Krakens_tanks Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 So just wanted some feed back in my tank it's new just added a few more plants to the tank today. Wanted to make sure everything is planted in a good place but any criticism would be appreciated as it's my first planted tank. 40g breeder Plants include Brazilian pennywort Java fern Crypt wednii Moneywort Christmas moss Moderate level lighting Large Sponge filter Aqua clear 50 Using easy green and co-op root tabs 3 parts Fluval stratum substrate mixed 1 part black diamond blasting sand Thanks in advance -your friendly neighborhood kraken 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 Personally I think it's going to look great when those plants grow in. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krakens_tanks Posted March 27, 2021 Author Share Posted March 27, 2021 2 minutes ago, xXInkedPhoenixX said: Personally I think it's going to look great when those plants grow in. Thank you. I'm really excited to see it grow but I'm so nervous lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 (edited) @Krakens_tanks aww what's making you nervous? I'd be more impatient hehe. (that's why I use fake plants for a while, I want to see it filled in) Edited March 27, 2021 by xXInkedPhoenixX 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 I would suggest adding a large piece of wood, as well as more plants. The wood would add a more vertical element, and more plants are always a good thing! 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krakens_tanks Posted March 27, 2021 Author Share Posted March 27, 2021 Being new to planted tanks and just being inexperienced. I have kept large cichlids for years now scaling down to nano and community fish and plants it's a while new world and I'm just hoping I do it right so my plants and fish are both happy and healthy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krakens_tanks Posted March 27, 2021 Author Share Posted March 27, 2021 1 minute ago, Streetwise said: I would suggest adding a large piece of wood, as well as more plants. The wood would add a more vertical element, and more plants are always a good thing! I have been looking into getting a taller piece of drift wood but can't seem to find one that would look right just yet. But I definitely think your right. Just wanna leave plenty of room for the fish I plan on adding in about 2 weeks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 I like to place wood like a tripod, so that it provides a safe, shaded place for the shy fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jungle Fan Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 I like @Streetwise's suggestions, with the addition of one, or two more pieces of wood you could also create some caves for dwarf cichlids like Rams, or Apistogrammas if you should so desire. I would add some Anubias nana petite to some of the rocks, or some Bucephalandras, and a few more Cryptocoryne, or some Helanthium quadricostatus with your current Cryptocoryne wendtii, and maybe a bit more Brazilian Pennywort in the right corner. You made some very good choices, and once it all grows in you will have a very nice tank. With your substrate and fertilization as stated you could even grow a carpet with plants like Staurogyne repens in the foreground if you wanted. With the Christmas moss, here's a hint: shrimp are very good at keeping it clean, and algae free; I've got a mix of Amanos and Blue Velvets in my tank for that purpose, however that would eliminate the Apistos from the choice of fish, because they would in turn literally eliminate the shrimp. I'm curious to see how it will fill in but it is off to a great start. Very nice! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammaroon Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 I would suggest some background plants. Vallisneria is a good beginner's plant and will fill the back quite quickly. At the front, I like to use easy foreground plants like dwarf sag, micro sword or dwarf chain sword. Like vallisneria, they propagate through runners. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krakens_tanks Posted March 28, 2021 Author Share Posted March 28, 2021 31 minutes ago, Jungle Fan said: I like @Streetwise's suggestions, with the addition of one, or two more pieces of wood you could also create some caves for dwarf cichlids like Rams, or Apistogrammas if you should so desire. I would add some Anubias nana petite to some of the rocks, or some Bucephalandras, and a few more Cryptocoryne, or some Helanthium quadricostatus with your current Cryptocoryne wendtii, and maybe a bit more Brazilian Pennywort in the right corner. You made some very good choices, and once it all grows in you will have a very nice tank. With your substrate and fertilization as stated you could even grow a carpet with plants like Staurogyne repens in the foreground if you wanted. With the Christmas moss, here's a hint: shrimp are very good at keeping it clean, and algae free; I've got a mix of Amanos and Blue Velvets in my tank for that purpose, however that would eliminate the Apistos from the choice of fish, because they would in turn literally eliminate the shrimp. I'm curious to see how it will fill in but it is off to a great start. Very nice! So I actually have an order placed for a breeding pair of red belly acara they have such beautiful red colors and stay really small at about 2-2.5 inches so they will be great tank mates with the 30 black neons I have coming as well. I love the look of apistos but I know they can be really sensitive. I'm not to sure how the acara would do with shrimp but I do have experience breeding cherry's so that may be worth looking into thank you for the advice. Funny you mention carpeting plants my gf just started hers with dwarf saggitaria. She also has amazon swords and vallistaria as a back ground plant. I like the look but I'm hoping my two java fern a will really grow and fill in alot of the space along with the pennywort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 3-5 more fast growers would look good while you wait for Java Fern to fill in. The moss is going to look great! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jungle Fan Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 With the Acaras I would skip the shrimp for sure, also it might be better to stick with epiphyte plants like the Java fern, Anubias, Bolbitis, Bucephalandra, floating plants, and more moss attached to wood because they love to dig. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lefty o Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 looks pretty good. i like the planted sticks/branches. should look nice when they fill in. great thing with plants, if you dont like it, you can move them later , or add more. its your tank, and as long as it is pleasing to your eye, its golden. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishBroDyl Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 Looking great! Can’t wait to see them all grown out and filling up the tanks with the fish you’ll be getting! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krakens_tanks Posted March 28, 2021 Author Share Posted March 28, 2021 37 minutes ago, FishBroDyl said: Looking great! Can’t wait to see them all grown out and filling up the tanks with the fish you’ll be getting! Bro I love you hahaha sadly I call bias cuz your my best friend lmfao but yea bro you know you get constant updates with all my tanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krakens_tanks Posted April 3, 2021 Author Share Posted April 3, 2021 (edited) So excuse the cloudy water just did a water change but I took your guys advice about another piece of wood it's sorta hard to see with glare but it's there and it definitely added a lot of depth to the tank. Also looking into good background plants to fill in the back. Possibly val or foxtail. Will post better pictures tonight once water clears and it's nice and dark Edited April 3, 2021 by Krakens_tanks 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalmedByFish Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 I was just going to say that the striped rock in the back right is way cool, and then you replaced it with wood! Haha! Anyway, wherever that rock is, it's cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krakens_tanks Posted April 3, 2021 Author Share Posted April 3, 2021 19 minutes ago, CalmedByFish said: I was just going to say that the striped rock in the back right is way cool, and then you replaced it with wood! Haha! Anyway, wherever that rock is, it's cool. That's dessert stone. And it's still in there lol I'm using it as a weight to hold down the wood till I can get a slate to attach it to. I'm going to use it to build a hide on the left side after that 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krakens_tanks Posted April 3, 2021 Author Share Posted April 3, 2021 On 3/27/2021 at 7:10 PM, Streetwise said: I would suggest adding a large piece of wood, as well as more plants. The wood would add a more vertical element, and more plants are always a good thing! @Streetwisewhat you think now? Took your suggestion 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 (edited) Cool @Krakens_tanks! Nice addition! Turn off all the other lights and share another photo! If you have an iPhone, turn on the grid view, which will help you square everything up in a shot. Edited April 3, 2021 by Streetwise 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anewbie Posted April 4, 2021 Share Posted April 4, 2021 (edited) I would wait 6 to 8 weeks before adding more plants. The primary reason is to see what does and does not grow well. In the end the tank could use a little red (maybe a crypt wenditi red or bronze) or melon sword (both of these plants are easy to grow) but there are a lot of variables as to what will grow depending on water conditions and the mysteries of the stars. As a simple example I have 2 29s that sit right next to each other and one can pretty much grow anything green in abundance and the other well it just doesn't work - the primary difference is stocking but i haven't put my finger on it (both tanks are 18 months old and i've run quite a few experiments between them). - Also as a new tank you will likely get some diatom outbreak that will last for a couple of weeks (if it has not already happened). I wouldn't panic - just wait for it to blow over. Edited April 4, 2021 by anewbie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krakens_tanks Posted April 4, 2021 Author Share Posted April 4, 2021 1 hour ago, anewbie said: I would wait 6 to 8 weeks before adding more plants. The primary reason is to see what does and does not grow well. In the end the tank could use a little red (maybe a crypt wenditi red or bronze) or melon sword (both of these plants are easy to grow) but there are a lot of variables as to what will grow depending on water conditions and the mysteries of the stars. As a simple example I have 2 29s that sit right next to each other and one can pretty much grow anything green in abundance and the other well it just doesn't work - the primary difference is stocking but i haven't put my finger on it (both tanks are 18 months old and i've run quite a few experiments between them). - Also as a new tank you will likely get some diatom outbreak that will last for a couple of weeks (if it has not already happened). I wouldn't panic - just wait for it to blow over. I actually have 6 crypt wednii in there they just small right now they in the front. But yea I'm not adding any more plants till I get the 30 black neons this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krakens_tanks Posted April 4, 2021 Author Share Posted April 4, 2021 2 hours ago, Streetwise said: Cool @Krakens_tanks! Nice addition! Turn off all the other lights and share another photo! If you have an iPhone, turn on the grid view, which will help you square everything up in a shot. Yea most definitely post a new picture when I get home. But I have a google pixel 4A 5G it has a good camera just sucks with glare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krakens_tanks Posted April 4, 2021 Author Share Posted April 4, 2021 5 hours ago, Streetwise said: Cool @Krakens_tanks! Nice addition! Turn off all the other lights and share another photo! If you have an iPhone, turn on the grid view, which will help you square everything up in a shot. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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