# First Tank * 40B Iwagumi-ish * Plant Selection Welcome!



## Chasintrades (Oct 11, 2009)

Hi - I am about two weeks from filling this bad boy up! This is my first attempt at a planted tank and my real first educated attempt at a fish tank in general.

As of right now, I am waiting for my HC to fully cover and flatten out from it's DSM. Its been close to 7 weeks. 

The tank is a 40B - 
Tank Specs will be...
Milwaukee Pressurized CO2 (Rex Grigg Reactor) 
Medium/High Light - 5X39W T5H0 - Only 3 Bulbs Used for full coverage
ADA AS 1
Soft NYC Water
EI or Eventual PPS 

I have more Seiryu Stone to add - mostly smaller pieces to the fore and mid ground area to create depth. 

I am looking for some help in choosing 1-3 more plants for the scape. Generally I am looking for some plant selections that will soften the right side, that will create depth and accent the stone work.

Any thoughts, comments and criticism is greatly appreciated!! Feel free to draw on my photos! I am looking for some pro's to hold my hand... :hihi:

Pics 
Front








Left








Right









CRAP! How do I add pics to the actual page and not a link!! Researching that now. - Success!


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## DGF (May 4, 2010)

wow, that's a nice carpet! How long did that take to grow in?


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## TeamTeal (Mar 31, 2010)

just add the code
very simple

and wow, 7 weeks. you are very patient, and obviously it has payed off 
the carpet is very nice


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## Chasintrades (Oct 11, 2009)

At Team Teal - where do I put the code? 

Thanks to both. I have been almost too patient. My wife wants me to fill this up already!


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## TeamTeal (Mar 31, 2010)

upload the pictures to photobucket or something similar
and look for the code for the pictures you want 
and just add them in the reply OR edit your first post and add it there


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## rickztahone (Jul 20, 2009)

Wow, awesome carpet


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## FlSHRFun (Jun 26, 2010)

Beautiful HC carpet. I'm excited to see the final product!


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## Nate McFin (Mar 19, 2009)

Nice job! I love the stone work. 
I grew my HC for quite some time as well. (6-8 weekish) It really does pay off in the end and I had very little melt when I filled the tank. Post some pics once you get it filled!


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## Chasintrades (Oct 11, 2009)

Thank you all! I am also excited to add some of the smaller stones to create some more interest and depth.

Since this is my first attempt at a planted tank, I would very interested in peoples thoughts as far as accent plants to highlight and create more depth to the tank.

I keep thinking some Blyxa to accent the background stone work - but I find it be maybe a little cliche and certainly over powering. Is there something else that you could recommend that could be more interesting? Maybe eleocharis acicularis?

As far as the back ground, I love the look of combed eleocharis vivipara - but would be very interested in something that does not require hours of weekly maintenance. Any suggestions welcome!


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## defiesexistence (Sep 13, 2010)

Crazy awesome! Kudos to the emersed! Those rocks have quite a few character facets to them, and beautiful veining. For your plants: I don't know about your personal tastes, but consider a dark/medium green plant: it could add contrast to provide additional interest. It doesn't have to be a stand-out subject plant, but it might help to add some hue contrast. HC always reminds me of a deciduous forest, so maybe if you added something dark and evergreeny-like (like fissidens, perhaps, even though it's fine leaved) against or behind the right side, right outjut of the rocks for a coniferous look... Just my opinion. Then again, I'm pretty opinionated so feel free to disregard my keyboard-spew.

Also my opinion: if you didn't add a background plant, but a background (blue would look nice and compliment the black rocks well) it would be like seeing an entire incredible mountain-rangey rock formation from above, with the "sky" nice and clear. Eliminates the need to comb plants for hours.

I'll be checking this thread; seems very inspiring so far. But, this does not look like a first planted tank! Incredible...


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## littlefish (Aug 6, 2010)

wow...what a carpet, perfect.


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## alan j t (Feb 13, 2008)

ya got skillz.
nice job


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## Chasintrades (Oct 11, 2009)

Thank you all. This makes me feel great! 

I am really considering the blue background. Not sure about the idea of Fissidens. My focus is keeping everything super neat.

Any other thoughts on potential plant selections? I really feel stumped! 

PS- Where is a good place to look for a few erios?


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## Chasintrades (Oct 11, 2009)

Thank you everyone. I decided to stat an aqua journal. Your comments meant a lot! 

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/t...intradess-40b-journal-first-planted-tank.html


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## Nate McFin (Mar 19, 2009)

I went with the somewhat cliche Blyxa.I also went with the blue background. Here is a pic when I first filled the tank. I have since removed the HC as it got filled with hair algae and I just could not manually remove it without uprooting the plant. I now have a Staurogyne Repens foreground coming in. 
Anyway...just so you can see the blue background. I really like it compared to the black myself.








Posted here rather than your journal.


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## Chasintrades (Oct 11, 2009)

Hey Nate, After seeing your picture, I visited your journal. I really like the way you used the Blyxa. It has a very natural feel. I had thought it would look very manicured. I enjoyed it very much... I might become a fan.


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