# Planted Tanks > Aquascaping >  "Monster" Riparium

## Johnenrui

Sharing my 6x2.5x3ft tank
Livestock:
13-14" GATF
8-9" VATF
6-7" BD male
14" endi bichir
Angelfish and some corys and clown loaches


I wanted plants but it's hard while having a stingray and bichir.. and I wanted something out of the ordinary and cliche. I didn't like the usually bare tank look for monster fishes too. So here you go..

Let me know what you think!






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## Guppendler

Very nice and interesting 'wild' and also 'wow ' look. Do the air plants do well? And how do you plant the umbrella sedge?

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## Johnenrui

Hahaha I just bought the airplants yesterday. And I'm planning to add more - including Spanish moss to replace the creeper plant that is drying up due to my failure to water conscientiously. I wouldn't see why they should not do well though.

I plant the umbrella palms by securing their roots with stones and gravel.


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## Guppendler

Am thinking you could explore getting bromeliads in addition to the air plants. The bromeliads could add more colors and are easy to care too. Umbrella sedge would need strong lighting and rich substrate to grow well. 

With such set up, I reckon feeding time will be a real spectacle. Thanks for sharing bro

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## Johnenrui

Thanks for the suggestion! I tried looking around a little for bromeliads. Found some "red star". Do those grow easy mounted too?

Any suggestions where I can find more variety with affordable pricing?

Actually feeding is the most challenging part of this tank and not spectacular at all haha. These fishes are skittish and fussy like babies. They refuse to touch food that has landed on the gravel. I have to drop food in one by one and they won't go for the food if they are wary. I have to step back once I drop in one piece of meat. I and currently figuring if I should introduce more tankmates to help them calm down.


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## Guppendler

Yes some bromeliads or guzmanias cab be grown mounted like epiphytes but growth will be slower. There are quite a few easy to care ones and they come in different colored bracts. You can try Far East Flora, they have a few varieties at affordable prices. If you have time, drop by at some nurseries they would usually have guzmanias 

Think more tank mates would help the fish 'feel more at home' but am not sure if the ray will be affected as I heard they can be quite sensitive

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## Johnenrui

I googled and saw so many nice and colorful variants. Following your advice, I got a lime green bromeliad from Carousell. Hope to find a red one soon. I stay at King Albert Park so actually Far East Flora (I think) is round the corner! Do you roughly know how much they cost?

Haha I am going to add 2 peacock bass tonight from a friend, hopefully it works out. My ray should do fine but I just hope there won't be any issues with aggression!






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## Guppendler

Guzmanias are not expensive, I saw some wet markets selling around $8 onwards, FEF should be $10 onwards depending on the varieties and size.

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## Johnenrui

Oh I didn't know wet markets sell those too..! Which wet markets have you seen selling? 

May I know what are FEFs?


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## fireblade

FEF = Far East Florist

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## Johnenrui

> FEF = Far East Florist


Ahhhhh... alright thank you!


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## Guppendler

You can try Redhill market there's 2 stalls there selling air plants, orchids...etc. Bromeliads are in limited quantity and not always available. Better bet with FEF  :Laughing:

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## Guppendler

Need to add that the Redhill stalls usually close after lunchtime after 1pm. When you are there you can also visit Aquatic Avenue nearby which opens after 1.30pm.

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## Johnenrui

I visited the stretch of Florist at Caldecott/near macritchie and unfortunately they only have very limited (like 1-2 varieties) of bromeliad/guzmania. 


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## Guppendler

I may go to FEF at Ridout next week or the week after, will try to snap some pictures and let you know. I remember they have around 4-5 varieties

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## Johnenrui

Thank you so much. Really appreciate it.

On the other note, an update:
I DIYed a drip/water fall at the back of the plants and wood. If you look closely at the video you can probably notice it.
I also added a silver Arowana.

[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/v--5Qe7Pdxw[/YOUTUBE]


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## marle

nice monster planted tank! how much does a GATF cost? Do they come in small sizes?

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## Johnenrui

> nice monster planted tank! how much does a GATF cost? Do they come in small sizes?


Thank you! GATF is about $90 for a 5".
They usually only come in small sizes. It is very rare to see a large ones >9" for sale.


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## Guppendler

Went to Ridout Far East Flora and there are no guzmanias. Was told by one of the staff that this plant move very slow and they temporarily stopped stocking it, she added their Thomson main branch might still have it. Sorry bro, I do not have better news for you

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## Guppendler

Went down to Redhill market today and one of the stalls is having a few guzmanias, please see attached photo. 
By the way John, I don't seem to be able to access the youtube link you'd provided.

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## Johnenrui

I really appreciate the lookout bro Guppendler! Thank you for looking around on my behalf. Good news is that I managed to source 2 more green bromeliads from another hobbyist (of which one is a huge mama plant). I am also close to getting my hands on a red bromeliad at a really affordable price. I will put up photos soon! Strange that you can't access the YouTube link. I will post another up in my next post.

I have been also venturing and reading up on orchids and sphagnum moss! Which I believe will be a great addition... do you have any experience with them?(:


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## Guppendler

No worries I just happened to meet a Friend for lunch and orchid shopping there. I do collect and keep orchids by the way but not sphagnum moss. Orchids generally do not like their roots wet all the time, it will kill them. I had seen vivariums with mini orchids (mini dendrobiums) which are easier to keep and blooms fairly easily. Lighting need to be fairly strong to simulate sunlight. Mount the orchids onto driftwood that is not submerged and spray the orchids with diluted orchid fertilisers weekly. The entire plant and roots need to be covered by the spray as orchids absorb the fertilisers both from its roots and leaves. Every 2-3 day spray the orchid with just water without fertiliser the same manner. If you can keep the mini orchids going, you might want to try the more exotic Bornean Phalaenopsis.

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## Johnenrui

Hi Guppendler, thank you for constantly replying and giving such great advice and suggestions. I have some updates!




I have a total of 3 green bromeliad, and I just added this red one.

Somehow the red one was potted with pretty long roots, about 4-5". I had to trim it and wash away the soil. Honestly I am not sure how unpotting it and mounting would affect this plant and the reddish color. Any advice?



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## Guppendler

No worries I enjoy seeing your progress and updates. Very nice additions you have now, where did you manage to get the red bromeliad? A good number of bromeliads are epiphytes and they do well mounted on drift woods. The roots do not like to be constantly wet. Too wet and the roots will rot and kill the plants. The roots also do not absorb much nutrients, it's more for anchoring the plants onto the surface that it is mounted on.

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## Guppendler

If you can get a few more colored bromeliads other than green, it will help improve the look further. Cheers

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## Johnenrui

> No worries I enjoy seeing your progress and updates. Very nice additions you have now, where did you manage to get the red bromeliad? A good number of bromeliads are epiphytes and they do well mounted on drift woods. The roots do not like to be constantly wet. Too wet and the roots will rot and kill the plants. The roots also do not absorb much nutrients, it's more for anchoring the plants onto the surface that it is mounted on.


Thanks! I removed the cable which I previously used to mount the red bromeliad and used black string and moss to make it look more natural. I also replaced most of the creeper plant with moss. I supposed the moss will likely do well as the drift wood is moist all the time. 

I tried to make sure the wood that the broms are mounted on are not constantly wet.




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## Johnenrui

> If you can get a few more colored bromeliads other than green, it will help improve the look further. Cheers


I got the red bromeliad from Carousell. If you need, I can provide you with a link. I thought of orchid to be mount on the dry bare patch bog of wood as seen in the picture above.


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## Guppendler

Great idea in using the moss to conceal the strings. Now everything looks so natural

I would not need the Carousell link. I have not been visiting nurseries for quite a while, am sure more exotic varieties can be found there. In any case, Christmas is just round the corner, am sure Far East and such shops will be bringing in bromeliads soon  :Smile:  

And yes, the bare patch on the huge log can be used to mount orchids. Looking for orchids will be a lesser challenge. Am looking forward to your next update. Cheers

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## Johnenrui

Yes! Very happy that everything is looking more natural now! What orchids do you recommend and what about miniature orchids? Haha... i wonder how would I be going about to mount the orchid. How do you mount/keep/grow your orchids?

Also, I have an opportunity to buy a misting system for $135 but I'm not too sure if I really need one right now. What do you think? 

I am also thinking of replicating something like this..




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## Guppendler

I personally like Bornean Phalaenopsis but they are at least from $20 upwards. Mini dendrobiums are easier on the wallet from $7 onwards and they can be easily found. They are also very easy to grow and bloom.

just use strings to tie the orchids onto the driftwood and within 1-2 months the roots will anchor itself onto the wood.

The pictures you attached are awesome! I like the first one, very wild and natural. 

A mister works better than a drip system in spreading moisture more evenly. Take care not to over mist as bromeliads and orchids will get fungal rots when it's constantly wet. By the way, do you have a ventilation system also? 

Am eagerly looking forward to your next update

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