freph's Mini M

[catfishbi]

you want to save the corver and side for the plants

[freph]

True, but I also don't want to use an even number of stones and 3 seems like too few. I'll sleep on it and check back in the morning.

[parthapratim22]

are you sleeping??? But I have something to say....

You main rock is very strong, it can be an awesome tank, with some serious addition!!!

[Ozydego]

Also, I would hesitate to place stones to get a final position before you move some more of that AS away from the front, thats a lot of black space at the front glass. It can be manicured at the end, but its tough to get placement right, then move a bunch of soil around. I REALLY like that main stone though, using the thought of pick a stone that looks to big to fit and it will be perfect, I think you accomplished that. +1 on the stones seeming to break off the main stone, a steep slope would help with that look as well. Keep going, looks like it could reach that epic status.

[freph]

Originally Posted by Ozydego

Also, I would hesitate to place stones to get a final position before you move some more of that AS away from the front, thats a lot of black space at the front glass. It can be manicured at the end, but its tough to get placement right, then move a bunch of soil around. I REALLY like that main stone though, using the thought of pick a stone that looks to big to fit and it will be perfect, I think you accomplished that. +1 on the stones seeming to break off the main stone, a steep slope would help with that look as well. Keep going, looks like it could reach that epic status.

Yeah....I really like the main stone and I intentionally started with more AS than I planned to keep just so I could scoop and manipulate it better. I got tired and called it a night.

parthapratim22,
I like the layout you proposed. I feel it has a better flow than what I've got right now. The left side just looks...crowded at current. Thanks!

[freph]

Who knew playing with rocks would be this hard. The bottom right stone is just really oddly shaped...but the top has a great hue and features to it. It's a bit annoying to soften the edges to make it look right but I think I did an alright job. Moved the stones around on the left to give it a more open look as opposed to cluttered. Four stones apparently signifies death, so I'm rather reluctant to remove that top left stone but I think the scape benefits moreso from not having it...

[freph]

Got tired of working with the rocks and had a nice talk with Frank about them (this doesn't mean that everyone else's input was null and void; every input was valuable to me and I tried them all) and ended up deciding on a single stone scape. The main rock is large enough to support itself and for an aquarium this size, it works well as a single scaping feature. It was also quite convenient as I had forgotten to put Clear Super in on top of the Bacter 100 . I want this to be as much about the plants as I do the rock. Glosso and DHG Belem foreground, Riccia and H. tenellum placed randomly around the aquarium (DHG will also be placed randomly to accent the Riccia and blend the scape together) and E. acicularis with H. tenellum will create a lovely natural background (plus the roots will hold the slope well). The plant order has been placed and should be here sometime mid/late next week, maybe sooner depending on how their shipping is working this week since I'm not 100% on how it'll be. I wish you guys could see the purplish hues this rock has....it's really something else and my iPhone (even after several attempts of focusing different object to correct the color balance) can't do them justice.

[Geniusdudekiran]

Lower the substrate a little, while you can. I wish I could now...

[freph]

Originally Posted by Geniusdudekiran

Lower the substrate a little, while you can. I wish I could now...

How much lower and why? What happened in your tank that made the substrate depth a bad thing? Actual substrate height in the front is 1.5" and height in the back is 4" for reference.

[Ozydego]

That's the Amano's measurements for soil right? The front looks great now, it's gonna be a great layout!

[Kratos]

This is going to be a dang fine setup!

[freph]

Originally Posted by Ozydego

That's the Amano's measurements for soil right? The front looks great now, it's gonna be a great layout!

It was actually just what looked good to me at the time, but I did notice that it was almost spot on for what's in the Book of ADA. Nifty. Thank you!

Originally Posted by Kratos

This is going to be a dang fine setup!

Thanks! I certainly hope I can make it something great.

[Geniusdudekiran]

Originally Posted by freph

How much lower and why? What happened in your tank that made the substrate depth a bad thing? Actual substrate height in the front is 1.5" and height in the back is 4" for reference.

Maybe it's just me, but I personally like about 1" in the front on my nanos, as it seems to throw off the scale sometimes if it is too high. To each his own, I suppose.

[freph]

Originally Posted by Geniusdudekiran

Maybe it's just me, but I personally like about 1" in the front on my nanos, as it seems to throw off the scale sometimes if it is too high. To each his own, I suppose.

Makes sense. The only problem with that is that the stone needs adequate slope in the front to maintain softened edges and it's height presence, otherwise I probably would've gone at least 1/4" lower. I think it should be fine, though. The true test will be perspective after the plants grow in.

[mcqueenesq]

I agree with Kiran. I wish mine were lower too. Space is so limited; it just seems like a waste to use so much for foreground plant roots. It turns into this annoying 2" horizontal brown stripe across the bottom of your otherwise beautiful layout. I wonder if Amano factored in the constant battle with evaporation? That's 1/2" of viewing pleasure lost on any given day in my house.