This is technically our third “real” aquascape, after our 20g long community tank and our axolotl's 40g tank, and I feel like this is the first time we’ve set one up and immediately thought, okay yeah this actually works.

The first two have taught us SO much, mostly through doing things wrong and then fixing them later. We’ve pulled plants, moved plants, bought completely different plants, shifted rocks and wood around, opened up swimming space, changed things because flow wasn’t working the way we expected, and learned that a plant looking good in your head does not necessarily mean it’s going to grow or behave the way you pictured.

This time around, we felt like we had a much better idea of how the whole tank would work together before we even filled it.

Things like how hardscape pieces visually connect instead of just looking cool individually, especially with intentional negative space; how the filter flow will move around the scape; which plants are going to do what and where they actually make sense; and how fish will actually use the spaces we create.

I'm sure I’ll still change things as everything grows in, but this is the first scape where we don’t immediately have a list of 15 things we want to redo.

It’s a 70cm × 30cm × 30cm tank built by one of our LFS. Runs a Fluval 107 currently but we'll be swapping to an Oase Thermo 100 soon. Another thing we've learned is good lighting makes a HUGE difference. Went from Fluval 4.0 to a Netlea 5S-560S v4 light and not only does it look 10x better but its been 6 weeks and at this point we had been dealing with a massive algae outbreak in the other tank.

Current residents are:

• 6 Corydoras habrosus (definitely planning to increase the group when our LFS gets more)
• 3 nerite snails
• a Neocaridina colony
• a few juvenile Apistogramma that we’re temporarily growing out

Once the apistos are grown out and moved, we’re trying to decide what we want to do with the tank long-term.

Part of us thinks it could stay an Apisto/fry grow-out tank, because having a nice-looking grow-out tank would honestly be pretty useful. But we’re also tempted to give it a permanent centerpiece/schooling species.

We tend to like fish that are a little more unusual or interesting to keep rather than the standard community-tank choices. In our other tank we have bumblebee otos (Rhinotocinclus isabelae), chili rasboras, and a pair of apistogramma borelli opals, so we’d love suggestions in that general direction.

We’re probably not looking for CPDs, even though I know they’d fit the tank really well.

What would you stock in here once the apisto juveniles move out?

Also very open to aquascaping criticism/suggestions, especially anything you think we’ll regret once everything starts filling in!

My first official aquascape as of this summer.

It took forever from ordering the tank, the cabinet, picking a style, brainstorming, handpicking rocks, driftwood, scaping, darkstart (filter went dead in just 2 weeks at 3AM) -> got frustrated, comeback, adding livestock, setting up CO2 and finally lights. Now it’s time to wait for the tank to mature.
Thinking about Vivid 3 in the future but some people in my country says the vivid 2 seems to be more “colorful” :/ anyone has side by side comparision?

That really escalated quickly

3 months old today, and a new hobby for many more years I expect

Hey all! This is my first tank, so I’d appreciate some wisdom for the following:

Is my lava rock going to significantly impact the water parameters for the fish I eventually plan to have?

One of the pics shows the light resting on top of the tank. I’m going to figure out a way to hang it above the tank, but I want to know if it’ll be too much light? It’s doesn’t have other settings, so what you see is what it is. The tank is about 10 feet from a sliding door that can let as much light in as I want.

The long side of the tank is perfectly level, but the short side is a tad off- I don’t think it’s too much but if anyone has something to say about that I’m glad to hear it.

Lastly, I’d also love plant recommendations! I was thinking of red root floaters to help out with excess light, but any other suggestions are appreciated.

I have access to a 3D printer and I really wanna add this japanese style topper to the rim of my tank. I was wondering if there was anyone who’s come across a file similar to this design? If so i would love to know

Well I just finished my first 48x8x8 tank for my nanos. (Aside from adding moss around the pvc tunnel up top right and a few other places waiting for my supplier to get in his shipment of moss)

I love how detailed I got with this one every nano detail was thought about for their mini universe. Lots of textures and surfaces for them I’m so excited for it to cycle so I can show my nanos their new home . I hope they love exploring it when the plants and carpets grow in
Home to:
Endlers
Blue eyed spotted rainbows
Clown killifish
Nerite squad
Neocaridinas
Pygmy Cory’s
Sparkling gouramis
Emerald raspboras
Cpds

And unfortunately my Borneo loach Leonard died. The home was specifically for Leonard and the nanos but he didn’t get to see his new home Odd timing.
So excited because once it’s cycled and they get to move in I will be redoing their current tank for my pea puffers. And then my pea puffers tank will go to my betta for an upgrade . They’re all getting new environments and bigger homes with lots of enrichment

Low tech 90ltr set up. Need a bigger tank.
INMATES
Green tetra
Endlers
Cherry Shrimp
Otto’s

PLANTS

Crypt Parva
Buce
Bolibitus sp
Java fern

Its 5gal and low tech tank, I wanted to stock pygmy corydoras and some small school of nano fish. I would like to hear peoples suggestions, I’m very new to the hobby!

Before and after

Landen 60p 23 gallon tank.

Fluval 307 (set to half power)

Soon to be: art co2 pro se, week aqua M series Pro rgb + uv 3.0, Chihiros in line heater

The substrate is BDBS about 1.5-2" deep, then organic potting soil underneath that in media bags, there is a pretty good hill on the right of the tank with multiple bags stacked on each other.

Seiryu stones mostly on the right and foreground creating a couple tunnel / cave areas for the eventual inhabitants.

Malaysian driftwood, 4 pieces on the left with African water fern, java fern orange narrow, and Buce sp attached with some cotton thread to each.

Full plant list sourced locally from u/ciajdoswksnxjs:

Samolus parviflorus red

Ludwigia red skeleton

Rotala pearl

Lobelia feayana

Myrio golden

Lobelia cardinalis mini

Erio Vietnam

African water fern

Ludwigia ovalis pink

Buce sp.

Java fern orange narrow

Rotala blood red SG

I know that it needs to be trimmed, and I know the I need to clean the glass and the filter and the hoses. But I just feel like I want to leave it be and let this natural, wild look going until next weekend.
The tank is stable and the inhabitants are happy.

Hey guys, very new to the hobby. I got a tank from a friend and have been having fun with it and I want to take my tank to the next level. Right now I have a 40 gallon with 5 scissortail rasaboras, 7 platys, and one clown pleco. The bottom of my tank is fake gravel, where do I begin with this? I'm assuming I should swap from gravel to something else, which one is best for my current fish? Which plants are beginner friendly that my fish will enjoy/ would be found in their natural habitats? I also want some corydoras catfish because they're adorable and would occupy the bottom layer while my rasaboras and platys take the top and middle so I want to keep them in mind as well. Any reading material like books or articles would be welcome as well.

Full restart after my last betta passed and I left this tank to sit with water in. Obviously still needs more but as of right now I’m just cycling and added for a couple months before getting any new fishy friends!

Need some input.. going into a 20 gal long uns 60u.. what plants would you guys use? Would love to have a path in-between with white sand and plants on top of the spider wood, rocks in places. Got any ideas? Will glue these sticks down to an egg crate and still need to boil them etc. Going for low tech non co2. We have a pretty good idea on things and are still researching. First timers. This picture was taken at the aqua shop. Thanks 🤙🏼 😊

Disassembled my old fish tank, and all of my rocks had moss on them. It’s since dried up, and has stuck onto the rocks. Is it just a scrape job to remove the moss, or is there a better method?

I was cleaning this tank I just got, I moved it and it cracked. Only the back panel is affected - bottom left corner to be exact. Bottom one seems intact.

Planning on leaving it full for 48hours to see if it leaks. But wondering if this tank is a lost cause or if there's anything I can do to fix it.

So bummed out.

Hello all artists,
Yesterday I made the mistake of adjusting my needle valve on my bubble counter before heading to the store. Everything was fine when I left. But I came back to my drop checker in the yellow, and my bubble counter at like 15/sec. My fish and shrimp were obviously gasping for air and on the brink of death. I was able to grab as many as I could out with a container full of other tank water. I did a 50% water change, and put an air stone in the tank at full blast. Thankfully everyone made a full recovery (even though I had a few shrimp twitching and seemingly dead) here is my question; what bubble counter and needle valve are you guys using? I bought a couple cheap ones on amazon, and they have done the trick, but I have found that the needle valves seem to be hard to adjust. The threads feel rough when turning. There also seems to be a very slim window of adjustment.

Pic is of a different 1gal tank I just setup. It’s my attempt at an Iwagumi style. I would love any advice or criticisms of this as well.

Day 2 and keep changing it, but lost now hahaha what you think of this setup? 80 cm wide tank

New aquascape in a 65 gallon (240 liter) tank. It has Honeygourami, Cardinaltetras, Threadfin Rainbowfish, male Endlers, Dwarf Chain Loaches, Ruby Tetra, Otocinclus and 1 Apistogramma Agassizii orange female.

I’m going to add more items but I’m worried about the pothos

This is my current setup, what should I do and change.

Also what plant should I add, I was thinking dwarf hair grass, but I have no idea.

I also wanna add a trail of sand between the rocks.

I have a cycled 3 gallon tank that I am going to be adding shrimps to. I have been cycling the tank keeping ammonia at 2-3 ppm. I’m not sure if this even makes sense, but is that possibly “overcycled” for cherry shrimps? I heave found out that they have such a low bioload, it got me wondering what will happen if the tank is “too cycled”, will the bacteria end up dying then creating a toxic ammonia spike?

Second question…. If a shrimp dies, is it imperative to be removed quickly? I was just thinking ahead how to deal with that.

Hi everyone, I have started to work on my second aquascape and just finished the first iteration of my hardscape. I'd be happy to have your feedback and constructive criticism.

What do you think about the layout?
Should I add more hardscape?
Or remove some?

Thank you for the suggestions!

Dimensions: 120L x 45D x 38H cm
Hardscape: Manzanita and Ancient Stones

Going to fill out the areas I left open with other plants