# Scape/planting ideas needed.



## Steve Smith (15 Apr 2008)

Howdy all.  I will be moving all of my plants and fish and some of the hard scape into a new (ish) tank that I am setting up this weekend (hopefully).  I wanted to see what ideas people might have for planting this out.

The details:

Tank is L36" x H20" x D15".
Lighting is 2x30w Arcadia Freshwater tubes and 2x25w Zoomed Ultra Sun tubes (existing lighting being moved to new setup).
Filtration will be Tetratec EX700 and Fluval 205, spraybars mounted at the rear flowing forwards, intakes in each corner.
Pressurised CO2 via 2kg FE 24/7 (might change to solenoid). Hoping to use a cheap external reactor.
Substrate will be Tetraplant Complete under sand/gravel
Dosing EI dry ferts.

The plants I have available are:

Alternanthera reineckii 'Pink' (roseafolia)
Bacopa sp. (Not identified, but reddish hue)
Bacopa caroliniana
Lysimachia nummularia (creeping jenny)
Pogostemon stellata (eusteralis)
Some smaller stem plant I can't remember the name of.
Mayaca sp. (Not identified either)
Ceratopteris thalictroides (I think)
Crypt. Balansae
Crypt. Parva (small amount)
Anubias Nana
"needle" leafed Java Fern
Samolus valerandi
Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides (maritima)
HC (Thanks James!)

I'll also be using one or maybe two bits of redmoor with Weeping and Spiky mosses on them.

I don't have to use all of these, but I'd like to defiantely use the Bacopas, Alternanthera, Pogostemon, Crypts, HC, Hydrocotyle, mayaca and Samolus.  I'd like to try and achieve a little bit of a jungle feel, but maybe a bit more restrained.  I have the pentazonas to consider, as they like lots of plant cover, but I want a bit of open space for the HC.  Maybe try to do the bushy corner look, with a "path" off centre in the middle.  Maybe not a physical sand path, but carpet the HC wide at the front and curing into a thinner line to the back.

Livestock is:
12 Pentazona barbs
12 Harlequins (mixed sp.)
5 leopard danios (may trade these for something else, perhaps more otos)
2 otos (want to increase to 4 or 5)
Some yamato shrimp (not sure if the original 6 are still in the current tank as I haven't seem them for a while)
1 filter/bamboo shrimp (maybe increase this to a few more).

I hope to maybe add a colony of cherry shrimp too.

Sorry for the long winded post, but I'd really appreciate some thoughts on how to go with this   If I've missed anything ask away


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## Steve Smith (17 Apr 2008)

This is the sort of planting I was thinking about.  Any thoughts?


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## Arana (17 Apr 2008)

I like the look of it so far mate  Can we see some rea plants now


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## Steve Smith (17 Apr 2008)

Hah!  I'm after ideas/input/wisdom 

I'll start a journal at the weekend when I start moving/planting everything but was hoping for some feedback on whether this is a good layout, or if I should be going for something else...


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## Arana (17 Apr 2008)

SteveUK said:
			
		

> Hah!  I'm after ideas/input/wisdom



Oh OK then  

Having the red roseafolia on the back left may draw your eye out of the scape, maybe swap it with the bacopa C and have the path leading the eye through the wood and onto the roseafolia, the red bacopa would also create a nice colour change from front to back, it would then become a nice focal pont ...If you know what i mean


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## Steve Smith (17 Apr 2008)

Ah, yes.  I was hoping the Pogostomon would have that effect, but perhaps as you say, plant it with the bacopa, moving the redder bacopa a bit.  Would also break up the leave shapes a bit.

(Colours on the drawing are mostly a guess btw )

Edit:

I have a lovely Nymphea Zenkeri from Andy which I could plant in the left corner.  Not sure if it would cast too much shadow.


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## Steve Smith (17 Apr 2008)

Like this...


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## Arana (17 Apr 2008)

Where did that Lotus come from  your as bad as me for keep adding plants  

I think that will work better but you may want to leave the lotus until last as you might find a nicer spot for it where it can make a real statement  the proof is in the pudding though mate and whatever you decide on now is bound to change as you actually plant, get that hardscape in and start planting baby!


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## Steve Smith (17 Apr 2008)

Hehe 

Well, a long sunday is planned.  I was hoping to get monday off work too, but my boss has gone on holiday and snook out early yesterday so didn't get my "request" in quick enough.  Ah well, Gill has offered to help me out!

I need to buy more sand and gravel though.  I bought some unipac sand but I'm starting to think its way too orange/black.  Its natural stuff but looks almost like builders sand.  I'm going to get some lighter stuff from my LFS who has some nice gravels in.


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## Garuf (18 Apr 2008)

Hmm, Interesting, do you have a frontal veiw of how you envision it, this will help you to get everything right since a top view won't take into account the mixing of stems and other plants to achieve a more varied textural composition that is desirable for a good scape.


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## Themuleous (20 Apr 2008)

Either plan looks good to me.

Sam


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## Steve Smith (20 Apr 2008)

Garuf said:
			
		

> Hmm, Interesting, do you have a frontal veiw of how you envision it, this will help you to get everything right since a top view won't take into account the mixing of stems and other plants to achieve a more varied textural composition that is desirable for a good scape.



I have it pictured in the minds eye so to speak.  I hope that I will have some nice rounded planting from either rear corner, with a nice gap in the middle (off centre) with either HC or dwarf sag (height difference) "dissapearing" off into the back.



			
				Themuleous said:
			
		

> Either plan looks good to me.
> Sam



Thanks sam   Still unsure about the lotus...


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## Themuleous (21 Apr 2008)

Unless you are wiling to keep on top of pruning the leaves, I tend to think Lotus plants are really only for big tanks as they can just get so big they dominate the scape.  If you can tame them though, the red is stunning when the plant is healthy.

Sam


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