6ft Monster Fish Aquascape

[Johnenrui]

Been a while since I posted in this forum, the last time I posted was my 4ft aquascape.

Here are some photos of the 4ft before I made a switch in project/interest to monsters fishes.






a 4ft wouldnt be sufficient to keep monster fishes and so I decommed the 4ft and sold it. I acquired a monster of a tank, 6ft (this size while uncommon in the aquascaping world, but actually common among monster fish keepers).
However I've always loved and scaping and plants and wondered if I could actually do both! You know, keeping monster fishes while having hardscape and plants in the tank too. SO.. this is my infant attempt at this. I have opted for low maintenance plants and focused on wood arrangement. Let me know what you think!









livestock:
1 silver arowana (almost 2 ft)
3 Bichirs (15,12,12 inches)

5 Pacus
1 gar (16 inches)

[Ingen]

Looking good, any hardscape that you can use to cover the power head on the left?

[Johnenrui]

Haha... the photos looked better on my phone but looks blurry when I clicked them on my mac :X

yeah the powerhead and the overflow pipe on the right too ... I cant find any good hardscape that will fit and are big enough to cover them yet sighs.

[Johnenrui]

Trying a new photo uploading service...

[happydanio123]

Looking good! The photos are much better! What I like about your tank is that there is a little "island" of plants in the middle of the tank. The colour of the light makes the tank look even better!

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[Johnenrui]

Thanks bro!! Hehe yes inspired by the island themed aquascapes on this forum! Actually.. The light is white haha..! I think tannins leaking from the new wood or the substrate is a tad yellow!


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[Urban Aquaria]

Looks nice! Good choice of hardy plants and the yellowish tint in the water does help to create an amazon biotope style environment.

I wish i had the space to keep a 6ft tank too... monster fishes with plants is a great combination.

[Johnenrui]

Thank you UA! Haha learnt a lot from you in my previous project haha...
Yes i can only get hardy plants like fern now cos my light isn't that strong! Will be insanely expensive to get good lighting cos the tank is 2.5ft tall


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[Johnenrui]

i have no idea how to embed a video hahaha

[azman_haron]

Really nice!!

Will this work with a 5 X 2.5 X 1.5? I have an empty one sitting in my room, and to set up another planted tank is way beyond my financial means!!

5 ft.jpg

But something similar to yours may be possible since no chiller, expensive lights or ADA soil is needed!!

[Johnenrui]

Really nice!!

Will this work with a 5 X 2.5 X 1.5? I have an empty one sitting in my room, and to set up another planted tank is way beyond my financial means!!

5 ft.jpg

But something similar to yours may be possible since no chiller, expensive lights or ADA soil is needed!!

Haha... You have a 5ft just lying around?? Honestly the 6ft is abit too all and big for my to handle. I would have preferred a smaller 5ft.

Yes you could do a low tech set up like mine (: it is very simple and the plants are very hardy. I think for a low tech tank, play on the hardscape. Source for good wood and stones. Then the plants can be the fill ins.
Choose plants that do not necessarily be planted into soil. My ferns and nana (before they were chewed by the pacus) were all tied to wood and stones. You could even try your hand at moss.

What is your filtration system like? Sump overflow?

For a low profile 5ft, I'm not too sure what your budget is, but you could even try stingrays, bichirs...


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[azman_haron]

Haha... You have a 5ft just lying around??

Lol....yup. Given to me, brand new, never used!!! 12mm crystal glass, too!!

What is your filtration system like? Sump overflow?

It has to be a canister filter for this tank. I am thinking of getting two canister filters, for safety should one of them break down, as well as for better water circulation

I will also probably just move all my plants and driftwood from my 4 ft tank into it. That will save me a few dollars!!

[Johnenrui]

Lol....yup. Given to me, brand new, never used!!! 12mm crystal glass, too!!



It has to be a canister filter for this tank. I am thinking of getting two canister filters, for safety should one of them break down, as well as for better water circulation

I will also probably just move all my plants and driftwood from my 4 ft tank into it. That will save me a few dollars!!

Sorry I missed your reply!!!

Wow my 6ft was given to me too but yours is BRAND NEW?? Wow!!

Yeah fluval should work for you.. Maybe even one is enough...! I heard super good reviews on its efficiency and reliability.

Hahaha if you are thinking of getting into monster fish.. I'm trying to sell off my gar and pacus...


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[Johnenrui]

Progression of my tank..











Not yet completed.. Need. More. Plants.

Some closeup shots:








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[AQMS]

Sweet!!!!
Now i want a BIG tank... damn!!!

[Shrimplicity]

Amazing aqua scape! Have you considered maybe adding moss to your tank?

[Johnenrui]

Amazing aqua scape! Have you considered maybe adding moss to your tank?

Haha 15min ago I was at c328 deciding if I should get some moss.
I had some terrible experience with moss getting very messy and all. Have not experienced any success w them probably because I don't have a chiller...!

Thanks Anw... I'm getting more stem, tall plants to cover the background "holes" connecting the 3 islands.

Bought MC tied to a rock... Will add in tonight.. I'm not sure how it would grow but I do hope it propagates.

I'm trying to avoid big plants even though it is a big tank in order to impress on the scale haha..
Am cultivating some red lotus in my 2ft as a grow out tank before I transfer them over


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[Johnenrui]

Sweet!!!!
Now i want a BIG tank... damn!!!

It has always been my dream to aquascape a big tank haha... But bro seriously no joke... I used a ladder and barely can reach to the base.


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[Johnenrui]

Update:




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[azman_haron]

It's great to be able to move things around just to get the perfect scape. I have gone through 4-5 major changes in my own 4 ft tank. That's the advantage of having plants mostly tied to wood and rocks!!!

The driftwood on the right frames the plants in the background very nicely in the last picture. It gives the illusion of depth.

The driftwood on the left however cuts in front of the plants and doesn't complement the right side. But this is an easy correction to make...just rotate the wood such that the longest branch doesn't do that!!

The more I follow this post, the more I am tempted to set up my 5 ft tank similarly to yours!!!! Are the fishes in there low maintenance, in terms of time and money?