amazon swords in a pot that looks like a rock, for example.

Anyone have any tips on how to redesign this tank? My tank seems too tall for a carpet to ever grow so I'll be adding in mostly Java fern, swords, and some wisteria once these things die off.

But i want to try something more interesting than just planting all on the same level.

Yes, there are lots of opportunities to add interest and give more depth to your tank.

Before I do the autistic info dump, are you a person who is able to see 6D imaging in full color, with your eyes closed?

It changes the process and the explanation method.

Also, are you a more visual learner? Process learner? Or connect the dot/ need information presented step 1, step 2, step 3 kind of way?

[DrwHem]

I like the step by step guides for things I haven't done before. I do like the stacked rock look but it's amazing how expensive rocks can be and I don't need the 44 pounds they sell on Lowes website 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

On 6/16/2022 at 10:57 AM, DrwHem said:

I like the step by step guides for things I haven't done before. I do like the stacked rock look but it's amazing how expensive rocks can be and I don't need the 44 pounds they sell on Lowes website 

Look up rock or stone supply near you, they will likely be less expensive and you get to chose your pieces.  For flat stone that is inert and should not effect water parameters I suggest shale or slate.  -Roy

[Torrey]

On 6/16/2022 at 11:57 AM, DrwHem said:

I like the step by step guides for things I haven't done before. I do like the stacked rock look but it's amazing how expensive rocks can be and I don't need the 44 pounds they sell on Lowes website 

I can do step-by-step, and thanks for the info on what you envision. That rdeuces the need to come back repeatedly and bug you.

One last question: Did you prefer the color in the lines/paint by numbers coloring books, or the Bob Ross paint with me videos on PBS? (Or, hated both, and prefer something different?)

[DrwHem]

Well I have a tall tank, so won't be much color with my current light other than green lol

[Torrey]

On 6/17/2022 at 4:25 PM, DrwHem said:

Well I have a tall tank, so won't be much color with my current light other than green lol

You can use wood, or canvas mesh, to elevate plants closer to the light to get more colors.  

Here's a tank (that I wish I had a picture from a different perspective from the early days), but the large rocks are closest to the bed. The perspective of anyone in the bed is looking across a long creek, or viewing a section of a river. The far left has the outlet for the pond pump, so the illusion is the flow is coming towards the bed.

This is what the tank looked like May 2021. You can see how the canvas mesh is in the back corner, and water flow is directed down the cholla as well as the mesh. Fry will escape adult predation in the mesh, I scoop out the teens every couple of months and evaluate for culls.

Below is what the tank looks like after a year of growing out:

Honestly, the look changes every time I trim and do tank maintenance according to what makes my Patient Spouse™ happy, as this tank is in their room.

Here's a close-up of a tank so you can see how perspective can be manipulated by placing largest items toward the front, and smaller items toward the back. This means finer leafed foliage is grown in the back, larger leafed plants up front. It's a similar concept that 2D artists (paint, drawings, pen & ink, anything on flat media) use to give the illusion of a 3D image: Select a horizon line, create a vanishing point, and place the largest and most detailed items "closest" to the viewer.

Same tank, a little further away. The depth is a massive illusion, this tank is almost twice as high as it is deep (front to back). Same for the one to it's right... but it's easier to tell the one on the right is taller than it is deep because of the current perspective.

 

Here's a 10 gallon 

Initial set up last year above, and a few months growth in the  image below

Notice how tannins pool at the bottom with zero circulation.

Tannins better dispersed after I added airstones, and Malaysian trumpet snails are relandscaping the two mounds that were supposed to help add depth to the tank.

I took out the plants and fish, and used canvas mesh to give me my two mounds like I had used the canvas mesh in spouse's tank to support plant growth (and offer a refuge to fry). I added lava rock to the two mounds of soil/blasting sand to prevent sulfuric pockets of anaerobic activity.

Tank right this moment. Wood supports some plant growth to keep it closer to the light. Plant growth in the breeder box houses microfauna for fry. Once I remove the Co-op sponge filter (I need more plant growth, first) there will be the illusion of depth, with a path of every shrinking rocks in the middle, larger rocks up front. Larger leafed plants will be added up front with the thicker stick supporting the milfoil. Smaller, thinner twigs are in the back with moss (hopefully) growing on them to provide the illusion of the same "trees" growing further back with finer, thinner, foliage.

Does this help illustrate how perspective can be manipulated by changing placement of items? 

I wish I had a better illustration of how to utilize the plastic craft canvas underwater, and hide it with plants, but it takes a while to et the plants growing and it's a concept I only started applying to fully submersed scapes over the past few months. There's a foam, Waterfall foam sealant, or pond foam sealant, made by smartpond, that is fish/aquarium safe once it is completely cured. Dried, it can easily be carved to give the illusion of rocks inside the aquarium, and can have planter areas and caves carved out for fish to use for spawning. I have worked with it in the past, and that was a *very* easy way to cover the plastic canvas mesh, secure some actual rocks, sculpt to give the illusion of more rocks, and not put too much weight on the floor of the aquarium. It easily accommodates "terraces" so you can get plants that need strong lights up near the top, and in a long, tall aquarium you can employ a "double vanishing point" to keep the scape more visually engaging while preserving more swim area for the fish.