Big Tank, what would you do?

[Fishies_in_Philly]

photobucket is working fine for me. with wood like that, and the height, i would have done a blackwater tetra tank with a sword or two, maybe some other plant, lots of oak leaf litter on sand substrate. simple, dramatic, easy to maintain. oh, and for what it might be worth, i believe a paludarium or riparium would be about 100 times easier to maintain than a filled tank.

[Meganne]

thanks Bill, it must be my computer, I can quite get everything cleaned off of it, grrrr. been working on it. getting frustrated.

in the mean time like I said, that wood is gone but since then I found some BEAUTIFUL pieces. I spent a good part of the afternoon deciding how to arrange them. amazing how the time passes working on this jigsaw puzzle! lol.
anyway this is what I cam eup with (hope it posts)

[Meganne]

yeah! it worked!
and as you see me and the grandkids have found the driftwood graveyard!

[driftwoodhunter]

That is some beautiful driftwood! I really like how you've laid it out - it has a nice flow and rhythm. The piece on the floor echos it, too.

Bill's ideas are my favorite so far, but I am a sucker for blackwater tanks. One day I'll have one! The oak leaf litter on sand sounds especially nice. (thanks for the ideas, Bill - lol)

[Meganne]

thanks DHunter! your opinion means a lot to me being you are the driftwood man.
I found all of them at the same location. the piece on the floor is simply wonderful, just lovely. My husband wanted it in the tank but it didnt fit and I loathed to cut it up, seemed it would be a sin to do that to it! so I set it on the floor by the tank and things started to come together.

[driftwoodhunter]

LOL - I'm a driftwood GAL! I need to add my first name (Cindy) to my signature, it would help things... ; )

And that's all I have an eye for; driftwood and rocks, two of my favorite things - I don't know squat about planted tanks (yet).

[Meganne]

lol! yes, I saw you were a Cindy on another thread tonight!

to me rocks and wood and balance in a scape are a LOT easier than making things grow and flourish! I am just learning that part too! I am going to try and make this tank easier to handle.

[Kathyy]

Wow.

That wood is fabulous and fits the tank to a T!

[Sajacobs]

Your tank is the coolest....love the shape and your driftwood layout. So interested to see how it turns out.

[Meganne]

thank you Kathy and Sajacobs, I have really enjoyed the journy with this one so far. Taking my time and trying to do it right

[mississippimorning]

Hi everyone - I'm coming back after a long absence. Watching this thread with great interest as I got a new-to-me tank for Christmas from the hubby. I'll post a re-intro later and share my tank. Looking forward to watching this one take shape!

[Meganne]

I have the LFS, whom's owner happens to be quiet the planted tank efficianato, checking into finding me a pair of orange headed geophagus for this tank. I also have some mosses and needle java fern on order.
cant wait! flooding as soon as I get the plants in.

[Saxtonhill]

Love what you did with the driftwood and can't wait to see pictures and descriptions of further developments.

[Meganne]

after a VERY frustrating day I have the tank flooded and planted. well kinda planted. I have some mosses still on order and and still in the search for some needle leaf java fern.

Anyway, I got all the plumbing set, attached my ferns to the wood and filled the tank...and the brand new canister filter was rattling like mad. Unhooked the filter and took a break and went to dinner. On return the smaller branches were all floating! the had come loose from being attached to the stump, so much for all my great planing! grrrr!
after a bunch of cussing and nearly going snorkling the tank is back together with some nicked (from my husband) dive weights holding the wood down. the one floating piece will sink eventually and I will remove the weights then. the large rock to the left will be removed as well.
only 4 head light tetras starting the tank


ps.... the filter is being sorted and a old HOB filter is up and running for now

[driftwoodhunter]

I use super glue to glue driftwood pieces together, and to glue the main dw to a rock. That holds it down but can be hidden by the substrate if you want. Also, I just saw needle leaf jv for sale tonight - I'll see if I can find the thread...