Aquascaping Idea

So I had an idea for a birthday gift idea for myself. I really like the idea of Aquascaping. So any ideas? I would like to put aquatic amphibians into it if i can. Does anyone have an aquascaped aquarium here? Do you keep amphibians in it?

Thanks

I just googled it. a lot of people here already have some pretty amazing tanks. I think it sounds like a fun project.

Haha, a birthday present for yourself I wonder what I will give myself for my birthday?

Yah if you Google "aquascaping" and go to pictures there is a TON of photos of aquascapes. There might be some there that will 'inspire' you.

Good luck!

So than follow up question, what is a great decretive amphibian that would really POP in a tank like that?

I've got a planted "aquascape" aquarium, I've decided not to put amphibians in it because they tend to dig around substrate too much, and can end up uprooting plants, etc... But if you don't mind the upkeep, it would look nice.

Funny you should ask, I just finished setting up my "planted tank" yesterday. It only has a few little plants tied down and I'm still soaking the wood. Since my tank is primarily an axolotl habitat, and seccondly a planted tank I thought it was best to focus on the hardacape (the rocks, wood, terrain, non plant decor...) more than trying to force it to be green. The beautiful green tanks you can find online (here is a site with many inspiring aquascapes: http://http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2013/show311.html ) require very bright lights and CO2 to grow.
I decided a desert wasteland scene would be much more appropriate. I could keep my sand substrait, and wouldn't have the problem of too much light. I made a sort of dragon's den out of lace rock. It is a cave that I can fit my whole arm and fist into up to my elbow. "Growing" out of the top is a winding piece of drift wood that looks like a desert tree. Around the cave the sand is studded with polished stones and the sides of the cave are made with rocky ledges. There are a few low light plants growing on the rock that is the cavern's entrance and on the tree. My axolotl loves the cave so much I'm resenting making it for him a little. Now I have a very cool tank to look at, but I barely see my pet anymore.

I'm not sure if my C. pyrrho tank counts as aquascaped or just a planted tank? It's supposed to reprisent the spring fed ponds around the rice fields in japan. There's no structure to it, just a small piece of driftwood and some small pebbles to anchor the Java ferns, the rest is just plants. There are six newts in there somewhere and they can all hide completely from view if they want. Apart from egg laying they don't uproot plants or mess anything up at all. The only maintenance i have to do apart from water changes is prune the greenery back once a month or so, also nitrate levels are always extremely low from all the plant growth.

frogman said:

So than follow up question, what is a great decretive amphibian that would really POP in a tank like that?

Click to expand...

I guess it all depends on opinion on what is going to POP. I would think it would be something with bright colors, and the first thing that popped into my mind ( no pun intended ) was T. verr, or some species of Tylotriton. But maybe C. pyrrho like Chinadog suggested. Maybe Kaiseri? Lots of colorful species, or species that would POP, so i don't really know a exact species to suggest.

Or maybe I. alpestris apuanus think they are stunning and definitely pop, especially in spring.

But they require colder temps that most plants in an aquascaped aquariums can't handle. Maybe pyrrohs

I would but my verr are already happy and healthy in a 40g

I know there not that colourful (or colorful depending on where you are from) but P.
Waltl make supposedly good pets, not sure on temps though...

Or maybe P. Chineses! Or some other Paramestrion species!

I put together this album the other day for my buddy who doing a rescape. Lots of inspiring tanks in it.
Aquarium Inspiration - Imgur

Paramesotriton are stream dwellers in the wild, I think they would look best in a tank with moving water and rock crevices between large boulders. you could use plants that don't mind water currents like Stargrass or Milfoil in between the rocks.

check out this planted lotl tank:
Is my axolotle morphing?

H. Orientalis?

Yes, H. orientalis would be nice, if you could find captive bred.