I could really use ideas

[Whitecloud09]

So I have this 20g long, low-tech tank. But I want more out of it. I have dragon stone and spiderwood. I am a teen working for money, but I do not have anything steady rn. So I need to work with what I got, not saying buying anything is out of the question, but just implying that I cannot drop 50 for a few pounds of Elephant Stone if you read me.
Plants: Anubias nana, Windelov Java Fern, Amazon Sword, lily bulb, moss ball, val (it's struggling and hidden by rock at the moment), dwarf sag, duckweed, which I just transplanted today, actually, and that is it I think. Very simple and basic plants.

I have access to rocks from a creek, so I can go there and grab whatever the heck I want. I will also get a few more plants soon.

Any advice? I am not a fan at all of the look at this very moment.

TIA

 

[techman81]

There are a few types of rock you can get much cheaper than aquarium places sale for. Lawn and Garden stores typically have a large selection of stone and also some of the local suppliers to those stores and landscapers will sale rock directly to individuals for dirt (Ha) cheap. Usually most river cobble stone you can get at these places is inert. If using from nature around you, be sure to test it first. You can drop 1 or 2 drops of Nitrate test solution bottle #1 on the stone. If it doesn't do anything, it's inert, if it fizzes, it will raise your kh and gh. Fizzing isn't necessarily a deal breaker because Seiryu stone isn't inert and yet is one of the most popular aquascaping stones there are. It's just nice to know if your stone is inert or not.

 

[techman81]

I would have strongly advised against duckweed. It multiplies extremely quickly and you can never fully get rid of it. Sounds like you may already know that though. Sticking to lower light plants like you have will mean you can stick with cheaper lights. I would also suggest a few varieties of Cryptocoryne.

 

[*Ci*]

I like the dragon stone you already have. I would not mix types of stone - it never seems to look natural.
What about just re-arranging what you have now into an island like these:




I think your current plants would fit in with this style, and you can save your money for some additions to fill in.

 

[Pepere]

would not mix types of stone - it never seems to look natural.

It sure looks natural to my eye to see different types of stone.

Living in Maine you cant go into a lake, pond or stream and not see multiple different types of rocks.

At one time there was this really big glacier that brought all sorts of rocks down from Canada and left them here…

Honestly, seeing just one type of rock looks odd to me…

 

[Kwyet]

If it’s something like river rocks, I like seeing a variety of colors and patterns. If it’s something like Dragonstone or Seiryu stone, I prefer to stick to just the one type. One thing I heard somewhere is that you should decide whether the wood or the rock is going to be the dominant focus, rather than have them fighting for attention. Also, that looks better than what you had before, but I still think the large rock is too central. Unless you’re making an island scape, you really don’t want anything prominant to be in the center. Even in an island scape, some asymmetry is good. I really like the examples @*Ci* gave you.

 

[Whitecloud09]

There are a few types of rock you can get much cheaper than aquarium places sale for. Lawn and Garden stores typically have a large selection of stone and also some of the local suppliers to those stores and landscapers will sale rock directly to individuals for dirt (Ha) cheap. Usually most river cobble stone you can get at these places is inert. If using from nature around you, be sure to test it first. You can drop 1 or 2 drops of Nitrate test solution bottle #1 on the stone. If it doesn't do anything, it's inert, if it fizzes, it will raise your kh and gh. Fizzing isn't necessarily a deal breaker because Seiryu stone isn't inert and yet is one of the most popular aquascaping stones there are. It's just nice to know if your stone is inert or not.

Thank you. I will do those tests for the next rocks I get.

 

[Whitecloud09]

I would have strongly advised against duckweed. It multiplies extremely quickly and you can never fully get rid of it. Sounds like you may already know that though. Sticking to lower light plants like you have will mean you can stick with cheaper lights. I would also suggest a few varieties of Cryptocoryne.

Yeah, I knew what I was getting into. But thankfully, my tank conditions are just right for the duckweed to stay relatively under control, and I remove it monthly. I also got it with another plant; I did not choose to buy it. It just showed up one day, so to speak.

I like the dragon stone you already have. I would not mix types of stone - it never seems to look natural.
What about just re-arranging what you have now into an island like these:
View attachment 12693

View attachment 12694

I think your current plants would fit in with this style, and you can save your money for some additions to fill in.

Wow! Very cool. I just might do this. I have done something similar before, but changed it.

If it’s something like river rocks, I like seeing a variety of colors and patterns. If it’s something like Dragonstone or Seiryu stone, I prefer to stick to just the one type. One thing I heard somewhere is that you should decide whether the wood or the rock is going to be the dominant focus, rather than have them fighting for attention. Also, that looks better than what you had before, but I still think the large rock is too central. Unless you’re making an island scape, you really don’t want anything prominent to be in the center. Even in an island scape, some asymmetry is good. I really like the examples @*Ci* gave you.

I think so too, my 5 gallon has different varieties. Yeah I think it is better than my previous scape but still not what I am looking for.

 

[Whitecloud09]

I am going for the beach look Ci suggested. I have done something similar before but I did not like it. That is when my Val was thriving. This was over a year ago.

 

[Koan]

I am going for the beach look

Even on a beach, wave and wind pressures will orientate the larger pieces along a similar axis, creating visual movement in that direction as in Ci's examples

Might think about using some congruency with the larger rocks and wood in one general direction in the pile, and see how you like how it looks

 

[Whitecloud09]

What about the amazon sword and lilly bulb? I suppose I should make an island in the middle if I want to keep the original spots for the sword and bulb since they are rooted in deep and are thriving in those spots? @Koan Thank you!

 

[Whitecloud09]

Here it is. It is not a beach look tbh, but I fiddled with it for 30 minutes, and this is what I came up with. The hornwort is struggling but hopefully it will make a comeback. (Please excuse the water clarity, after moving stuff around the build up rose up off the ground and spread throughout the whole tank)

Open to ideas and/or suggestions, just please no starting over and moving it comments lol it took a while.

 

[Burr740]

Scoot the whole arrangement off of dead center slightly, and/or maybe angle it just a little bit. Do something so the front border isnt such a neat perfect arch, like move a rock or two to make one side heavier than the other. Its too perfectly egg-shaped and symmetrical atm. Even the two branches sticking up are symmetrical equals doing the same thing. Id change one of thems position somehow

 

[Whitecloud09]

Scoot the whole arrangement off of dead center slightly, and/or maybe angle it just a little bit. Do something so the front border isnt such a neat perfect arch, like move a rock or two to make one side heavier than the other. Its too perfectly egg-shaped atm, imho

I see. It is hard to tell from the pic above because of that cloudiness, but it is off-center to the left by an inch or so. I will move some rocks around and see what I come up with.

 

[Burr740]

I see. It is hard to tell from the pic above because of that cloudiness, but it is off-center to the left by an inch or so. I will move some rocks around and see what I come up with.

I added an edit about the branches too. My main point is its all too perfectly symmetrical atm (in pics, I can tell you actually do have it off center a bit)

 

[Whitecloud09]

I added an edit about the branches too. My main point is its all too perfectly symmetrical atm (in pics, I can tell you actually do have it off center a bit)

Agreed. Those pieces are within the structure so I had to be super careful to get them to stick up. I will put them on different angles fs. Thanks @Burr740

 

[techman81]

I know it's a far more complex setup than what you have to work with, but @Jeff Miotke has a good video on doing a triangle type scape. Pay close attention to the beginning where he is sketching out his idea for the shape of the layout. Also, if you are able to find more rock and driftwood, you have plenty of space for it in that tank. Beginner-Friendly Triangle Aquascape