Shiba's 20 Gallon High Journal - Highly-planted aquascape

[Shiba]

Hi there!

I am finally restarting my 20 gallon high. This will be (hopefully) my first real aquascape and aquarium that turns out well. I've been doing the hobby off and on but this should be my first seriously good aquarium.

This is my journal for it. Feel free to come along on the journey. The only thing I've done to it is add some rocks from my backyard to help support the substrate in the back when it's being added.

As for the aquascape, I am striving for the same vibe as MD Fish Tank's Albino Cherry Barb aquarium. His video is below.

Something about this aquascape. It's one that I just am crazy about. I don't know why. Well, I do. It's gorgeous and I would love to see cherry barbs (which he has albino but it's fine), some cories, and a nice pretty betta. I'm likely getting a female so I have less of a chance of chaos ensuing. I think it would be absolutely amazing...which is what I'm trying to do.

I also have other tanks that I will work on later. I may make separate journals. 

[Shiba]

Tomorrow I am going to finally buy the substrate. Still waiting on the driftwood. 

I hope to get started as soon as I can.

[Shiba]

Okay, been a while lol.

Today, August 16th 2024, I officially started the aquarium. Filled it up with water. Put some java moss, some anubias (don't know the variety but it has a narrower leaf), moneywort, dwarf chain sword, vallisneria, and some other stem plant. I remember getting it but I somehow forgot the name, wow! LOL

Anyway, the tank is looking rather bare to say the least. This is because I am going extremely low-budget and am hoping to get the plants to propagate. Have 500ml of easy green so that should last me a while. Put some root tabs in so should have some nutrients for the chain sword. Could always add some more capsules later. Added 1.5 squirts of fert today lol. Plan for Friday to be the OFFICIAL fertilizer day! Mark that day on your calend--Wait why do you have to? I'm the one who has to do that lol. I'm just kidding, of course.

I plan on having the following plants later. I do not know barely anything about the plant so if you have kept them lmk how they are. I have inert substrate (but root tabs like I said) and low to medium lighting (I don't know the exact par but the wattage is rather low).

• Anubias Barteri (Big, broad leaves is what I'm thinking of right now for the right part of the aquarium--I'll give you a picture)
• Pogostemon Stellatus 'Octopus'
• Water Wisteria
• Bacopa Caroliniana

I am not sure about the wisteria or pogo right now. Pogo may need iron dosing which I am not up to doing at the moment and a few people apparently have had problems with. But, others say it grows like a weed so don't really know!

 

[Shiba]

The night has passed and here is the tank that we're looking at right now.

I am interesting to see how the tank turns out. I really want to get the tank looking good...in other words as close as to the way MD Fish Tanks make his videos. Yeah, if you can't tell already I love his videos. His tanks are at the quality I thrive for. And what makes it really nice is that he doesn't use the fancy equipment like the Fluval 3.0 or anything. Just lights strong enough to care for plants.

I am sort of seeing the tank come together very slowly. I love the piece on the right. The left I'm not so sure about, but I do like how it creates an archway. I think the fish would enjoy swimming through there. Perhaps a bristlenose pleco would enjoy staying in the midst of the plants.

As for the right, I am considering a red tiger lotus OR anubias barteri in between the two branches of spiderwood. I can't really explain it. You'll see when/if I put something there. I just want a plant that has large, broad leaves. I'm going for a jungle aquascape...or at least a jungle inspired one.

I am considering water lettuce. I am not sure how that would turn out as the light I have is not very strong and floating plants on top of that would really mess with the plants below. I do like how they supposedly help get rid of excess nutrients though.

I may replace the anubias on the left with another type of plant. Maybe baby tears? I just thought of that literally as I wrote it. Some kind of stem plant that won't go too large. I think it would look really nice "exploding" out from under the archway. Man, I actually really like that idea lol. The power of journaling!

I do believe the spiderwood will eventually get a nice dark color as it ages. Might be wrong? If you've had it happen lmk. I'm not actually too upset about that. In fact, I actually wanted it to turn dark.

As you can also tell, I have some java moss growing on the driftwood. I may add another variety later. Maybe taxiphyllum to give it some variety. Hmmm...

I'll make myself wait until the plants I have begin growing lol. Wish me luck.

Edited August 17 by Shiba

[Shiba]

Oh, and I didn't decide to go with the original aquascape that I planned to do. I found another that I am a tiny bit of inspiration from. I just feel like getting the pieces of wood and making them the way that they look best will be the route to go. Actually, kind of like how MD Fish Tanks makes his aquascapes...or at least claims to.

[Flipper]

On 7/6/2024 at 10:41 AM, Shiba said:

As for the aquascape, I am striving for the same vibe as MD Fish Tank's Albino Cherry Barb aquarium. His video is below.

Awesome video with fabulous outcome.  Thanks for posting.  That video should inspire everyone.  Good luck in your aquascape ventures. 🥰