[Tex Guy]

I have had this ADA 60-F tank (24in X 12in X 7in) sitting around for a few months now waiting for my muse to strike me with a thunderbolt. I set it up last weekend and have gotten some interim filtration and lighting going. I think I am headed for a couple of small gourami's as the fauna stars. That sends me down the path of a little HOB filter. The dying plant in the central depression is the unknown thing we collected on our recent vacation. Apparently it is not aquatic after all.

I am open to some suggestions for planting that area. It will be the visual focal point of the flora, so it needs to be right.

You can't really see it yet, but surrounding the stump are several Anubias nana "gold". On the rock is Anubias nana "petite". And Eleocharis belem as a carpet. There are a couple of stands of Poaceae sp "Purple Bamboo" in the back, as well.

Suggestions appreciated.


_IGP1594 by Bill, just Bill, on Flickr


_IGP1590 by Bill, just Bill, on Flickr


_IGP1589 by Bill, just Bill, on Flickr

 

[spypet]

I would keep the waterline about the halfway mark,
let some plants grow above water, and host crabs
and/or salamanders. the point is such a short tank,
needs a design that makes it interesting while seen
from above.

 

[Tex Gal]

I like this angle best. The black rock is temporarily holding down a root of the trunk. He's waiting for clear lilly pipes and a small filter.

 

[alta678]

What about dwarf shrimp?

 

[MacFan]

I've always been intrigued by the idea of having a low tank like that... of course then I'd be tempted to do one of those inverted tanks in it so the fish could swim up above the water level...

 

[marcio]

Cool. Thanks for sharing! So much easier to handle than my 28'' tall + a huge canopy that I cannot remove without help...

 

[ddavila06]

I like this angle best. The black rock is temporarily holding down a root of the trunk. He's waiting for clear lilly pipes and a small filter.

it looks really nice as it is! very natural...how about something tall for the back?

 

[Michael]

Cool! I visualize a nice bog plant, rooted in the substrate and sending foliage up well over the rim of the tank. Maybe saggitaria, or a dwarf cyperus?

 

[walterk]

Where do you keep the water line on your tank? 1", 2"?

Also, could you tell me about the lighting?

Thanks.

 

[Tex Guy]

I keep it at 1/2".

The lighting situation is kind of a frustration. What you see is a clip on 18" power compact fixture. I'm frustrated with it because it is 18inches, while my tank is 24 inches. Also, the clips extend up and down, but I can't get sufficient height to get above that driftwood.

So if anybody knows of a 24 inch fixture that might work, I would be interested.

 

[Tex Gal]

Tank update. This continues to be a favorite tank! It requires very little maintenance. We had a little crypt just appear in the foreground so we let it grow.