My 1st real attempt so help needed please.

[cvx195]

Good afternoon all

So this will be my 1st attempt to aquascape myself, kept a planted tank for ten months now with varying degrees of success but I think I am ready to move on now.

So this is the style that I am hoping to copy,

So covering the basics 1st substrate I have in mind is JBL aquabasis, would this be suitable for the planted area? I would like to grow a simple carpet style plant like in the front of the above pic.

Plant choice is something I need help with, looking at buces and Anubis for on the wood, any other obvious choices?

Then not sure plant wise for both the foreground and growing up and among the wood so any and all suggestions gratefully received?

Also regarding plant choice it looks and seems worth sticking to tissue culture plants for the high quality or is that something I am just telling myself?

Currently looking at an AI prime freshwater as a lighting choice unless there are serious reasons not to?

Also undecided on CO2 and if its just adding another level of complication for a beginner.

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Fiske]

I think you need to decide whether you want to go high tech or low tech. The plants you do mention will do fine with low light, but your choice of AI Prime points to high tech. Altough you could run it at a low setting, but there's cheaper alternatives then. The choice of plants and lights will either neccessitate addition of CO2, or not.

I've had aquariums with varying success re. plants for decades on and off, and still find high tech tanks to be a challenge. You could easily make a scape like the above with "easy" plants, thus not needing CO2 or high light (cutting costs and possible frustration in the process).

 

[Konsa]

Hi
Jbl aquabasis is similar to tropica plant growth substrate( dirt) hence needs capping with sth ( fine gravel,coarse sand or aquasoil)
What are your tank dimensions.If not too large opt for the aquarium soils instead.
I will start low tech (no CO2) as things will develop slowly.In high tech is very easy to end up with algae farm instead.But this is based on your experience
Plant options for NO CO2 with Aquasoil substrate.
Foreground- Monte Carlo,Marsilea (slower growth)
Midground:
Cryptocorine beckettii petchii, Hygrophila Araguaia, Cryptocorine legroi(10cm ish) and other Cryptocorine sp.(wendtii green/brown) Larger (30cm ish) near base of wood/ stones
On hardscape:
Java fern,Anubias ,Buce,Bolbitis choose according tank size .Small tank pettite varieties .Mosses.I like Riccardia and Fissidens as no need for constant trimming.
Back ground:
Check Tropica easy category for the looks that will suite your taste.
Regards Konsa

 

[cvx195]

Thanks for the swift replies.

Tank is an aquascaper 600.

The high tech light choice is partly due to having one available at a sensible cost and other side is that I don't want to buy a lower light and then have to invest if I want a more powerful light later on.

Thank you for the plant list, a lot of interesting stuff there, the Marsilea looks great would be interested in trying that and the Hygrophila Araguaia look great although listed as medium difficulty so does that mean definite CO2?

 

[Fiske]

I don't think Araguaia is too demanding re. CO2 (I might be wrong), so you should be able to wing it. Liquid carbon can be a useful substitute, especially at lower light settings, if you want to postpone investing in pressurised. Be aware that some few plants dislike LC, though.

I have an AS600, it's a lovely tank.

 

[cvx195]

I don't think Araguaia is too demanding re. CO2 (I might be wrong), so you should be able to wing it. Liquid carbon can be a useful substitute, especially at lower light settings, if you want to postpone investing in pressurised. Be aware that some few plants dislike LC, though.

I have an AS600, it's a lovely tank.

Just read through your journal, looks amazing, if I can get to something half as beautiful as that I will be happy.

What's your general maintenance?

 

[Fiske]

Just read through your journal, looks amazing, if I can get to something half as beautiful as that I will be happy.

What's your general maintenance?

Thanks I really need to update that journal.

I think you should strive for something at least as beautiful! My crap quality phone pics hide a lot of warts.

Maintenance: As little as I can get away with. From now on, 1 weekly waterchange, about 50-60 percent. Probably need to do a weekly rinse of prefilter too. Dosing micro/macro alternating days 6 days a week. Nip dead plant matter. Feed fish. Planted some stems, so hopefully need to prune a bit at some point.

 

[Konsa]

Thanks for the swift replies.

Tank is an aquascaper 600.


Thank you for the plant list, a lot of interesting stuff there, the Marsilea looks great would be interested in trying that and the Hygrophila Araguaia look great although listed as medium difficulty so does that mean definite CO2?

Hi
I have grown Hygrophila Araguaia low tech in sand only.Its doable but hard when U dont have good substrate hence my recommendation about decent Aquasoil.This will give U margin for errors.
As for tissue culture plants U mentioned without CO2 is a bit hit and miss as while they are great value for money they are young plants with not very big reserves compared to pot grown ones and take longer to eastablish.The Monte carlo definitely U want a pot if U opt for it.
Regards Konsa

 

[Matt @ ScapeEasy]

Just to add very quickly 're the tissue culture plants... if you want to ensure you are free of pest snail and are not transferring anything over from a tank with them currently that I would go with tissue culture. This way you can add only the algae crew you want and not that which you don't (I won't enter into the debate 're whether a few snails are a good or a bad thing!)...