[Nubster]

Super low tech 75g tank at the moment but I have T5HO lights (2x54w) and CO2 ordered and I have dry ferts. There is a Amazon Sword, various crypts, couple anubias, needle leaf java, and some moss. I want a nice lush filled in tank, not going for anything other than a natural look. I am still trying to learn about plants but for now does anyone have some scaping suggestions? Inhabitants are a school of GlowLight Tetra, RCS, one Betta, and a crap load of MTSnails. In the future I might add some cories and maybe some ottos but that will be it for live stock. Thanks for any help.

 

[Gatekeeper]

Looks fine to me. Maybe some taller plants in the background? Add some moss to the base of the rocks in the front to clean up the transition from hardscape to substrate?

Other than that, let it grow.

 

[kribkeeper888]

I think some tall plants in back and maybe a ground cover like glosso

 

[tharsis]

It needs.....

sorry:icon_redf

I actually think it will be good when it grows in. Maybe add some talle stems in the back left and you are good to go.

 

[DishyFishy]

Hah at the cowbell!

I suggest you just look around the swap 'n shop at people selling plant packages until you find one you think has a lot of awesome stuff in it. That's what I did, and I love 'em! I didn't know what any of them were when I first found the package.

 

[madness]

I would recommend one of Crispinos daily plant packages. I don't know what half of the plants are (he provides a list but I am simply not familiar with all of the species) but they are all high quality and it allows you to not only fill in the tank quickly but also to test out a lot of different plants and see which ones you like the looks of, which grow well, which don't grow well for you, etc.

As time goes on and you get a better idea of what you want and don't want you can move the plants you choose to remove to another tank or another hobbyist.

 

[FIT BMX]

It looks good, but I would ad ground cover.

 

[doncityz]

I'm gonna be honest here. The tank is nice and all, but I seriously think it lacks plants, both in terms of number of plants, and variety of plants. Ground cover would be nice as well (at the front center area).

The rocks are great, but the arrangement could do a little more justice. Perhaps group them a little bit closer (at center or sides does not matter). And I think the rocks need to be buried in the soil about 15-20% under...

In general, it lacks a focus point of the tank. I just know how to judge, but if you see my tanks, they aren't great either lol.

 

[Kathyy]

Going with doncityz's post here.

Look into a more artistic arrangement of your terrific stones. Here is a primer on arranging stones. http://www.aquajournal.net/na/iwagumi/introduction.html

Once the stones are arranged to show them off better you will have a strong framework to plant. Ferns, mosses and Anubias need wood or crevices of stone to grow in. Consider buying a large branchy wood to fit in to fill those needs or possibly use smaller stones along with the larger to make planting spots. Place your large sword to complement the stone arrangement and work to the smallest plants.

Then buy easy stems to fill in until your excellent plants fill out the tank. You may find you enjoy the added texture to your tank or you can always remove and sell them to the LFS or here on the SnS to another scaper in need of stems to fill in a new set up.

 

[jcgd]

I'm gonna be honest here. The tank is nice and all, but I seriously think it lacks plants, both in terms of number of plants, and variety of plants. Ground cover would be nice as well (at the front center area).

The rocks are great, but the arrangement could do a little more justice. Perhaps group them a little bit closer (at center or sides does not matter). And I think the rocks need to be buried in the soil about 15-20% under...

In general, it lacks a focus point of the tank. I just know how to judge, but if you see my tanks, they aren't great either lol.

Going with doncityz's post here.

Look into a more artistic arrangement of your terrific stones. Here is a primer on arranging stones. http://www.aquajournal.net/na/iwagumi/introduction.html

Once the stones are arranged to show them off better you will have a strong framework to plant. Ferns, mosses and Anubias need wood or crevices of stone to grow in. Consider buying a large branchy wood to fit in to fill those needs or possibly use smaller stones along with the larger to make planting spots. Place your large sword to complement the stone arrangement and work to the smallest plants.

Then buy easy stems to fill in until your excellent plants fill out the tank. You may find you enjoy the added texture to your tank or you can always remove and sell them to the LFS or here on the SnS to another scaper in need of stems to fill in a new set up.

I agree with these guys. Constructive criticism all the way. You wanna get that co2 going ASAP. You have med-high lighting and hardly any light is blocked. Add that to the sparse plant load and algae is gonna get a hold pretty quick.

It's a good start though.

 

[AirstoND]

1) Add your female betta last as they tend to be territorial.
2) Floating Dwarf Lettuce, Frogbit, or Red Tiger Lotus or water lily.
3) Cave/driftwood decor for hiding cories/fish, they also will luv ya for including floating plants
4) More moss or cowbell, whichever is less toxic to fish:smile:

 

[Nubster]

Thanks everyone. Good advice. For some reason I didn't get a notification that anyone posted since my last post so I didn't see the advice on moving the rocks. I did get a pretty decent sized plant package the other day and planted a lot of it but not all. Here is an updated pic of the tank. Let me know what you think. Perhaps next water change when the water level is way down I'll play with the rock arrangement some.

 

[Hilde]

I think some wisteria behind the rocks on the left side would look good. Also some Dwarf Sagittaria would look good going from the left to left side of last rock on the right. Anubias I think should go in front of the rock on the right side.

 

[ghotifish]

Foreground

Your tank would look great with a nice lush carpet of foreground plants. There are tons of great options: hairgrass, HC, staurogyne repens, elatine triandra, and many others. Do yourself a favor and wait to add Corys to your tank until after you get your foreground rooted--especially if you go with HC. Corys live to dig up fragile foreground plants. Fortunately for them, they are too cute to flush down the toilet (but believe me you will want to the 5th time you have to spend hours replanting hundreds of little HC stems!).

Good luck!

 

[JasonG75]

Super low tech 75g tank at the moment but I have T5HO lights (2x54w) and CO2 ordered

The HO lighting and co2 negates this from being "SUPER" lowTech. Quite the opposite.

nevermind NOW I understand what you're saying.

 

[Jaguar]

Taller/stem plants in the back (left hand side if you want to keep the wedge thing going on), like rotala, cabomba, hygro, wisteria, jungle vals etc. lower creeping foreground plants in the front. Low grasses would work too. Slope your substrate up in the back to give it some more depth.

Not sure if it was intentional but you've got kind of a lopsided triangle layout going on... everything is too clumped together on the left side and doesn't really slope off very nicely to the right. This comes to mind:

You need to have a solid focal point or two, and right now there isn't really one. When I look at the tank, I immediately see a big clump of riccia or whatever it is on the left and the big red sword thing way too far forward on the right. It just feels really unorganized.

 

[Nubster]

I get what you are saying. Right now things are growing out. I want to replant over Christmas break when I have lots of time. Right now here is what I have to work with...