# First aquascape.... hardscape done, need help please! :)



## johnre14 (26 May 2020)

Hi all,

I have just started setup of my first attempt at a 'proper' planted tank.... and wondering if I could trouble you for some help! The setup is as follows:

Oase Styleline 85 tank (75L)
Oase Biomaster Thermo 250 external filter
Glass lily pipe inlet and outlet
Lighting with the two LED tubes provided (and adding one more which is currently on order) - each tube 8W, 900lm, 6500K
Substrate Tropica Aquarium soil
Dragon stone and wood hardscape
Tapwater here is hard (Hampshire)
This is to home dwarf pufferfish, Oto, snail and shrimp (which I already own in another tank). I was going to run this with no CO2, but have changed my mind and am just in the process of getting a complete CO2 pressurised kit for it, with in line diffuser. Never used CO2 before so mildly concerned i'll blow myself up or kill everything, or both, but we shall see!

I can't decide whether to fill the tank and run it dark for a bit (thus allowing the wood to soak also), or wait until I get the CO2, plant all the plants, then fill etc etc??

For plants, I was thinking along the lines of:

Anubias (petite, bonsai etc) on the wood/rock
Bucephalandra (I LOVE these) on the rocks
Microsorum trident
Pogostemon helferi
Crypts e.g. beckett petchii
Weeping moss
Possible java/spiky moss
Staurogyne repens
Carpeting with Eleocharis mini or lileopsis, possibly some Micranthemum monte carlo?
Limnobium and/or Hygroryza aristata (the latter I have grown before and love, though maybe too big for this tank?
And something fast growing and busy for background and to help with starting, e.g. H. difformis, H. sameness, L. palustris
I feel I should probably have some stem plants to rapidly expand plant mass and help with algae etc but I really don't like a lot of them! And I think too many different plant types in this tank will look crowded, messy and less natural?

Does anyone have any suggestions for setup from here, plant choice and positioning etc? I was just going to wing it, but i'm a bit of a perfectionist and its stressing me out more than it should trying to deicide what plants, where etc!

Thank you for your time and sorry for the rambling post!

Best wishes to all,
John


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## Jayefc1 (26 May 2020)

I would wait for co2 and get it going no live stock while the filtet matures means you can ramp up the co2 to help the plants transition if you really dont like stems you could by some and float them till the tank settles then lift them out 
Nice tank and hardscape is the wood fixed at all wouldnt want to see it float on you and can you get your hands round to clean the glass easy maintenance makes life much easier


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## johnre14 (27 May 2020)

Thanks for the advice, appreciate it! Yeh none of the wood touches the front/side glass so I can get around... the rock is against the glass in places at the back but I figure I can’t see it anyway! I am mildly concerned about floaters..  The wood is pinned under the rocks, and the small bits are glued to the larger bits... but I think I’m going to weight it down with rocks when I fill it, just for a bit... of it floats up and disturbs the scape I’ll cry haha.


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## dw1305 (27 May 2020)

Hi all, 





johnre14 said:


> I feel I should probably have some stem plants to rapidly expand plant mass and help with algae etc but I really don't like a lot of them!





johnre14 said:


> Limnobium and/or Hygroryza aristata (the latter I have grown before and love, though maybe too big for this tank?


You can use the floating plant as your "stem", they have access to aerial CO2, so aren't <"ever CO2 limited">. <"I'm not a CO2 user"> so having a plant that definitely isn't CO2 limited is very useful. 

I didn't have much success with <"_Hygrorhyza aristata_">, but I have <"_Limnobium laevigatum">_ on all the tanks.

cheers Darrel


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## Frenchie (1 Jan 2022)

Hi John,
Im interested to see if you have any updates on this tank?
Im looking at getting the same setup and wanted to know how you have found it?


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