# Some inspire please!?



## nickmcmechan (3 Aug 2014)

Couldn't resist the temptation today, pets at home have the Aquaone Aquanano 40 (a 55 litre tank) one offer at £90 from £130 until 5th August so snapped up the chance using a £5 voucher I had received from them as well.

It will be a low tech tank with a soil substrate capped with sand. The fauna will be a pair of Apisotgramma Caucatoudies with some Amano Shrimp and a Nerite Snail (all to be transferred from my 23l fluval edge)

So, looking for ideas as to planting. Some fairly low maintenance low tech plants, so answers on a postcard please for:

Background plants, perhaps a mix of root feeders or stems, or both
Mid
Foreground, not sure if I'm going to have an open space for leaves yet or not
Centrepiece - perhaps wood with moss attached, or rocks...have to work in a small ceramic breeding cave for the apistos.

Any and all suggestions appreciated....and any pictures or links to other tanks may be good too[DOUBLEPOST=1407084829][/DOUBLEPOST]Spellcheck in the title......*inspiration......


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## dw1305 (3 Aug 2014)

Hi all,
Sounds good. 

I'm not sure how the cichlids will get on with the Amano's, they may be able to eat them when they moult. I'd go for 1/2 a coconut for the cave, you just need to cut a small notch out of the side for the female (the male doesn't need to enter the cave). 

I'd go with an _Echindorus_ for the back-ground, _Cryptocoryne spp._ for the middle ground, and _Ceratopteris_ for a "stem" plant, you can add any other plants you like, I always have _Cabomba_, floaters etc. Definitely have dead leaves  and plenty of planted wood with moss. Have a look at: <http://www.dwarfcichlid.com/index.php>

I've got plenty of spare Java Fern and _Bolbitis_ if that is any good to you.

cheers Darrel


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## nickmcmechan (3 Aug 2014)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> Sounds good.
> 
> I'm not sure how the cichlids will get on with the Amano's, they may be able to eat them when they moult. I'd go for 1/2 a coconut for the cave, you just need to cut a small notch out of the side for the female (the male doesn't need to enter the cave).
> ...


Thanks Darrell, may take you up on that 

It's not out the box yet though!

Ta


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## nickmcmechan (9 Aug 2014)

I've given it some thought

I'm thinking

Soil substrate capped with ADA Amazonia
Manzanita wood coming from back left corner to front right direction with Taiwan moss attached
Java fern covered coconut shell for the apistos under the wood, about 1/2 way in with a tumble / flow of small seiryu stone
Eleocharis sp mini to front, with a bit of space for dead leaves
Eleocharis acicularis in the middle, in and around the stones
Eleocharis Montevidemsis at the back
Perhaps some penthorum sedoides in there too
Frogbit floating

Any thoughts?


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