[Studman0143]

I am finally getting around to setting up my 29G. I have never done any landscaping like this before, so I went from a small 10G with a rock in it, to this! So a bit overwhelming in trying to design it.

But I have too many pictures to want to paste into here, cuz I feel no need to take up so much space, so I create a page on my site for you to go look at them.

So I would really appreciate it if you visit http://duckweedaquaticcentral.com/tank-setup-ideas/ and come back and give me your opinion, suggestions, etc. Possible plants are listing on there as well.
Thanks so much!

 

[Studman0143]

C'mon guys, 55 views and no comments. Do you hate all the looks? Anything even look remotely good? I'd really like some feedback.

 

[jreich]

i do not like that bumpy looking log, it looks to much like a terd to me, besides that its really hard to get a grasp on what your trying to do. it kind of looks like you just threw some wood in a tank and called it a day. (sorry if im being harsh, thats not my intent.) IMO its hard to scape a 29 bc there is not a big foot print to scape, especially front to back. It can defiantley be done, but with a lot of trial and error. i changed my 29 almost every month bc i could never really get things exactly the way i wanted. i didnt notice any substrate in the tank (short term memory issues), what r u planning on using?

 

[kuni]

If you post your photos in the forum post, you'll get more advice.

I don't like your layout at the moment. The two kinds of wood clash, and the river rocks look weird because they're all the same size.

 

[Studman0143]

i do not like that bumpy looking log, it looks to much like a terd to me, besides that its really hard to get a grasp on what your trying to do. it kind of looks like you just threw some wood in a tank and called it a day. (sorry if im being harsh, thats not my intent.) IMO its hard to scape a 29 bc there is not a big foot print to scape, especially front to back. It can defiantley be done, but with a lot of trial and error. i changed my 29 almost every month bc i could never really get things exactly the way i wanted. i didnt notice any substrate in the tank (short term memory issues), what r u planning on using?

Yeah, no gravel yet. I have bought two bags of a flourite so far, but I can't decide if I want to stick with the color of it and buy more bags, or buy another substrate to put on top to get the colors I want. Still working on that one.

The thing I'm battling with this tank is that everything you see is from Utah. All the rocks and wood I have gathered from various places (and cleaned and prepped of course). So I was trying to stick to a Utah themed tank. But feedback I'm getting is that most pieces are too big for it only being a 29G.

I guess my worry is that I don't know how well I'll do with growing the plants, but I know i can gather cool stuff to put in there, like the knobby wood. IDK, I need to play around a little more, maybe start with just smaller pieces of wood and rock.

I do however have several red colored rocks I'm going to use for some color. They are all relatively the same size and color. So maybe I need to focus on something more like that.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Studman0143]

If you post your photos in the forum post, you'll get more advice.

I don't like your layout at the moment. The two kinds of wood clash, and the river rocks look weird because they're all the same size.

Yeah, after looking at it again, the wood is different kinds. Some were still wet when I took these photos because they had been soaking. But they are different.

Should I do small river rocks? I guess I was wanting something slightly bigger than the rest to stand out, but I need to look more into how to do that.

 

[Kathyy]

I really hate that bumpy wood, pulled out dead shrubs with growths like that, yuck. If you must use it maybe it could make a substrate hold back so you have a two tiered level in the substrate. With mosses hanging over it might look better. No, it would look great like that, sort of a washed away river bank kind of thing rather than the diseased branch look.

I do like the other wood arranged as in #4.

How about putting the icky wood diagonally to create a terrace with the other wood in a frankenstump and the stones at the base of the frankenstump for planting Anubias? Mosses or maybe Staurogyne repens on the terrace edge, low stuff or sand in lower terrace?

 

[junko]

"icky wood" LOL... yeah, I really don't like that piece, either.

 

[kuni]

River rocks can be used, but they look unnatural unless you have a mix of sizes from small gravel up to whatever size you stop with.

I will say that they tend to be harder to scape with, and there are some folks who just don't like them no matter what.

 

[2in10]

I don't like the bumpy log either, Kathyy's idea for its use though is a great one.

 

[Studman0143]

I really hate that bumpy wood, pulled out dead shrubs with growths like that, yuck. If you must use it maybe it could make a substrate hold back so you have a two tiered level in the substrate. With mosses hanging over it might look better. No, it would look great like that, sort of a washed away river bank kind of thing rather than the diseased branch look.

I do like the other wood arranged as in #4.

How about putting the icky wood diagonally to create a terrace with the other wood in a frankenstump and the stones at the base of the frankenstump for planting Anubias? Mosses or maybe Staurogyne repens on the terrace edge, low stuff or sand in lower terrace?

So just trying to understand what you are saying, and please correct me if I'm wrong cuz I'm slightly confused...

1. Pile up substrate behind the bumpy wood so it looks like a lower level and a higher level? Is that what you mean by washed away river bank?

2. Put the bumpy wood at an angle/diagonally from a back corner and raise up the back corner? And what do you mean by a frankenstump? Jump putting all the wood together in a pile? And putting the rocks in front of this frankenstump thing? Sorry, I'm most confused by the second idea you put.

 

[Kathyy]

Yup! Use more substrate behind that thick bumpy wood and less in front. With moss or Staurogyne or some other low growing plant hanging over the edge you would have a great stream bank cut look going.

Use stainless steel screws or tie the bits of wood together very securely so it looks like a branchy piece of wood or stump and you have a frankenstump. It doesn't have to be neatly joined if you joint them at the bottom of the sticks as there will be plants growing there. It is easier to deal with multiple pieces of wood this way, they are less likely to change position when you are working in the tank. If you put your stones around the wood to hold it up you have nice places to plant. Most of the rock will be covered once the plants get going, adding some mystery to your tank. I imagine fish like kuhli loaches would adore hide outs like that.

I see some wonderful scapes with river rock IF they use it from fine gravel up to whatever the largest that fits in the tank. Using one size doesn't look nearly as nice. I would want to gather some substrate from a stream and just wash the silt out for a natural looking gradation.

Although I have unpleasant associations with wood covered with knots like yours I wouldn't mind finding a solid piece like yours to make a river bank. I really think it would look like an eroded bank with stones. It was #4 with the overhanging curved branch that gave me the idea too.

 

[Studman0143]

Yup! Use more substrate behind that thick bumpy wood and less in front. With moss or Staurogyne or some other low growing plant hanging over the edge you would have a great stream bank cut look going.

Use stainless steel screws or tie the bits of wood together very securely so it looks like a branchy piece of wood or stump and you have a frankenstump. It doesn't have to be neatly joined if you joint them at the bottom of the sticks as there will be plants growing there. It is easier to deal with multiple pieces of wood this way, they are less likely to change position when you are working in the tank. If you put your stones around the wood to hold it up you have nice places to plant. Most of the rock will be covered once the plants get going, adding some mystery to your tank. I imagine fish like kuhli loaches would adore hide outs like that.

I see some wonderful scapes with river rock IF they use it from fine gravel up to whatever the largest that fits in the tank. Using one size doesn't look nearly as nice. I would want to gather some substrate from a stream and just wash the silt out for a natural looking gradation.

Although I have unpleasant associations with wood covered with knots like yours I wouldn't mind finding a solid piece like yours to make a river bank. I really think it would look like an eroded bank with stones. It was #4 with the overhanging curved branch that gave me the idea too.

Awesome, thank you very much for clearing that up for me. I appreciate it. Would you recommend using that rainbow branch in the same way somehow, or just stick with the river bank look and make a frankenstump?

 

[Kathyy]

I would put the bumpy wood along a diagonal to make a stream bank and use the other sticks together. Maybe get some rubber bands and fasten them together in different configurations to see what pleases you best? I do like the idea of the rainbow stick hanging over the 'stream' with tall stems behind in a bush doing the same thing.

Looks like you have a potential cave with that flat stone too.

 

[DogFish]

Mixing rock & wood is hard enough to pull off. Two types of wood & two types of rock, I'm not so sure it can work.

No matter what the 'scape idea is SIMPLE always works better that complecated. Even something as that is visual chaotic like jungle type is better when only a few types of plants are used.

I would keep one type of wood with the round rocks. Or just the sharp rocks, or just one type of wood.

Most people come here to see what's here vs. going off via link to another site. Nice thought to hold down on bandwidth on your part.

 

[Studman0143]

I would put the bumpy wood along a diagonal to make a stream bank and use the other sticks together. Maybe get some rubber bands and fasten them together in different configurations to see what pleases you best? I do like the idea of the rainbow stick hanging over the 'stream' with tall stems behind in a bush doing the same thing.

Looks like you have a potential cave with that flat stone too.

Yeah, I'm very excited about the flat stone. It came with my turtle when we bought her off somebody. It'll look better in my tank since any setup I make in hers last about 2 days til it all falls down and is destroyed.

Yeah, I will find a good combination of sticks and stuff to put together. It sounds pretty cool so I'm excited to try to out. I will need to find some smaller pieces of wood though, cuz I have some relatively long ones (I think they all average 15-18". Nothing really on the short end)

Looks like its time to go get some more substrate.

 

[Studman0143]

Mixing rock & wood is hard enough to pull off. Two types of wood & two types of rock, I'm not so sure it can work.

No matter what the 'scape idea is SIMPLE always works better that complecated. Even something as that is visual chaotic like jungle type is better when only a few types of plants are used.

I would keep one type of wood with the round rocks. Or just the sharp rocks, or just one type of wood.

Most people come here to see what's here vs. going off via link to another site. Nice thought to hold down on bandwidth on your part.

Yeah, I thought it might be easier to post a site with everything. But when I try out some new ideas, I'll put pics on here. Thanks for your suggestions. I am going to avoid using 2 types of wood/rock. It does look tacky.

 

[BlueJack]

I like to find a picture I like, then go out and find the hardscape pieces. I think it's a little easier knowing what the end product will look like. Like others have said, try and stick with the same type of driftwood. I think those two dark pieces look good. You could try something like this:

It's just a thought.

Here's a good article on aquascaping principles.

http://www.freshwateraquariumplants.com/aquascapingprinc/aquascaping101.html

 

[Studman0143]

I like to find a picture I like, then go out and find the hardscape pieces. I think it's a little easier knowing what the end product will look like. Like others have said, try and stick with the same type of driftwood. I think those two dark pieces look good.

Here's a good article on aquascaping principles.

http://www.freshwateraquariumplants.com/aquascapingprinc/aquascaping101.html

Thank you. Not a bad idea on finding a photo or landscape to mimic. Unfortunately right now I don't have any. It's really my first big tank and I just want to try things out, new plants, actually using wood, etc. But I could totally see me doing that in the future. My grandpa has a ton of paintings I could mimic! He was big into trees and rivers.
Right now I like creating hiding spots and bunching up plants together (same ones of course). I've always said I hate following the crowd and instructions, so that's how I base everything, I just keep trying something till I like it.
But the article was great information I will definitely take into account!