Well written. The collectoritis disease is one that is pretty hard to be cured of. There are a few ideas that I think might help. A beginner is understandably eager to try a wide variety of plant species. Who can fault this? The best approach in my mind is to define the goals from the onset.
At first, I'd propose that people abandon aquascaping and instead focus on the needs of the plants, learning to keep various species, learning to trim, and learning techniques that will be applied to later aquascapes. These might include experimenting with hardscape, trying the moss-on-a-stick technique, gaining experience with various growth rates, and learning to cover leggy stem plant with bushy mid-ground plants. It's also important to learn to match lighting, ferts, and CO2 to the desired species and overall 'look' of a tank. A plant's appearance and utility also depend a great deal on the conditions under which it's kept. After a few months of this, the artist will start to understand the available brushes and colors on the pallate.
The next step would be spend several weeks contemplating a new design. IME, it's best to either tear down the tank completely or to start a new tank from scratch. Accidents can sometimes improve an aquascape, but deliberate design toward a pre-conceived goal is more likely to acheive success. Personally I find it advantageous to keep 2 or 3 tanks. One can be the main showpiece while the others can be storage and experimentation tanks for the 'paints'.
Toninas and eriocaulons will probalby find their place eventually. Every plant in a winning aquascape must be in top condition to really give the 'scape a nice feel. Many people who keep sensitive species handicap themselves with sub-optimal plant condition. |