14 replies to this topic

[Twinklecaz]

Due to my BBA problem I lost my wrag and decided to get all new plants and wood today. This is what it now looks like:




I don't like it though lol. It needs more/something else/totally changing/dunno. What do you guys think and what would you suggest?

[Twinklecaz]

and OMG I've just seen how dead my floating plants look!!!!!!!!

[Fishy friend2]

Looks, really good twinkle caz, you have great aqua scaling skills! My tanks look nowhere near as good as your tank

[Twinklecaz]

Really you reckon? Thanks! I think I need a few more though, maybe bring them forward into the groove where the 2 pieces of bogwood meet?

[Fishy friend2]

The only thing that I can think of right now is maybe a carpet plant or moss such as java moss, or dwarf hairgrass

[Twinklecaz]

Yeah thanks. I want to put some plants on the bogwood but I need to read up how to do it. I saw some nice Anubus yesterday - I'm right in thinking they're plants that need to be attached to something aren't I?

[ainsy]

Yes - they don't like their roots to be under anything - it makes them rot.

[Twinklecaz]

Thanks

[Biulu]

I think it is a very good start, but what you mean is that it is 'too static' with no surprises. To me, everything seems to be in the same line. First, I would break the 'wood line' with some other mid or foreground plants. Then I would put some java fern or anubias on the small piece of wood on the left hand side. If you plant in front of the larger piece of wood, I would leave that bare, as a kind of focus point feature.

Personally I find the coconut a bit distracting due to its non-natural shape. Maybe you can put some moss on top of it, plant around it or find another way of making it less prominent.

Good luck!

[Twinklecaz]

Hiya. Thanks . When you you say the woodline, do you mean the groove I was on about or would you seperate the two peices?

[Biulu]

No, there is no need to separate the 2 pieces, but now it looks like the wood pieces are a 'barrier' behind which the plants need to stay. You see what I mean? You could 'break' that barrier by putting plants in front and putting a plant on top of the left knob of the left piece.

[Twinklecaz]

Ahhh I see. Fab suggestion thanks. Will do it as soon as I can convince my personal taxi driver to take me to my LFS again lol.

[curlyriff]

I would suggest;

• placing Anubias on the left hand piece of bogwood as you have already mentioned. This should run for the full extremity of the left hand piece and maybe even trail up the back edge of the right piece to give the Anubias some height
• Move the left piece of bogwood to the right by about an inch
• Move the right piece of bogwood to the left by around 2-3 inches so that the arc that it creates is in the golden ratio area assuming that the picture is taken at the extent of the tank. This should place on open substrate area there. Also rotate the bogwood clockwise by about 15 degrees
• Stagger the central plants to follow the line of the right piece of bogwood that you have just rotated so that it makes the tank look deeper and will allow it to fill out more
• Remove the coconut and try to find a small piece or two of bogwood that would make a cave.
• Move the new bogwood forward about 2" from the current coconut position to leave less space in front.
• Once you replace the Coconut I would add more Anubias to the top to balance the Anubias on the left piece. You could try going for the 'nana' on the left and then 'nana petite' on the right
• Allow the Vallisneria to grow down the left hand side of the tank leaving only about 2" from the front of the glass. Maybe buy some more to speed the process up and fill it out more along the current position
• Make sure the central plant is in front of the heater so that it is hidden as it grows (currently looks like it is very deep in the tank behind part of the heater). You could also angle the heater so that it is hidden better by rotating it anti-clockwise so the bottom is behind the right centre plant closer to how it appears to be positioned in your previous layout
• The plant to the right looks like it is clumped very tight into the corner. Maybe place it so that it is further in the tank so that it can fill out over tim

Sorry if it seems allot but 90% are little things that if put all together as I can envisage this end should work well for you and what you currently have without having to add allot of new stuff.

Kind Regards,

Adam

[Twinklecaz]

Hey! Thanks for all that. Interestngly I have a day off today and was thinking of taking a trip to my LFS. Will pick up some more vallis if I do. Think the Anubias might have to be online though.

[Twinklecaz]

Ok so I went to LFS and bought some new plants. I did manage to get the Anubias (attaching to bogwood took me ages!) some more Vallis and also some regular Amazon Swords as those "dwarf" ones were all dying. I also bought those two small bunched at the front the name of which escapes me.

This is what is looks like now:




I still don't think it looks right. I know the AS look in too much of a row but I'm not sure how to correct it (and yes there's one that's uprooted and floating at the top) but I think there's more wrong than that. What is it?

Oh yeah, I ditched the Cambomba too as it was shedding everywhere.

and bought a new Honey G. Which was an accident.

Edited by Twinklecaz, 26 March 2012 - 06:50 PM.