7Ft Planted Tank - Planning Stage

[TW]

I think my wild royal blue has coloured up a bit more, since moving into this tank.

[TW]

Time for an update.

I regret now that this tank isn't full sand. Amazed at how different the discus look when over the sand, as to how they look when over the planted area. Will keep thinking about it for a bit longer, but may eventually pull everything up, or maybe lower the soil section & add a top layer of sand. Anyway, pi tures follow:-

Right Side


Left side Should have tidied the little soil overspill onto sand - lazy !!!


middle


full - hmmm. must trim the willow hygro


I'm still working on the moss rock border. Work in progress

[fishgeek]

looks lush

plants are growing in well and the discus obviously like the security of the plants

why do you say you want all sand?

[TW]

Hi fishgeek, thanks for popping in

The discus were sulking in that spot, as during tank maintenance (just prior to the pics) that was the only area where I wasn't poking & prodding. Now that time has passed since then, they are all over the tank - which is their more typical behaviour



As to why I want all sand,

The fish immediately above the rose red is a wild brown. See how dull he looks & not only him, all the wilds look dull.


The same fish above all sand, before I moved him to this tank


In the 7ft, I see this just watching them. The fish with brownish tones in them (WRB, WB , heckel & alenquer) all appear dull over the planted sections. When they swim into the open sand, they brighten up.

I'm waiting to see if I get the same effect if I can get a more solid green coverage over the substrate, but I just want to see these fish in their best dressed colours.

The other alternative is to move all the wilds to the 4ft, which will be sand, but as they're my favourite, I'd like to give them the biggest tank.

Dilemma

[rwel4809]

I have noticed exactly the same thing with one of my snakeskins.. She goes a bit dark around the planted section but positively glows over the gravel... I was worried she was sick for a while until I noticed she was just trying to hide.... Lucky I didn't panic and medicate...

Still I think this is just another of the interesting behaviours for us 'tank watchers' to observe

I'd leave the wilds in the 7' if I were you... I'm sure they're really happy in there....

R

[fishgeek]

seems to me that it is just trying to blend in with the surroundings

in my mind i would think fish that can choose to be seen or hide will be more secure in the tank , so the hiding places amongst the plants are a good thing for them if not so great as showing them off

andrew

[TW]

The plants wouldn't go permanently.

I would remove the plants, lower the current soil level (or replace it with something like JBL aquabasis - not sure how ADA would go if buried under sand) and then add a couple of inches thick layer of sand. Then replant.

Not looking forward to the work or to unsettling everything, so I will wait a little longer. I hope that when plants grow enough that, eventually, you cannot see any substrate but only the plants, maybe the effect won't be so bad.

There are places where it is planted, but still very open (eg where the cypts are). If they swim in the open water above the crypts, their colour is dull brown. Over the sand, they brighten. I am probably wrong, but it doesn't seem like they change colour only if hiding (although I'm sure they defenitely do that as well). They seem to simply just change in accordance with the particular spot they are swimming above at the time.

For the moment, I still can't decide what to do.

[pink66]

Hi TW, I do not have wilds but as my tank has planted (with gravel) sides and a sand open middle I agree that depending on where the fishies are hanging out to what colour they are showing.. My LSS goes from a bright light colour with the red spots shining to a dark (almost purple) with a yellow face depending on where he is in the tank.. When I first saw it I had to take a deep breath as I thought he may be sick.. But he must be fine.... him and my PB have spawned twice in the community tank

Little one (seems to be a brown with developing red and blue on the fins) fades away to almost no colour when she is in the gravel area..(sometimes it takes me a while to find her ) but her colours are bright and vibrant over the sand (well what ones she has at the moment)

It is indeed a dilemma.. to totally sand or not to totally sand.. plants or not, the tank disturbance is the question.

[TW]

It has been a while, so I thought it was time for a pic of what the tank looks like today

[pink66]

hi TW.. it is coming along very nicely indeed