[Jalopy]

So how high off the surface of the water is the light? Also how high is your tank? Is that how it normally looks? It looks really good. Makes me want to try it now.

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[xmas_one]

Pulled out all of the A. reineckii, yanked a huge crypt colony from the upper right rear area, and cleared out all of the 049. I trimmed the downoi and planted the trims behind the initial patch of downoi on the left hand side.

 

[Jalopy]

What's going to be planted in the empty space now?

 

[xmas_one]

What's going to be planted in the empty space now?

I think I'm going to remove a bunch of that substrate and leave it open in the center, maybe throw some sand in there for the cory cats to bash around in.

 

[kwheeler91]

Your tank makes me want to chill out. Which is a good thing IMO a "blackground" would take away that open feel this thing has going on. If you could hide the cables or maybe one of the frosted glass looking backgrounds with the light would look cool. Personally I like it the way it is and cords dont bother me but if you want people to stop hounding you then by all means, because there isnt anything else to nit pick lol.

 

[exv152]

Great tank. I thought the reineckii added some nice contrast, any particular reason for removing it?

 

[xmas_one]

Your tank makes me want to chill out. Which is a good thing IMO a "blackground" would take away that open feel this thing has going on. If you could hide the cables or maybe one of the frosted glass looking backgrounds with the light would look cool. Personally I like it the way it is and cords dont bother me but if you want people to stop hounding you then by all means, because there isnt anything else to nit pick lol.

Thanks! I think you are probably right, the black would be too much. I'll try moving the cords or maybe put a piece of poster board back there and see.

Great tank. I thought the reineckii added some nice contrast, any particular reason for removing it?

Thanks! I yanked the AR mostly because it grows so fast (stupid stems!), and I thought the reds were kind of "taking away" from the color pop the fish add to the tank. I do have some H. pinnatifida that is growing on the rear of the left trunk and just planted some on the right trunk in the area where the crypts were, so that will redden things up a little bit.

 

[xmas_one]

Put a bamboo shade behind the tank, moved the co2 controller, and did a little trimming. Trying to transplant some of the E. hydropiper onto the lower horizontal wood that runs across the center of the tank. Yanked out a bunch of riccia and pulled some of the needleleaf that was covering the anubias on the right side.

 

[jmf3460]

i have to say that I much more liked your tank on 4/18 with the altelanthera and the riccia. it is starting to look a little dark and depressing to me. Please don't take offense, its still beautiful by all means, I just liked it a little more with the brighter colors and varied plants. i think your first scape with all the plants in the middle foreground in front of the wood was better.

 

[Jalopy]

Do you change the lighting before taking pictures? Out does seen really dark. Maybe more light will be reflected once everything grows in? Still looks good though.

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[xmas_one]

i have to say that I much more liked your tank on 4/18 with the altelanthera and the riccia. it is starting to look a little dark and depressing to me. Please don't take offense, its still beautiful by all means, I just liked it a little more with the brighter colors and varied plants. i think your first scape with all the plants in the middle foreground in front of the wood was better.

Thanks! I agree, it is a bit dark/stark now, hoping that as it fills back in this will change. In the last update picture the water was a little cloudy, and I have just been using a phone on all the pics (tough to get the exposure compensation just right). Hopefully next week I'll be motivated enough to drag out my "real" camera.

Do you change the lighting before taking pictures? Out does seen really dark. Maybe more light will be reflected once everything grows in? Still looks good though.

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Nope, it's the same light, I think it just comes out lighter/darker depending on which spot in the tank I "tell" the iphone to compensate for. Yep, it should lighten up once things fill in a bit. I'm working on expanding the sandy areas too, which should also brighten it up a bit.

Here's a pic I just took today, slightly different exposure:

 

[lauraleellbp]

I think you should stick a round wooden door in that opening. I keep looking for one, anyways! :fish:

 

[MamaJu]

oh la la - I love that your tank is dark and mysterious. I agree with LauraLee, you should add a wooden door. You can make it out of styrofoam or tie a bunch of sticks together to make a rustic looking door.

Have you considered planting a Cryptocoryne species in the dark area?

 

[xmas_one]

I think you should stick a round wooden door in that opening. I keep looking for one, anyways! :fish:

Haha! Troll door, I can see it now.

oh la la - I love that your tank is dark and mysterious. I agree with LauraLee, you should add a wooden door. You can make it out of styrofoam or tie a bunch of sticks together to make a rustic looking door.

Have you considered planting a Cryptocoryne species in the dark area?

Can't do a troll door, but a nice colored crypt may be a good fit. What species would you suggest?

 

[lauraleellbp]

I was thinking a Hobbit door- your tank looks like The Shire!

 

[MamaJu]

Haha! Troll door, I can see it now.



Can't do a troll door, but a nice colored crypt may be a good fit. What species would you suggest?

Keeping with a dark tone here are my suggestions:
Option 1) Wendtii Bronze Cryptocoryne for the color and leaf shape contrast.
Option 2) Cryptocoryne Blassi. Not sure if the color will stand out or not.
(non crypt options)
Option 3) Tiger Lotus. Just keep cutting the long stems so the bulb will want to grown low. It will give you a great contrast to the plants you have now as it's leaf is broad and it doesn't require 3 inches of fertile soil.
Option 4) Echinodorus Red Flame Sword. Needs root tab and possibly iron supplement.

If you want something with a lighter color maybe banana plant or melon sword or ozelot sword.

Hope this helps. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

If you don't add a circle door then you should leave the arch open because it looks awesome without plants growing in the way.

 

[xmas_one]

Boring obligatory update pic:

 

[Cardinal's Keeper]

It's been long enough, need another obligatory update photo.

 

[xmas_one]

Went back to 4200K 70w MH for a while, thinking of dragging out the halogen again. Something about the color of the halogen just can't be beat. Here's a pic from this weekend under the halides.

 

[Jalopy]

Tank looks amazing. Thanks for the update.