Calling all planters

[devocole]

Hi guys. I have almost completed collecting the supplies for my 50 gallon planted: Tek lighting, Pressurized CO2, ferts, ADA amazonia etc. It has been a lengthy process collecting all the bits as money was a big issue, but after 8 months i'm finally there.

Now after all the research on equipment i'm actually finding the process of choosing the right plants for me to be daunting. It is hard to visualize my tank with only pictures of plants off the internet. I dont think i want a rock/glosso tank. I think that would get old pretty quick and i don't even think they are very creative(IMO). What i imagine is a Very branchy driftwood piece as a main focal point off to one side, and a very natural yet diverse jungle of plants. And i imagine the aquascape starting relatively low (foreground) at the opposite front corner of the driftwood and then getting taller working our way to the opposite back corner.

I'm hoping people can help me bounce ideas. Ideal plants. Places to purchase all of them in one bout (mabe internet) and any words of wisdom.

Thanks

Devon

[jvision]

Gloss may be a good choice for your foreground, but there are a lot of good foreground plants to choose from. I like a few different Crypt species for midground plants - pondeterifolia is a neat one with pink underleaf. A lot of people use stem plants for the background, but you may get tired of trimming. I like Crypt. balansae. There are so many different plants to choose from, tho - you do have your work cut out for you!

Have plants, have fun!

[werner]

Sorry, but we can't really tell you that certain plants are "right" since tank specs and personal preference vary so much. Sometimes you just have to get them in the tank and see how they grow to determine if they're appropriate for your setup and your artistic vision.

What i imagine is... a very natural yet diverse jungle of plants.

Don't make it too diverse. A 50 gal isn't huge so too many species will just look like a mess. Think of it like fish- a large school of one species looks better than 2 of this and 3 of that. Likewise, an aquascape looks more cohesive with larger groups of plants next to their own kind (as if they grew together and spread over an area naturally.) Of course there are some plants (like rosette plants) that are attractive as a solitary centerpiece.

And i imagine the aquascape starting relatively low (foreground) at the opposite front corner of the driftwood and then getting taller working our way to the opposite back corner.

There are a couple ways to achieve this. One is by using species that naturally grow to different heights. Another is by careful pruning to get a tiered effect (see examples of Dutch style aquascapes.) Of course, you can combine the two.

I dont think i want a rock/glosso tank. I think that would get old pretty quick and i don't even think they are very creative(IMO).

Choose plants that have different textures. Contrasts in leaf shape, leaf size, and color will make your tank much less boring.

One of my favorite places for aquascaping inspiration is the AGA Aquascaping Contest. Have a look through the entries and see what catches your eye. Most contributors list their tank specs and plant species, and some even provide a planting layout.

Aquariumplants.com does have a custom aquascaping service. For a small fee (plus the cost of the plants) they'll plan your layout for you.

If you're like me, your aquascape won't be a static thing and you'll be trying new plants and rearranging old ones all the time...

[devocole]

Thanks for replying. I'll check out aquarium plants for prices and packages. Also I've been leaning more toward Hemianthus callitrichoides, I like how small and comact the leaves are. But Glosso could also be a good choice as it doesn't require pruning etc. I also want to get a piece of wood with tons of character. Something very branchy. Does anyone know a place in Edmonton worth looking into. Or online suppliers.

Regards

Devon

[Vallisneria]

Best plants in edmonton is Nature's Cornerstore after they get a shipment in.

OR at the end of Oct is the Aquarium club of Edmonton's Auction. There is no cheaper place to get plants, lots and lots of plants.

[devocole]

Thanks Valerie. I will probably wait until the auction then. Do you have to be a member of something in order to go? Anyone know good driftwood links.

[Kayen]

Out of interest, what kind of ADA amazonia did you get?

And where from? BC?

[devocole]

Out of interest, what kind of ADA amazonia did you get?

And where from? BC?

I got Power sand special, and amazonia I. For a 50 gallon it was 300 bucks including shipping. That is pretty expensive compared to if we could just pick it up in the US. But in my experience ordering from the US is never cheaper once you add in shipping and customs costs. And ya its the Langley supplier. The guys name is eugene and the phone number i got off of "distributers" in the ada main website.

Devon

Edited September 16, 2008 by devocole

[Vallisneria]

Thanks Valerie. I will probably wait until the auction then. Do you have to be a member of something in order to go? Anyone know good driftwood links.

You don't need to be a member to go or buy stuff at the auction. Non-members need to pay in cash after each lot they buy. You need to be a member if you want to sell or have the ability to run a tab, and pay in one lump sum at the end.

No idea about driftwood links but AquaGiant usually have some nice pieces for fairly cheap(couple bucks a pound)

[firestorm]

I just bought some Hemianthus callitrichoides about 2 weeks ago. It is definitely a nice looking ground cover, though like any plant mine is taking a while to establish itself. They had a display tank at pisces with a bunch of it (which is what tempted me to buy some haha). They seem to do better with medium to high lights. There are also ground cover plants like dwarf hairgrass if you like the looks of it.

[devocole]

bloody hell. I have to wait 3 months to get an ADA tank from Japan. Anyways, i'll continue this thread or start a new journal once i get it.