# How to plant a "pretty" floor.



## Mywebbedtoes (Jul 2, 2007)

Hey everyone. I need some advice on planting. I think overall my tanks have a nice look, but I struggle with the floors. I really like tanks that have unique floors, creeping plants, small ferns that pop up here and there, something that gives the impression of a natural and spontaneous setup. My tanks end up with rather boring bottoms, a few anchor plants (a fern or two, a begonia, maybe some peperomia). Can anyone offer suggestions? Some of you have great tank floors that look so natural. I have attached some camera phone shots for a rough idea of three of my tanks, sorry about the quality. (I have a real camera coming soon)

Just planted this Saturday. Still room for changes. 15 Gallon tall. The floor has several young plants that will fill in a lot, but nothing that will vine or creep. I am changing some of the backwall plant placement tonight.









About 2 months old. 15 Gallon tall. 









About 3 months old. 25 Gallon tall. I like this tank a lot, but the floor is almost too bare.









I would love suggestions.

Wayne


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

I dont know what to say, I really like your floors. I think most of those 'natural' floors just take time to grow in - I know it wasnt until my first viv was set up for 6 months or so before I really noticed some random plants popping up, possibly from the sphagnum or runners from the parent plant. Let your vivs grow into themselves, and Im sure they'll turn out amazing.


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## Mywebbedtoes (Jul 2, 2007)

Thanks Zach. I thought of that too, that I need patience. I am probably comparing mine to some much older tanks. But I was still curious if there were some good smaller plants (peperomias) that I could add when I first plant that would lend to that effect. I have three more at least to build or plant.


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## flyangler18 (Oct 26, 2007)

Yeah, I'll echo Zach's advice. I've been building terraria for a couple of years before I got into darts, and I found that the best designs were background heavily planted with the occasional anchor plant on the floor that just grew in as the tanks themselves matured. 

I actually prefer designs with lots of vertical space while still having a decent footprint- and yours all fit the bill!


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## housevibe7 (Sep 24, 2006)

Im not sure what you are complaining about :wink: You have some of the most gorgeous vivs I have seen. I think everyone else is right, just be patient, or plant plants that runner like crazy like Syngonium rayii.


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## Mywebbedtoes (Jul 2, 2007)

Thank you very much Flyangler and Sarah, that is very encouraging. I don't want to imply I am complaining, I really like my tanks and I invest a great deal in them (that last tank has probably $200 in plants or close). But you know how it is. I have a whole picture folder full of DB members tanks that I want! I label them based on what I like about them, brom placement, moss use, fern use, wood design, nice jungle look, ha ha, I'm a nerd. I guess I just need to expand my plant list. Sarah, that Syngonium rayii is beautiful, that is what I was looking for, items like that.

I promise I will try to be patient too, but it's HARD! More tanks soon!


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## flyangler18 (Oct 26, 2007)

> But you know how it is. I have a whole picture folder full of DB members tanks that I want! I label them based on what I like about them, brom placement, moss use, fern use, wood design, nice jungle look, ha ha, I'm a nerd.


Dude you're not the only one! For me, I always have to be careful not to to slip into similar designs/planting arrangements too often. I love orchids and broms and Neps, and somehow the same species wind up in every tank  

Jason


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## Mywebbedtoes (Jul 2, 2007)

flyangler18 said:


> I love orchids and broms and Neps, and somehow the same species wind up in every tank
> Jason


Ha ha, yeah. I do that with ferns, Dischidia and Peperomia. I am excitied about a 30 gallon I am finally doing for myself (all of the above were for other people). I have 8 different orchids to go in, and all different broms and begonia than I have used before (Thanks Rob and Antone). But you are right, we have to keep pushing and being inspired by eachother. I think you can see some of Frogtofall in my tanks, he has influenced me a lot.


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## flyangler18 (Oct 26, 2007)

> I think you can see some of Frogtofall in my tanks, he has influenced me a lot.


Haha, I think that has to do with the fact that Antone provides 99.9% of the board with his broms  You're just giving credit where credit is due!

Jason


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## jmcc000 (Apr 7, 2005)

Those tanks are beautiful. I envy your viv building abilities. Id love to be able to have a few tanks come out looking like that.


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## flyangler18 (Oct 26, 2007)

You know, Wayne, you just got me thinking- I've definitely recognized that this community in particular has the ability to inspire its members again and again, be it through a really top rate design or construction method, even some husbandry breakthroughs as well. 

I'm a bit of a sponge on here- amazing how much I've soaked up in the few months that I've been frequenting the boards.

You've got a great eye for design, that's for sure! Don't be so hard on yourself!


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## Mywebbedtoes (Jul 2, 2007)

jmcc000 said:


> Id love to be able to have a few tanks come out looking like that.


Thank you Jason. I will trade you a tank for some solarte! :wink: To be honest, I just followed the instructions on Black Jungle's website for their large display tank. I did a small version, then went ape the next go round and it produced the last picture in this thread. These are the 4th, 3rd, and 2nd vivariums I have done (in that order). If you invest in the supplies (wood and plants), and follow some proved methods they come out great.



> I've definitely recognized that this community in particular has the ability to inspire its members again and again, be it through a really top rate design or construction method, even some husbandry breakthroughs as well.


Thank you Other Jason, ha. You are right though. I think we should all try to push eachother as much as possible.


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## sports_doc (Nov 15, 2004)

While current trends have definitely been toward leaf litter bases...I've had success with a few bottom dwellers in particular.

You might try.

Oak Leaf fig
Java moss
Riccia made terrestrial
bladder wort

I have or had tanks using these 'ingredients' as the base cover and have created I believe to be a good mix of function and beauty, covering the substrate and still providing a good biological environment for springs, ect.

I'd also rec that each have access to good light intensity and that you try ONE per tank, rather than a mix. Still adding leaf litter to the sides/back ect.

Best,

S


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## Mywebbedtoes (Jul 2, 2007)

Thank you Shawn. To be honest, I am not the worlds biggest leaf litter fan for my tanks. I like it to a degree (and all of those tanks have some), it does add a natural effect, but It can take over a lot aesthetically. I think I will be switching to oak instead of too much magnolia, the leafs are just so big. I have always wanted to try the java, and possibly riccia. I wish kyoto was easy to grow.


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## AlexD (Sep 19, 2007)

It appears that you already know the most important rule. I learned it from aquariums, but it applies to vivs too. FLAT IS BORING. The most attractive setup is one that is slightly taller in the back, slanting toward the front, with several little "hills" here and there. Your second picture definitely shows that. Now all you can do is wait.


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## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

Your tanks look amazing sir! Also, though Dont worry about the bare looks of the floor too much, in the forest where they're from, not alot of light hits the floor anyway, so growth wouldent be much to begin with. Anything that low would have huge broad leaves. You setups look awesome!


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## Mywebbedtoes (Jul 2, 2007)

AlexD said:


> It appears that you already know the most important rule. I learned it from aquariums, but it applies to vivs too. FLAT IS BORING.


I have been trying to work on that. The first picture has the most "hills", but it is hard to tell. Defaced (Mike) does some amazing work as far as elevation change. I am trying to force myself to go more extreme (not that I don't want to, but I just somehow end up with flatter tanks). The next one should be more drastic as it is bigger. I REALLY want a planted aquatic tank, and I think that hobby has influenced how I build.



> Also, though Dont worry about the bare looks of the floor too much, in the forest where they're from, not a lot of light hits the floor


Nick, in the picture where I said, ..."looks too bare", I meant to say too dense! Ha ha. I don't like that there are only a few large plants that fill it all up. But that tank has no frogs, and I don't know that it ever will. I built it for an Orchid collector (namely my father's house). I am going to try a tank with a few begonia and some taller broad leaf plants and see how it goes. 

Thank both of you for the kind words, thank everyone. That’s not why I started the thread but it is really nice to hear positive comments from everyone.


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

One thing to be careful with is that a lot of people plant their tops so heavy, that there isn't enough light to support stuff on the bottom levels once everything grows in... and I suspect this may happen to a number of your tanks (especially if you used brom pups that are still growing).

In some cases that can be good... strong lights on the top blocked by high light needing broms allow lower light to filter to the bottom to plants like jewel orchids which need low light so they don't get burned... and btw jewel orchids are often great to add a splash of color at the bottom and can take the low light.


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## Mywebbedtoes (Jul 2, 2007)

KeroKero said:


> One thing to be careful with is that a lot of people plant their tops so heavy, that there isn't enough light to support stuff on the bottom levels once everything grows in...


I will watch for this Corey. It is hard to tell in the picture, put I try to plant the floor items up towards the front of the tank where they will get a little more light. I also keep my lights more towards the front of the tank if possible.


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## Demosthenes (Dec 8, 2006)

You could use wood to give your floor some shape. I like to put a piece of wood in a viv and then create different layers based off of it. It's really easy to create "high ground" for example, if you have a nice piece of wood somewhere in your viv off the floor and then kind of place substrate around the top part. I hope that kinda makes sense. I have a few picture examples, but they are not of frog vivs. 

BTW, I like your bottoms too.


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## vivariman (Sep 26, 2007)

Ummm..... Those tanks are awesome! You should be the one giving us advice!


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## Corpus Callosum (Apr 7, 2007)

You might also want to try Hemianthus callitrichoides, its an aquatic that will work if kept wet/humid. It likes light, has tiny cute leaves, and looks pretty cool along with the others that have been mentioned. That would be more of a ground cover, but for stuff that likes to run along the bottom and walls I've always been fond of epiphytic ferns.


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## Mywebbedtoes (Jul 2, 2007)

Corpus Callosum said:


> I've always been fond of epiphytic ferns.


That sounds great actually, I love ferns. Ideas?

Demosthenes, I am glad you like my bottoms, ha ha. I like the wood divider idea, I know exactly what you mean, in fact the latest tank has a bit of that, but I could go more extreme.

vivariman, thank you, that is very kind, but I don't know if it's true.


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## Corpus Callosum (Apr 7, 2007)

The Microgramma sp. ferns are my favorite.

Here is a shot of the Hemianthus callitrichoides, the leaves are tiny:


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## Mywebbedtoes (Jul 2, 2007)

That is really cool looking Michael. You have great floors to your tanks by the way.


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