# Amazing pictures of Planted Aquascapes



## GulfCoastAquarian

If any of you guys want to see some Planted Tank Aquascapes that will make you want to tear down you tank and start over again, check this out...

Aquarium Design Group Picture Gallery

Especially the LIVE PLANT AQUARIUMS section!!

It did it for me. I'm going to completely redo my aquascape.


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## Glud

When i look at those pictures of the planted tanks, i think "That the kind of tank i will like to have", and then i realize i only got 1,2 wpg  

I know that you can make a beautiful tank with low light, like the tank with vals, Crypts and java moss in the gallery, but i think that many of the beatiful plants require high light.

Gulf, good luck with your redo. Post some pics when done 

- Glud


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## Buck

Those people dont have money do they ?  

What a great link that is Sam... 
The homes and tanks showcased there are unreal !
I saw a tank in there that has large bunches of the D. diandra in the corners so now I know what its supposed to look like...I cant wait !! :hehe:


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## GulfCoastAquarian

Oh man, I could spend all day looking at those pictures. I saved every one of them and burned them to a CD to bring home to my wife (internet connection at home is VERY slow) and she flipped out. Just like you got to see your D. diandra's potential, she got to see the potential for a truly stunning planted aquascape display. Those houses are amazing.

I tell you, though, one of my favorite tanks was the tank in the office window, with no background, where they took shots of the Angelfish looking over the city skyline. That's just too cool. I've got a window overlooking a second story window in my office, maybe I'll stick a tank in the window and try to replicate the look on a somewhat smaller scale, hehe.


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## SNPiccolo5

Buck, of course they don't have money, its not like you need it for displays like that... lol! I'd like to know how much they cost.

But, one thing I noticed (mostly in lots of the tanks in the beggining) is that they don't have an enormous variety of plants. I think one of the tanks had ALL grass-like plants, but it looked wonderful! Just when I thought I had all the plants chosen for my display, out the window that plan goes, thanks GulfCoast :hehe:! Great link!

-Tim


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## m.lemay

I gotta get foreground plants, I gotta get foreground , I gotta get , I gotta.....:hehe:


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## Buck

That tank with all the grass is kool and would be so easy to do... 
As a matter of fact that tank has givin me inspiration for the 56G that I am setting up... :bounce:
Next stop...Lighting


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## SNPiccolo5

I was actually planning to use several different foreground plants for my 55, but have decided to go with just all Echinodorus tenellus, like the one tank with discus... Then all I need is some alternathera, hygrophila willow, swords, rotala macranda, moneywort etc.... 

-Tim


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## PhishNeslo

where can i find some of these grassy foreground plants? all my trials with microsordium have ended with no growth and algae covered grasses? i have the light and co2. what kind of substrate? i never tried with sand on top, only flourite before
would that be too corse for the grassy roots? will my new home depot sand be helpful?


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## GulfCoastAquarian

Most planted tank hobbyists run in to the same problem that Tropical Fish Hobbyists run into - they are unable to resist the temptation buy every species that strikes them as beautiful. Look at every beginner's Tropical Fish tank. They've got one of everything. One of this tetra, one of that, one swordtail, one angel, one clown loach, etc. and not only do these fish do poorly as single specimens, they don't look near as good as they do in large groups.

Same with plants. When I first got started in planted tanks, I bought a new plant every week. They all looked so beautiful and I wanted to try them all! Now that my tank has been running for three years, it is time to get more organized. I'm getting rid of some of the more fast-growing weeds and keeping only a smaller variety (but larger sampling) of more difficult/slow growing plants.

My favorite grass has been E. tennulus, by far. Its rapid growth and dense growth makes it one of the easiest foregrounds. I'm definitely going to try a riccia foreground soon, in a 20g long tank that I'll set up in our living room (wife has OK'd the idea!).


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## Glud

That gras-only tanks look cool. But wat plants are used? As far as i can see it is E. tenellus, but it could be Lilaeopsis brasiliensis. This is just great inspiration for how i should set up my tank when i get some more light. Gulf, thanks for posting the link.


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## Buck

The way my Riccia is growing it wont be long before it has covered the entire front of my tank... Im allready scrambling trying to keep it in an orderly fashion but it is some crazy stuff. Its like a nice pillow...Once it matures and gets its "stems" it aint bad but the new growth(and lots of it) it is so fine and delicious to my fish that they make a huge mess with it... I guess they like salad before they eat too ! 
:hehe:


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## PhishNeslo

is riccia hard to grow? i found a whole journal devoted to it:

(quote)
From the beginners to the fanatics, Riccia Fluitans is a very much sought after plant because of its sheer beauty. During photosynthesis, Riccia can sometimes produce up to thousands of fine oxygen pearls which never fail to excite the senses. Because of the beautiful effect it produces during photosynthesis, it has been appropriately named "The night of the thousand stars" of the Orient.

Riccia can be adjectives that soften your statements in planting, or make them sparkle! Their distinct forms when planted submerged and their characteristic suggest a diverse range of uses within our aquascapes; as ground cover, as specimen plants, or in association with other feature plants, they invariably have a significant impact in any underwater garden situation. Whenever Riccia Fluitans are introduced into the aquascape, they inspire a dream-like feeling of serenity. Their texture are delicate, often in contrast to other aquatic plants with which they may be associated.

In this volume, we will provide you with fascinating insights, secrets and tips to growing this unique plant, the journal will address questions that concern the successful cultivation of Riccia Fluitans and introduce you to the latest layouts that make the best use of this high light plant. Rather than going through trial and error before you get it right, the techniques revealed will probably save you a great deal of time.

this was on http://www.vectrapoint.com where they list a bunch of journals amano wrote


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## Barristan

Looking at the cichlid tanks makes me consider giving up on starting a planted tank!


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## Guttboy

But Barristan....the fun of keeping plants is half the enjoyment for me! (trimming sucks though...LOL.....)

Mike


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## Toyman321

SNPiccolo5 said:


> Buck, of course they don't have money, its not like you need it for displays like that... lol!


No... they HAD money, then they were bit by the aquarium bug


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## jread

Next time I'm in Houston, I'm stopping by that place


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## SCMurphy

They are getting paid to set those tanks up.


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## TexasState

I was at the Aquarium Design Group Showroom last week. They have lots of humongous freshwater & saltwater display tank. I think their strategy is to inject as much CO2 as possible.


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## compulsion

texasstate, its everyones mission to inject as much co2 as possible. but only how much the plants can possibly take before things start going wrong 

it takes ferts and lighting remember 


amazing tanks. its my 'mission' to get mine up to this standard of tank.


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## Celura

jread said:


> Next time I'm in Houston, I'm stopping by that place


We can do that in May.


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## nimmie

Toyman321 said:


> SNPiccolo5 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Buck, of course they don't have money, its not like you need it for displays like that... lol!
> 
> 
> 
> No... they HAD money, then they were bit by the aquarium bug
Click to expand...

lol  
Great tanks, those. Makes me feel like spending all that college money and splurging on a 150 gallon...oh geez I can't WAIT till I'm 18


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## co2

What's up with african cichlids in the same tank as characins, clown loaches, etc...??

http://www.aquariumdesigngroup.com/aquascapes/aquascapes_freshwater.htm


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## putty

co2 said:


> What's up with african cichlids in the same tank as characins, clown loaches, etc...??
> 
> http://www.aquariumdesigngroup.com/aquascapes/aquascapes_freshwater.htm


Probably what the customer asked and paid for...its an awful tank IMO.


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## csfish

That first tank with the wild mix of fish that co2 posted.... I'm sure if you look closely enough, you can see "Penn Plax" and a model number moulded into each plant...


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## Rolo

csfish said:


> That first tank with the wild mix of fish that co2 posted.... I'm sure if you look closely enough, you can see "Penn Plax" and a model number moulded into each plant...



Don't forget to check out the _LIVE_ plant category. Those tanks are awesome. http://www.aquariumdesigngroup.com/aquascapes.htm


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## Opiesilver

I just loved seeing all those tanks with Angel Fish and their natural prey, the Neon Tetra. Those fish will grow up to strong healthy fish. That is if they don't gorge themselves too much when they get bigger.


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## csfish

Beautiful tanks! That's more like it....


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## bigpow

Yepp... don't you just love it when money is not an issue.
You only have to pay someone to set you a nice planted tank, in the middle of your brand new professionally decorated living room..
Throw in a brand new wife and family, and you're all set!


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## travis

Barristan said:


> Looking at the cichlid tanks makes me consider giving up on starting a planted tank!


I've found that if you choose the right African cichlids and the right plants you can easily keep them both together. I could just be lucky too


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## wonder woman

Those tanks are truly to DIE for!
But what gets me is not that there are people who have enough money to commission the Aquarium Design Group to create a custom aquariums like that for them, but that the owners of these tanks probably have no intention to (or the know-how to) maintain these tanks themselves after they're set up. I'll bet they all pay for some aquarium maintenance company to come over 2-3 times a week even just to feed the fish! With money, you can buy everything (but the satisfaction of knowing that you designed, set up, and maintained that wonderful underwater paradise on your own!).


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## supaflyz

My cousin got his saltwater tank and freshwater tank design from them. He knows how to set it up, but they designing skills is off the chart. They did the inwall aquarium for my cousin.


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## Agrippa

Lol, thread necromancy...


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## tropicalfish

supaflyz said:


> My cousin got his saltwater tank and freshwater tank design from them. He knows how to set it up, but they designing skills is off the chart. They did the inwall aquarium for my cousin.


Please don't go grave digging.


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## JenThePlantGeek

Why not? I'd love to hear more about what the Senske's are doing, especially if supaflyz has any pictures to share!


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## supaflyz

What you mean by that tropical? I was just saying that is it somethign wrong?


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## McgJosh

Ugh, I clicked into this thread and read the first post. I was really looking forward to seeing the pictures. Then I clicked the link. 

The End


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## Wö£fëñxXx

McgJosh said:


> Ugh, I clicked into this thread and read the first post. I was really looking forward to seeing the pictures. Then I clicked the link.
> 
> The End


http://www.aquariumdesigngroup.com

http://www.adaeuro.com/gallery.asp


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## McgJosh

The first link isn't working for me but that second link is great.

Thanks


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## Nano Nano

bigpow,


> Yepp... don't you just love it when money is not an issue.


Yes

Those tanks are nice... if it's all you can afford :eek5:


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