New Tank - ~45g
- Thread starter Kalavek
- Start date
Wait - are you saying I have the decorative tastes of the four year old?
Why does everyone keep saying that!?
The fact of the matter is I bought that thing just to have something to put in the tank - I hated everything else on the shelf that day. I'm starting to want some more realistic decorations and get away from anything cartoonish or plastic. Y'know, more of a landscape. This black gravel is ten times better than the blue flaky stuff, and is probably the only thing that will be permanent. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to plant this tank eventually to get the effect I'm looking for.
PS - I have no taste, ask anyone I know - style baffles me.
Why does everyone keep saying that!?
The fact of the matter is I bought that thing just to have something to put in the tank - I hated everything else on the shelf that day. I'm starting to want some more realistic decorations and get away from anything cartoonish or plastic. Y'know, more of a landscape. This black gravel is ten times better than the blue flaky stuff, and is probably the only thing that will be permanent. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to plant this tank eventually to get the effect I'm looking for.
PS - I have no taste, ask anyone I know - style baffles me.
Hah, the pink thing? I think it is supposed to look like brain coral or something. I was hoping the rough ridges would let some algae collect for the pleco to munch on without eliminating it, but so far no luck.
Hm, "natural" isn't exactly my target... I saw a pic that might help define what I'm trying to do... yes, here it is, see below.
Now, granted this is probably a much, much larger tank than mine... the point is that it has a landscape quality to it, rather than looking like a small section of riverbed.
Hm, "natural" isn't exactly my target... I saw a pic that might help define what I'm trying to do... yes, here it is, see below.
Now, granted this is probably a much, much larger tank than mine... the point is that it has a landscape quality to it, rather than looking like a small section of riverbed.
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I like the pic that you're going for. It's very nice. I was laughing about you saying you don't have any taste, because my tank is decorated in glass bottles. I'm sure some people wouldn't like it, and I probably won't forever, but I'm really happy with it for now. So, ultimately, it's up to you. (Brian, I know you weren't harassing him, just commenting on personal tastes, I just wanted to provide some encouragement for those of us with "different" tastes. Haha.)
There's absolutely nothing wrong with beer bottles for tank decor.... but is that tinfoil behind the tank? You should upgrade to a sheet of brushed aluminum or diamondplate!
Joking aside, That pic is one of several that are inspiring me right now - all of them very bright, very green, and given loads of attention. It will take me a good amount of time to work out how to make something like that survive, let alone flourish. I don't know a thing about keeping plants healthy, aside from lots of light and CO2 injection.
I'd like to add some real rocks to the tank next - I just need to figure out which ones are safe.
On the topic of weight - I don't have styrofoam or anything underneath this tank for additional support. The airspaces underneath measure roughly 22 inches by 12 inches, and the bottom glass is 1/4" tempered from the looks of it. I'm not going to be putting boulders in there or anything, but I'm wondering at what point I should worry about overloading the bottom glass?
I'm keeping in mind the whole water-displacement-slash-weight factor, so I'm betting adding a small pile of rock isn't going to add too much weight.
Joking aside, That pic is one of several that are inspiring me right now - all of them very bright, very green, and given loads of attention. It will take me a good amount of time to work out how to make something like that survive, let alone flourish. I don't know a thing about keeping plants healthy, aside from lots of light and CO2 injection.
I'd like to add some real rocks to the tank next - I just need to figure out which ones are safe.
On the topic of weight - I don't have styrofoam or anything underneath this tank for additional support. The airspaces underneath measure roughly 22 inches by 12 inches, and the bottom glass is 1/4" tempered from the looks of it. I'm not going to be putting boulders in there or anything, but I'm wondering at what point I should worry about overloading the bottom glass?
I'm keeping in mind the whole water-displacement-slash-weight factor, so I'm betting adding a small pile of rock isn't going to add too much weight.
Bump for unanswered questions in my post above....
At what tank size should styrofoam be used as a support under the tank?
What kind of paint can be used on tank decor? I pulled out that pink thing, and I wonder what my options are for changing the color. Bleach wouldn't turn it white, would it?
Also, I picked up another piece of wood the other day and added it to the tank. I think it was a step in the right direction.
At what tank size should styrofoam be used as a support under the tank?
What kind of paint can be used on tank decor? I pulled out that pink thing, and I wonder what my options are for changing the color. Bleach wouldn't turn it white, would it?
Also, I picked up another piece of wood the other day and added it to the tank. I think it was a step in the right direction.
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I've always used styrofoam under my tanks whatever the size, just to be on the safe side. A 20 gallon I had even had its own weight-bearing plastic thingy (for lack of good english today 
) and I still used styrofoam under it. I've just always gone by the assumption that the bigger the tank, the thicker the styrofoam support. Personally I would have used one straight away, I'd hate to see the bottom crack under pressure.
) and I still used styrofoam under it. I've just always gone by the assumption that the bigger the tank, the thicker the styrofoam support. Personally I would have used one straight away, I'd hate to see the bottom crack under pressure.
I really like this. I'm a huge fan of natural, planted tanks and gave up on the fake decorations earlier this year. Looking at this kinda re-inspired me to do another tank that I thought about earlier, but didn't do.
Essentially take a bunch of Roman/Greek building & statue decorations, and make it look like "Atlantis" in ruins, with plants growing everywhere all unruly.
Keep up the good work. *thumbsups
Converts Ammonia (NH4) into ammonium (NH3). I believe there's some type of compound with oxygen in the Prime that takes one of the Hygrogen atoms from the ammonia and makes water. Does Prime list what chemicals are in their stuff? I need to brush up on my inorganic chemistry, I wonder if I could figure out what goes on when Prime comes in... *crazysmil
Essentially take a bunch of Roman/Greek building & statue decorations, and make it look like "Atlantis" in ruins, with plants growing everywhere all unruly.
Keep up the good work. *thumbsups
Converts Ammonia (NH4) into ammonium (NH3). I believe there's some type of compound with oxygen in the Prime that takes one of the Hygrogen atoms from the ammonia and makes water. Does Prime list what chemicals are in their stuff? I need to brush up on my inorganic chemistry, I wonder if I could figure out what goes on when Prime comes in... *crazysmil
I've been thinking about it for some time, but have so far given the manufacturers the benefit of the doubt. In a worst-case scenario it would do a lot to prevent a cracked or shattered bottom panel from becoming an all-out breach - might even give you a chance to bail a lot of the water from the tank before it drains itself completely.
I'll have to watch for an opportunity to do this, and pick up a couple 20g pails for the purpose.
Chemistry is neat. I love it. I really gotta pull out my old high school chem textbooks and brush up on it some day soon.
Artificial plants are not impossible to decorate with, but the bigger the tank the better. You want the viewing distance to be several feet instead of several inches for the best appearance. I'm probably going to add a good deal to this tank to fill it out, but I want to do it slowly so I can keep track of the pleco's performance and add cleanup crew as needed.
I'll have to watch for an opportunity to do this, and pick up a couple 20g pails for the purpose.
Chemistry is neat. I love it. I really gotta pull out my old high school chem textbooks and brush up on it some day soon.
Artificial plants are not impossible to decorate with, but the bigger the tank the better. You want the viewing distance to be several feet instead of several inches for the best appearance. I'm probably going to add a good deal to this tank to fill it out, but I want to do it slowly so I can keep track of the pleco's performance and add cleanup crew as needed.
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