Planted tank re-scape

[swampy1972]

Hi guys.

The long awaited (for me at least) rescape is finally complete. Geez I hate removing substrate!! :evil: Anyway, all done now. No more Co2 or Aqua Soils, just unwashed river sand in the areas for root feeding plants and washed play sand everywhere else.

Maintaining the slope will be an interesting challenge as the sand is so fine it doesn't take much or it move. I had to actually look at the planting as a real means of stabilising the substrate rather than just visually appeal. Now I know how the council guys feel when doing the sand dune planting programs :P

Planting is very minimal, both in species variety and number. I wanted just enough to hold the substrate and add some colour and points of difference to the tank. It looks pretty stark for me at the moment having been so densely planted just a couple of days ago, but it should improve as it grows in and thickens up. The end result I'm hoping for is dense planting at both ends and across the back, while leaving the bulk of the foreground for the Geos and Corys to graze in.

Hope you like the change of scene - I do :wink:

This is what it used to look like when it was at it's best. Unfortunately time for tank maintenance is hard to come by at the moment, hence the change of pace .

http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad348/swampy1972/5ft%20Display%20tank/Tankupdate3-1.jpg (http://s950.photobucket.com/user/swampy1972/media/5ft%20Display%20tank/Tankupdate3-1.jpg.html)

Unwashed river sand.

http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad348/swampy1972/5ft%20Display%20tank/photo1_zps8c414bb8.jpg (http://s950.photobucket.com/user/swampy1972/media/5ft%20Display%20tank/photo1_zps8c414bb8.jpg.html)

http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad348/swampy1972/5ft%20Display%20tank/photo2_zps09d39ee7.jpg (http://s950.photobucket.com/user/swampy1972/media/5ft%20Display%20tank/photo2_zps09d39ee7.jpg.html)

Some new DW - a tonne of Anubius Nana Petite waiting to go on.

http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad348/swampy1972/5ft%20Display%20tank/photo4_zps31634320.jpg (http://s950.photobucket.com/user/swampy1972/media/5ft%20Display%20tank/photo4_zps31634320.jpg.html)

Pretty murky at the moment, but improving slowly.

http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad348/swampy1972/5ft%20Display%20tank/photo4_zpse5a089dd.jpg (http://s950.photobucket.com/user/swampy1972/media/5ft%20Display%20tank/photo4_zpse5a089dd.jpg.html)

My Geo' Tapajos.

http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad348/swampy1972/5ft%20Display%20tank/IMG_2192_zps97339729.jpg (http://s950.photobucket.com/user/swampy1972/media/5ft%20Display%20tank/IMG_2192_zps97339729.jpg.html)

http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad348/swampy1972/5ft%20Display%20tank/IMG_2189_zps2a255693.jpg (http://s950.photobucket.com/user/swampy1972/media/5ft%20Display%20tank/IMG_2189_zps2a255693.jpg.html)

[Mattzilla]

great looking setup mate.

nice colour in your geos for their size. they will have fun tearing up the place as they grow though.

[swampy1972]

great looking setup mate.

nice colour in your geos for their size. they will have fun tearing up the place as they grow though.

Thanks :wink:

I hope they don't tear it up. They're only small (about the size of my Blue Ram at the moment), so I'm hoping the root systems are all well established by the time they're grown. If not, none of the plants are too exotic so I'm happy to keep re-planting.

[Mattzilla]

they are expert excavaters! especially when they mature and start to want to create an ideal little space to spawn

[swampy1972]

they are expert excavaters! especially when they mature and start to want to create an ideal little space to spawn

Sounds like I might need some more rock. That will allow me to create small nooks and crannies to plant between and help steer their excavation in to the open areas :wink:

[Mattzilla]

worth a try

[Ziggy]

Loving that new setup!
:)

[scott bowler]

nice work looks great