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New Tank / First real tank!

2K views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  Absntmind 
#1 ·
Hey guys, I recently came about a 60 gallon tank. This is my first tank I'm really getting into, and would appreciate some ideas. This is what I currently have as the scaping and am open to ideas! Would you rearrange it any and what kind of plants should I look into putting in (first tank I'm doing live plants)? Thanks
 

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#2 ·
For starters I would only have one type of rock and if you go for lava rock then just one shade. I would paint or posterboard or something for a background. And i think the same theory applies to wood as rocks-if you are going to have multiple pieces then they should be the same type/look/feel to them (instead of a twig and a log, do several twigs or several logs)

-personally I really like the lok of the rock in the far back left corner
 
#3 ·
Hi ccsniper2!

How lovlely to have a new tank to play around with!



I do agree with the privious post that consistancy i key in creating an over all pleasant look. However, inconsistancy is a good tool to put focus on whatever is conistant!

The substrate you've chosen has alot of details and the rocks are inconsistant in colour, so from my point of view you need to decide on a focus point :)


The red stone is a bit out of place but I think the rest are fine. One way to sew it all together could be to use alot of the same type of plants who has that consistant feeling. Anubias comes in alot of shapes, but all look quite alike and can be placed both in the substrate and on top of things.

As for the hardscape, I think the root sticking up to the right creates sort of a barrier, making the far right of the tank a dead area viewing-vise. One way of doing it is to put the part sticking up amongst the rocks to the left, and placing the twigg to the far left in the back corner. It would create a feeling of space, as the barriers are to the left and then the tank opens up

This is just one out of an infinite ways of scaping your tank!

Whatever you decide to do, try to figure out some feeling you want to achive, like roundness, space, jungle etc, and then think about what is needed to create that feeling, what plants are needed and where to plant them etc. Look at pro-scapes and look beyong the beauty to focus on what could be the reason they are precieved as beautiful.

Good luck!
 
#6 ·
Ok I've been really busy, but I have changed it a bit and added a couple plants so far. Going to the store later this week to get some more but this is where I'm at now. I got rid of the rock that was on the right and moved the smaller branch thing all the way to the right. Also made it higher on the left side.
 

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#7 ·
Thought I would update it with what it looks like now

On average what is the recommended time for lights to stay on throughout the day?

2 Gourami's
3 yo yo loaches
3 blood fin tetras
2 ghost tetras
3 red fin tetras
3 lamp eyed tetras


~comments and suggestions welcome
 

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#11 ·
The lights timing seems to be different for each tank from what I've seen. Plants, fish, light intensity, all a matter of tweaking it to keep a healthy ecosystem and algae at bay. I run mine at 10 hours with an hour of moonlight leds before and after. I only run the moonlight because after trying it I found my glass catfish and upside down catfish appear to like it (that's when they are most active that I can see).

The tank looks nice, congrats! I would plan on some tall plants for the background though to add depth.
 
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