# 75 Rimless Rescape - Large Driftwood



## helgymatt (Dec 7, 2007)

I just rescaped my tank today - I have two new pieces of driftwood to work around. I have a lot of plants from my last scape, but looking to add some new things to this tank so it doesn't end up looking the same. I would like to put some neat angels in this tank. 

I just want to get some opinion on how the wood and plants are placed. The tank consists of anubias nana, xmas moss, java fern, crypt balansae and wendtii, echinodorus tennelus, bacopa, and bolbitis fern. My intent is to leave the center area low for space for the fish. The stone on the left piece of driftwood is just temporary to weight the stump down till it sinks on its own. 

I want to grow some emersed plants on the driftwood - looking for suggestions on what to grow there. Will the anubias do ok on the wood? I'm sure they will shrivel up first and then put on new leaves, correct?


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## Plantz (Oct 1, 2010)

Hi, I am new here but i think it looks great, I am slowly setting up a 65 gallon and I am looking for a few pieces like these. Where did you get them?


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## gringostar9 (Oct 11, 2010)

Wow that looks great.


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## Xalyx (Sep 26, 2010)

Very very nice, I wish I had driftwood like that


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## jmowbray (Dec 20, 2009)

I like it, ALOT!!!


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## helgymatt (Dec 7, 2007)

wood came from here - thedriftwoodstore.com

It's nice wood for sure! Just hope it's not too big for the tank


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## helgymatt (Dec 7, 2007)

I'm trying to decide if the large piece on the right would looked better flipped. I would have to cut some of the wood to make it work I think.


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

helgymatt - 
Congrats on a job well done. Your water clarity is superb !
IMO the driftwood piece(s) on the right side are a touch "heavy-duty" - I believe your tank would be much more dramatic with a smaller, more natural-looking piece.
Just my 2 cents - Otherwise, it's going to look real great !


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## fastfreddie (Sep 10, 2008)

Looks great! I really like tanks with an open center.


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## helgymatt (Dec 7, 2007)

discuspaul said:


> helgymatt -
> Congrats on a job well done. Your water clarity is superb !
> IMO the driftwood piece(s) on the right side are a touch "heavy-duty" - I believe your tank would be much more dramatic with a smaller, more natural-looking piece.
> Just my 2 cents - Otherwise, it's going to look real great !


Good point - it is just one piece believe it or not.


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## TobasB (Aug 11, 2010)

Looks great, love the plants growing out of the water. Only thing is though, the two large pieces on the right, try moving them so the tops go towards the back of the tank not the front. Stump on the left looks brilliant though!!


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## helgymatt (Dec 7, 2007)

TobasB said:


> Looks great, love the plants growing out of the water. Only thing is though, the two large pieces on the right, try moving them so the tops go towards the back of the tank not the front. Stump on the left looks brilliant though!!


It's actually just one large piece on the right. I was able to move it around a bit so it leans back and not to the front. Much better - thanks for the tip!


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## helgymatt (Dec 7, 2007)

Any suggestions on what to plant in the middle? Something easy and not a lot of maint. I was thinking some of this from tom http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/swap-n-shop/120634-fs-starougyne-repens-lots-20-plants.html

I also was going to do pool filter sand in this tank, but changed my mind last minute. Too much work, especially if it's mostly covered up anyway. I might leave a little area in the front with some rock and I can add some sand in there mabye.


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## helgymatt (Dec 7, 2007)

I think I'll put angels in the tank.


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## globali (May 29, 2010)

Grate wood but they more
suitable for bigger tank.


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## Klivian (Jul 8, 2010)

That looks really great. Good arrangement of the driftwood and plants.

It's going to look great when the plants take off.

For some reason I agree with the suggestion to add angels or some other graceful, slow swimming fish. It seems to fit the "mood" of that tank, somehow.


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## helgymatt (Dec 7, 2007)

Over two weeks later things have started to fill in a little and I made a few changes. I added a black vinyl background. What are the opinions if it looks better than the open back? Could I have gone with a better color than Black? The anubias attached to the driftwood out of the water died and rotted - failure. I might get some floating plants or some better emersed plants to grow out of the back right corner. Any suggestions...









































I am extremely frustrated with myself over this problem - SCRATCHES! I don't know when I put these scratches in there, but it's been recently. I clean the glass with the super fine steel wool and I must have got a piece of gravel stuck in the wool and scraped it all over the tank. Is there any way to get some of these out??? The tank is only a few years old and it's right in the prime viewing spots.


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## helgymatt (Dec 7, 2007)

I'm getting 6 wild peruvian angels on Tuesday! Very excited to add these to this tank. Finally some fish for this tank!


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## helgymatt (Dec 7, 2007)

Here are the 6 Peruvian angels - sorry the vid got a little distored when convered to 4:3 format.
Awesome fish
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WHvUZhmHlA&feature=player_embedded


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## dewalltheway (Jan 19, 2005)

helgymatt said:


> Over two weeks later things have started to fill in a little and I made a few changes. I added a black vinyl background. What are the opinions if it looks better than the open back? Could I have gone with a better color than Black? The anubias attached to the driftwood out of the water died and rotted - failure. I might get some floating plants or some better emersed plants to grow out of the back right corner. Any suggestions...


Hey Matt! It seems as if everyone is going in a direction of slower growing plants and more hardscape! Man...I am away for a couple months and I missed the bandwagon! Anywho....the black looks great. One suggestion for the back right corner is to get some riparium planters and some riparium plants to grow emersed. The planters would be hidden behind your wood and I think would look great. Also...sorry to hear about your scratches. My tank was used when I got it and has a bunch of scratches all over it and there is really not much you can do about them. I researched for about 2 weeks and came up with very little. Well...your tank looks great as usual!


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## problemman (Aug 19, 2005)

this looks really nice i do like the background alot!

for emmersed plants on the right have you looked into some of the riparium fixtures?


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## helgymatt (Dec 7, 2007)

dewalltheway said:


> Hey Matt! It seems as if everyone is going in a direction of slower growing plants and more hardscape! Man...I am away for a couple months and I missed the bandwagon! Anywho....the black looks great. One suggestion for the back right corner is to get some riparium planters and some riparium plants to grow emersed. The planters would be hidden behind your wood and I think would look great. Also...sorry to hear about your scratches. My tank was used when I got it and has a bunch of scratches all over it and there is really not much you can do about them. I researched for about 2 weeks and came up with very little. Well...your tank looks great as usual!


Very ironic - I was looking at a thread today of a guy who did the riparium plants (he used shower caddy's) and I thought to myself I am going to do that. I didn't know there were specific things for ripariums - do they hang over the tank, fload, or stick with suction cups? I think I'll try a peace lily, but what are some other good plants for this purpose? 


The scratches are a huge bummer. I might try the Janvil Glass Revive product. I read one review where a guy removed deep scratches from his tank and the company rep says it works on aquarium scratches. I would probably have to tear the tank down so I'll hold of on that for a while. Should have done that when I was rescaping a few weeks ago.


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## dewalltheway (Jan 19, 2005)

helgymatt said:


> Very ironic - I was looking at a thread today of a guy who did the riparium plants (he used shower caddy's) and I thought to myself I am going to do that. I didn't know there were specific things for ripariums - do they hang over the tank, fload, or stick with suction cups? I think I'll try a peace lily, but what are some other good plants for this purpose?
> 
> 
> The scratches are a huge bummer. I might try the Janvil Glass Revive product. I read one review where a guy removed deep scratches from his tank and the company rep says it works on aquarium scratches. I would probably have to tear the tank down so I'll hold of on that for a while. Should have done that when I was rescaping a few weeks ago.


Here is a link to a riparium supply store to see the different planters and things available. I will tell you that the magnetic cups work the best and are easier to work with. You can also click on my link Restful Hidaway in my sig for my riparium I have running.

Good luck with the scratches and let me know if it works.


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## Coltonorr (Mar 12, 2008)

First I think the tank looks fantastic. You've got some awesome looking driftwood there!



helgymatt said:


> I am extremely frustrated with myself over this problem - SCRATCHES! I don't know when I put these scratches in there, but it's been recently. I clean the glass with the super fine steel wool and I must have got a piece of gravel stuck in the wool and scraped it all over the tank. Is there any way to get some of these out??? The tank is only a few years old and it's right in the prime viewing spots.


I have never heard of using steel wool. I don't know about others but I'd never use it...How bout one of those blue algae pads?


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## helgymatt (Dec 7, 2007)

Coltonorr said:


> First I think the tank looks fantastic. You've got some awesome looking driftwood there!
> 
> 
> 
> I have never heard of using steel wool. I don't know about others but I'd never use it...How bout one of those blue algae pads?


Super fine 0000 steel wool will never scratch glass - fact. 

Thanks - I'm very happy with the driftwood!


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## DMRaver (Dec 30, 2010)

*Plant from your old scape*

helgymatt,

What is the name of the plant in the right-center of your old tank? The bright reddish colored plant that is closest to the surface? I love the color and I've been on the hunt for a "mystery" plant that looks very similar. Thanks for your help!


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## problemman (Aug 19, 2005)

telanthera


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## helgymatt (Dec 7, 2007)

Here are a few update shots - I have two wild Peruvian (tank raised offspring) angels in the tank. Very beautiful fish! Their colors are amazing - photo does not do them justice. Sadly, I lost 4 of them to paint and staining fume poisoning. Here is my advice - Always vent very, very well when painting or staining or using any bad chemicals around fish tanks. Cover and seal with plastic if you can. 


I also have some riparium planters with two peace lily's growing out of the tank. I got some xmas moss to grow on the tops of the driftwood and my hydrocotyle is growing out of the tank as well. I love the look of the plants growing out of the tank. It makes it complete IMO. My rotala is not growing worth a damn. I think I'll resort to something else for that area. I think my lax fertilizing schedule and reduced lighting is what is causing that. Other plants could not be doing any better. I do 1 EI dosing only once a week anymore. Slower growth is the result and things are doing fine. But, I really don't have any demanding plants in this tank anymore either.


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## problemman (Aug 19, 2005)

Looks like a lush amazon


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## inkslinger (Dec 28, 2003)

Like to bring these old post back 
an ask about your pump and filter system helgymatt
Are you still running the OC filter system and is your temp high with the pump
how are you pumping co2 now since you had a Mazzie couple years back?


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## nonconductive (Jan 29, 2010)

awesome tank


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## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

Yeah Matt, this tank is really cool. How about an update?


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## helgymatt (Dec 7, 2007)

This wood might go up for sale......


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## green_valley (Sep 14, 2011)

WOW, impressive.


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## helgymatt (Dec 7, 2007)

green_valley said:


> WOW, impressive.


 Thanks - the tank is so overcrowded now the angles don't have much room to swim. Time for some thinning for sure!


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## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

What are you keeping for plants in here now Matt. Good to see you back this way.


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## kwheeler91 (May 26, 2009)

My friend, those are some NICE angels.


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## helgymatt (Dec 7, 2007)

Craigthor said:


> What are you keeping for plants in here now Matt. Good to see you back this way.


the plants are all still the same minus the rotala and bacopa. Not a single stem plant anymore. Too much maintenance for me anymore. Love the mosses, ferns, anubias, and other rhizhome plants! 

Oh yeah and thanks for the riparian planters! My peace lily's have gone mad growing out the top of the tank. Along with ferns and brazilian ivy. 

I'm glad to be back around - It's funny how I have 1000+ messages and then I dropped off the radar. It took me that long to get a handle on this hobby I guess!! Thank you Plantedtank! Changing my tank will get me back into it a while I hope. 

I'll post a picture later this week when I get a trim done. Let me warn you - it's a FULL tank


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## helgymatt (Dec 7, 2007)

kwheeler91 said:


> My friend, those are some NICE angels.


Thanks - they are offsping of some wild peruvians from AngelsPlus. They have some amazing colors. Sad story is that I lost 4 of them shortly after they arrived due to stupidity (staining/varnishing in the house without good ventilation). 6 angels in that tank would have made a much bigger impact. Oh well.


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## helgymatt (Dec 7, 2007)

inkslinger said:


> Like to bring these old post back
> an ask about your pump and filter system helgymatt
> Are you still running the OC filter system and is your temp high with the pump
> how are you pumping co2 now since you had a Mazzie couple years back?


It's been almost a year, but I'll answer your question (sorry). 
Still running the OC filter and panworld pump. I think the pump maybe adds a degree or two. Not much since it's not water cooled. 

CO2 is getting pumped right into the OC filter by a T fitting just before it gets there. Works very well. The mazzie was a disaster for me. Noisy and lots of distracting "mist" all over the tank. Let me know if you have anymore questions.


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