[Tiff]

Hi! I'm brand new to the forum and brand new to a planted tank. I've just cycled a 29g which only contains anubias at this time. I have 1.5 wpg with T5 lights. I'm looking to add crypts to fill the rest of the tank unless there are other plants you could suggest! I've been doing HOURS of research on crypts and just trying to decide which should go where! I am interested in crypt retrospiralis, crypt walkeri/lutea, crypt wendtii green and/or red, crypt lucens, and crypt becketti. I keep reading different heights on the walker/lutea and also on the lucens so I'm not sure what cypts to put where!!! Since it has just cycled, not sure if it's too early to add crypts..just a concern. Could anyone help me with placement? I've attached a pic of my tank.

Thanks!!!!!

 

[mistergreen]

Welcome to the site.
Aquascaping is one of the most challenging thing one can do beside keeping the plants alive.

A lot of the skill is developed from experience. You'll need jump right in and do it. There aren't really rules you can follow to make a perfect aquascape. Many of it is personal taste. There are some what design principles you can follow to make things look good however.

1. most people want to design a tank that mimics nature
So your grouping of rocks seem forced. The colors seem odd too. You don't find white rocks around a dark substrate.
2. Grouping of elements are important
You're making good use of your tank but elements in it look disconnected, spotty.
Generally, smaller elements are placed in the front and bigger stuff are in the back.
3. Quantity is important too, like the amount of stuff vs. the amount of non-stuff or negative space.

Important tools to use in the beginning are a pencil and a piece of paper. Draw it out. See how it looks there first before making the commitment. But you might change your mind after you place everything too.

 

[Tiff]

Thanks for your reply!

I started with anubias and knew they work best on driftwood or rocks. I didn't want to add anymore driftwood so I went with rocks. I suppose I could either plant the roots in substrate or go with darker rocks?

This project is turning out to be more difficult than I expected.

Thanks again for your reply!

 

[mistergreen]

Oh!
I left out a really important principle.
4. Contrast makes for an interesting composition
You don't want a huge contrast like the white rocks to dark substrate.
And you also don't want little contrast like how all the rocks are the same size either.
Try darker rocks of Varying Sizes; like large, medium, and small.

And when you have more plants in there, it'll look a lot better too.

 

[nsean]

Also for plants, pretty much anything from the Hygrophila family would grow well in your tank. Since they are such a fast growing plant they will help keep your nutrient levels in check, especially when the slower growing crypts ad Hygrophila are still small.

 

[pandapr]

I just ordered 10 crypts!! plus I have a few others in my tanks...I like them for low light tanks.