Marlène

I did this

These pictures give a better impression I think.

Mellonman

I love your tank Marlène because, although it's definitely Dutch-style, it's not too "rigid"...
The use of Cladophora, mosses and Microsorum pteropus gives it a touch of "nature"...

Great job

Robert Hudson

Very nice! Much more red than you typically see in traditional Dutch. Someone who bends the rules! I love it!

I still don't get this at all. Something is being lost in the translation. I see this in almost every Dutch photo and I still don't see how it ever works, or what it is supposed to do. It must be a Dutch thing!

ianmoede

Dutch has its place i guess. I'm not a super fan of it stylistically, but i definitely like the dutch-amano fusion tanks.

Marlène

Well in my case, I guess there's nothing to get. The gliceria is standing there because I like it there.
One day I got a little piece of this plant and I decided to put it there. It makes my tank look deep and its nice how fish swimm around it.

You are talking about Dutch aquascaping. I think its very funny: some-one told me about the photo of my tank in this topic. I never intended to scape to a certain (dutch) standard.
I am a dutch woman and because my tank stands in Holland, it must be a Dutch tank. This tank excists for one year. I never bought or choose any of the plants in this tank but got little pieces from several people who had some leftovers. I moved them somewhat around and let them grow. When I put the plants in place I didn't even know about aqua-scaping or dutch tanks.

DonaldmBoyer

Can't argue with health of the plants in there! I like it a ton! The only thing that keeps me from loving it: Like Guiac Boy said earlier....the Cyperus looks too much like a monument; I would move it back a bit, and the java fern does look out of place. Maybe if you made a large patch of it, like a wall covering, that would look better.

But, I couldn't do much better than that. You have a very clean tank, great thriving plants, and nice lines Excellent! My critiques are only from a subjective standpoint, and don't really count for anything. As long as you love it, that's all that matters!

Jessie

I think the unique and highly organized feel of the Dutch-style is just fascinating. It takes a lot more discipline that I admit to having.

Marlène, your tank is knock-down stunning!

Marlène

Thank you for the compliments.

Highly organised thats true. I know a lot of people who do so. We influence eachother with nice ideas. I saw a lot of pictures on forums. And I took notice of reactions of people on my photo's. In our aquariumclub Paluzee, people told a lot about how to keep and breed plants. And how nice it looks if plants of one sort are kept together. And to make good contrast if the same forms en colours of plants are not placed next to eachother.

But in Holland there are also a lot of people with completley different styles. I think the most important thing is to scape your aquarium just the way you enoy it.

O, and a little addit to the post above: I did buy the cladaphora.

Gracie

Marlene, your tank is beautiful. My tank resembles a weed patch next to yours.