I want to make my aquariums surreal..

[SC Fish]

Hey i have 3 fish tanks; 5 gallon (3 guppys, 2 shrimp) , 10 gallon (7? platys , 5 minnows, 3 shrimp) and a (new) 20 gallon (4 platys , 7 neon tetras , 2 fish)

 

i want to make my aquariums surreal. like dr plants aquariums or serpra designs..

how can i achieve something like this and what ideas can you suggest?

 

Things to consider:

my budget doesn't matter because ill build up to it.

i am 15 and almost at some important exams (7 months) so i am studying. - which is priority but i always find time for fish tank maintenance

[HenryC]

Since you're busy, get tons of low maintenance plants like anubias, cryptos, dwarf aquarium lillies, etc. Also stock very light, that will help you with maintenance.

Looking at serpae design he does a lot of jungle-style scapes, uses lots and lots of wood and plants, so you might wanna start with that. Find some really good pieces that achieve a balanced composition, don't just put the first pieces of wood you find, try to visualize how you want the aquarium to look like, and then you will know which pieces will work. Then you can start plating + attaching plants to the wood

Edited October 7, 2022 by HenryC

[Remi de Groot]

Watch a lot of video's, try a lot of different stuff and don't be afraid to fail.

I got 6 aquariums and a palladarium and still everything is trial and error.
Sometimes a scape is really great, some others are big fails.
You will also learn what works for you in terms of rocks, wood or types of plants.

Good thing is that you can re-use most of the stuff, so a new look doesn't have to cost much everytime.

Just know that you probably won't hit the jackpot in the first try.
(Or you do and only find that out 3 aquascapes later 😉 )

[FlyingFishKeeper]

Hi, as a fellow student aquarist, having Walstad style tanks has been really helpful for not doing a ton of maintenance. Additionally just look around, and just get a good idea of the basics of what’ll look good and what might not. Playing with texture (as well as shape and colour) is something I generally think makes a tank great, and you can see that with the amount of mosses Tanner uses. Just play around and push yourself, with new ideas. Good luck!