Regular Member elinsbutterflies Posted February 4, 2016 Regular Member Share Posted February 4, 2016 So I'm thinking of doing something simple at first, I would love any suggestions/improvements/comments/ideas about this! I have a Fluval Roma 200, I really want to go for a planted look but as it's bare bottom I wanted to go for a more modern/minimalistic style. A rectangular vase that's made from glass, like below. http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00F51JEBU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=329FKDBZNYZN3&coliid=IQ117WUCUOE3C Plants- I was thinking Anubias Barteri, Vallisneria Torta, Amazon Sword, as I think these are okay options for goldfish? Maybe something tall for along the back..Not entirely sure. Substrate- I don't know whether I'll get away with having black glass pebbles in there to tie some plants too so they can grow roots down through the gaps, or would it be better to have layer of peat/something at the bottom? But then I don't know if it would be better to just use fewer but slightly bigger rocks (I have the white ivory fluval pebbles)... I honestly don't know much about how that side of things work so input would be appreciated!! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member jenzaar Posted February 5, 2016 Regular Member Share Posted February 5, 2016 You can absolutely use planters like that, and keep the rest barebottom! It may get a little messy, but it's not that much of a pain to clean. Look through the planted tanks section, see what you like and what you don't like, and experiment from there! It's all trial and error (well mostly haha, depending on how much research and preparation you want to do haha - for me it's trial and error ). I tend to buy what looks pretty, see how it goes, and sometimes I get lucky. These pictures are from a while ago, but I did have success with glass planters. I used Miracle Grow organic potting soil, which was covered with a layer of pebbles. Crinium calimistratum (the skinny crinkly plant) is really awesome and low maintenance. The fat crinkly one is aponogeton boivanius. I loooooveeeeee that plant, and it grows like crazy! but in my experience it needed more space than it had crammed in with the others. This is some kind of sword. Generally they require root tabs and tend to grow a lot. This never got much bigger haha, but it lasted a while for me. I actually posted this one so you can see in the back an anubias stuck to a glass rock. That has been one of my favorite ways of keeping anubias! rock and super glue, simple and pretty Here's a full tank shot, it's messy but you can see just how much planted stuff you can cram in a tank that's still barebottom 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member DawnMichele Posted February 5, 2016 Regular Member Share Posted February 5, 2016 You can absolutely use planters like that, and keep the rest barebottom! It may get a little messy, but it's not that much of a pain to clean. Look through the planted tanks section, see what you like and what you don't like, and experiment from there! It's all trial and error (well mostly haha, depending on how much research and preparation you want to do haha - for me it's trial and error ). I tend to buy what looks pretty, see how it goes, and sometimes I get lucky. These pictures are from a while ago, but I did have success with glass planters. I used Miracle Grow organic potting soil, which was covered with a layer of pebbles. Crinium calimistratum (the skinny crinkly plant) is really awesome and low maintenance. The fat crinkly one is aponogeton boivanius. I loooooveeeeee that plant, and it grows like crazy! but in my experience it needed more space than it had crammed in with the others. This is some kind of sword. Generally they require root tabs and tend to grow a lot. This never got much bigger haha, but it lasted a while for me. I actually posted this one so you can see in the back an anubias stuck to a glass rock. That has been one of my favorite ways of keeping anubias! rock and super glue, simple and pretty Here's a full tank shot, it's messy but you can see just how much planted stuff you can cram in a tank that's still barebottom They look great!!!!!! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member elinsbutterflies Posted February 5, 2016 Author Regular Member Share Posted February 5, 2016 Wow yeh they do look great!! I love that crinkly plant I might try and find some here. I guess I'll buy the vase and just wing it, I'm sure it won't turn out that bad Did you find they rooted okay through the stones etc? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member jenzaar Posted February 5, 2016 Regular Member Share Posted February 5, 2016 Wow yeh they do look great!! I love that crinkly plant I might try and find some here. I guess I'll buy the vase and just wing it, I'm sure it won't turn out that bad Did you find they rooted okay through the stones etc? Oh yeah they all grew their roots! The stones were on top so they didn't have much blocking them, if that's what you mean. Unless you were talking about the one glued to the rock? Try out the crinkly ones! You won't be disappointed - the aponogeton grows like crazy, while the crinium is slower but I think less picky. Can't go wrong with either. I will say they can be hard to find, no idea what variety is available where you are - ask around and look online if your stores don't carry them. As for the anubias, nothing is easier than that, so just pick out whichever type you like the most! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Hidr Posted February 6, 2016 Regular Member Share Posted February 6, 2016 (edited) Mine has soil with gravel on top then some large rocks. It still didn't stop the goldfish from getting some of the gravel on the bottom of the tank. Mostly drop in bulbs a couple crypts and anibius. Never can remember how to spell that word. They are attached to rocks. I use a cheep garden planter. Cause the last time I tried glass it broke from all the weight. Edited February 6, 2016 by Hidr 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Daniel Posted February 6, 2016 Regular Member Share Posted February 6, 2016 I'd have a layer of dirt (or sand with root tabs) below the rocks. This way you would plant into the dirt and then fill in the the top of the sediment with your rocks—just like mulching a garden. The vallisneria and amazon swords will get quite tall if you allow them. You could also look at a type of nymphaea lotus, crypt balansae, cyperus helferi, etc. for other tall plants. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Hidr Posted February 6, 2016 Regular Member Share Posted February 6, 2016 Oh ya and bamboo. Mine are not in any substrate. Just make sure you get ones that are tall enough that the leaves are above the water line. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member elinsbutterflies Posted February 6, 2016 Author Regular Member Share Posted February 6, 2016 Mine has soil with gravel on top then some large rocks. It still didn't stop the goldfish from getting some of the gravel on the bottom of the tank. Mostly drop in bulbs a couple crypts and anibius. Never can remember how to spell that word. They are attached to rocks. I use a cheep garden planter. Cause the last time I tried glass it broke from all the weight. That's lovely Hidr! Getting more and more ideas every day, my tank will end up looking like a jungle Yeh I think it would be best to have something under the rocks, well thank you for your suggestions. I'm hoping this vase is going to be thick enough but now you've mentioned it I'll test it first to make sure 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member elinsbutterflies Posted February 6, 2016 Author Regular Member Share Posted February 6, 2016 I'd have a layer of dirt (or sand with root tabs) below the rocks. This way you would plant into the dirt and then fill in the the top of the sediment with your rocks—just like mulching a garden. The vallisneria and amazon swords will get quite tall if you allow them. You could also look at a type of nymphaea lotus, crypt balansae, cyperus helferi, etc. for other tall plants. Thank you for the plant ideas I'll have a look online at them, with the space I have within the vase I still wanted to make a foreground, mid ground and background look so I need to have a good think about what will be best Hopefully I'm going on a big shop in the next few days to pick it all up. I'm excited as you can tell I've never planted before so fingers crossed 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member LisaCGold Posted February 6, 2016 Regular Member Share Posted February 6, 2016 The vase is beautiful! I think I may try something like this with a Crinum calamistratum. I think that plant is so cool and it is goldfish proof (I think with my goldfish at least). I just hope my bn pleco can eat any diatoms that grow on the crinum. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member elinsbutterflies Posted February 6, 2016 Author Regular Member Share Posted February 6, 2016 The vase is beautiful! I think I may try something like this with a Crinum calamistratum. I think that plant is so cool and it is goldfish proof (I think with my goldfish at least). I just hope my bn pleco can eat any diatoms that grow on the crinum. I love it Definitely, I'm sure it'll look amazing if you do then post some pics! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Daniel Posted February 7, 2016 Regular Member Share Posted February 7, 2016 The vase is beautiful! I think I may try something like this with a Crinum calamistratum. I think that plant is so cool and it is goldfish proof (I think with my goldfish at least). I just hope my bn pleco can eat any diatoms that grow on the crinum. Expensive too. They run a few hundred dollars here. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member LisaCGold Posted February 7, 2016 Regular Member Share Posted February 7, 2016 The vase is beautiful! I think I may try something like this with a Crinum calamistratum. I think that plant is so cool and it is goldfish proof (I think with my goldfish at least). I just hope my bn pleco can eat any diatoms that grow on the crinum. Expensive too. They run a few hundred dollars here. Yikes!! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member elinsbutterflies Posted February 13, 2016 Author Regular Member Share Posted February 13, 2016 The vase is beautiful! I think I may try something like this with a Crinum calamistratum. I think that plant is so cool and it is goldfish proof (I think with my goldfish at least). I just hope my bn pleco can eat any diatoms that grow on the crinum. Expensive too. They run a few hundred dollars here. Wow really?! A few hundred for the vase? The most expensive ones I've seen online in the UK are about £15 which is like $22! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Daniel Posted February 14, 2016 Regular Member Share Posted February 14, 2016 Wow really?! A few hundred for the vase? The most expensive ones I've seen online in the UK are about £15 which is like $22! No, the crinum. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member elinsbutterflies Posted February 14, 2016 Author Regular Member Share Posted February 14, 2016 Wow really?! A few hundred for the vase? The most expensive ones I've seen online in the UK are about £15 which is like $22! No, the crinum. OH That's even more wow as I didn't assume the plant would cost that much...haha I'll leave now 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Daniel Posted February 14, 2016 Regular Member Share Posted February 14, 2016 OH That's even more wow as I didn't assume the plant would cost that much...haha I'll leave now Certain aquatic plants can be worth hundreds (or thousands) of dollars. Usually it has to do with their rarity in said country or their ease/speed of propagation. What's costly here in Australia isn't necessarily the case in the US or Europe and vice versa. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member elinsbutterflies Posted February 14, 2016 Author Regular Member Share Posted February 14, 2016 OH That's even more wow as I didn't assume the plant would cost that much...haha I'll leave now Certain aquatic plants can be worth hundreds (or thousands) of dollars. Usually it has to do with their rarity in said country or their ease/speed of propagation. What's costly here in Australia isn't necessarily the case in the US or Europe and vice versa. Yes very true, after having a quick look it does seem like I would be able to purchase some for a decent price. Are there any other types that are similar? As it's quite a unique looking plant to me but then I know nothing about plants 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Daniel Posted February 14, 2016 Regular Member Share Posted February 14, 2016 Not that I know of. There are other types of crinum, but the crinkly leaf shape and wild growth is pretty unique to those plants. Other tall grass/rush like plants exist, but nothing like a crinum sp. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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