[Nigel95]

Very different hardscape but hey this is looking way more appealing than the previous hardscape you made. Good job man. Trust me almost every new hardscape you make in tank or scape box will be better!

I really like the start on the left focal point. Now add lots of small stones with texture around and create nice combos. Especially on the left main stone feed that bottom with stones to make layers.

And don't forget that big slope . Small lava chunks are not that expensive and will stay for a very long time. Just invest in it once. And if you don't want a mess when you rescape you can consider to pack them in filter bags. This way it is easy to seperate from soil once you rescape.

EDIT: I only saw the first page I see you planted it now. If you are happy with it than it's good!

Be sure that the soil is moist but no water pools!

I don't really like the cosmetic sand atm. I would replace it with soil or make something like a path towards the back. Or have cosmetic sand on the full tank in the front.

 

[Curb Your Aquarium]

I love how people are total perfectionists here.

 

[Michael Chan]

I used about half a square foot of HC, and a quarter square foot of DHG.

Bump:

I love how people are total perfectionists here.

I agree, I think this is a hobby that appeals to perfectionists, myself included

 

[Michael Chan]

Very different hardscape but hey this is looking way more appealing than the previous hardscape you made. Good job man. Trust me almost every new hardscape you make in tank or scape box will be better!

I really like the start on the left focal point. Now add lots of small stones with texture around and create nice combos. Especially on the left main stone feed that bottom with stones to make layers.

And don't forget that big slope . Small lava chunks are not that expensive and will stay for a very long time. Just invest in it once. And if you don't want a mess when you rescape you can consider to pack them in filter bags. This way it is easy to seperate from soil once you rescape.

EDIT: I only saw the first page I see you planted it now. If you are happy with it than it's good!

Be sure that the soil is moist but no water pools!

I don't really like the cosmetic sand atm. I would replace it with soil or make something like a path towards the back. Or have cosmetic sand on the full tank in the front.

Thanks Nigel, hopefully I get to make many more. I'm liking my sand lake right now, but this one I can change fairly easily as my sand is essentially small pebbles. I'll re-evaluate after it has grown a bit.

Does your advice on the deep slope apply to this kind of layout where we essentially have an island in the mid ground, rather than a landscape background? I'm trying to visualize the perspective we would be trying to create.

 

[Nigel95]

You can also do a V shape, sides high slope and lower towards middle / golden ratio. I like big slopes in all layouts because it gives more depth and I like filled scapes with less negative space. Do what you want Analyze scapes and see what you like.

 

[Colin Wrexham]

Hi buddy. Totally agree with (Top 500 Nigel) lol. Sorry i couldn't resist it lol.

Not many straight lines in nature. I would consider angling those stones slightly just to create movement in your scape. It is a bit uniform. People get too precise and technical with hardscape and copy everyone elses. Then you get thousands all identical to each other.

Took me a few hours of moving mine around before i got the shape i liked. As you can see, even tried slate.

Good luck buddy

Sent from my SM-A530F using Tapatalk

 

[Michael Chan]

Week 2

So, the dry start did not go well. Mold started appearing on the second day, despite leaving the top of the tank open, so after battling this for a week I decide to heavily plant and flood the tank. Bring it on algae! In addition to DHG and HC, I planted:

Alternanthera Reineckii Mini
Cyperus Helferi
Lindernia Rotundifolia ‘Variegated’
Ludwigia Super Red
Echinodorus latifolius
Limnophila Sessiliflora
Flame moss (Taxiphyllum sp.)(Packet)
Alternanthera Lilacina
Staurogyne Repens
Lobelia Cardinalis
Alternanthera Rosefolia
Myriophyllum Matogrossense
Blyxa Japonica
Ammannia Nesaea

Dosed with some potassium (suggested by guy at shop), added some liquid carbon, and half a small bottle of beneficial bacteria. I've ordered 4 liters of thrive but that won't arrive for a week.

Here are some pics taken a couple hours after planting. I'm pleased that everything stayed in the ground (I think the week was long enough for my grass to get some roots down). Also pleased that my tank is fairly clear. I'm not sure if the moss stew I painted on my rocks is still alive (Does it look dead or alive?). At least it appears to have stuck on. Will update again in a week.

 

[babystarz]

Wow, it's absolutely gorgeous. I love that you expanded the white sand area, and the placement of the red plants.

 

[Discusluv]

Very nice scape.

 

[Michael Chan]

Week 3

The tank is cycled, fish have joined the party, but progress on my plants is mixed.

My stem plants have all been going great (Limnophila Sessiliflora has grown 20cm!), but my Blyxa Japonica and Staurogyne Repens have suffered a lot of melt (about 50% of the leaf mass). Also my Pogostemon Helferi has been decimated (it looked pretty dead from day one though). I'm hoping that this is simply an adjustment thing, and that they can bounce back over the next couple of weeks. Also, about 30% of my HC has gone brown and floated away, but the rest is getting roots down and looks healthy. I read that one should start dosing ferts only after the plants have established themselves. Is this the case or should I start dosing now? I've been blasting Co2 into my tank, but have cut back to a lower level now that fish have joined. Also seen a few patches of thread algae pop up, but nothing explosive.

Here is a pic of my Dwarf Gourami He loves chewing on plants, but so far it has just been the dead and melted leaves, which he is welcome to snack on. I named him Salad Fingers. He is joined by a school of ember tetras, some ottos, loaches, and a couple of honey gourami.

 

[kaldurak]

I've always fertilized the same day I fill the tank. Since plants need/like ferts light and co2 to establish and grow, I'm not about to deny them, especially when they're just starting.