[nonamethefish]

A black background really does make a difference! The branchy piece is new, and it likes to float. Its attached to a rock with some silicone seal...hopefully it will stay for now.

The current plants are...

Hygrophila augustifolia-on the left

Large java fern-Left piece of driftwood and floating around

Windelov java ferns-attached to right piece...some plantelts floating around.

2 Narrow leaved java ferns-just floating around

Java moss-
tied strands on driftwood, most of it is still in a big ball at the bottom. The ones on the driftwood turned clearish so I think they died...perhaps they dried out while out of water.

elodea-floating around not sure of where exactly to put it yet.

A. crispus-behind java fern, not visible in this pic

Najas-Just floating around

2 Vallisneria-back.

Most of this came ineither a trade or from an old tank.

 

[ShaneSmith]

How thick is your substrate? I think that you should put something in for a foreground. Echinodorus tennelus Micro would be a great choice. I think that fore aesthetic purposes the hygro would look best right now in a focal point position. a mound shape with one java fern/moss and Angustifolia would look pretty good if you ask me. I've always like Hygro Angustifolia but i never remember to actually order it haha

 

[nonamethefish]

The substrate is just shy of 1 inch in the front. Doesn't even reach the rim. In the back it gets to 3 inches max...it likes to come bakc to the front. Hopefully I'll add more playsand and laterite to solve that(and bury those big pebble things). I'm think of java moss, sag, or some kind of small crypt(suggestions) as foreground. Perhaps use flattened marimo balls for a hilly look?

Im not exactly a fan of mounds(looking to get a more natural look)...but is it possible in a low tech tank like this?

Things for the future...

Some kind of cool, red, swordplant behind the hollow log piece(thinking red melon or Red ozelot).

Possibly use banana plants for the floaters. Im sure the monties would like the shade...but not to sure how that would work for aquascaping this tank.

A stand of crypts somewhere...like the looks of 'Tropica'

Thanks for the help! Hopefully this tank will be a success!

 

[nonamethefish]

Don't think its a good idea to stuff so many ideas into one post...so here's another thought.


This tank is in the living room, and is apt to be the first thing someone looks at when they open the door. There view will be diagonally from the right...

___
|___|


] Doorway

Would there be anything to take into consideration? might be an intersting project.

 

[ShaneSmith]

When i go back through and look at tanks at the AGA contest. I notice one thing. Many of the tanks create an excellent first impression, but upon closer examination the tanks dont look so good. I think if your tank is going to be a Focal poin in a room you should concentrate on the first impression. A wall of green and one single striking red plant stand. But of course nobody want to sell themselves short. I'm not a massive fan of crypts so i only try plants like wendtii and retrospiralis. A red foreground is not something thats looks too attractive so wendtii is thrown out.(Unless its green for you?)

The mound effect is most definantly suited for low tech. Amano has a tank that is mound shaped with just java fern and wood. Its very nice looking. I think that for echinodorus type plants a deeper substrate is almost mandatory. Echindorus is also something i do not play around with much. I'm more of a stem plant person. What i will say is they i use Amazon echindorus (Bleheri maybe not sure) and it is a monster. My 50gallon was one fourth Amazon sword after a couple months. Osiris i think is a smaller one and it looks great. Put a jobes stick under it and watch it go absolutly nuts.

Instead of banana plants why not use one of the dwarf lilies. They usually are red but they look very good. I think bana plants are a very difficult plant to get going. I could never do it. But the place i work at has banana plants growing in their tank and i dont think the tank gets much attention at all.

 

[nonamethefish]

I also grew dwarf lilies. In fact, there are a few pitiful ones in the tank right now(in the foreground...just little sprigs from the bulb(died back due to inadequate lighting)...despite the fact they are almost 1 year old). For the lilies(or whatever I choose), I was thinking of putting the to the left or and slightly behind the java fern. Do you think that would be a good spot?

Not to sure if first impression really counts despite that fact. After all, most people arent to critical anyway. :wink: In fact, they think it looks splendid right now. :roll: What I would like to do is provide places to just look real closely at once you get near the tank. I may add some small, shy, colony forming fish to make a reason for that.


I'm under the impression that crypts would grow to high for a foreground? Unless thats how you want to start it...maybe back a little bit.



I've been browsing AGA entries, and other sites...and right now it looks like I have a triangle going. My guess is if I moved everything closer to the center, and perhaps had some stem plants or anubias growing into the branchy piece...it would become a mound. Does Amano have an official site for his tanks?

 

[ShaneSmith]

Not that i know of. He has books out i'm sure you know of. do a search there are tons of sights with amano pictures. I think the dwarf lily placement would look good. Well i know the crypt pygmea is supposed to be very short, and very expensive. Also Parva but that will take a year to grow in depending on how dense you plant. Also expensive. I have no advice on dwarf sag since i dont grow it. I do have the Micro tennelus and its a dark plant but looks good. Glosso is the best looking foreground but a lot of headache. Also Elatine Triandra is another great foreground, but i've never gotten any really healthy specimens so i can;t say whether its easy or hard. The iffy ones i did get died on me. Marsilia quad. is a great foreground i would recommend. I think the dark color would go good with your theme you have going. Also Limnophila Aromatica is another plant that will do alright in low light and is very easy to get going.

 

[tsunami]

If his dwarf lily died of inadequate lighting, one can hardly think that any stem plant or most of the foreground plants (chain sword, glosso) would do well at all.

I'd either stick to only epiphytes and leave a white sand foreground (which is very attractive, too) or fill the foreground with Marsilea quadrifolia.

Carlos

 

[nonamethefish]

The dwarf lilies died in a tank with inadequate lighting. Now that i've upgraded it, they should do well. 96 watts of CF lighting should be enough, right?


I've heard Marsilea tends to produce either floaters or glosso like leaves...is this true?

Also not to sure if they will stand up to being ran over by a pair of rowdy BN plecos.


Thanks! I've drawn some pictures of the blanks spots I'm looking, and see if you guys have any suggestion on them.