I need to redesign my tank - help me!

[Bombalurina]

Hi guys

I know that there are many creative souls on this website, mostly from just looking at your tanks. :) Well, the aquascape of my 16 gallon has run it's course. The plants have now grown to the point where I can no longer keep them under control and are no longer looking as I'd like. So, it's time to start again.

The trouble is, my tank is an unconventional shape. It's 14.5 inches side to side and front to back, with bevelled corners, and 18 inches tall. I've attached a picture of it (with the current aquascape at its prime).

There are a couple of things in it that I want to keep. I have a driftwood cave for the cories, which is kind of big, that is covered across the top in java fern. I also have two healthy java fern bunches and a terracotta pot with anubias that I don't want to lose. The rest can be changed out, either for new plants or ornaments.

My current stock:
6 female bettas
4 cories
6 ember tetras
6 endler's livebearers
An unkown number of red cherry shrimp.

If any of you guys can give me suggestions, sketched plans, links to nice plants/ornaments/substrate/whatever, I would be so greatful. Normally I am full of ideas for my tanks, but I think I used up all my creativity rescaping Odysseus's tank, so I need people to kickstart me! :p

The only rules are:
- live plants, not fake
- natural gravel or sand, nothing rainbow or hot pink
- pretty decor, not Spongebob (he gives me nightmares)

Please help!

[kfryman]

Just saying isn't that tank a bit stocked?

Anyways it looks good,maybe just trim it a bit? What kind of light do you have? If you have a grow light I would recommend a sword plant or a jungle val in the back maybe, with ludwigia on each side. The driftwood with plants will be in front of those, with in the very front of the tank with dwarf sag.

[Bombalurina]

It is pretty heavily stocked, but I do enough water changes, it's over-filtered, and as you can see, it's heavily planted too.
My light is just a plain old 24watt flourescent. You can't get decent lights here, unfortunately. :(
Hopefully the sorority and the cories will be moved to a bigger tank this year and be replaced by my male halfmoon.

I should say, the tank doesn't look like that any more. The lacefern and elodea have absolutely taken over despite frequent trimming, and the whole thing is a total jungle. The violet (left hand side, red plant) has emerged and is now its own height again out of the water. I don't really want to just tweak - I want to rip everything out and start again. Call it my substitute for being unable to redecorate my bedroom. :p

[Badjer]

If this were my tank, I think I'd probably do a riparium. But that may not be what you're looking for...just my two cents! I don't think it looks bad as is, or at least nothing a good trimming wouldn't fix, but sometimes it's nice just to have a change. Especially when decorating tanks is such fun!

Edit; Just read the Spongebob comment and I could never agree more. My best friend tried to talk me into a Squidward house for my 20 gallon. -shudders-