I Made an Aquarium Out of Firewood, Unexpectedly Good

[@SerpaDesign]

I had a feeling this would look cool, but I DID NOT expect to like this as much as I do. If this was your tank, what would you stock it with? Let me know! Thanks for watching and as always, have a great weekend SerpaSquad!

[@isaacyoung5333]

Hi :)

[@KentoLeoDragon]

What do you think about natural hardwood charcoal? I've got a big bag of it and the pieces come in lots of cool shapes. It doesn't have any added chemicals to help it burn quicker or anything. I think they might make a cool hardscape, and they could be glued together into larger pieces of hardscape. They do float for awhile though. What do you think? Anything toxic about it? ETA: Some leaffish would look cool in there, though I don't know if the tank is large enough.

[@shontellepetersen4445]

Long fin white cloud mountain minnows would look Awsome in here

[@36ydna]

I think is would stock it with lots of small minnows

[@edmundovazquez-ramirez8134]

A small school of ember tetras or chili rasboras for a nice pop of red/orange color would look nice with some shrimp or a couple of yellow mystery snails.

[@tungabcd]

“He was able to build this in a cave! With a box of scraps!”

[@CGLFishing]

This comment deserves way more attention.

[@AGiantTalkingLizard]

@@CGLFishing definitely!

[@moonbasket]

Haha

[@hamtoilet]

Lmao that made me laugh way to hard.

[@TheA4knight]

“ but I am not SerpaDesign.”

[@MildTimes]

it kinda gives off a long flooded old growth forest vibe, that’s quite calming actually.

[@rosebudkeely8153]

A school of ember tetras could look really nice with the red wood, especially if you left the tank as a blackwater setup! I'm sure they'd appreciate the tannins.

[@malditocreeper92675]

I also think some orage sakura neocaridina shrimp would look great.

[@defeatSpace]

Maybe Apistogramma Agassizi

[@Saberrex1]

Same, but smaller knifefish species would look good in there, too.

[@notaspookygal]

​@@malditocreeper92675those would be gorgeous here!

[@LIL_flips]

I’d do a solo honey gourami if the size is big enough. I can’t really tell how big it is

[@MichelleBln]

I don’t know why but when I saw the finished scape I immediately thought about adding threadfin rainbowfish. Great work as always!

[@AwkwardBirb]

Pft. I’ve seen this man build terrariums in a pair of crocs, I had no doubt this was gonna be fantastic. ❤

[@tracybowling1156]

No, all of your ideas should definitely be explored bc this one is exceptional!

[@supershark151]

Truly amazing work Tanner. Your way of thinking outside of the box always leaves me in awe.

[@Lhenaghan]

A pretty sizeable school of nano fish would look really good. Maybe green rasboras

[@rhoseiravenclaw5394]

Tanner, you never cease to amaze me with new and interesting designs that answer the deeper questions of aquascaping. Another wonderful scape. Firewood of all things!

[@TheReganasaur]

The result here was so surprisingly satisfying. I love it .

[@SPierre-dm4wo]

The way the end result looks a little bit like a ghost forest snag is really striking! Making notes for the scape I'm planning this summer...

[@BeautifulEarthJa]

beautiful is an understatement

[@priscillamatos5174]

I honestly appreciate all that you do. Thanks so much for teaching me so much! It's insane how much your content means to me. I am in love with this hobby, and you always blow my mind with your builds. Thanks for being a good human. 😊

[@BenjaminVachon-bs1xe]

Your videos are so fun and peaceful to watch I really appreciate the hard work.

[@rogueisded]

Honestly, a nice school of diverse Tiger Barbs would look amazing in there. You can get the normal ones, golden, mossy green, and other colour morphs and make it really pretty.

[@requibilan]

So natural very nice.

[@GardeningPrimal]

With the tannins, a group of cardinal tetras would look amazing 🤩

[@randihardy6642]

That came out sooooo impressively

[@casandragon4322]

I would put a dragon fish in there because its looks so mystical, the kind of place you would find unicorns

[@rebekkahnelson4192]

I live in the PNW and this replicates that feeling so well without being realistic. White sand along a river or creek is unreal here but my goodness it’s still absolutely beautiful

[@AdahliaBiPunk]

Marbled Hatchetfish would be amazing in there!

[@n3wol_377]

great video! love to see more of your amazing aquascapes!!!

[@mattclinch1976]

That looks awsome! I'd probably put rice fish, white cloud minnows or thread fin rainbows in there.

[@adb3806]

you've outdone yourself ! it looks amazing

[@exileisland2675]

i like this style. natural in an unnatural way. its like a nature remix.

[@allisnelson]

I like the light behind it to bring out the patterns/contrast. I wonder if it being a bit dimmer would allow the contrast to pop without being so overwhelming? Either way, beautiful scape as usual! :-)

[@76Eliam]

At first, seing the miniature, I thought you were going to make an aquascape using _charred_ firewood, in order to make it more resistant to water and fungi (Yakisugi style). You design is absolutely mindblowing, far better that what I thought, but now I wonder how using (maybe partly) charred wood could result in very deep contrast, with intricate, uneven surface and alien-like aquascapes.

[@eljrrr9105]

These videos are sure to keep me sane, ur a Goat Serpa design!

[@ryanS14_kouki]

A group of pacu would be insane in that tank!!!

[@MarkAbbasov]

This is amazing! Great job!

[@reneowens2768]

One of my favorite scapes!❤

[@reneowens2768]

I would stock it with Pygmy corydoras

[@warrenhartwell356]

First the jungle box, now firewood scaping. You’re making some great new ideas

[@deep6it171]

This man just does not miss

[@barbhelle5481]

It is beautiful.

[@gregorioportela]

In Brazil there is a wood called Aroeira, of a unique beauty, with an spectacular twist but it contains a lot of tannin, to eliminate it we dip it in a salt water solution and change the water every week, it takes an average of 4 months, it's worth the work, it sinks naturally

[@missmeowmix7960]

Another great set up. Would love to see something long bodied in there. Loaches are my first pick haha. I like the black background, especially if the inhabitants are brightly colored. I bet you would get some interesting social behavior from endler’s.

[@Varraz]

I think this setup would be perfect for kuhli loaches!

[@adg9430]

This tank is begging for green koubtai rasbora with some cherry shrimp.the greens of fisg vs the reds of the shrimp will make a fantastic contrast against the reedish brown firewood

[@migwat]

I love kubotai so much! So excited to get some of my own :))

[@KadenWallace13471]

I would put in some small black frogs. The black color would work well with the greenery and the black rocks as well. Perhaps some Neon Tetras because small colorful fish are often found in habitats like that one.

[@twistnshout3031]

Neon fish. And 2 angel fish would look cool

[@Galvamel]

I think it would make a nice home for some cool shrimp or brightly colored fish (like beta) that would stand out against the white sand. Also, I like it better well lit.

[@Stainspider]

I always enjoy your builds and videos they are so amazing. I want to build a micro terrarium for moss in a small plastic container that has a hinged lid. Is there any issues using the platic?

[@michaelrepka9821]

I wonder if you could do a shou sugi ban method and have it work in an aquarium aquascape. I feel the need to experiment. Love watching your videos for inspiration, awesome design and great technique. Thank you for sharing your skills!

[@rayp4008]

Appropriate for just about anything. As it has a zen appeal, thinking a few gourami gliding about might be a good combo.

[@kzookid2051]

My vote for inhabitants would go to black kuhli loaches and green neon tetras. This came out awesome.

[@deaniselin4756]

I really like this, I’m guessing plenty of water changes to come for the tannins

[@Robot_Wank]

im sure someone's already said it but ember tetras for the firewood tank would be in theme, OR a flame dwarf gourami

[@ChaseandtheMonstera]

A betta fish would look awesome 😊

[@beccawilkins7350]

If I had it I would add bright red orange and yellow fish to look like embers

[@kezia8027]

Honestly I think some kind of shrimp would go phenomenally with this scape. I am imagining cherry shrimp but that's just because I think the colour would work well, but truly, I'd say anything on the smaller/more numerous side and that will spread out across the scape would look really fantastic. I feel like shoaling/schooling would sort of break the illusion? I feel like this needs slower animals that feel more a PART of the scape than in creatures that are WITHIN the scape.

[@lavender-hearts]

I know what I'd put in there, but I'm very basic in my aquarium hobby knowledge haha. some Neon Tetras would really give a pop of color, especially for a blackwater aquarium. Barring that... a male betta would look incredible. I know they breed them in that kind of color pattern reminiscent of the white/orange/black koi, so one of those maybe?

[@GoodWithHands27]

what is the avg life span of your work? do they actually last like regular plants or just aesthetic for a brief moment of enjoyment before all that work turns yellow

[@GymGirl88]

So cool!! I'd exclude the spider wood and put in a beta fish! (And lower the water level for safety)

[@wildweasels626]

so cool

[@KamiThulak]

This tank screams tetra to me.

[@Aka_RadxG]

At 5:53 the wood formation kind of resembled an elephant 🙂

[@TheTwistedTraceur]

i would put a frog in it . tho i am unsure how you could prevent it from jumping out, but i would love to one day have a thing like this and then bring a tadpole trough its life cycles into adulthood, i think its a neat idea

[@nicksharkpuppet]

You should create a vivarium for a tarantula like you did last time!

[@Daaniik]

Any kind of shrimps would be nice

[@mikavanberkel.]

Wow

[@ssuydrm]

The 3 holes look like a skull with the light on the back

[@Charlotte_808]

If I had that tank I would put some pretty guppies in it

[@playmusic5978]

Shrimps! Please!

[@IRISnGEN]

The Salamanders would add land area for themselves.

[@sarahwatts7152]

I wonder if it would be big enough for a beta fish, as it has hints of its natural habitat with the columnar oriented wood

[@velvanae]

You are dangerous! I keep watching your videos and getting inspiration, much to the wife's dismay. I am working on some ideas for a plywood vivarium that will include crayfish, Mountain red-bellied and regular red-bellied dace, freshwater snails, and mussels in the water. Salamanders and some spring peepers for amphibians. Caddis fly nymphs, woodlouse, and crickets for insects. Creel sand, rocks, and pebbles for underwater, and regular soil for the ground with some logs,. Mosses, ferns, and some other native species of plants and much much more! As for your aquarium snails and shrimp as well as the dace I mentioned above, they are brightly colored and would look really nice against the darker background.

[@marthanewsome6375]

I would put some Chocolate Gourami in it myself.

[@fadhilaiman7812]

put neocaridina and chili rasbora or boraras maculatus, i think it would look great

[@bojinovm]

wood loving plecos + bamboo shrimp

[@SherriPadilla-p7w]

Tanner, I brought in some tree branches and added them to a 55 gallon planted tank. It has Bumblebee toads and a Hawaiian Mourning Gecko. I found the web of an orb weaver this morning and am concerned it's going to eat my tiny toads or gecko. Any recommendations on how to capture it? I will release it outside to do it's thing.

[@liquidrockaquatics3900]

I used a tree stump from a smaller tree that I cut from an uprooted log to take home and drill with a hole saw. 0/10 recommend this unless you have a vise to hold the wood. Almost cut my thumb off. The wood looked great after I got my thumb sewn back together and my betta sorority loved hiding in the little caves. The root system just gave everything a place to hide and swim around.

[@kyjanitheheretic]

Native American fish species like flagfish, pygmy sunfish, and golden topminnows would look awesome in here

[@TheMNZOO]

rosy barbs

[@kayla5237]

I would put kubotai rasboras.

[@deannearmaya8090]

Green tetra

[@JaymePaladino]

I would also lick my frog if necessary. I don't even have frogs. I'm subscribed.

[@N1ckelD1me]

a pretty female betta would be lovely in that tank

[@whyaretheredemonnoises3188]

im not sure but i think it needs something either gold or blue

[@Cowbell_Catboy]

whats your favorite scaping material? Tanner: yes

[@BigFloofyCat]

Seeing floating plants added is always a “hell yeah!” moment.

[@piercemccauley7079]

Guys see that and be like hell yeah

[@jack-jackil2705]

Really? I was begging please dont add floaters till I thought about the tannins. I loved the clean ethereal look it had!

[@BigFloofyCat]

@@jack-jackil2705 Floats are the GOATS. Easily.

[@Aghul]

The contrast of the white sand with the wood and black rocks looks so stunning!

[@rosebudkeely8153]

Gorgeous design, I love how red the wood looks when its wet. The ferns looks perfect next to it!

[@ERROR_A23]

Very typical, but I think some Thai Bettas would look amazing there, the aquarium screams for fish with flowy fins. Amazing upload as always.

[@beverlyjensen443]

Tanner, if I heard him right, is not a fan of fish bred for long flowing fins. But I agree with you and immediately thought Betta. I believe he's had one...with more natural fins. What else likes quiet water? It doesn't look right to me for Angelfish. What about the German Blue Rams (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi)? I love 'em.

[@iSam3000]

Honestly the amount of unique and interesting designs you put out is nothing short of astounding. The effort, production, lighting, sound, editing, camera setups for incredibly short clips, I mean… S tier tuber fo sho

[@Simssenceofhumor]

Bamboo shrimp would look very interesting

[@Clover_knows_pets]

Agreed! But they typically prefer higher flow environments since they are filter feeders so it wouldn't be the best option for this setup

[@Simssenceofhumor]

@@Clover_knows_pets well, you could put submersible pumps and subjection cut them below the waterline about 4 inches and put them on one side of the tank with no tubing. It should increase the flow without being noticed, which would be good for the shrimp because of the higher flow rate. The only problem is the plants would have to be fully established to handle that kind of water flow.

[@LifeinJars]

Wow this looks AWESOME! I definitely like it better without the backlight.

[@irradiatedsnakes]

neocardinia shrimp would be my go to. reds, yellows, or blues would really pop against the hardscape and the plants, and they'd love any and all biofilm that will grow on the wood.

[@cathrynlisa]

beautiful! I'd stock it with green neons :)

[@marikah6198]

I love how you come up with amazing design in low budget. You make it look so natural and look large in scale. I imagine some small slow moving fish in the aquascape.

[@rileyjanneee2995]

Red shrimp and your favorite danios would be PERFECT!!! Amazing, Tanner, it’s so gorgeous

[@dicebar_]

I think a school of leopard danios could look really cool in this setup.

[@christophervagnone1579]

African butterfly fish would be awesome

[@JayPro4x]

I have one of these….awesome fish!

[@semjart]

The initial sculpture was incredible already, the tank is just another huge bonus 😍💕

[@KingRex1993]

Can you try to make a prehistoric build like a desert or a riverbed with triops please serpa

[@chanterelle483]

Answering to boost the comment so it's more likely Tanner sees it. It's an incredible idea!

[@KingRex1993]

Thanks

[@dudeist_priest]

This would be such a nice piece to have near a fireplace in a cabin. The hardwood looks so nice!

[@SequoiaElisabeth]

The backlighting makes it really pop. I'm impressed with how natural the wood looks all pieced together like that.

[@kjibarrola]

Would love to see updates on this one! Probably the most intriguing build I’ve ever seen!

[@tomholroyd7519]

When you said firewood I thought you meant USED firewood. Some activated charcoal ...

[@thefishingreel1449]

Make 1 for Mudskipers. That's a challenge You would enjoy I think.