My 15 gal needs an overhaul

chriscoli

chriscoli

Administrator
I got this 15 gal column tank at the 2012 ACA meeting.

I've got it set up in a central place in the house (junction of the kitchen, dining room, and living room) so it really needs to look spiffy. It's a pretty nice size considering how little floor space it takes up (an important selling-point when I asked the hubby to let me bring "just one more tank" into the house). The trick, though, is that because of the depth...there's a bit of a distance for the light to have to travel to the plants, so I think I'm stuck with low/medium-low light plants for now.

I've had plans for a while to put a new light in it...the one that comes with this kit really sucks....dim...very yellow. I picked up a small LED light that's going to be much better than the one I have in there currently.

Right now, I've got an ABN, some endlers, and pea puffers in there.

I'm really falling short on my decorative abilities with this one, though.

I fell in love with the way the 15 column was set up in the Aquamania Aquarium Beautiful competition, which made me realize how shabby mine was looking.

So, I need to do an overhaul. Does anyone else have one of these? If so, what did you do with it? I'd love to hear about it.

15 1-8248.jpg

15 2-8249.jpg
 
hollyfish2000

hollyfish2000

Members
That doesn't look a lot different than what I've recently done with my 5 gallon Chi based on inspiration from Aquamania.

Just a few thoughts:

put some vals along whatever side the equipment is to hide it. I hate seeing equipment.

Get a large dramatic gnarly, spindly kind of branched out wood instead of the current wood.

Keep the substrate one color, preferably black. (I don't like the black and white mix, even though I have it in one tank and rue that decision)

get a nice big clump of java fern mat. That hides a multitude of sins and is easy to keep
 
chriscoli

chriscoli

Administrator
Thanks for the input, Holly....very good suggestions. I had even gotten some manzanita wood from Rachel for this tank, but decided it looked better elsewhere....I should see if I can go pull it from whichever tank it went to.

I totally agree with the Vals....if I can get enough light in there. I think they'd look nice in such a vertical tank.

Believe it or not, the substrate is plain black....the white bits are the empty snail shells from the puffers!

So far I'm a java fern killer, but I seem to be doing ok with Bolbitis so maybe that could go instead.

I also think I need some rocks....dramatic rocks....
 
Becca

Becca

Members
Try the red Fluorite for substrate, the snail shells won't show up so much against that and it brings out the green of the platns.

You might be able to find some tall petrified wood peices or even something like a large Conch shell. If you're not totally opposed to flower pots you could pick up some little ones at Michael's crafts and wedge them into the branches of spindly wood, which would allow you to plant at different levels in the tank and give you more options than just tree-rooting plants.
 
scientist0724

scientist0724

Members
I would do tall plants in the back like maybe some Cryptocoryne balanse, Bolbitus, Hygrophila corymbosa "Augustifolia".

Also, if you decide to use driftwood, something tall and branchy and cover the branches with some moss like Christmas moss, Weeping moss or Fissidens fontanus.

Arlene
 
chriscoli

chriscoli

Administrator
Nice, Nice....I have a bunch of Christmas moss from the last GWAPA meeting (it was a huge bunch, I haven't used it all yet). I've also got tons of Hygro Angustifolia....and some Bolbitus....

I might have to try to make it to the GWAPA meeting tomorrow.
 
chriscoli

chriscoli

Administrator
Ok, so here's what it looks like right now. Definitely not done yet....but I'm waiting for the wood to sink and I need to cut some glass to fit inside the hood for the new light to sit on.

Once the brighter light is in there, I'll add some taller plants, too.

I like the direction it's going....

image.jpg
 
Avatar

Avatar

Plenipotentiary-at-large
Like it

Nice re-do. I understand killing duckweed - happens to be a mild passion of mine - but Java fern? I didn't know it could be killed short of desication, complete darkness or herbicide.
 
hollyfish2000

hollyfish2000

Members
I wish I could kill duckweed . .

I just bought a clip-on light for my Chi, so that I can keep the plants alive. Doesn't require cutting glass . . .

I love the wood. exactly what I had in mind. I personally think the larger rock in the foreground with the small anubias is a bit large for the fung shui of the tank. I'd go with a jumble of smooth river rocks myself.

Oh, and shove a big mat of java fern in the back or the middle! :)
 
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