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19 Posts
This week's question from the aesthetically challenged-
first, this doesn't apply to the smooth single height foregrounds or iwagumi style that has that greener than green freshly painted canvas appearance<and i'll have questions about that later
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so, how do people manage to vary heights of plants in their tank and make it look visually interesting and attractive rather than looking haphazard and accidental. and by "accidental" i mean, "accidentally hit tank with weedwacker" look not "startling accidental surprise of visual joy"
when i try to mix foreground plants it looks like all out plant warfare. i've seen people mix foregrounds, maybe something low and snug to the substrate with wisps of hairgrass intermingled towards the rear of the foreground, and it looks very attractive. i think the foreground example's the easiest for me to think of right now. but it extends through all regions of the tank, instead of having hard sharp clear cut off lines off shortest to front, tallest to back, and very clearly delineated zone for each species there's a far softer blurring of boundaries, gradual ascension of plant height with areas or just a few plants/stems not in that stairstep height rise.. if this post isn't very clear i apologise and i hope it comes across understandably. i wasn't sure what the rules were for posting pics of other peoples tanks in a message to get a style idea across.
I'm trying to figure out what makes tanks like that work and why some <mine> just look like a wretched mess when i try it. am i too impatient and don't let them grow in before tearing it out so they never get past looking raw?
too impatient with planting and rather than using a light hand things get thrown in in clumps and so look like artificial accidents and disaster? i know it would be better if i had a pic to illustrate what i mean, but i've been too frustrated to take a pic of my ugly scapes like that. i wonder if it's an attention to plant shape and variation- texture, colour, leave size? that i'm missing?
if i could get anyone's response about this i'd be most appreciative. and i hope what i mean is understandable even with my lack of illustration...
first, this doesn't apply to the smooth single height foregrounds or iwagumi style that has that greener than green freshly painted canvas appearance<and i'll have questions about that later
so, how do people manage to vary heights of plants in their tank and make it look visually interesting and attractive rather than looking haphazard and accidental. and by "accidental" i mean, "accidentally hit tank with weedwacker" look not "startling accidental surprise of visual joy"
when i try to mix foreground plants it looks like all out plant warfare. i've seen people mix foregrounds, maybe something low and snug to the substrate with wisps of hairgrass intermingled towards the rear of the foreground, and it looks very attractive. i think the foreground example's the easiest for me to think of right now. but it extends through all regions of the tank, instead of having hard sharp clear cut off lines off shortest to front, tallest to back, and very clearly delineated zone for each species there's a far softer blurring of boundaries, gradual ascension of plant height with areas or just a few plants/stems not in that stairstep height rise.. if this post isn't very clear i apologise and i hope it comes across understandably. i wasn't sure what the rules were for posting pics of other peoples tanks in a message to get a style idea across.
I'm trying to figure out what makes tanks like that work and why some <mine> just look like a wretched mess when i try it. am i too impatient and don't let them grow in before tearing it out so they never get past looking raw?
too impatient with planting and rather than using a light hand things get thrown in in clumps and so look like artificial accidents and disaster? i know it would be better if i had a pic to illustrate what i mean, but i've been too frustrated to take a pic of my ugly scapes like that. i wonder if it's an attention to plant shape and variation- texture, colour, leave size? that i'm missing?
if i could get anyone's response about this i'd be most appreciative. and i hope what i mean is understandable even with my lack of illustration...