jerime

I'm rearranging my tank (60 g, 1.25 wpl) : trying to create depth perception by planting glosso. in a triangle : wide in the front glass and narrowing toward the back. My question is : how do I limit/restrict the glosso. from going out of the triangle i'm interested in?
Any ideas regarding layout (the 2 walls above the triangle)?
Thanks

turbomkt

One way to restrict it might be to use either rocks (slate?) that go below the substrate surface and are also a bit above but hidden by the glosso. If things grow well enough, you might be able to use clear plastic the same way and it could provide a smaller break between two sections but be just as effective.

HeyPK

Glosso tends to run over everything in short order. When mixed with E. tenellus or other ground cover plants, it makes my aquarium look like an interesting but overrun and somewhat neglected garden. That is probably why aquascapers are lusting to get Hemianthus callitrichoides because it doesn't race around so rapidly and climb over walls. One can always keep Glosso under control by trimming it back every week.

jerime

Thanks guys.
HeyPK, do you suggest I s'd use the Hemianthus instead (its smaller and harder to work with, isn't it?).
Any suggestions regarding the depth perception (the triangle I mentioned)? S'd I place the triangle in the middle of the aquarium?

tsunami

I went ahead and scanned an image out of my ADA contest magazine. I think it is something similar to what you are trying to do.



Glosso or Hemianthus callitrichoides are equally viable for the foreground. It's just that you're going to have to trim both back into the foreground. They both send out invasive stems into surrounding plantings.

I recommend not placing this triangle in the center. Rather, placing it just off center would be best.

Carlos

jerime

Thanks a lot tsunami, u'r great. That's what I had in mind.
I'd like to use more red plants then that picture.
Really don't want to bother but can you give me more details on how it's composed (is it terraces, just higher stem plant, what is the best way to use reds etc?)?

tsunami

In this aquascape, the owner carefully shaped the Rotala rotundifolia 'Green' into two mounds on either side. To cover up the lower stems and add midground height, he used two pieces of driftwood covered in java moss. These pieces are placed in such a way that they create a V. The Glosso was then used to fill in the foreground. The scanty, short Vallisneria at the focal point adds depth to this layout...

I don't feel that this particular aquascape really needs any red plants as the very strong focal point of negative space is more subtly balanced by the triangle of dark negative space right under the piece of driftwood on the left side.

Use of red plants? That is a really broad topic --too much for the scope of this thread.

Carlos

jerime

If I'm not going for the same layout, can 1 side be red or on both sides 1 layer will be green and another layer, the upper one, will be red?

tsunami

I mentioned that in this particular layout, wide swaths of red plants would be distracting.

If I were forced to place red plants in that photo, I would place a grouping of Ludwigia arcuata in the extreme upper left hand corner.

Do your own layout first and decide from there. Placement of plants or species of plants aren't written in stone. You can always change them if you do not like the current position. That is how you learn.

Hope this helps,

Carlos

jerime

Thanks a lot. It does.
I'll do my layout and post here (the whole process) for critique and suggestions.
Thanks again.
Eyal