54 gallon corner "slice of nature"

[carpalstunna]

Ok guys,
so I am newer to the forum and am currently planning for a 54 gallon corner bowfront that I just got. I currently have a 55 gallon traditional that I have neglected a little. I need to get it back in shape and then make the move over to the corner tank.

I like the corner tank because it takes up less room in and living room and the way my living room is setup I cant really enjoy looking at the tank I have. The view is obstructed.

I will be doing a medium light planted tank, and I think after posting many questions Ill be doing some DIY led lighting.

Things I still havent decided on.

Background- I kind of like the 3d rock backgrounds by aquaterra, I know I definitely want to hide all the heaters and fliter etc. I also had an idea just to put it all in the back corner and just block that off with a piece of that rock background or even some frosted plexiglass with holes drilled so the water can move. Some way of hiding everything is a must.

Subtrate- I have been going back and forth between eco-complete and ADA aquasoil. My water is a little hard and the PH is higher, around 8.2, but I am nervous about the affects the aquasoil will have on my fish who are very well acclimated to my water. So I guess I am leaning eco complete. Has anyone mixed subtrates? I have some plain aquarium gravel thats a tan color and I thought about putting that on the bottom to try and build up some layering and slope. Since I already have a bunch of that. I also have a full 20lb bag of flourite but I dont think I want to use that.

Hardscaping- I think I am going to use the driftwood I have in my current 55. I like it and so do my fish. so I will need to design around that.

Plants. Right now I have some anubius nana, a sad amazon sword and a stem plant that I have forgotten what it is. I have really neglected my current tank. I definitely want a ground cover and really like dwarf hairgrass. I could never get it to spread in my current tank and I hope that between the eco complete and pressurized co2 that will improve. I really would like some red in the tank some different color.

So I have alot of ideas and not alot of solutions so I am open to all suggestions. So I guess my next step will be to get some eco complete unless someone talks me out of it. This is going to be a long process as I will have to setup this tank and get it cycled and plants going before I move the fish over. Here are some pics of the old and the new.

[Sethjohnson30]

I had a 54g corner tank it was a nightmare to scape I eventually sold it and went back to my 55g long corner tanks suck. Good luck I hope yours turns out better than mine did. Here's a pic

[FriendsNotFood]

36 gallon corner in better days when my plants weren't dying :P

[carpalstunna]

ya well, I mean I am not going for an amano style tank or some fancy aquascape. I guess I just want something that I can enjoy looking at my fish and plants in. The 55 long just isnt getting it. Also I like the idea of the added depth. I think its hard to get good layering in the 55 long, it just isnt deep enough.

[carpalstunna]

I have been looking more at the backgrounds and I think If use one to block of the back corner it will make the tank easier to scape as well because I wont have that back corner that I feel is an issue with many corner tanks, it will almost turn it into a bowfront in a way since the corner wont be planted.

[carpalstunna]

Decided to do a customer foam background after seeing some good results on the web. Here is what I have so far.


Also took some old soap bottles and relabeled for my fertilizer mixes.


Turned my old tank basically into a plant farm. I stuck trimmings everywhere basically to try and grow as much plants I can for the new tank.

[carpalstunna]

Added another canister so that when I go to cycle the new tank, I can leave the old tank running and use a filter with established media. The background is coming along, I will have to take some more pictures.



Plants and fish are doing well in the farm.

[mattrt09]

i think that corner tank looks great! and if your using established equipment and plants im sure it will be a cakewalk

[Algae Beater]

i prefer cube tanks to corners, much easier to work with

[carpalstunna]

I think I will enjoy the challenge of corner. I really think I can make it work and have some ideas, it will be something different. Everyone has cubes, not many corners. I have seen a few done well. Now I need to come up with a clever name for it, like "slice of nature". Get it because its shaped like a piece of pie. HA.

[indigo]

Originally Posted by carpalstunna

"slice of nature"

hahaha I like it you should totally name it that.

Hows that background going?

[carpalstunna]

good I have two coats of mortar on. Its hard to get different colors layered without totally coloring over the first. We will see. Its a litte more brown that I want right now. I will take some pictures. I just keep layering on until it looks like I want.

[vincenz]

I can only imagine scaping a corner tank..

I wouldn't layer the brown and black substrates, to be honest. I did that once and regretted it, both of them eventually get mixed in with each other when you start to move things around. Looked awful.

[carpalstunna]

There was a store aquarium adventure in columbus that had a really well scaped corner tank. I mean its not going to fall in line with a style but I feel good about how it will turn out.

Ya I decided to go all eco complete for that reason and the amazonia is nearly impossible to find right now. I will upload some more pics this weekend.

[carpalstunna]

Still a work in progress I think I am going to add some darker color to it either a blackish brown or dark gray.