Fix What's Not Broken?

1236 Views 10 Replies 5 Participants Last post by RWaters, Jan 29, 2017

Bananableps

Discussion Starter · Jan 24, 2017

Here's a 5 gallon dirted shrimp tank I threw together with some spare plants about a month ago. I needed a last minute place to store some driftwood that had been nicely covered in algae (at the time was considering selling it), and also somewhere to start keeping neocaridina. It wasn't a very thoughtful scape. But it's started to grow on me! I like the simplicity.

But now I'm thinking maybe I should add just a little more. I have a plant shipment coming in and I was thinking of incorporating some of it into this scape. What do you guys think of the following two additions:

1) Crypt wendtii red in the open area to the front on the left, where the dead leaves are.

2) Alternanthera reineckii placed directly behind the javafern in the way back (java ferns and driftwood can be easily moved forward a little)

3) A stemmed plant in the back right. Options: ludwigia peruensis, myrio red, nesaea pedicellata 'Golden'. Could also put in a bolbits. I think only the ludwigia would really be size appropriate.

NOTES:

a) This is a small dirted tank. In 20 gallons and up, I can remove rooted plants with impunity, but a cap breach is a bigger deal for a tank of this size.

b) I do not want to buy anymore plants. Part of the reason for putting the reinecki in here in the first place is that I have already purchased it and am now skeptical about whether it will fit into any of my other scapes.

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Econde

· #2 · Jan 24, 2017

I like that tank, simple but effective. Any different color plants would only enhance your tank IMO. The placements and plants you are thinking of would be excellent choices. And definitely ludwigia!

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Bananableps

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 24, 2017

Econde said:
I like that tank, simple but effective. Any different color plants would only enhance your tank IMO. The placements and plants you are thinking of would be excellent choices. And definitely ludwigia!

Thanks! I'm usually a "less is more" person, so adding more color is something I am usually skeptical about.

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Econde

· #4 · Jan 24, 2017

I completely agree. I had that mindset, but now in my tank, my less became way more on its own. Even adding the Crypt on the left side would contrast well in your tank. You can always try it out first and move it later on if it isn't to your liking. I used to like the S.Repens carpet look, now I ended up taking a bunch of mine out. I did leave a few mats here and there but I am thinking of replacing it with something else. @wakka987 gave me some Hydrocotyle sp Japan. By some I mean a whole mat of it! I might replace some of my S Repens carpet with that instead.

Either way, you can reverse it. You might end up liking the extra color to your background.

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PlantedRich

· #5 · Jan 24, 2017

How does red myrio behave for you? Do you get the red with the lights you have? I seem to get good enough growth but not a large color. I like the idea of red myrio and possibly some wood for it to wrap around as it goes up. Maybe in the left corner? But then what fish are you thinking? I'm not good with scaping for others and fully admit that all my tanks are works in progress anyway.
Seems like as they grow and change I seem to do the same in what looks right at the time.

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Bananableps

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 25, 2017

PlantedRich said:
How does red myrio behave for you? Do you get the red with the lights you have? I seem to get good enough growth but not a large color. I like the idea of red myrio and possibly some wood for it to wrap around as it goes up. Maybe in the left corner? But then what fish are you thinking? I'm not good with scaping for others and fully admit that all my tanks are works in progress anyway.
Seems like as they grow and change I seem to do the same in what looks right at the time.

This will be my first time keeping myrio. It's in the mail now. I already have some other red plants coming in, so I'm actually hoping my myrio stays more green/yellow.

In your experience, do you think myrio is too large a plant for a 5 gallon?

There will be no fish in this tank. Too small.

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sdwindansea

· #7 · Jan 26, 2017

I think the myrio should be fine. Periodically, you will probably want to trim it, remove the bottom part of the stem and then replant the top portion.

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Bananableps

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jan 28, 2017

Update:
The crypt wendtii was not even close to fitting in this tiny tank. Not sure what I was thinking. Also, did not expect the seller to provide such wonderfully large specimens.
Put some ratala magenta in instead, mostly because I had no where else to put it. Also some crypt parva. Did not make any additions to the right side - I think this tank has enough plants for my taste. Should look better as it grows in

sdwindansea said:
I think the myrio should be fine. Periodically, you will probably want to trim it, remove the bottom part of the stem and then replant the top portion.

Thanks for the advice, but I can't replant rooted plants in a dirted tank of this size. Too much mess.

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