Advice please.

[dan518]

Tank is 215 gal, 76L/28W/24H inch.
Live stock is.
7 Guianacara owroewefi.
15 Pristella maxillaris.
5 Corydoras aeneus.
Plants.
10 sagittarius subulata
15 eloda densa
3 Echinodorus Martii
I am going to at least double the amount of maxillaris, the parts I am unsure about are do I add more guianacara, or add some apistogramma steindachneri or nannacara anomala,
krobia spp if I could find any, Aequidens pair or just leave the cichlid stock as is.
Any other suggestion on stock, both fish and plants, any recommendations for improving the scape?

 

[kno4te]

Move the fern or anacahris (can’t tell) to behind the pile of rocks. I’d suggest some valisenera from behind the driftwood. Once it grows over it’ll cast a nice canopy and disturbance of the light. Tiger lotus (big if able) at the base of the driftwood. Some anubias in between the pile of rocks.

Would add the Apistogramma. Maybe agassizi. Think it’ll add some good color.

 

[dan518]

Move the fern or anacahris (can’t tell) to behind the pile of rocks. I’d suggest some valisenera from behind the driftwood. Once it grows over it’ll cast a nice canopy and disturbance of the light. Tiger lotus (big if able) at the base of the driftwood. Some anubias in between the pile of rocks.

Would add the Apistogramma. Maybe agassizi. Think it’ll add some good color.

Thanks, really like the idea of the tiger lotus, and agree apistogramma spp would add a good splash of colour.

 

[BIG-G]

I don't have any advice, but I would like to pay a compliment.
I really like the natural feeling this scape has with all the tangles of wood and rock piles.
The fish seem so at home and at ease.
Good job.
I agree a little splash of color will look nice.

 

[dan518]

I don't have any advice, but I would like to pay a compliment.
I really like the natural feeling this scape has with all the tangles of wood and rock piles.
The fish seem so at home and at ease.
Good job.
I agree a little splash of color will look nice.

Thanks mate, nice of you to say.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

Personally, I would not add any more plants. Your eloda should grow like wildfire soon.
You could literally carpet the back and the surface with it when it takes off. Use twigs and branches to wrap it round so it grows thick where you need it.
What I would add though is some decent piles of leaf litter. You will see a lot more of your apistogramma if you do. It will also enhance the natural look a lot. I would also perhaps scatter a few more twigs about the substrate.
I think a trio of apistogramma would be a nice addition.
I think the first thing I would do is bulk up on the tetras. A big shoal of tetras can really set a tank off. You may even start to enjoy them more than the cichlids.
Must say though Dan, I think the tank looks really good as it is and with time it will look better and better.

 

[dan518]

Personally, I would not add any more plants. Your eloda should grow like wildfire soon.
You could literally carpet the back and the surface with it when it takes off. Use twigs and branches to wrap it round so it grows thick where you need it.
What I would add though is some decent piles of leaf litter. You will see a lot more of your apistogramma if you do. It will also enhance the natural look a lot. I would also perhaps scatter a few more twigs about the substrate.
I think a trio of apistogramma would be a nice addition.
I think the first thing I would do is bulk up on the tetras. A big shoal of tetras can really set a tank off. You may even start to enjoy them more than the cichlids.
Must say though Dan, I think the tank looks really good as it is and with time it will look better and better.

Thanks, always get a little lost when it comes to plants, already enjoying the tetra. Added some more leaves today, could do with a few more though.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

Thanks, always get a little lost when it comes to plants, already enjoying the tetra. Added some more leaves today, could do with a few more though.

I liked kno4te plant suggestions, I have vallis and nymphia red lotus in my tank at the moment, both easy and fast growing plants.
I think if your going for a very natural feel to the tank, fewer plant species grown in abundance looks much more natural than an assortment of plants. It creates a more ongoing theme.
You can create some really nice effects with plants like eloda. Hornwart is another easy plant that you can use in the same way as eloda.
I used Hornwart below in this old video, you could create the same type of thing with eloda if you wanted to.

 

[dan518]

I liked kno4te plant suggestions, I have vallis and nymphia red lotus in my tank at the moment, both easy and fast growing plants.
I think if your going for a very natural feel to the tank, fewer plant species grown in abundance looks much more natural than an assortment of plants. It creates a more ongoing theme.
You can create some really nice effects with plants like eloda. Hornwart is another easy plant that you can use in the same way as eloda.
I used Hornwart below in this old video, you could create the same type of thing with eloda if you wanted to.

I think I might try a lotus, the eloda is already growing well,

 

[Lilyann]

This tank already looks very natural, with some algae growth, bio-film on branches.

I agree with Stanzzzz7 -, it is at the substrate level that this naturalness is a bit lost. Add leaf litter, small sticks, maybe some pods,cones, etc... as break down will have a much more natural feel to substrate.
Also, possibly try building some of these mixed textures (of leaves, twigs, etyc... in small areas right by branches, in between rocks, like they have accumulated there, layered over in time. Add some leaves that are green, some brown, this will add color as well.