aquascaping tips || bowfront aquascape || newbie needs help please!

[clownbaby]

Yep, I gotta bowfront. And this makes it very hard for me to aquascape with it because of the dynamic viewing... any tips for aquascaping bowfront aquariums??? 

I SUCK at aquascaping, so any tips in general would be helpful. I don't know what this style is called, but it is my favorite ^_^

 

Basically I really like plants; don't get me wrong I love iwagumi style tanks but they're not what I want (as they don't match my house at all xD). I want it to be plants with the aquascape to accent them, not plants to accent an aquascape; but I don't know how to do that. HELP me please!!! 😂

 

Info that might be helpful

30 gallons, bowfront

sponge filter

heater set to 72 degrees but I could easily up that

stocked with pygmy corydoras and snails - additional planned stocking is honey gouramis and harlequin rasboras

high light (8 hours a day plus natural light from windows)

currently not using liquid fertilizer but will be soon

no co2

weekly water changes

dirted tank

[AllFishNoBrakes]

When it comes to scaping, it’s really dealers choice. If it looks good to you, go for it! Don’t like it? Change it up!

My only real comment had to do with it being dirted. One of my 14 tanks is dirted, and doesn’t need liquid ferts whatsoever. In fact, any time I’ve put even a couple of drops in, I get green water. Personally, I would hold off on the liquid fertilizer, and see how it goes without it. 
 

Also, changing scapes with a dirted tank can be a challenge and you will disturb the dirt and potentially make a mess. My personal advice is get the hardscape you want and place that where you want it. Then, add plants, and watch that thing go nuts. Mine is a 6 gallon cube that’s over 2 years old, and has become a literal Pearl Weed jungle  

[clownbaby]

On 4/30/2024 at 7:14 PM, AllFishNoBrakes said:

When it comes to scaping, it’s really dealers choice. If it looks good to you, go for it! Don’t like it? Change it up!

My only real comment had to do with it being dirted. One of my 14 tanks is dirted, and doesn’t need liquid ferts whatsoever. In fact, any time I’ve put even a couple of drops in, I get green water. Personally, I would hold off on the liquid fertilizer, and see how it goes without it. 
 

Also, changing scapes with a dirted tank can be a challenge and you will disturb the dirt and potentially make a mess. My personal advice is get the hardscape you want and place that where you want it. Then, add plants, and watch that thing go nuts. Mine is a 6 gallon cube that’s over 2 years old, and has become a literal Pearl Weed jungle  

Yes, everytime I plant something is a little bit painful for my eyeballs 😂 my mom and dad are convinced everytime I plant something that the water will forever be murky - I find it funny. They panic even though the dirt eventually settles after a bit. 

Good to know about fertilizer! I feel like my issue is the plants are growing but aren't super green like some people's tanks. The ludwigia and moneywort is just kinda lime-green. Really pretty, but I would like some variation. Perhaps what I need isn't fertilizer, but PATIENCE! I really appreciate the tip! You seem rather seasoned, could you give me any advice about how to keep wood from floating? I have this piece of alder hardwood that I am in love with (it also took me two weeks to process it fully, so... I'd better be in love with it.). It isn't driftwood and I've even glued weights down on it and it still floats. Do you have any advice? I would really appreciated it.

[AllFishNoBrakes]

On 5/1/2024 at 12:43 PM, clownbaby said:

Do you have any advice? I would really appreciated it.

Patience. Patience will help you go far in the hobby. Eventually, that piece of wood will become waterlogged and will sink. 
 

Outside of that, you could get yourself a piece of slate. Drill some holes through the slate, and then screw the piece of wood to the piece of slate. Bury the slate in your substrate, and voila. Your piece of wood has now “sunk”. 
 

Alternatively, you can place some larger rocks on the piece of wood. Eventually, it will become waterlogged and you can remove the rocks. 

[AdamS]

The only way I have been able to speed up the time it takes for driftwood to become waterlogged was by putting it in a 5 gallon bucket with a top on and than put some bricks on the lid, forcing more of the wood to be under the water. Don’t put anything you value close to it as the wood could force the top to come off and the bricks to fall.