My natural style tanks and biotopes thread
- Thread starter Stanzzzz7
- Start date
I agree that the scape is as important for me as the fish. My favorite part is the actual build where you pick out wood and start planning the fish and plant livestock. Perhaps that’s why I have so many tanks now! Lol
What I like about your setups is the attention to detail you place into your fish and plant selection and how the scape resembles the organized chaos of nature. Even down to the green algae you had on your wood in the helleri biotope you had in the past.
I see an empty tank as a blank canvas with the fish and plants as my paint. That said, I have to tell you that I bow down to your skills my friend. Maybe it’s because I like anubias and java fern so much but my plants are never SA Biotope correct. Even when I plant heavily with SA plants, I don’t coordinate by region or actual biotope. I think that’s what I love the most about your setups. True biotope in every sense of the word. My tanks are simply....”natural”.
Can’t wait to see your vivarium. Dendroboard is the forum I used to learn and study for my current build. Those guys have amazing setups with beautiful orchids, bromeliads, and dart frogs. I absolutely love them. Please post your build when you get started.
The helleri a gave to a friend of mine, I've not spoken to him In ages, I presume he still has them. I've always kind of regretted letting them go to be honest. I loved those fish. Moment of madness I guess.
I wondered where you had gone.
Have you made your mind up about what to put in the 180? Ate you still thinking about them frankenstien big bobble head mash ups. Lol.
Rob, I consider you a master aquascape so any compliment from you is a compliment indeed, so thank you sir.
I've spent lots of time on the dendraboard and other frog sites. What some of those guys build is unreal. I've got to have a little dive into that world for a bit.
I'm looking forward to the challenge of trying something a little different. Don't know when I will get it started but I can't wait.
I'm going to try the moss in a blender method as I want moss to be the most abundant plant. It will be interesting to see how yours gets on.
The helleri were truly beautiful. But I understand, you achieved what you wanted with the tank, and nothing lasts forever. There are always other fish. I'm very interested in seeing what you come up with next.
I am still considering a FH ... I used to think all hybrids were abominations, but seeing some really nice ones changed my mind. I want to do something bigger and more aggressive than I've ever kept. Still thinking about trying to make a group of male CA cichlids work. I'd be happy if I could end up with ~3 that would cohabitate in a reasonably peaceful manner. I could also end up with a single species tank or even a single male fish or pair. I'll start a thread on the tank soon.
After reading this post I’m still in shock. The scapes look amazing! I always had the idea that driftwood had to be bought so to avoid paying 50-100 dollars for a branch I avoided it. I live in the woods and there is literally old dried wood all around me. I’m in the process of switching back to a South American theme tank after years of keeping lake Victoria cichlids. I saw a nice rivulatus at a store a few months back and I just couldn’t help but want to get back into the fish that started my love for cichlids. Maybe I’ll do a build post on the progress of my 8 f2 rivulatus that should be here the end of next week. I’m gonna redo my 110 5’ tank this weekend and try some of the wood and leaf ideas I’ve read.
Enjoy collecting.
Incase your not aware, avoid soft woods like pines for example. They are very sappy and will quickly rot down.
Try and stick with hardwoods like oak, beech and fruit trees like apple.
For leaves use magnolia oak, beech, silver birch or hawthorn. There are many more you could use but those are the o es that seem to last the best.
Incase your not aware, avoid soft woods like pines for example. They are very sappy and will quickly rot down.
Try and stick with hardwoods like oak, beech and fruit trees like apple.
For leaves use magnolia oak, beech, silver birch or hawthorn. There are many more you could use but those are the o es that seem to last the best.
Whatever floats your boat mate.
Just thought I would add the most peaceful large Central american I have kept is petenia splendidia, the bay snook.
Maybe you could build around one of those. May need a bigger tank a couple of years down the road though.
Incredible displays Stanz, thanks for starting this thread. Truly inspirational.
