Unirdna's 46g Bowfront - Terminated - 03/2004 - 03/2007

[observant_imp]

It looks kinda like egeria najans.

[Lorenceo]

No idea what kind of plant it is.. but it does look nice.

[FMZ]

Very nice looking tank, what kind of hair grass is it in the front?? It has taken over the whole tank

[unirdna]

Originally Posted by FMZ

Very nice looking tank, what kind of hair grass is it in the front?? It has taken over the whole tank

I don't know the exact Latin name - but it looked like this when I bought it, and it was purchased at Petco. It was obviously grown emersed because it has terrestrial moss growing on it, and it underwent a huge die-off in the first few weeks.

And you are right, it is taking over the tank. You see that Apon (crinkle-leafed plant on the left side)? It is suppose to take over a tank. And look how the vals fell off over the months. I did not make those changes - the hairgrass made them. Strange that a carpet plant can smother canopy plants - usually the other way around, right?

[John P.]

Looks like Eleocharis Acicularis to me ... "Dwarf Hairgrass."

[Georgiadawgger]

Its looking great. I liked the middle pic the best though. I think the anacharis is a bit spaced out...maybe bunching it up closer?

[unirdna]

Originally Posted by Georgiadawgger

Its looking great. I liked the middle pic the best though. I think the anacharis is a bit spaced out...maybe bunching it up closer?

I completely understand what you're saying, and here's where we reach an impass. It's a question of what you want out of your aquascape... I like it wild - the wilder the better. I even like the look of old, dying leaves . The middle photo was taken a few months into my "plant" days. I was never happy with it no matter how much I pruned and replanted. Then, I went on a 3-week vacation. When I got back my tank was an overgrown disaster....and I loved it . Since then, I've approached aquascaping from a different (lazy hehe) perspective.

Glad you enjoyed the photo, though .

[Wö£fëñxXx]

I like the wild look also, my problem is I can't keep my stinking hands out of the tank long enough to let that happen though....

[Georgiadawgger]

Originally Posted by Wö£fëñxXx

I like the wild look also, my problem is I can't keep my stinking hands out of the tank long enough to let that happen though....

My problem too Applying for jobs and more jobs split with working on getting my dissertation chapters published gives me plenty of time to get wrinkled fingers...

[Steven_Chong]

I like the updated shot much more, and applaud the choice to break up the uniformity in the composition. Mixing the stem plants on the right definitely lends a more natural-esque appearence, and allows the plants to balance and contrast each other with better flow that would be disrupted by "bunching" them. The nice dip of the hair grass is cool too.

While the "wild" look is definitely nicer (in my book) I still cannot agree with randomly floating micranthemum stems, and leaving the ratty brown java leaves alone.

lol, then again, lazy . . .

[Lorenceo]

How about some updates Ted?

[Thanks]

i second that.

[unirdna]

Here's a whole tanks shot. The right side was getting too dark, so I hacked out a bunch and planted it in the tank at work. I am always amazed at how skewed my interpretation of a head-on photo can be, so I took a few more photos to help give a more complete perspective.



One thing that is hard to grasp is the size of that Java fern. It is a monster, and effective divides the tank in two. Here are right and left side photos.

(right)


(left)


...and remember when I said that pearl grass would make a comeback? Well, it's on the move up front...



....and even sneaking around the back, left side; making its way into the java



The vals, seemingly stalled over the past few months have made a curious move - out into the hairgrass.


And try this one on for size ... Around the right corner, microsword shows up. Nice, and I like it - but, I never planted microsword in this tank. Additionally, I haven't added any new plants in 6+ months.



Finally, I have replaced the male ram with a new one. This guy was always my favorite, but, unfortunately became the omega odd-man-out when the two females originally paired up. So, he's been in a 15 gal by himself for over a year. With the pair failing to produce any viable fry in their last 3 attempts, I decided to let this "banished" male have a go. He's actually larger and more colorful than the other males; I can't figure out why he got his butt beat. Check out the length on that 4th dorsal ray .

[Thanks]

damn! you need to give that beast a working. I think If you moved the javas to the right a bit more, it would balance out the tank a bit better. I love the hairgrass; I hope mine becomes as nice as yours; I bought it the same way you did, from petsmart.

[unirdna]

After a full year of NEVER trimming the java fern, it finally got its first haircut. Those giant vals may need some discipline soon, as well. They are really taking the battle to my hairgrass. And check out those three rasboras on the left - synchonized swimming.



Something for the takers at aquabid