[CherylH]

I kept telling myself it would look better when it filled in....

I'm not sure what part to change. I want the high-low-high look for this tank and the crypts still have a ways to go to fill in, but something is wrong with either my plant choices (possibly my took-forever-to-grow marsilea) or the arrangement. I need outside eyes to help me see it.

What would you change/eliminate?

Thanks,

 

[Casty]

Well, honestly if it was me I'd just wait it out. I could see two big clumps of plants on both sides with a "river" in the middle with that scape eventually. I think it would look quite nice, just try to make sure the foreground doesn't choke out your other plants.

 

[CherylH]

two big clumps of plants on both sides with a "river" in the middle with that scape eventually.

That was the original intention. Maybe the middle has just filled in too fast to be in balance with the rest of the tank. I think I'll try thinning it out.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Betowess]

I'm with Casty on this one. One easy thing you could do is put a small chunk of wood on both back corners (hidden in the back) with thin leaf java or the like to raise up both back corners.Sort of like one of your other tanks (58?) that had the Cyperus helferi on both sides -that was a real inspiration to me. I loved the look of that tank!

 

[Badcopnofishtank]

You have a great start there. I would consider some taller plants in the rear; you have a lot of good mid height plants growing in. I would also consider shifting the focal point just ever so-slightly off center and maybe putting in another short growing foreground plant in to help accent the Marsilea. Glosso, riccia, HC come to mind.

 

[eklikewhoa]

I think if you go with tall stems on the outer edge and maybe giant hairgrass on the two back corners it would help the scape some.

 

[CherylH]

I see what you mean about the tank need to shift a little off center. I've got some tallish crypts I can snag from one of my back room tanks to give a little height to the corner. I've changed the angle on the rocks and that helps a little too.

I've been poking at the marsilea. It's pretty thick and has a lot of crud trapped underneath. I've got a mix of crenata and quadrifolia--I think I'll try and pull the bigger stuff out and just leave the smaller stuff behind. I've got algae in the making if I don't get the detritus thinned out.

I'll post the results in the morning after the water clears.

Betowess--that was one of my favorite tanks too. I never did get it to look good though. It was weird--I had 2 tanks that were identical except for the temperature of the bulbs and rocks vs. wood. The cyperus helferi looked great in the wood tank and always had BBA in the rock tank. :icon_cry: I've got a couple of chunks of petrified wood in there now--finally something that looks right with fluorite.

Thanks for the input everyone!

 

[esarkipato]

I might also replace the java fern on the right side. The broader leaves make the tank look small.

Also, Very nice brichardi!! What's your hardness/pH and how are they liking it in there? Just a pair? Any signs of breeding yet? They look pretty young I guess...

 

[CherylH]

It looks temporarily worse, but I think it's going to be better when it settles back in.

1. Wound up uprooting all the marsilea. There was a lot of cruddy growth underneath, but there was enough of the smaller type that I could plant with just that and not use the larger. So hopefully the foreground won't seem like "too much" like it was before.

2. Snagged some taller crypts from another tank for the right rear.

3. Moved one sword plant from in front of the rocks to behind.

4. Snagged some red/brown crypts from another tank to extend the red patch so it doesn't end dead center.

5. Thinned the java fern and moved it to the other side. Tucked in a few sprigs of narrow leaf and lace on the right hand rocks.

I'm hoping the brichardi will pair up soon--they're almost big enough. Hardness and ph are less than they should be, I'll worry about it more when the fish reach spawning size.

Thanks for the input. I think all the little twitches will look good when it settles back in. It's a slow tank so it will take a while--but then it should look good for quite a while.

 

[Guillermo]

Hi Cheryl, I like the actual scape, I like the Brichardis as well, How they do in your planted tank ? Don't they mess up the tank ?

 

[FelixAvery]

get some cyperus helferi at the back

 

[CherylH]

You can get me enthused talking about Brichardi! They're a long time favorite of mine. I've never had any trouble with having them with plants, but once they mature they will be the only fish in the tank--a pair and their offspring.

Felix--are you talking about the left, rear corner? I'm hoping my corkscrew val will get tall enough to fill it. I have a hard time with cyperus helferi and BBA in some tanks.

I twitched on the scape a little more--got rid of the rest of the java fern, pulled out the green swords so the path would go the back again and shifted the green crypts so they're all around the rocks on the right. My "middle" of the tank has shifted from about 1/3 from the left, crept into the middle, and how has shifted to about 1/3 from the right. Now I need to keep my hands out of it for a while (this is the time that I hate that I keep my levels low for slower growth).

 

[CherylH]

The bad part about taking pictures is when you have to look at them and say --it got worse. But they also help make the "wrong" parts stand out. The corkscrew val is gone and balsanae (sp?) looks much better. I see triangles now, so I'm happy for a while.

I forgot to save a cropped copy before I started playing with the photo filters, so this is a little off color wise.