Build Thread 22 gallon long bookshelf

[Jhardee85]

Time to start a new thread.

I’ll fill in some details later, but I’m working on the hardscape now. Any and all criticism is appreciated. The vision is nothing more, and nothing less, than something appealing to the eye.

90cm x 30cm x 30cm Lifegard Aquatics ultra clear bookshelf tank. Buce and anubias on the hardscape, stems towards the back and center, mid to front carpet with some changes in shade and texture down to a flat grade on the right side of the tank.

Lily pipe inlet and skimmer will be in the back left corner with the outflow in the front left to hopefully achieve circular flow. I’ll be running an in-line diffuser. Light will be the P600 Pro that I regrettably did not upside to 900. Oh well. I’ll mount it high and hopefully it’ll have enough spread.

I have some dragon stone and red lava rock rubble I’ll use at the base to blend into the substrate, as well as some stratum I may or may not cap with.

 

[FrankZ]

I have always liked scapes that have a large mass of wood with branches trailing out into open space. Looks like you have a good start. Can’t wait to see this come together for you

 

[Count Krunk]

I'm sure it will be great. Looks good already. Love the wood. On my build im going to try and do the stump look. Not sure how yet lol.

 

[Jhardee85]

Thank you. I’ve been searching for inspiration for months. I knew I wanted the scape to incorporate spiderwood and dragonstone but had not landed on a look. I considered the stump look as well.







I think I’m going to just start with this, add some rubble and start planting. The other tanks can’t handle much more lol.

 

[Jhardee85]

Love this Lindernia but damn it’s a straight weed.








The fish in my tank:

 

[Jhardee85]

Rough draft.

 

[Jhardee85]

So I believe this is the final form. I added another end piece of driftwood to lengthen the overall shape, and removed the accent stones at the end. I was not really happy with the stones themselves, so I’ll probably crush them up with the red lava rock I have and use it for rubble.

I had to draw a line somewhere because I could do this for months and never wind up starting the tank. Added some aquasoil, and have another bag to top it with. I have a lengthy list of plants to pull from, more than I need, so I’ll have to edit it down. A friend drew out a landscape planting layout I like. Im thinking of buying some Ammania sennegalensis as a color and texture contrast. I’ve had a miserable time growing the ‘other’ ammania, but these seem more forgiving.

Plant options:

• Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini'
• Alternanthera reineckii 'Rosanervig’
• Anubias ‘nana’
• Eleocharis acicularis 'Mini'
• Helanthium tenellum
• Bacopa monnieri
• Bacopa caroliniana
• Hygrophila difformis
• Hygrophila polysperma
• Erio ‘Vietnam’
• Limnophila hippuridoides
• Limnophila sessiliflora
• Lindernia rotundifolia
• Lindernia dubia
• Lindernia grandiflora
• Ludwigia arculata
• Ludwigia palustris 'Super Red mini’
• Ludwigia repens
• Lobelia cardinalis
• Hemianthus callitrichoides 'Cuba'
• Micranthemum tweediei 'Monte Carlo'
• Rotala rotundifolia ‘green’
• Rotala rotundifolia
• Rotala ramosior ‘Florida’
• Rotala wallichii
• Proserpinaca palustris
• Pogostemon helfeiri
• Staurogyne repens
• Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘Bronze”’
• Cryptocoryne albida
• Buce 'Wavy Green'
• Buce ‘Kapuas Brownie Ghost’
• Buce ‘Brownie’
• Bolbitis heteroclita

Layout:

 

[Jhardee85]

Many hours later……

 

[Jhardee85]

Yea that’s it for the night.

 

[Joel Armstrong]

Yea that’s it for the night.

View attachment 4373

Looks great Well done

 

[Jhardee85]

Up and running. Getting the co2 dialed in. Added the surface skimmer to help with circulation. Moved the light a little to the left so it’s off-center, but centered over the hardscape.

 

[Jhardee85]

Whelp, time for some plants.

Hygrophila polysperma
Ludwigia arculata
Ludwigia palustris super red mini
Limnophila hippuridoides
Prosperpinaca palustris
Ludwigia peploides



Rotala ramoisor Florida.



AR Rosanervig
Erio Vietnam

 

[Jhardee85]

Some wendtii bronze, samolus valerandi green (now at least) and P. helfieiri.



Various bacopa and a tiny little stem of A. pedicellata I found sprouting from the pond.





And the best part….

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

Have you used wood like this before? Be prepared for some nasty looking fungus growth. It’s easy to manage, just siphon it away. Snails will help too. I don’t recommend scrubbing it too hard because it will essentially reinvigorate the process when fresh wood surface is exposed. Be mindful of any plants around the wood as well, the fungus can and will suffocate anything nearby.

 

[Jhardee85]

Have you used wood like this before? Be prepared for some nasty looking fungus growth. It’s easy to manage, just siphon it away. Snails will help too. I don’t recommend scrubbing it too hard because it will essentially reinvigorate the process when fresh wood surface is exposed. Be mindful of any plants around the wood as well, the fungus can and will suffocate anything nearby.

Interesting. No, I’m new to this kind of hardscape. Good to know. I’ll keep an eye on it. I dumped a ton of ramshorns from the other thanks in there and they’re loving life.

 

[Count Krunk]

Looking good!

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

Excellent that should help quite a bit. It’s a brief phase so just follow those tips and you’ll make it through

 

[Jhardee85]

Day 4. Finally have some ammonia. Cranked the co2.

 

[Jhardee85]

60% water change
Kamoer F1 Bluetooth autodoser installed, and calibrated.
Dosing container installed
Cabinet organized
NilocG EI with CSM+B dry ferts ordered

Hygrophila Pinnatifida added
Rotala Vietnam H’ra added.
Pogostemon erectus added

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

I love the high end Publix container