Tom's 180 wood scaping

[ikuzo]

googling told me they school around the top when they're in great condition. so... yeah...

[SearunSimpson]

That is a sick tank. I really like the Espeis (sp?).
I'm hoping to do a 90gl full of pencils- but I can only dream it will look as good as this tank.

[plantbrain]

Originally Posted by MrJG

Tom that hygro that you have looks very similar if not exactly like my Limnophila 'mini'.

I'm not sure about the species and I do not think anyone really is that I trust.
I have perhaps one of the best taxonomist around at th state, but it's work, not hobby related and he's grumpy and over worked
I'm okay at it, but this guy is truly awesome.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[plantbrain]

Yes, pencils(N. espei) will hang out together in the upper regions.
I'll go with normal hatchets I think.
They sit right on the surface, the pencils right below, the Cards around the plants, Apistos, plecos, etc are rather cryptic etc.

I did redo the 60 gal:



Need to add a few more fish to finish the fish part.
Then add some moss rocks around the edge of the wood, give some time for the ferns and moss, etc to grow in better.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[waterfaller1]

So healthy & lush,it's beautiful Tom. edit: I see there is lots of great info and some beautiful photos in this thread. I like your cubes back a few pages, to spite you saying they are not 'scaped'. I love the hanging light and open look. Looks like I have 22 pages to read through...

[fishsandwitch]

plantbrain did you ever get my PM?

[Gatekeeper]

Tom,

I love the "creeping look" that the petite has up the hardscape. Sweet. Are those tied on, or just placed strategically in nooks and crannies?

How about a FTS?

[plantbrain]

Originally Posted by gmccreedy

Tom,

I love the "creeping look" that the petite has up the hardscape. Sweet. Are those tied on, or just placed strategically in nooks and crannies?

How about a FTS?

I do not "tie" plants. I use U shaped nails for for soft cork attachment or drill holes into the wood itself prior to planting, then I simply and rapidly push the plants in where they are suppose to be.

This cube has the same wood type as the 180 Gal.
However, unlike the 180, all the plants except for Corkscrew Val in the rear(they only get a max of 12" tall), are not in the sediment at all.

The sediment is pure dolomite, white and no nutrients added, it is a polar opposite sediment type compared to ADA AS.

Yet they still grow plants well.
The wood here is the main substrate for plants, in the 180, the wood is bare with no epiphytes.

The Anubias is a bit raggy due to poor CO2 at one point.
It will take some time for it to grow out and look better.
I have some Riccia mixed in and it will entangle and add bright pearling look to the upper sections without having to tie or trim it often.

The rock is required to hold the wood in place after gluing Cork bark for the Bolbtius. Cork is very bouyant. I plan on covering the rock with Moss.

I could use Xmas moss and it would grow very rapidly in here, however, I'm trying to keep the Fissidens pure and let it fill in. It grows okay, but nothing like the maddening rate of Xmas moss which adheres very well.
I cannot use Excel since I have a lot of moss/liverwort in here.
Then I also have a lot of high light HQI etc.
Once things start filling in and growing well, then it's fine, but that transition did not go as well as I'd hoped.

I suppose I could have done the DSM here, but the open top and wood made it tougher, still, Bolbtius and Anubias all do well with the DSM and some fertigation spray.



Regards,
Tom Barr

[plantbrain]

Originally Posted by fishsandwitch

plantbrain did you ever get my PM?

Yes. Thanks, but no.
If you send your address, then yes, perhaps for free.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[plantbrain]

I did a water change today and will get some pics later tonight.
I'll be adding more fish later next week and the following week.
The New Bacopa langeri is doing well, not sure if I like the contrast vs the B carolina. I might go back. I was hoping the contrast of the whiter, brighter color against the dark wood would look better. Still need to think more about it.

Thinned out some the P yatabeana, let the Tonia fill it more, a piece of wood I had glued moved on me and I do not think I can add it back easily.
Kind of got in my way a lot and the scape tends to cover the piece a lot as well.

Fish eat well.

Need to mow the HC and edge work the front.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[plantbrain]

Update:



Redid the 60 a bit:



Regards,
Tom Barr

[Green Leaf Aquariums]

Not only is Tom the water weed master, but look how he aquascaped those fish to swim at perfect levels.!!!

[plantbrain]

Originally Posted by Orlando

Not only is Tom the water weed master, but look how he aquascaped those fish to swim at perfect levels.!!!

Yea, but I did not sit down with a 2000$ camera and scripted looked, lighted correctly with 2 flashes, I did not wipe the glass, I took a quick point and shoot of a real tank that's running..........

The weeds you see are the ones I'm hacking right now to be shipped.
I'll show the details on the HC and how to keep it looking nice with less labor a bit later. I cut out about 1 sqft of HC 2" deep and it barely looks like it. And it'll grow back in 2-4 weeks at most.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[Green Leaf Aquariums]

What a cool place it must be to hang out drink some milk and stare at beautiful tanks..Ahhhhh!

[MedRed]

i know right Orlando. Up for an open house Tom?