18 gallon changed

[Azaezl]

Last night I decided to move my plants around a bit / remove some and here is the result;

Before;

After;

I'm not at all happy with it, I think it looked slightly better before then it does now, only difference this way is my corys have more open floor space to forage in. Suggestions are more then welcome, I definately need more plants in there, which will be arriving soon(thanks Sam )

Here's a little video I did just after re-arranging the plants;



Some of the plants look bright yellow in the video, I don't know what's up with the lighting, makes my pandas look crazy, just black patches can be seen at one point I haven't added any tropica + for a few days so my plants have suffered a bit. The shrimp had a major reaction to the new plants(despite me washing them / soaking them) and became very lethargic / itchy so I've been having to do daily water changes and added carbon to the filters which seems to have worked because yesterday they were all back to normal. Going to wait another day or 2 and then start using tropica again(as it has a small trace of copper and I think they've had enough of that lately)

 

[vauxhallmark]

I LOVE PANDAS!!!

It's a great set up for them. Maybe the main problem is that your foreground plants are a bit big. You could put something like a small crypt in between them to fill out the look of the tank a bit without sacrificing too much of the cory's 'play area'. Or you could replace them with a lower plant like E tenellus - but that would be pretty invasive, and you'd be forever having to get it out of the front area.

In the mid ground you could create some dramatic bushiness without sacrificing much bottom space by using a small rock or piece of wood with a java fern (any variety) on it. they grow to be really impressive plants, and don't need a lot (or any really) of floor space.

It is hard to balance the desire to keep adding plants, and the great fun you get from watching your cory's playing, feeding (courting?) in the sandy beach - they obviously love it. I'm sure you will find a balance - keep us posted with updates!

Mark

 

[TDI-line]

It's coming on well.

Have you thought about adding any wood, always makes a nice contrast against natural sand, and maybe some small crypts as a foreground.

Being happy with your layout is always very problemlatic, i added some sumatra driftwood to my tank, then found i couldn't get anything in the right place with my rock work. 2 hours later and very frustrated, i removed the wood, and it looked ok again.

 

[Dan Crawford]

I like it although i do agree with TDi Line, it could do with some hardscape. Get some nice rocks and or wood and have a play around IMO you'll be amazed at how much it'll change.
A Tennelus carpet would work well.

 

[Azaezl]

Thanks for the suggestions of wood but there is some in there already It's on the left under the filter with java fern growing on it, It's quite a long piece of wood. I'll probably move it forward or move it to the right, I also have a coconut cave in there that the shrimp just love!

You can see the wood better in the first pic, I did think about standing it up vertically like I had it a few months ago in another tank, only problem with that is the corys love hiding uner it so think they'd be a bit miffed

I'm still not sure what to do with it,I love the swords that are in the foreground and they don't seem to look right in any of the other tanks. I think I might get some crypts as Mark suggested to place in between and maybe carpet the left and right sides but leave the middle fairly open for them to play in.

 

[Themuleous]

Looking good

 

[Azaezl]

Here we go again I moved the wood over to the right and it still doesn't really stick out, added all the plants I received off sam today(thanks for that ) and it's looking much better.

Even when I whacked the white balance up the wood still doesn't stick out, it's the dark area under the filter on the right.

I also moved some of those sword plants out as they just didn't look right, they are now in my goldfish tank, which is looking better, still very bare but it's getting there.

 

[Themuleous]

Better, you have more shape to the tank now I think

Sam