# Scaping for Fish aswell as Aesthetics



## OllieNZ (24 Nov 2011)

Hi All
Im struggling to come up with scape ideas that will look good as aswell as providing a good home for the intended inhabitants.
Tank size is 1200 x 451 x 451 mm and the fish will be Altolamprologus calvus http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1578 which require a rock pile containing caves with tall narrow openings, Julidochromis transcriptus http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1536 which require a normal rock pile, and 'Lamprologus' brevis http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1743 which require an open sand area.
The Altos and Julies need to be at opposite ends of the tank to keep agro to a minimum.
Im considering a U shape scape but having trouble finding pics for inspiration.
Another issue is creating caves for the Altos that will look more natural than leaning a few bits of slate against the side of the tank.
Any pics or alternative ideas would be much appreciated


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## clonitza (24 Nov 2011)

Hi Ollie,

I usually browse the contests galleries if I can't find inspiration:
http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/
http://aac.acuavida.com/gallery/main.php
or 
Amano's Complete Works book (I think TGM has it in stock or you can try ebay)

Cheers,
Mike


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## Morgan Freeman (24 Nov 2011)

If I were scaping for the benefit of my fish, I wouldn't be following Amano's work.

For creating hidey holes, I arrange rocks in such a way that the areas for hiding are facing the back of the tank so it basically just looks like a regular rock pile from the front. No unsightly caverns.


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## clonitza (24 Nov 2011)

Morgan Freeman said:
			
		

> If I were scaping for the benefit of my fish, I wouldn't be following Amano's work.



Why?


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## Morgan Freeman (24 Nov 2011)

clonitza said:
			
		

> Morgan Freeman said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Certainly not his more minimalist designs, all 4 sides open to view, no hiding spaces and hardly any plant cover.


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## clonitza (24 Nov 2011)

Regarding the open space designs you are right but he's got plenty of others, especially if you look at his early works.

Cheers,
Mike


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## dw1305 (24 Nov 2011)

Hi all,
I'd landscape the rock in the same way a gardener would build a rock garden. if you can get hold of some thin bedded limestones ("Cotswold stone" slates or dry stone walling  stone would be ideal), you could place them with the strata running in the same direction and fairly close to the horizontal (may be tilted 15o back to front). This should give you plenty of horizontal crevices, and by using a mix of stone size you should be able to create some thin crevices as well. 

I think it is a big enough tank to allow you step the stone down (so that the strata disappear under the sand) and then have it appear again to build an outcrop at the other end of the tank. 

I'd use a thin sheet of polystyrene, coated with silicon and sprinkled with sand, against the back glass and a thicker sheet (or egg crate) to line the aquarium base.

I couldn't find a landscaped tank, but this sort of idea:
<http://portraitsofalpineplants.com/The Rock Garden.htm>

Another possibility would be the "crevice garden" approach that has come from E. Europe and recently become popular.
<http://www.alpinegardensociety.net/diaries/Wisley/+November+/313/>

cheers Darrel


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## Morgan Freeman (24 Nov 2011)

clonitza said:
			
		

> Regarding the open space designs you are right but he's got plenty of others, especially if you look at his early works.
> 
> Cheers,
> Mike



Yeah, I'll change my initial statement to minimalist Iwagumi.


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## OllieNZ (25 Nov 2011)

Thanks for the input, much appreciated  ,
Darrel that crevice garden is pretty cool, I've never seen anything like it before, do you have any links to the end result?





Source:http://rappin.wordpress.com/2008/11/04/aqua-forest-aquariums-aquascaping/

This is the closest I've found to what I'm trying to achieve.
After mulling it over for a bit I think I'm going to make the calvus caves out of foam this will create a solid block I can cover in substrate and plant without substrate falling into the caves and disguise the entrances with rockwork.


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## dw1305 (26 Nov 2011)

Hi all,
I like the scape with the 2 rock out-crops, that was what I meant about the outcrops rising from the sand. 

This is a crevice garden planted.
<

> from <http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=4656.0>.

cheers Darrel


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