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Well here is an update on this tank I have been grooming the stem plants back every week. cutting different sections of it every week to have them fill in with the right layering.
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Moss Tree forest 90P
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.........and "BOOM" goes the dynamite! 
Nice work, Aro!
Nice work, Aro!
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Tex Gal, Ncy,Jessie, and Donald thank you all again for the compliments on my scape it is a constant work in the making.
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Wow!! Your tank is really awesome!!!! I love the way you made the trees with the different mosses--they really look like trees.
I'm preparing to make a moss tank as well, so I was very interested in this thread !
First of all I'd like to congratulate you, it's very beautiful !
I have a few comments if you don't mind:
- I think it all looks a lot better now that there's red in the background, it adds a sense of depth.
- I believe that left side is too distracting :/ It keeps pulling my eyes to itself which is irritating. I think it's the only neg. element in this tank.
- How do you think it'd look if you took out a few more species ? I think it's kinda chaotic in there but that may be what you've intended (wild look) so I don't know.
I really appreciate this sharing, thanks a lot for the inspiration !
First of all I'd like to congratulate you, it's very beautiful !
I have a few comments if you don't mind:
- I think it all looks a lot better now that there's red in the background, it adds a sense of depth.
- I believe that left side is too distracting :/ It keeps pulling my eyes to itself which is irritating. I think it's the only neg. element in this tank.
- How do you think it'd look if you took out a few more species ? I think it's kinda chaotic in there but that may be what you've intended (wild look) so I don't know.
I really appreciate this sharing, thanks a lot for the inspiration !
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Again, I am going to have to disagree with Maxima regarding "The Left Side" of this tank (respectfully!). It my very strong opinion that all tanks need a "stopping point" in the viewing to reset the viewer and draw their attention back to the "meat" of the tank. Adding something more to fill in the left side would be a severe "over-do" and (I think) end up ruining the effect of looking into the Forest.
But, being familiar with Aro and his past tanks, he'll enivitably follow your advice and add to the left side anyways! The artist's perrogative.
But, being familiar with Aro and his past tanks, he'll enivitably follow your advice and add to the left side anyways!
The artist's perrogative.
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I have done a bit of grooming and shaping these last two weeks and have removed some plant species such as the dwarf riccia, and the Polygonum sp. Plus I removed a branch on the left that had my fissidens moss on it because it was to out of place looking. But I did put in two new smaller branches "shrubs" in the tank one on the left side, and one in the middle left that are covered in mini pellia to balance the style of the look a little more.
Hedson the temperature in the tank is the same as the room temp which is 75 F right now
Maxima thanks for the comments. I agree the look was too chaotic that is why I removed some of the plants. I did remove one of the trees on the left just because I thought it was so out of place it was distracting but I liked seeing wood work on that side to I put a smaller one there with similar branch structure as the rest in the tank.
Donald are you saying I am just a conformist!!!! LOL to the contrary I actually removed allot from that left side and may even remove a bunch from the right side also.
Hedson the temperature in the tank is the same as the room temp which is 75 F right now
Maxima thanks for the comments. I agree the look was too chaotic that is why I removed some of the plants. I did remove one of the trees on the left just because I thought it was so out of place it was distracting but I liked seeing wood work on that side to I put a smaller one there with similar branch structure as the rest in the tank.
Donald are you saying I am just a conformist!!!! LOL to the contrary I actually removed allot from that left side and may even remove a bunch from the right side also.
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You are hardly a conformist, Aro! I simply mean that you tend to change things around appreciably, and you would have eventually "stumbled" upon a look that Maxima thought to be "perfect" just by re-scaping.
It is just your nature! I have studied every tank that you have posted here and notice that you come up with a Main Picture, and the End Result happens only after you have played around with it for a few months. Absolutely nothing more than an observation. But even you have to admit that on most of your works, the initial picture is a far cry from what you end up with. Some similarity exists, but I have seen some substantial evolving to get to that end point.
It is just your nature!
I have studied every tank that you have posted here and notice that you come up with a Main Picture, and the End Result happens only after you have played around with it for a few months. Absolutely nothing more than an observation. But even you have to admit that on most of your works, the initial picture is a far cry from what you end up with. Some similarity exists, but I have seen some substantial evolving to get to that end point.
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These are the pictures of the tank the day after the last grooming I just did. mind you I removed ALL of the dwarf riccia from the foreground so the grass looks a little rough. and I removed a big chunk of the red out of the middle back when I removed the Polygonum sp.
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It looks more like a "shrubbery" or a "hedgery" than a forest now!
Sorry, I keep busting your chops and I don't mean to. Visually, it is a job very well done. It does look a bit cleaner without being over-done.
As much as I disdain the "Rating Thread" option, this is clearly undeserving of the current rating. This is at least a "4.5874" out of "5". I already voted a "5" when it first came out, so don't look at me!
Anyhoo, well done Arowana!
Sorry, I keep busting your chops and I don't mean to. Visually, it is a job very well done. It does look a bit cleaner without being over-done.
As much as I disdain the "Rating Thread" option, this is clearly undeserving of the current rating. This is at least a "4.5874" out of "5". I already voted a "5" when it first came out, so don't look at me!
Anyhoo, well done Arowana!
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[/QUOTE] But even you have to admit that on most of your works, the initial picture is a far cry from what you end up with. Some similarity exists, but I have seen some substantial evolving to get to that end point. [/QUOTE]
This is true I do like to change the look if it does not feel just right. It is easier to setup a scape and leave it if you have at least two others to keep your attention with, well at least in my experience.
I only have two tanks setup as displays and have so many ideas floating in my head that I want to let out but not enough space and tanks to fulfill my dreams. Also with the addiction to new and different plants I am trying to establish a happy medium between blending a aqua scape into a plant farm also. I did just recently buy a new leemar trim less star fire 16" cube tank that I am just using as a plant storage tank for right now. I hope by getting it setup I can make at least one of my tanks stay the same from start to finish................for awhile just need to find a place to put it now
[/QUOTE]This is true I do like to change the look if it does not feel just right. It is easier to setup a scape and leave it if you have at least two others to keep your attention with, well at least in my experience.
I only have two tanks setup as displays and have so many ideas floating in my head that I want to let out but not enough space and tanks to fulfill my dreams. Also with the addiction to new and different plants I am trying to establish a happy medium between blending a aqua scape into a plant farm also. I did just recently buy a new leemar trim less star fire 16" cube tank that I am just using as a plant storage tank for right now. I hope by getting it setup I can make at least one of my tanks stay the same from start to finish................for awhile
just need to find a place to put it now
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It looks more like a "shrubbery" or a "hedgery" than a forest now!
QUOTE]
It is amazing how fast this tank fills back in though Fresh Aqua soil + High CO2 +HQI lighting+Pferts+ R.O. water = aquatic jungle. by next weekend the tank will be overflowing with plant life again!
Aww Donald don't be so hard on maxima !
I think you're right about that left side but I believe so am I; because it's like one of those things: "The cup looks half full", "Oh no the cup is almost empty"
However, I think you got one thing wrong. I didn't mean to say "Add more to left side, fill it up" when I said it bothers me. I agree it would be an overkill in that state. If it were my tank, I'd put some color in the background just like those red plants on the right side. Maybe even a different tone of red to make an interesting combination with the right side - like bright orange/red maybe ? Because what you feel like "stopping and resting point" just feels incomplete to me. I just wanna pick up the brush and paint one more stroke you know
One question: What happened to those red plants on the right side ? It looks like they've turned almost purple.
I really love this tank, it's an absolute beauty. The variety of green is stunning.
It looks like some mountain sight, like reeeaaaally high up there and very cool - lots of oxygen !
By the way, I graduated from fine arts so please don't take me seriously :bounce:
I'm obsessed with compositions and when I see something like this, I can't help but try turning it into a central composition - such a cliche !
That's what I meant when I said "Maybe it's better to leave it wild and chaotic".
I think you're right about that left side but I believe so am I; because it's like one of those things: "The cup looks half full", "Oh no the cup is almost empty"
However, I think you got one thing wrong. I didn't mean to say "Add more to left side, fill it up" when I said it bothers me. I agree it would be an overkill in that state. If it were my tank, I'd put some color in the background just like those red plants on the right side. Maybe even a different tone of red to make an interesting combination with the right side - like bright orange/red maybe ? Because what you feel like "stopping and resting point" just feels incomplete to me. I just wanna pick up the brush and paint one more stroke you know
One question: What happened to those red plants on the right side ?
It looks like they've turned almost purple. I really love this tank, it's an absolute beauty. The variety of green is stunning.
It looks like some mountain sight, like reeeaaaally high up there and very cool - lots of oxygen !
By the way, I graduated from fine arts so please don't take me seriously :bounce:
I'm obsessed with compositions and when I see something like this, I can't help but try turning it into a central composition - such a cliche !
That's what I meant when I said "Maybe it's better to leave it wild and chaotic".
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Wow. This tank has really grown since I've last checked. I like how the moss has turned out for you. The Moss on the DW is looking great. I am SUPER jealous of you.
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No one is being hard on you, Maxima!!! I just simply and respectfully disagree is all! One more "brush stroke" can often ruin the painting; it is better to leave the "audience" wanting more than less.
ARO! Shame on you for using a starfire cube tank for plant storage!!! Tsk, tsk! You gotta scape that baby!
One idea that I have often had is putting an ad in Craig'sList to offer to train people how to take care of their tanks, plants, fish, and how to create a scape or simply do one for them. That way, I could have as many aquariums as I wanted in order to try out new ideas. As long as the customer paid the bill, it is an excellent idea. But I am not too sure how many people look on Craig'sList for such a thing. Which would leave me feeling lonely.
Best to stick to my own monster for the time being.
Sorry! "Thread is now de-hijacked"!
I just simply and respectfully disagree is all! One more "brush stroke" can often ruin the painting; it is better to leave the "audience" wanting more than less.ARO! Shame on you for using a starfire cube tank for plant storage!!! Tsk, tsk! You gotta scape that baby!
One idea that I have often had is putting an ad in Craig'sList to offer to train people how to take care of their tanks, plants, fish, and how to create a scape or simply do one for them. That way, I could have as many aquariums as I wanted in order to try out new ideas. As long as the customer paid the bill, it is an excellent idea. But I am not too sure how many people look on Craig'sList for such a thing. Which would leave me feeling lonely.
Best to stick to my own monster for the time being.
Sorry! "Thread is now de-hijacked"!
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