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Critique my Aquascape..

2K views 17 replies 8 participants last post by  HUNTER 
#1 · (Edited)
My first planted and first try. Tank is 17g 24x12x14. Substrate is Eco complete 1-1/2" front and 2-3" back. The left side will be Amazon sword and whatever fits there. Right side same thing but different plants. The front will be some sort of carpeting. What do you think? thanks

 
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#3 ·
it will be hard to keep the path from getting mixed with the black substrate, expecially when water changing/cleaning. but I like the scape. especially like the tree it looks very realistic. I think the three biggest rocks are too big and too close to the path though.
 
#4 ·
Cool wood! I think you'll have a hard time keeping the path "Clean and neat" and actually think it may look better with a little chaos. Rather than trying to execute a path with a different substrate, I suggest using plants to outline it.

I think Amazon sword would be too large for this small set up. Consider a much smaller leaf stem plant for the background. The tank isn't deep which will help you for carpet. You will likely need CO2 to grow glosso or riccia. You could also try covering a matt with moss or four leaf clover or dwarf hair grass.

It may be ambitious but you could also break off a limb from the wood and hang from suction cup from the left side on front of the glass. I think it could look like a branch from a tree that isn't in the scene. You could place it on the ground as well...

Just my opinions...most important that you LOVE it.
 
#5 ·
Thanks guys, its so easy to plan but hard to excecute, I'm glad it turn out ok.
I was thinking that amazon will get too big, I'll look at something else. Yeah the path, it's good at first set up but it hard to stay that way, kinda copied it from other members tank. I will do few smaller plant that overshadow the rocks, I got few smaller rocks if I need to change the large ones. The two branches I got from craft store I just glue them together otherwise they look like twigs. I'm just cycling it now and I'll head over to the plant section and hopefully I can put together a one time order from a member.
 
#6 ·
Going to some of the established websites and looking at pictures of plants will help you. You should do research on lighting etc requirements but in general, if you like a plant, try it out! If it doesn't grow, you can always take it out...

One more tip: when arranging rocks, the faces generally should be same direction as if they have been manipulated in a natural way. Think of canyon being hit by wind or cliffs hit my waves over many years. While your rocks aren't bad, I think you can play around some more to get them even more interesting.
 
#7 ·
I'm researching now on some plant and hopefully I can get them from a single vendor. Like you said, I'll get the plant and see what happens. My tank is in the bedroom so I have all the time to look at the scape and adjust. Trying to decide on what foreground I should have.
 
#10 ·
Just be careful with excel and ferts...you already have eco complete and the plants you named are not very demanding. Excel can kill your fish in wrong doses (and isn't good for them in small doses either) and having too many nutrients will create imbalance - algae and other problems!

The tank is small enough where if you purchase glosso and it dies, no big deal. Remember the fish will give off CO2 also so you may not need extra. Before you spend money and get high tech, I recommend trying without it.

You could add some anubia nana (smallest leaf) to the wood and make it REALLY look like a tree. Could certainly add some mosses too
 
#14 ·
I love the path! I hope it stays. It's looking nice to me. :)
 
#16 ·
I think you should put plastic dividers between the eco complete and the path to prevent the plants from growing over the pathway. I also think you should replace the path you have right now with light, natural colored sand. I think sand will look and feel more natural. Other than that, I think your tank is looking great!
 
#17 ·
I tried this. Don't do it!!! Eco complete and sand will mix and you'll have black specs in your sand. Dividers are good idea but personally, I would remove the new substrate and simply not plant in that area. With pruning, you will train plants to grow certain way


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#18 ·
The plan is, the plants will kinda overhanging the path and will show thinner and the glosso will outline the front. If that doesn't workout, it's easy enough to take out the path, they're pebbles. I didn't do sand because once it's mixed, it falls to the bottom. I ran out of Eco complete that's why I filled in the path. I wish they have 10lb bag Eco. Aquascaping is never permanent, and once I started planting there will be some rearranging and the fun part begins. It's a small tank and not much to work with.
 
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