Aquascaping anyone in to it here?

[dullbird]

Just wondering being as though we have such a huge forum whether other members are in to aquascaping.

I have a small 165L tank but I have recently purchased a 5ftx2ftx2ft tank and the plan is to start some aquascaping in this one.

I still have a lot to learn but it would be great if other members here are in to it so I can talk and ask questions here as well as other forums.

So if your in to your Aquariums shout out:D

[Ratel10mm]

I can't be, as I have no idea what you're talking about! :D

Explanation please?

[Blknight.aus]

Ive tried it but its a real bugger if you want anything other than a 0% grade on the surface.

[dullbird]

I can't be, as I have no idea what you're talking about! :D

Explanation please?


Hi Ratal

Its basically keeping a slightly more hi tech Aquarium, that enables you to grow all sorts of aquarium plants

its kind of like landscaping but for aquariums so you build scapes in a tank which are planned out with certain plants to get the look that your after. Rather than having a fish tank with a bit of gravel in it and plonking a few ornaments in I will post some examples below


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/857.jpg


http://faao.kicks-ass.net/Fotos/Plantados/60L/Syrah/20070601HiRes.jpg


http://www.instablogsimages.com/images/2009/09/21/aquascaping1_9IKpy_24702.jpg


http://www.blueaquarium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Top-10-Acuavida-Aquascaping-Contest-2010-Medium-Tank-1.jpg


http://www.tankgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/aga1.jpg


These are some exceptional tanks just on a quick search of google...but you can also view videos of the ADA gallery. some amazing stuff.

I'm only just getting in to it but I think I may of finally found a hobby that is more expensive than Land Rovers, horses and shooting hahha:D

[CJT]

I only have my small 250 litre tank setup at the moment but I pump plenty of oxygen through the water and have had no problems growing plants.

If I decide to stay in the house I am in at the moment I will look at getting the big tank. 8' long x 2' wide x 3' high and set it up with a staged filtration system under neath and possibly create something similar to a creek bed in it. Or just spend the extra on the UV lights and so forth and go for a full marine tank with live rock and coral.

[dullbird]

I'm surprised your plants haven't died :lol2:

they live on Co2 not oxygen:D

or are you growing plastic ones :p

[digger]

Is it like "manscaping"? but youre sculpting his....aqua???
(errr yuk!)


I TRIED IT BUT EVERY TIME I LOWERED THE WHIPPERSNIPPER INTO THE TANK TO TRIM THE EDGES IT CREATED HAVOC!....LETS NOT EVEN TALK ABOUT THE ELECTRIC HEDGE TRIMMER!!! (BUT THE FISH WERE COOKED BEAUTIFULLY AND TASTED GREAT....)

[Ratel10mm]

Thanks dullbird. Those are pretty stunning examples. :)

Digger, you crack me up! :lol:

[Grimace]

Cool thread!

I love aquariums. It's been a hobby of mine for a while now - original started with gold fish and some Africans.

I think aquascaping is one of the hardest forms of aquarium keeping, and its something I have not yet attempted. I tried a small planted aquarium and I just can't get them to thrive.

I recently got into marine aquariums and after 5 months I am starting to get the feel for it and am happy to post this image of my Nano marine aquarium;
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/08/1284.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/08/1285.jpg

[korg20000bc]

I used to keep a pretty good planted tank years ago after looking at Amano's Nature Aquarium World book.

I've just started looking it it again. I thought it might be a good thing in my remedial massage clinic. Plus, I love kid's reactions to seeing another world in a glass box. It can captivate them- me too.

There's some amazing youtube videos of aquascapes. In the recent years that I haven't been paying attention there seems to have been a move to white backgrounds to aquascapes. It looks really impressive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lsa8VhLGh2s

There are fewer water plant choices here in Tasmania than I used to have in Sydney. Quarantine, don't you know. But the local nursery has stocked a good variety of native water plants. I'm going to experiment with these as well as some substrate options. I've got to do everything on a budget so I'm doing a fair bit of research. Clay kitty litter, for instance, is being used as a substrate material with excellent results.

Also, I was out collecting some rock and driftwood this afternoon for the aquarium. Pretty inspiring to actually look at rocks for their display potential.

I'll post up some pics of the setting up the tank if people are interested.

[EchiDna]

co2 setup is waaaay cheaper from your home brewery place than an aquarium for starters ;-)

pretty common hobby in these parts but too expensive for my taste!

[korg20000bc]

co2 setup is waaaay cheaper from your home brewery place than an aquarium for starters ;-)

pretty common hobby in these parts but too expensive for my taste!

I know you can make a cheap yeast reactor for CO2 fertilisation, but I had in mind to use a Soda Stream canister.

[dullbird]

I have sand blood and bone and marble it's a self grenadine Co2 setup and very efficient in growing plants....

Had mine going for well over a year now been learning a lot about algae recently as I got some in the tank but that was more to do with me being slack with water changes.

I do have a 5ft to setup with co2 and ph controller etc but I just to scared to do such a big project one moment I think yeah and get all inspirational and the next breath I'm like no what's the point I will stuff it up hahahahah

:D I will get it up and going one day...everything is there except for the substrate and the fish.....

However I will use a river sand next time rather than a coral sand try and neutralise my PH a bit.

[stuee]

Cool thread!

I love aquariums. It's been a hobby of mine for a while now - original started with gold fish and some Africans.

I think aquascaping is one of the hardest forms of aquarium keeping, and its something I have not yet attempted. I tried a small planted aquarium and I just can't get them to thrive.

I recently got into marine aquariums and after 5 months I am starting to get the feel for it and am happy to post this image of my Nano marine aquarium;



How often are you doing water changes? Looks good btw. I had a mixed fish coral setup for about 2.5 years before I finally got sick of the monthly water changes and maintenance required. Was changing about 50l each time in the system I had. Was a big job to mix up my own water, otherwise a big drive to purchase it from the local fish shop. I want to give it another go some time in the future but I will spend my dollars automating it so water changes involve opening a few valves instead of syphoning off into 25l drums.

[Chucaro]

IMO Takashi Amano Planted Tanks (http://www.myfishtank.net/mft-news/takashi-amano-planted-tanks/) are a masterpiece.
During the time when I have 14 fish tanks at home breeding South American
cichlids I was thinking in landscaping one of the 2m tanks.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/12/900.jpg

Just have a look THIS (https://www.google.com.au/search?q=amano+fish+tank&hl=en&tbo=d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=MI7BUK6pPM6jiAfI4IDQDQ&sqi=2&ved=0CAQQ_AUoAA&biw=1147&bih=508) page so you know what I mean

[Leroy_Riding]

Ive had a few planted aquariums, recently shut down mine thouhg, still have my c02 system. I made the leap to a marine nano for now, still running a 5x2x2 fresh water setup but its been scraped back to crushed coral substrate and fake plants as I dont have the time to maintain much else, and a 4x15x18 fresh water,