[Roy Deki]

Well, I personally I'm leaning towards the second one myself. What do you think?

 

[Navarro]

Roy is that all the driftwwod you have? if you have any more would you consider using rocks? I just have an idea using an x-shape layout since the nano seems a bit tall.
Just picture your tank with more branches going on oposite directions resting on a nicely done rock bed.
Just an idea.
Luis Navarro

 

[Roy Deki]

Luis...something to this effect...hard to do without substrate.

 

[david lim]

real nice looking wood roy but the rocks seem a little overpowering. It might be possible to break some of the larger ones (ie forward right) into smaller pieces. BTW is that slate?

 

[gnatster]

Admittedly I do not have the sense of scaping that Luis does. That rock formation looks to contrived, and to massive for the scale. Possibly something with smaller rocks near the base of wood, flat side parallel to the base of the tank. Just my thoughts.

 

[BigFoot]

Imo the last pic would look good depending on plant selection.

 

[Roy Deki]

Yes the rocks are to big...I just used those because i don't have substrate in there yet. Trying to get the perspective and height of the rock bed. Those are not the rocks i will eventualy use. As far as what type of rock...i don't know. I've had some in my 46 gallon for about 6 months now. I collected them from a wash here in Arizona.

 

[Raul-7]

The rock layout looks to symmetrical. Take out the small piece in the front, and use an odd amount of rocks. So three would be ideal. The last piece in the back left is a good one to use.

I was going to ask where you got the wood, but I saw the other post. Is the piece covered with it's bark?

 

[Roy Deki]

The rock layout looks to symmetrical. Take out the small piece in the front, and use an odd amount of rocks. So three would be ideal. The last piece in the back left is a good one to use.

BTW, is that wood from www.manzanitawood.com?

Raul...check out this thread.
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/showthread.php?t=4935

Also i will not be using those rocks I was using them just to get an idea of what Luis was suggesting. btw the peice in the back left i will probably use.

 

[dennis]

Looks like you are off to a good start Roy. Personally I like the last pic hte best but agree that there needs to be work done to the rocks. One issue I have wiht rick, especially in small scapes, is that a) one looses alot of planting area and b) its hard to find nicely proportioned rocks that are intresting rather than blocky, or perfectly round. THe back 2 rocks seem ok to me but It would be nice if th 2 larger ones int he front were taken down a bit. They are just a little to big and to blocky for me. They seperate the front from the back to much. Placing them like they are and then adding the substrate might help as it would bury the bottoms, making them look like they were rising out of the earth, rather than sitting on it. I have been searching for somehting like the Dragonstone, or even black lava rock for some time now with no luck Maybe you can help me there?

What kind of tank are you going for? That layout looks like a prime target for an Anubias, microsorium layout. Consider using Marsilea for the foreground, if you go with one, as it will make your life TONS easier. I would love to see a nice red plant in the backleft, subtle rust red color though.....anyway, its your tank so have fun! Keep updating us.

 

[Roy Deki]

Dennis Thanks...this rock is every where here. If you want some i'll send you some shipping might be costly though. I have alot of it in alot of various sizes.

The foreground will be HC (thanks danio and markster)...and the back-left will be E. Stellatus I bought from Nate. (thank you gnatster). with some baby tears and dwarf hairgrass. That's all i'm sure about at this time anyways.

 

[skylsdale]

I prefer the first one as it looks the most natural of the three (branch appears to be fallen and laying on the substrate, rather than abnormally sticking or growing out of the ground). I would ditch the rocks altogether, fill the substrate up so the branch is resting "on" it, or a bit of the bottom arm just slightly buried, and fill the back left side pretty heavily, somewhat less dense in the right back corner.

 

[turtlehead]

the one with the rock and wood combo is what I would do with smaller rocks, but if your not using rocks I would sugest more branches. Nice pieces

 

[Navarro]

Why don't you add your substrate and aquascape dry? send us pictures and let see how the tank looks once there is substrate. I have never been afraid of the size of the rocks I use due to the fact that plants grow and in some cases the rocks may no longer look too big after a month or two. Keep playing with your materials and send more pictures! it looks like you are having fun desiging this tank.
Best regards,
Luis

 

[Roy Deki]

Why don't you add your substrate and aquascape dry? send us pictures and let see how the tank looks once there is substrate. I have never been afraid of the size of the rocks I use due to the fact that plants grow and in some cases the rocks may no longer look too big after a month or two. Keep playing with your materials and send more pictures! it looks like you are having fun desiging this tank.
Best regards,
Luis

Luis I would but, I'm wait for my Aquasoil and Power sand from ADG...Yes i'm having fun doing this but, i'm growing impatient waiting for my substrate system. I'll definately post more pics when my substrate arrives. Thanks for the idea of the rock pile and the X lay-out with the wood.

 

[Navarro]

Ok, I am waiting too man! I need to try it. After going to Mike and Jeff place almost twice a week I still can't belive how fast the plants grow on the ADA 90 cm tank.
Luis

 

[gsander]

branch

I do like #2, try experimenting with the cut off end at the top back left corner. The tips of the branches would extend toward the front. It would represent a tree branch dipping into a stream or off a bank of a lake. Plenty of places for taller plants in the back, or just place java moss on it and plant only dwarf hairgrass. Just a suggestion.

 

[Roy Deki]

Well i'm bummed, I found out today that I didn't get my order in time with ADG to be included in this shipment. I can't wait 8 weeks or so for the next shipment so I'm going to use some Flourite I had laying around. Here's a pic of a possible layout...what do you think?

 

[turtlehead]

put the rocks a little closer to the base of the branch.

 

[Roy Deki]

put the rocks a little closer to the base of the branch.

I thought about that too, but I have a large center-piece of narrowleaf Java fern coming and it will be at the base of the branches.