[brbarkey]

I planted this tank in November. What does everyone think? There are 3 types of hair grass. I am hoping that this will be a low maintance tank.

Ben

 

[Phil Edwards]

That's some nice looking hairgrass! The big rock on the left side should be pointing a different direction though. With an overall left to right tilt of the other rocks, the major right to left tilt of that one is jarring. Also, the patches of taller grass behind the main humps of the design look like algae and don't particularly serve the overall composition well. I'd suggest removing them.

Best,
Phil

 

[skinns]

Nice size tank. Are there any other of plans for adding more plant species in the future? Seems like you could generate a number of different compositions with that many gallons at your hands. Interested to see how this one takes off.

 

[brbarkey]

Also, the patches of taller grass behind the main humps of the design look like algae and don't particularly serve the overall composition well. I'd suggest removing them.

Your right they do look like algae from the picture. Unfortunatley the picture doesnt do it justice. I am still up in the air about keeping them or not. Do you think taking a tank picture with a wide angle lens would help with showing more detail...I am a newbie at taking pictures

Are there any other of plans for adding more plant species in the future

At this point no...Maybe this summer if this layout doesnt work, but hair grass will probably always be a main focus unless its a pain to keep it

ben

 

[david lim]

I too feel that maybe the pictures is making the hairgrass look like algae. Maybe instead of isolating the hairgrass directly behind the rocks you were to spread them out, especially along the sides and back sides of the rocks and allow the hairgrass to take more of a presence in the tank.

David

 

[niko]

Brbbarkey,

Coolest tank I've seen lately!

Aquascaping:
I think that the tall hairgrass doesn't add anything to that beautiful aquascape. Even if it was perfectly straight it wouldn't add anything more.

I believe that many people would deem this aquascape an Amano rip-off, but I like it, and I want to do one myself some day.

Agree with Phil, the rock on the left should point to the left.

Maintenance:
How do you go about maintenance of the short hairgrass? With lots of light and CO2 it will start to get too dense and eventually will not look good.

Photography:
The picture will benefit from more detail, not from using a wide angle lens.

To achieve more detail make sure your camera is not shaking when taking the picture (use a tripod and self timer). Also if your camera has a "macro mode" use it - usually (but not always) the macro mode zooms the lens to a length that produces the best lens performance.

Another thing - the green appears yellowish. Adjust the white ballance of your camera to where the yellow is minimal. Also raise the camera even more above the straight line pointing at the tank. That will help with both colors and detail.

Lastly - reduce the exposure a little. You will end up with a bit darker picture but it will have more detail in the overexposed tops of the short hairgrass.

--Nikolay

 

[turtlehead]

Maintenance:
How do you go about maintenance of the short hairgrass? With lots of light and CO2 it will start to get too dense and eventually will not look good.

just use a thinning scissor usually for haircuts.

 

[trenac]

Ben... I like your tank, a very simple layout nicely done. I also agree with the others opinions on the tall hairgrass. Instead of removing it from the tank, I think spreading it out a bit and moving it to a differant location will help.

 

[brbarkey]

Brbbarkey,

Coolest tank I've seen lately!

Aquascaping:
I think that the tall hairgrass doesn't add anything to that beautiful aquascape. Even if it was perfectly straight it wouldn't add anything more.

I believe that many people would deem this aquascape an Amano rip-off, but I like it, and I want to do one myself some day.

Agree with Phil, the rock on the left should point to the left.

--Nikolay

Thanks for the kind words...and you are correct it is an Amano "rip-off" As for the long hair grass it was accidently sent to me when I wanted normal hair grass...so I planted it. Still trying to decide what to do with the left rock. It well placed and would take some work to move it and the driftwood its on.

Ben... I like your tank, a very simple layout nicely done. I also agree with the others opinions on the tall hairgrass. Instead of removing it from the tank, I think spreading it out a bit and moving it to a differant location will help.

Thanks ternac
I will probably do this in a few months. I think offsetting them from the two big rocks would make it look better.

Ben

 

[jsenske]

I think you should keep the tall hairgrass, but spread it a bit. Keep trimming it and it will fill in nicely. It's not that it's inappropriate- it's just a bit under developed at this early stage. I didn't notice it looking like algae at all. Are you conbining petrified wood and driftwood there for hardscape? I can't quite tell exactly from the pic. That would maybe be an awkward combination- but in this photo it looks as if it can work.

 

[brbarkey]

Are you conbining petrified wood and driftwood there for hardscape? I can't quite tell exactly from the pic. That would maybe be an awkward combination- but in this photo it looks as if it can work.

yes you are right I am combining the two. I first bought the wood from aquariumdriftwood.com and didnt like how it fit the tank. So I decided to do a tank with big pieces of petrified wood. I quickly found out that big pieces of petrifed wood can get really expensive and it is hard to make sure all the rock matches. So I combined the two.

thanks for the tips

ben

 

[Sudi]

Hello,

Nice size tank, looking good to.
Are those neons swimming aroud it ?
How many of them do you have (if they are neons)?

Sudi :smile:

 

[brbarkey]

Hello,

Nice size tank, looking good to.
Are those neons swimming aroud it ?
How many of them do you have (if they are neons)?

Sudi :smile:

Sudi, Thanks

Unfortunatly they are not neons. Most are common guppies and 7 SAE. In the future I will add Cardinal tetras though!!!