Planning for 18 inch cube - welcome ideas

[vinz]

Hi all,

I bought this driftwood some years ago and custom made a tank to fit it's size. Given the shape of the wood, it is most suitable as a background, not as a tank feature.

Originally, I have intended to setup the tank as a paladurium for chinese firebelly newts, but now I'm sort in between that and a planted tank.

Need some ideas on how to layout out the tank using this drift wood. It definitely has to be background, but I hoping to use it's shape to create something interesting. I only realised the possiblity of using it upside down just before posting.

If planted tank, I'll be injecting CO2 and probably put in 2 to 3 WPG of T5. It'll have to be low maintenance in terms of plant trimming.

The tank is approximately 18 inch cube. Slightly less actually.

DW front


DW from front left


DW from front right


DW back


DW in tank

[vinz]

The wood in tank upside down. Ignore the toy.

[Wild Ginger]

Hey Vinz,

Firstly the wood looks awesome as it is. Either way upside down, both have an interesting silhouette to it. I see it as a potential paludarium centrepiece.

You could have lava rocks tied with mosses flushed against the base of that driftwood. And then smaller rocks strewn here and there randomly. In between you can plant in some tennellus, have a few sprigs vallisneria near the back.

Substrate wise, perhaps a nice beige river sand would complete in the look, if you don't prefer the ADA brown soil. It'll be somewhat part of a clear stream, a sliced corner of it.

The top part, you can adorn it with liverworts, four leaved clovers, ferns. Some terrestrial mosses here and there. You can provide spaghnum moss as a base for all these plants and just top with mosses to hide the spaghnum moss.

The filter water outlet can be placed on one of the higher branches to provide a cascading waterfall.

Fauna wise, maybe a school of Boraras with malayan shrimps, otos as ur clean up crew. Floating frogbits here and there to finish it off.

Just a spark of idea i had 5 mins back

Regards,
Phillipe.

[barmby]

Looks like a stool. This is a diffcult wood to scape. Believe me.

[seanskye]

I noticed the driftwood is quite close to the glass in some areas and from experience there will be deadspots where the algae-cleaning crew cannot reach. You might want to leave more gap with the glass otherwise u will have to keep scraping algae from those hard to reach parts.

[vinz]

Looks like a stool. This is a diffcult wood to scape. Believe me.

I hope you mean a stool for sitting.

Yes, difficult to show off in a scape. That's why I'm asking for ideas. I think I need to put an armchair in front of the tank and stare at it.

I noticed the driftwood is quite close to the glass in some areas and from experience there will be deadspots where the algae-cleaning crew cannot reach. You might want to leave more gap with the glass otherwise u will have to keep scraping algae from those hard to reach parts.

Very true. I didn't think of that. Don't think I can give much gap... the tank and wood is almost a perfect fit in terms of width.

[eddy planer]

Hi Vinz,

Is this diftwood for sale? A perfect diftwood for my 6 footer tank, :P

[juggler]

If used for planted, make sure to arrange such that light can reach the bottom.

Looks tough to me. I am always bad at driftwoods.

[tcy81]

Wondering if putting it on the side would be better ?
the curve part of the wood facing the opening of the tank.

[Shadow]

if you planning for platend aquascaping, sell away your wood and get new one.

[louislkl]

OMG ... Seems like there's no good comments regarding the wood ...
I surely assumed that Bro Vinz here custom made the tank just to fit this wood ... Really going to sound harsh to him man ...

But it really looks like a nice DW to me , maybe Bro Vinz , you might want to change your mind to treat the piece as background and use it as your center piece , maybe it will work out ? I aint a pro here , just some passing by comments ...

Good Luck yea , I guess you might need them ...

[fireblade]

looks like a good resting place for plecos!!

[StanChung]

This piece does present a challenge. The complexity and density of the wood makes it a bg piece for sure.

I'd put it in the right corner and put some bolbitis at the top to create an overhang of leaves. For the mid/base I'd put some nana petites/crypts/mosses that don't need much light. Lastly, for the foreground it could be planted or just white sand.
Great for some cories! Might be fine for some plecs. I've been keeping 3 plecs in my 5ft for some time. They're happy with lots of rock crevices to hide in.
I'd get some rocks for this purpose.

[Biotopeshop]

hi vinz,

We have not seen this type of dw shaped in this way for some time..very unique. IMO, please reveal the shape as much as possible. We would have it placed at pointing to the side. nanas tied to the points where the branches change direction, or where 2 branches meet.

Surrounded by stones and pebbles, it can look very cave-like..cheers...

[vinz]

Hi Vinz,

Is this diftwood for sale? A perfect diftwood for my 6 footer tank, :P

Nope. I've kept this piece for years due to it's uniqueness.

if you planning for platend aquascaping, sell away your wood and get new one.

...

hi vinz,

We have not seen this type of dw shaped in this way for some time..very unique. IMO, please reveal the shape as much as possible. We would have it placed at pointing to the side. nanas tied to the points where the branches change direction, or where 2 branches meet.

Surrounded by stones and pebbles, it can look very cave-like..cheers...

Sounds like Amano's advice. But noted with thanks.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm not in a rush, so I'll mull over it for now. Keep it coming if anyone has ideas.

Time to go flip through Amano's setups and also others till I see something inspirational.