EASY Low Light Planted Aquarium- Impulsive Aquascaping

[@RachelOLeary]

I ordered a TON of plants and decided to give a 55g a quick and dirty makeover! I used Tropica potted plants and Sera anthracite substrate. It will be a low tech aquarium, no fertilizers, no co2. This video is NOT SPONSORED. Plant list: Echinodorus reni, Cryptcoryne wendtii "tropica", Sagittaria subulata, Narrow leaf java fern, Anubias barteri var nana, Hygrophila siamensis 53B, Ludwigia repens "Rubin". Plants can be purchased from Brooklyn Hardscape: brooklynhardscape.com/ Fan mail can be sent to: PO box 146 Manchester PA 17345 Buy me a coffee: msjinkzd.com/about_msjinkzd/support-our-site/ Instagram @msjinkzd Website and stocklist: msjinkzd.com/stocklist/ Facebook: facebook.com/msjinkzd/

[@celtgunn9775]

Bronze or Skunk Corydorus. I didn't see any others that I was truly drawn to more than these two. BTW Rachel, I love the plants!! They look great! 👍❤

[@rickfromthecape3135]

I find that cutting the "pots" off of the roots with a pair of scissors helps with cutting down on crypt melt.

[@jonstfrancis]

When you said "a ton" I thought you were joking!

[@purpleaquatics]

Hi Rachel, how about Red Laser Cory's, or Venezuelan Cory's. Shawna

[@merrydavis3227]

@@jonstfrancis Ton is relative😂

[@Dovietail]

"I think I may have overdone it a bit," said every plant orderer ever!

[@djssquibbs3295]

lol

[@varanaut1308]

As far as your Corey choice I am a big fan of the pygmy Cory because at night I often find them sleeping on the anubias leaves and during the day they will school in midwater. They remind me of little birds.

[@concon9636]

My favorite too!!

[@adonisroberts7466]

Those plants really made that tank 10 times better!! You rock!!

[@BrooklynHardscape]

Rachel. Thank you SO much for your support. Tropica products are the best. And I love answering questions and helping out beginners!

[@barbarabennett519]

Hi, I just went to your website but can't find any of the plants Rachel used for sale ....

[@karencompton522]

I’m also interested when you get them posted for sale.

[@merrydavis3227]

Going there next-you should send her some plants if we say we got referral from the FISH PIMP

[@BrooklynHardscape]

Hey guys! I’m still restocking after the holiday sales. I’ll be having more products coming in over the next few weeks.

[@BrooklynHardscape]

We got some plants in this weekend. But they went fast. I have TC’s left, will be making another order soon.

[@djssquibbs3295]

I have been trying SO HARD to find just ONE of your videos I don't like. I've stayed up well past my bedtime trying many times--impossible so far. you and your fish and plants are awesome and beautiful! I agree, adding plants is much better than scrubbing algae off the glass. And they're beautiful.

[@RachelOLeary]

Thank you!

[@dalivigil3071]

Omg didn’t even know he was in Brooklyn always thought he was in Europe thanks now I know where to go for plants !

[@tim4591]

Dali Vigil I actually thaught she was more in the Midwest or south

[@sunnycal2293]

That unboxing was heaven. I absolutely love your large school/shoal of fish. I'd keep them all in the tank. You scaped that fast and made it look so easy. It's beautiful. I love it.

[@RachelOLeary]

i cut out a lot- it was about 3 hours of planting. The longest part was honestly separating and planting the saggitaria plugs. 3 hours is not that long though- I think the result is solidly ok!

[@sunnycal2293]

@@RachelOLeary You still made it look effortless and it looked like you knew exactly where to put your plants. Your fish seemed to be enjoying exploring already too.

[@TankTested]

I am salivating looking at all those plants.

[@rurutuM]

u can never have too much Anubias

[@RachelOLeary]

my feelings exactly

[@merrydavis3227]

@@RachelOLeary Dang, jeleous, charge card out-another tank coming Monday-yea😁

[@clairebreuleux2928]

These plants look beautiful and healthy !

[@bakermann29]

Looks great. I appreciate the professional quality of information you give in your videos.

[@nabr0n]

vicariously impulse-planting thru you!!!!! very satisfying. i'm taking the slow route on my lowtech tank so this temporarily scratches my itch to buy more and bigger plants!!

[@cioceavalentin2084]

You are number one ,i love your chanel ,is educational 👌🤙

[@robertforrest7956]

Thanks for the info on plants and contacts. Fun video. Love jungle look.

[@shesellsfish]

Wow! That is a major haul of green growing goodness. The tank looks great, cories would love it.

[@cynthiaponce2133]

@Rachel O'Leary, the immediate gratification, I love that statement. Hahahahah! I bought way too many Wendtii last Sunday, just because.

[@fossphur]

Wow I have that exact substrate, I am so glad to find out what it actually is. I had a bulk lot of mixed gravel that came with one of my second hand tanks and I noticed the pretty rounded dark pieces mixed in, and while waiting for my tank to cycle I spent quite a few evenings picking out the smooth pieces that I liked. I got enough to use for a 15g tank which I'm currently growing out some corys in and it works so well for them, I always wanted to get more but had no idea what it was or where to get it from. And now I know! Thanks so much!

[@MsLinanator]

You make it look so easy. Inspiring to me! The aquarium is incredible!

[@Shaden0040]

Awesome scape! I actually like the look of bbare gravel on the left side. The Sag will spread over there with time, but it gives it a fast river flow on the left moving towards the river bank on the right. Nice visual effect.

[@Itsabadjoe]

AMAZING SCAPE. One of my faves so far! LOVING THE CAVE structure!!! great idea.

[@marcodofootball]

Anubias were the only plants I never had any issues with. Still love the big one but would love to go also with the small ones

[@pmotta4545]

Impulsive and supercool aquascape. The Corydoras sp. Neon Red Stripe would perfectly fit in this aquarium. Thanks for sharing Rachel 🤗

[@gabsschneider8023]

I absolutely love that scape, you have awesome taste. Thanks for always sharing so much.

[@justcreepy8592]

Very nice, Rachel! I would say that the spider wood would look more interesting if you would place it at the opposite side of a tank, so the large cut of the wood will be at the bottom, not visible. That’s just my thought.

[@heidisfishtank7543]

Oh man Rachel I JUST went on a plant shopping spree and this makes me want even MORE 😂🌱🌿🌱

[@JanieAmericanIrish7777]

Some Manuka honey would do great for your burn or cut . I love the plants . I need to get some more .

[@brfinger]

Just watching through your videos, and wow that hair/cut really works for you.

[@RachelOLeary]

Thanks!

[@vinniejudilla3921]

Looks great! Also very excited about tropica being available to us.. Saving up to place an order soon👍👍👍

[@drewjanes307]

looks great love how the scape sweeps upward and how established you made it look.

[@mikef3300]

That was a lot of plants Rachel. The tank turned out fantastic. Looking forward to seeing it in a month or two. It should be booming. Unrelated I dig the old school fish scale tat.

[@RachelOLeary]

Thanks mike!

[@ryan39364]

Love this scape! Will be bookmarking this and using as inspiration on my new 125 about the be setup

[@RachelOLeary]

awesome! Glad it helps!

[@wandaoshiro2014]

Ooooh my gosh, you did purchase a whole lot of aquarium plants, lol!!! They look so healthy! Can't wait to see all your tanks with your new plants! Have fun decorating! 🌱🙄

[@jimmitchell2143]

Hi Rachel. I think corydora Sterbai would look awesome. Love your channel but your persona out performs the content, every time. Great Job!

[@robertajordan6848]

Those plants are gorgeous!!

[@RachelOLeary]

I am always pleased when I do a tropica order!

[@merrydavis3227]

@@RachelOLeary Me too. Never enough plants🌿🌵🌴🖒

[@merrydavis3227]

@@RachelOLeary Does that count as hoarding- Lol

[@RachelOLeary]

nahhhhh

[@paulhowell8661]

Panda Corys always look awesome

[@sajithroko5144]

Love all your videos !!! Rachel you the best fish pimp ! Out there !! You Inspire me alot to aquascape

[@drewmo2525]

Some orange laser cories would look great zipping around the lower half of the tank I would imagine!

[@loophalump]

You look absolutely stunning in this video!!! I love haircut! The color tones in your hair and eye makeup really compliment your skin tones. I have just caught the aquarium bug and currently have 3 planted tanks in my 1 bedroom condo. I really enjoy watching your channel and learning more about the hobby. Thank you for your amazing content!!!!

[@RachelOLeary]

Thanks!

[@sling4425]

Hygros are my absolute FAVORITE. Thanks for your content!

[@kensden599]

As I go through your old postings I am finding great info. Thanks. I am going to try my hand at a 29 South America tank and your planting in this tank scaled down should work great.

[@tinablum9089]

I love your video! My tanks are similar as far as driftwood and incorporating plants into the driftwood..but your videos make me want to do more to my tanks! Thanks ..keep them coming!

[@RachelOLeary]

that makes me feel good, thanks Tina!

[@ericj1500]

Thanks for sharing friend i like the layout alot. Glad to know we can now get tropica plants.

[@RachelOLeary]

I am so stoked. They are putting in additional greenhouses to expand the line

[@Wayne-fe1ed]

IMO an unplanted tank is an unfinished tank. Looks fabulous and those plants look so healthy. Would you expect much die back/melt with those varieties? Good snail trap btw.

[@RachelOLeary]

Probably not but we will find out together!

[@cjsfishroom7845]

Sterbai and Panda corydoras are my favorites

[@carlapappalardo1901]

Looks great with all the plants! I say go for habrosus. Can't wait to see it all grown out!

[@CoralieDeseve]

Your hair looks AMAZING!!

[@RachelOLeary]

all i can think about is how i need a shape up- my greys are showing HAHAH

[@vl2777]

Nice healthy plant shipment 👌🏻enjoy

[@twotales7337]

Perfect timing. I've just took delivery of a new 55 gallon :).

[@hannahh.8894]

Yep, I am one who made the mistake of putting two swords into my first 5 gal betta tank. They're actually doing pretty well, and have been for a very long time, but I have to trim them often, and the scale in the tank they're in is just so weird.😂 Definitely not as pretty as my other tanks with more appropriately sized plants. I need to switch them out for smaller plants, but can't get myself to throw them away! Eventually when I have room for larger tanks they will get an upgrade. Great video btw, and the tank looks awesome!

[@RachelOLeary]

maybe a local store would take them for credit? Worth asking if you decide you want to change htem out. I really love the little reni swords for small aquariums

[@TheAxebitten]

Corydoras Nanus would be interesting to watch and hear about

[@Dannylewisxx]

This tank looks amazing!! Making me want to rescape my 40G tank

[@cichlidkingaquatics5988]

Looking great Rachel. I love your fish and learned a bit about low light plants. I'm new to plants and very interested in learning more.

[@cichlidkingaquatics5988]

What happened to your right hand hun?

[@RachelOLeary]

Burnt my hand cooking Thanksgiving dinner

[@cuernavaca_4070]

I'm SO jealous. Wish I could put my hand on only ONE of such quality plants here in Mexico. We do not have any reliable supplier of good sized plants here, either online or in store.

[@graffic13]

You're the cutest geeking out over plants!! Your videos make me happy😁 I love that you had a shopping spree fun video!! Oh those Black Corys from Venezuela would be cool!!!

[@RachelOLeary]

Oooo. They are nice

[@graffic13]

Yes really pretty and not seen often at LFS ... maybe they need a leg up in the aquarium community... also what do you think should Joey put the Giant gourami in the 300 gallon? Lol he never sees my comments. But you're my favorite fish channel... i really think you need Black moor goldfish 😉😉😂

[@merrydavis3227]

@@graffic13 He's snowed in right now, power out- NO video until..

[@graffic13]

@@merrydavis3227 just saw his video when i got home... he hadn't posted it yet when i posted this comment.. but thanks😉

[@turnipsucks6416]

Panda Cories would be awesome and fun.

[@RussellChilds]

Great job! Looks great!

[@GrantJevstachi]

Wow 😍 very stunning! And the plants are in such great shape & health!

[@RachelOLeary]

i was tickled pink!

[@merrydavis3227]

@@RachelOLeary you should be a distributor 💚💚💚💚

[@mandylynn5278]

Dude! Beautiful tank and all, but look AT YOU. You look freakin amazing!

[@RachelOLeary]

aww thanks!

[@mandylynn5278]

Seriously love you!! #PA

[@HeRo-qd6tk]

That was a lovely scape. Are those the Emperor Tetras? Plain beautiful !!!

[@mbdieter7308]

It looks fabulous and I love those tetras. I hope you will have that species of tetra for sale when the knee is ready to fire up the business.

[@tonyg5597]

Beautiful....hope you don't get too much melt with those crypts.....and love the kerri tetra's....thats my next choice in my next aquarium

[@reijoshualadjahasan]

I suggest panda or skunk cory. I think the skunk cory would look nice along with the tetras since they both have stripes running along their bodies

[@kategonzalezmorgan7208]

I loved this video! I vote for corydoras julii! You can never have too many jaunty spots in any tank!

[@alexathehuman]

Rachel, I think I get your duck weed(or water lettuce?) tattoos now because that’s what my arms look like after I reach into any of my tanks!

[@RachelOLeary]

That is why I got them tattooed lol

[@dkp7073]

I just ran across an article about Corydoras sp. “Guarana" also known as the soda pop cory. They are stunning. I'm going to look into them myself, but since you asked thought I'd share.

[@turnipsucks6416]

Can't wait for my plants to grow in. It's the hardest part...waiting. All slow growers to.

[@grantcook2196]

Hey Rachel! Great video and awesome plants! I think some Sterbai Corys would look cool in your tank. Lookin forward to your next video :)

[@heidihoglan6756]

So beautiful!!! That plant shipment is like a dream come true!! For corries, I love sterba but skunks would match the black line of the tetras. Thanks for the awesome video! Lol prunie hands = good day!!! So true!!!

[@StanTheObserver-lo8rx]

I've been adding more and more Anubia's and Java windelov. Petsmart sell them for $4.98..and why not go with what lives over all those Monte Carlo type plants that need Co2? I also have space to fill..so Tiger lotus red and another purple and a third type of Lily stellata..with nice tannish leaves, seem to be helping. Val,of course makes green pillars..just solid green in (2) pots in back. I have to pot that one or it will fill the tank. Java moss adds the ultimate jungly feel. Just keep tying it down!

[@moistlydripping8416]

I've just found this channel, and I've been looking into getting a Betta fish in the future. I'm hoping I can actually learn some things from your channel about how to keep a Betta fish, happy and healthy in the proper set up. I had a Betta fish when I was younger, and that was back when they only had two colours lol. Red or Blue. Now I keep seeing so many amazing colours and patterns, that I really want to have in my life. But I need better education than what I had years prior since the information is so much different now. I look forward to seeing more and videos on how to keep fish so I can learn the basics and work from there, so I can eventually own a Betta again.

[@domesticwoods]

I love your hair like this!!!

[@sebastianschubert9450]

You have lost a lot of weight, keep up the great work and stay positive

[@sebastianschubert9450]

I love your videos

[@thoughtful384]

Love your work

[@richinnature9515]

Love it Rachel. Really nice layout. I love dwarf saggitara. So easy to grow and looks great. Interested to see how the swords do. I have all the plants in this video apart from the swords. I think I'm more interested in the plants than the fish sometimes haha

[@gore1]

I really like that substrate!

[@susanfantozzi4415]

Looks beautiful!

[@mikeycbaby]

Lush, plush, slick and sleek... 😍

[@tj21bem]

Woohoo! I got aquarium plant envy. LOL. Is there such a thing as too many plants? Or too much butter/bacon/chocolate?

[@sebastianschubert9450]

Is there such a thing as diabetes?

[@sophiadeloach6515]

They look Great!!

[@McGruff2008]

Some Panda Cory Cats would look good in there.

[@simonshaw5119]

This is generally how we get plants from online stores in the Uk. All potted and converted, usually. Tissue culture plants only really come from places like pets at home (equivalent to your pet smart in America).

[@merrydavis3227]

You're lucky☘☘

[@angieh4534]

Wow, all these technical names!! Lol i have a green thumb in the garden department not so much in the aquarium department 😬 and even in the garden I don’t know the technical names.. I just know If i can grow it or not... beautiful tanks!!

[@jordannaber9802]

Panda Corys! Love the little buggers

[@concon9636]

Soooooo BEAUTIFUL!!!❤

[@chrispeters2645]

I use Tropica 1-2-Grow! and potted live plants almost exclusively and fortunately, through one of the chain pet stores here in the UK, if ordered online every second item is half-price, so that's basically 25% off when ordering in multiples of two. However, I share your peeve as regards the rock-wool. I'm sure there must be a reason why they use it, but I find it pretty much impossible to remove it all.

[@anthonyrobertson2991]

Coming along very nicely indeed.As Joey gets snowed out and loses power,yr planting a tank...lol Do you ever worry about having open cuts or burns and playing in the tanks(?) I never gave it a thought when I did stuff in my tanks.I think some sterbbai,pepper or albino c orys would look gr8 in there

[@RachelOLeary]

i actually do think about it quite a lot- i have elbow length gloves I wear with imported fish especially if I have new tattoos, open cuts/burns (which is pretty common when you heat your house with wood and cook everything from scratch). I dont' worry AS MUCH when I haven't imported in almost a year, I may be being a bit lax. I have allergies to latex and synthetics, so its always sort of a crap shoot if i will get a reaction from the gloves and weighing that against the potential for exposure to mycobacterium. Since the fish I was working with in the past few videos are either home grown, or locally bred, I haven't worn the gloves that almost 50% of the time give me a skin reaction that is equally problematic. VERY good question though!!

[@anthonyrobertson2991]

@@RachelOLeary thanks and yea some people seem to be very adamant about wearing gloves while doing fish stuff.Maybe I should start.Never gave it a thght.After raising 3 kids,I don't think I could come across anything I haven't thus far..lol gr8 luck with healing that burn.Love yr vids and thanks for giving so much to the hobby,keep those vids coming

[@HAL-dm1eh]

22 mins of someone planting a tank and I watched the whole thing before I realized it. haha Pruny hands are when you know you crossed over into Fish Geek territory!

[@RachelOLeary]

Thanks for the support!

[@rushigalande1]

Its surprising how you successfully plant the plants in sand without co2 and they grow and not melt. I also have non co2 tanks but the emersed wendtii will definitely go through melt in initial weeks or month. Even easy plants. The ferns blacken and staurogyne Portovello or repens will definitely melt . Although I have few plants that thrive too . After many attempts I have enough crypts to fill another tank. But that was not easy.

[@rebecasabourin1318]

Pygmy Cory cats are my favorite.

[@kurtjohnson667]

Been busy for awhile. Good video nice to sit down and watch again. I do have a question though, what’s with the scarred up knuckles. Some sort of aquarium fight club 😂😂😂. Cheers from Saskatchewan.

[@RachelOLeary]

I think it's the 10 hours a day of hands being in water coupled with heating the house with wood. Takes its toll

[@RachelOLeary]

And I burnt the crap out of myself cooking Turkey for Thanksgiving

[@merrydavis3227]

@@RachelOLeary "Domestic Goddess"- to me means lives in a house😆😆

[@lawfullyblind8403]

Corydoras Equis might look cool with the Kerri I've seen them super blue or looking like a bronze if you can find a good strain that could be cool

[@hokurodrigues5732]

Absolutely beautiful scape. I wish I could duplicate it, as my first attempt at a planted tank was a fail. Just curious, how much money was spent on those plants to get it to look that good and full? I just wonder about how much it would cost to do something like that, just in plants. Thank you for the awesome videos and congrats on 100k long overdue for you in my opinion. Aloha

[@RachelOLeary]

I used probably about $200 in plants, mainly because I had them. I could have gotten away with about half of what I used

[@protopigeon]

I need one of those snail traps!

[@m72e592863]

Very nice.

[@kongphan3]

U went ham!

[@shanonrocks9938]

I hope your hand is ok! I can’t decide on CO2. I have a ton of plants, sand substrate... and lots of kitty cats 😂😂😂 Petco sells a small CO2 canister, so I’m considering that.

[@RachelOLeary]

hand is healing up! Looks worse than it is :)

[@shanonrocks9938]

Awesome!!!! I always worry that bacteria from the tanks will mess up my cat scratches, but worth the risk! 😂

[@debrasanders1985]

I soak mine in a pan of water with conditioner to help get the rock wool off.

[@LB-xe1ho]

Albino Corey’s with the black substrate

[@davidfrancis3842]

Have you had any sucess with a low tech TALL tank? I Wan't to plant a 20x18x30 47 gallon