That Mexicana looks interesting. Does it creep along the ground? Doesn't grow vertical much?
It creeps along the ground. I never thought much of it from just seeing it in pics. Somebody gave me a few so I stuck them in the ground. Gotta say its pretty cool once it grows out. Not many yellow carpeting plants out there. This patch should come back out looking nicer than it did pre-trim.
And the AR Var. looks great. For some reason I just never have the best luck with it. Could be something with my heavy fish load? Who knows? Maybe I'll figure it out someday.
These look fair, OK but not great. This is one plant that for me has always needed very low micros. The tank its in gets .1 Fe 3x, it would look even better with lower levels. Macros can be high or low, doesnt seem to matter.
Another interesting thing about the variegated, Ive never got it to do well in aquasoil tanks. Regardless of dosing it's always doing better in the sand tanks. One of the only plants I can think of like that
Then regular version is a lot easier, it can tolerate a wide range of nutrients and doesnt care what type of substrate.
I think this aquascape is amazing. Your photographs are over the top. If I can get a tank going, I'm going to have to get up with you about how to photograph.
Thanks Ben! I really appreciate it.
I'll be glad to help you with taking photos. Bring a cigarette pack and a crayon. Because that's all you need to write down everything I know about taking pictures.
Seriously Im a photo noob. I use a Galaxy phone in pro mode. ISO 150-200, white balance on fluorescent or auto, exposure usually in the -1.5 - -2 range. Everything else left auto
I dont even know if those are optimum settings, its just what I've arrived at that seems to look best. Also it helps to take darker pics than you want, and adjust the brightness after the fact.
I can see the judge's comments. There were 2 excellent tanks in this category IMO, and they can only pick one winner. I prefer yours, but I can see that from a strictly Dutch judging criteria, they make good points.
I thought the overall competition was weaker this year than last. Hopefully thats not a trend of things to come. The top tank clearly is better than mine in regards to meeting Dutch criteria.
Was reading another journal a while back, some of you guys were talking about how to use Eichhornia diversifolia. ^That's how! But omg I cant imagine trying to keep 20 stems that high on a regular basis. They'll be at the surface in 2 days and have to be shortened again.
That bunch was most likely, more or less inserted for the pic. Probably cut to the desired height and planted a day or two before. The Myrio, Didiplis and Wisteria was probably handled similarly. Its the only way to do super fast growing stuff to make it the right height relative to everything else. There's always a couple species I have to do that with too. It doesnt all magically grow to the ideal height at the same time. That guy did a helluva job, stunning tank.
I have always found this interesting. I'll have it grow on rocks, but the monte carlo growing over the rock will be beautiful and clean of BBA. It must be those healthy leaves keeping it away.
Yep, prime example of how healthy plants, healthy leaves dont get bba
