Looking for Aquarium Landscaping Design Ideas for Cichlids

[rwellbaum]

I am getting kind of bored with the way my tank looks does anyone have any good ideas that they have done with there tanks look wise. like cool ways to make caves or cool driftwood or something like that. im just curious on how everyone has there tank set up. thanks!

 

[Gill Blue]

what kind of cichlids?

 

[virgil2090]

If you give us what the stock is currently,we will give our ideas.I like a natural look.I have CA cichlids.I collected drift wood and branches from around rivers,large round stones also.I like pool filter sand,not as small as other sand.

from cel

 

[rwellbaum]

I have lots of different kinds of cichlids in different tanks. synspilums, Jaguars, jack Dempseys, frontosas, oscars, africans, and other assorted fish. i have pool filter sand in my tanks i like it also virgil2090 and i like the natural look i have driftwood in my tanks and some rocks and fake plants. i was just wanting some ideas of interesting things that i can do to landscape my tanks to make them different and cool.
thanks!

 

[cjdesmit]

When using driftwood, instead of just having a bunch of chunks resting on the bottom I like to have pieces coming down from the waters surface as if it continued on outside of the water. I also like having smaller branches floating at the waters surface as well as having a lot of different sizes from larger, chunkier pieces to smaller twigs.

Besides hardscape material, I think one of the biggest elements to an aquascape is the lighting. By using lighting in creative ways you can completely change the mood and look of a particular scape.

Do you have any pics of the setups your trying to improve?

 

[RLHam3]

I also prefer PFS to other subsrates. It looks good and its so much easier.

Have you tried live plants yet? Even if you don't have that strong of a light, there are a lot of low light plants which grow fairly easily

 

[rwellbaum]

i will add some pics of the tanks when i get off work if i have time (and remember lol) i am interested in how i can use the lighting in creative ways?

 

[rwellbaum]

i have used live plants before when i was younger i had an awesome planted red bellied piranha tank i like live plants but i think the cichlids will move them everywhere and also eat them. to much of a hassle.. thanks!

 

[virgil2090]

with lighting,i like the look of a tank that has the edges darker.36 inch light on a 48 inch tank.big round rocks,2 or 3 to a group.you could try a 3D type of background,but most are expensive

 

[rwellbaum]

with lighting,i like the look of a tank that has the edges darker.36 inch light on a 48 inch tank.big round rocks,2 or 3 to a group.you could try a 3D type of background,but most are expensive

yeah I've thought about 3d backgrounds yes they are expensive i thought of making my own though