# Show me your Crypt aquariums? (Or similar)



## Rosalaine (Sep 10, 2020)

I'm going to be setting up a 5 gallon aquarium for my grandmother soon, and I'm wanting to stick to something relatively low-tech. I was thinking about maybe a moss and crypt-only aquarium? Or some other type of hardy, easy plant that has a lot of varieties but keeps a pretty similar look throughout them.

Does anyone have pictures of aquariums using primarily crypts or something along those lines they could share? I've never been able to make them look good, so seeing how other people plant them may help.


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## travellife (Sep 11, 2013)

For some reason crypts really like my local water. They grow like weeds.









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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

I have a journal on this 3g bowl too. It has been going for 2 years now and a few months ago I trimmed down everything as it was getting ridiculously crowded.


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## Rosalaine (Sep 10, 2020)

Capsaicin_MFK said:


> I have a journal on this 3g bowl too. It has been going for 2 years now and a few months ago I trimmed down everything as it was getting ridiculously crowded.


I really love how full yours looks, maybe I just space mine too far apart but I always find them very lanky and horizontally spread.



travellife said:


> For some reason crypts really like my local water. They grow like weeds.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Wow! That crypt is ridiculous. Any idea what type it is? Is that one plant or a couple planted together?


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## Leeatl (Aug 8, 2015)

Here are my 2 . Other plants in there , but Crypts are the majority . Some of these are the largest I've ever grown and of course they all send runners everywhere...lol


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## Gauravbhedi (Sep 6, 2020)

I have two tanks and have three different types are crypts, they all are beautiful and growing slowly.


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

Just have to give crypts time to adapt and grow. Although I changed out the Anubias and Vals for Dwarf hairgrass, I left the crypts in place so you can see how sparse they were at the beginning.

















They got so thick that I had to cut everything away and start fresh. The bowl was like 80% crypts at one point.


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## JJ09 (Sep 11, 2014)

My 10g is mostly crypts, anubias and buces-


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## Spiritus-Ichthus (May 24, 2020)

*75 gallon*


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## Leeatl (Aug 8, 2015)

Spiritus-Ichthus said:


> https://www.plantedtank.net/forums/...=f&id=108495&title=20201023_155525_smallc.jpg


Where did you get that background ?


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## xjasminex (Jul 26, 2011)

All planted plants are crypts and then there is anubias on the wood. I think crypts look awesome with a dark background. They look mysterious to me and paired with a dark background it just sets the tone for a tank that looks like it keeps going back into the dark body of water. Looking forward to see your tank! 


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## Clappies (Dec 17, 2017)

My 65gal, the crypts are taking over on the left. Just planted emersed crypt flamigo cant wait for them to grow out submerged.









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## Rosalaine (Sep 10, 2020)

I really love all of these! Definitely going to see about doing just crypts and java moss for the new shrimp tank. I'll be dry starting my moss, so it'll be a few weeks before I need to worry about shopping for the crypts at least.


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## Karley (Jun 16, 2020)

I have nothing useful to add to this thread, but I just wanted to say that these pictures are awe inspiring! Well done, all!


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## thazt (May 25, 2018)

I have a low tech with like 5 different anubias varieties, 3 crypts and different java ferns. Never have to take care of it more or less! Maybe I can get you a picture tmrw!


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

This is relatively new to my tank and it needs to send runners and fill out, but this is crypt nurii rosen maiden. I'm in love with it. Already has one runner!










Here's some pink flamingo I've had for a while, but it melted back a bit after a rescape, however it's recovering well.














And my undulata red...a midground crypt that wound up being a background crypt.


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## Bunsen Honeydew (Feb 21, 2017)

The middle of my 210 is mostly crypts.









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## Roboto (Mar 24, 2020)

Is the water flow needed for crypts defined in cryptocurrency?


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## mooonmagic (Aug 28, 2016)

This is a crypt bowl I have had up for about two years. The species are axelrodi (in the middle) and parva (around the edges). I just thinned out the axelrodi around the rock and I'm thinking of adding some bigger plants in the back of the bowl to make it more jungle-y.


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## Jane of Upton (Apr 2, 2006)

Mooonmagic, 

I am intrigued by the light on your crypt bowl. Also, is it really a one-piece glass bowl? It looks remarkably like a terrarium I have, but the glass is removable (cloche-like). Your picture made me ponder getting some silicone out to make it aquatic. 

How many watts is the light? Just a single LED? I've seen terrariums with either a cork or ball of wood in the top, and this light, looking like that, just brings that to mind, but.... as a light! neat!


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## mooonmagic (Aug 28, 2016)

Jane of Upton said:


> Mooonmagic,
> 
> I am intrigued by the light on your crypt bowl. Also, is it really a one-piece glass bowl? It looks remarkably like a terrarium I have, but the glass is removable (cloche-like). Your picture made me ponder getting some silicone out to make it aquatic.
> 
> How many watts is the light? Just a single LED? I've seen terrariums with either a cork or ball of wood in the top, and this light, looking like that, just brings that to mind, but.... as a light! neat!


The light is super basic: it's an Ikea Jansjo. I think it's a 3W LED. I hid it behind the wooden ball closure! It makes me look more clever than I am. It's not a lot of light, but the crypts have been happy with it.

This is a one-piece glass bowl that sits inside of a wooden dish. I think it's intended to be used as a terrarium but the glass is nice and thick. I filled the bottom with ADA Amazonia, planted it, and do water changes once a month. I was keeping one cherry shrimp in there (pictured) but they got old and died, and I have yet to put anyone else in (I'm looking at plunking an amano in there because OF COURSE after years of virtually no algae of any sort, I have a little bit of hair algae growing. That's the hobby, right?). There is also one nerite that toodles around and keeps the glass clean. 

I'll try and grab a picture later today of the bowl outside of the wooden dish, so you can see what a weird and lovely shape it is.


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## Jane of Upton (Apr 2, 2006)

mooonmagic said:


> I hid it behind the wooden ball closure! It makes me look more clever than I am.


LOL, hey, who's to say that if something LOOKS clever, that it's not? Very neat!

And, you're among the few folks I've encountered (besides myself) who describes things "toodling" around. It does seem especially appropriate for snails, eh?

That is a very nice low-energy setup, and your crypts look very happy!


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## Spiritus-Ichthus (May 24, 2020)

Leeatl said:


> Where did you get that background ?


Sorry this took so long to respond but I just now saw your question, the background was custom sized to my tank and is attached by cling method and from Deep Blue Themes. Perfect for a jungle aquarium. However they have a variety of different backgrounds but are on the pricier side the larger you get.





Check Out Page - DeepBlueThemes.com


Below is your product information and a few questions. Then click the BUY NOW button to complete your purchase through PayPal.




www.deepbluethemes.com


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