Looking for advice-specifically plant recommendations- to simplify and upgrade my aquariums

[redmare]

So over the last… 6 months or so, I’ve been on the down side of enthusiasm about my aquariums. This is a pretty normal cycle for me, it hits highs and lows and comes back around. I’ve been trying to maximize the hobby by minimizing it lately. I’ve condensed and gotten rid of tanks so I’m now running 4, rather than 8 like I was last summer. When I initially set up my tanks, I didn’t think about longevity of my plant choices or scapes, and picked mostly stem plants that would just take over and then die on the bottom and just get nasty. My 10 gallon used to have a super fancy scape I was so proud of and now it’s just kind of a mess- quite a healthy mess, but not so attractive. I’ve really fallen in love with different crypt varieties since they grow slow and love a messy substrate, as well as house plants growing out the top- pothos consumes waste like nothing I’ve tried before! 
so I’m planning on doing a bit of a restart in at least two of my tanks, plant/hard scape wise, but I’m not sure what I should do to help build this low maintenance, pretty, sustainable vision I have. 

This is my most recently updated tank- it’s a 29 gallon, primarily with guppies and endlers, plus some kuhli loaches that moved in when condensing tanks, a Bristlenose pleco, and an angelfish I got about a month ago to help eat guppy fry. I love the big healthy crypts I’ve got growing in the middle, but the rest of it is just kinda empty or messy. And also a handle of a net that fell in and I haven’t moved because I find it fun watching the fish go through it. 
 

this is my other 29 gallon. It has some pristella tetras, an angel, what used to be 3 endlers and is now like 30 (I want to catch them and put them with the other endlers but they’re sneaky), a long fin bristlenose, and a few panda cories. I think I’ve lost a few of them in the last year- or they’re sneakier. The crypts are the newest plants in here as well, and also my favourite. The moss is annoying and keeps growing bba, but the endlers like to peck at it so that’s fine. I used to have the back filled with stem plants but now they’re just kind of all gone and it’s empty at the back. This tank is in my living room and could really do with an aesthetic upgrade. 
 

this is my 10 gallon that used to be awesome and is now just kind of… well, this. It got a few random occupants as I condensed tanks and now currently has a (very chill) betta, a few neon and ember tetras, two oto cats, cherry shrimp, and an abundance of tiny ramshorn snails. Of all my tanks, this one I most want to basically tear down and start from scratch again. The next 3 photos are what this tank was when I set it up initially a few years ago… I miss it 😞 

 

and then this is my last tank, 180 gallons with my pride and joy Ursula the Oscar. I tried keeping plants in with her which worked when she was tiny, but she enjoys destruction like any good Oscar. I want to change her tank around a bit to make it prettier- it is like half my bedroom- but obviously there’s not a ton I can do. I do love the emersed plants I’ve got going though! And fun fact, those green pebbles used to be scattered around. She put them in a pile there. 
 

so please- if you look at these tanks and have any ideas as to what plants or hard scape or other changes would make them better- but be super easy to maintain- please let me know! Also they all used to have black backs on them but I think in most cases the cats thwarted that plan  I’ve been meaning to stick them back on. Thanks so much for any input, or general encouragement! 

 

[jwcarlson]

I think tolstoy21 knocked it out of the park with his oscar scape.

[redmare]

On 1/13/2023 at 4:04 PM, jwcarlson said:

I think tolstoy21 knocked it out of the park with his oscar scape.

That’s beautiful! I wonder how old those oscars are… mine was good with plants for the first 8 months or so and then decided they must die

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

I love your Betta tank!!! 

I also love @Odd Duck's Dempsey and pleco tank, similar issues with decor as with oscars

Edited January 14, 2023 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[Rube_Goldfish]

If you loved that ten gallon scape, you could always re-do it, but if it's just too much maintenance now, that's okay, too. You love crypts, right? There is enough variety of size, color, texture, and leaf shape to do just crypts and still have a beautiful tank. C. lucens in the midground, off-center, set off by a midground C. wendtii brown or maybe a pink flamingo, for color. Two C. spiralis in one back corner and a third in the other, and some little C. parva up front. Pothos and floating plants can handle nitrates if the crypts are growing too slowly to outcompete algae.

Or maybe you have an epiphyte tank: anubias and Java fern and bolbitis, oh my! Toss in a bucephalandra or two if you're feeling fancy.

Maybe you go hardscape only. That might actually increase your maintenance, but still, you could get a beautiful, healthy tank without plants. It looks like you might have enough blackwater-loving species of fish that you could do hardscape and botanicals; leaf litter, seed pods, and alder cones seem like a lot less work than trimming and replanting, if that's started to feel more like a chore.

The best part is, if you try something out and don't end up liking it, just try something different instead. But as long as you're still looking after the animals' wellbeing, don't drive yourself nuts doing it. Ultimately, and truth be told I need this reminder as much as anyone, this is supposed to be a relaxing or at least enjoyable hobby!

[Odd Duck]

I don’t know if my Jack Dempseys are as hard on plants as Oscar’s but the link will show in my sig below.  The lucky bamboo has definitely been the most durable but I’ve had some big Anubias in there off and on in that tank that they have left alone.  They are hard on the swords but they’re vigorous enough to survive.  Oddly they’re even harder on the crinums than I expected. I tried Vals and they shredded them.

As long as the epiphytes are fairly tough leaves and securely fastened they are doing fine. The swords were quite mature when I bought them and are vigorous enough they survive but they aren’t really pretty now. The bamboo does great. The emergents do great. 

[BlueLineAquaticsSC]

I do t know if you have a place to temporarily house Ursula, but I really like making 3D backgrounds like this, and even that Oscar can’t ruin that (probably). The toughest plant I’ve had that could stand up to my cichlids has been Anubius Coffeefolia, but Ursula is a fair bit bigger than they are. I have been wanting to try mangroves for a long time and that could probably work for a while until you have a whole tree in your bedroom…

[nabokovfan87]

One of the big things your tanks are missing..... Stone. And just hard scape in general. Adding more opens up rhizome plants, epiphytes, and just a lot of amazing little plants that can be at different levels if you can attach them vertically.

[MAC]

A very simple setup that I really find attractive is stack of large rocks with anubias and/or bolbitis. 

Maybe if you're looking to change things up look into those types of setups. 

 I recently rescaped one of my tanks in this way and and really liking how it's turning out. 

[Winstons_estate]

@redmare dont be too too critical of yourself i would be proud of those tanks they are beautiful! Every plant and fish is happy and healthy and the scapes look great!