Inexperience Is An Asset. A Planted Journal.

[Alm0stAwesome]

It's a bummer dude but it's so fun to watch the new shoots come in and grow bigger, you notice it so much more when they've all melted away. I think I had about 2 surviving leaves on my 16 crypt plants lol.

 

[FishFanatic04]

That made me feel better then. thanks!

 

[FishFanatic04]

Well, The melt is slowing down and the new growth is happening. Everything is looking thinned out and pitiful. In a month or two I think it will begin to look wonderful again. Then I can fix the problems with the scape. The egeria densa is transparent and probably should be removed. I keep hoping the tops will start growing pretty and green so I can save the plants. I'm still cycling the tank so I'm not concerned with ammonia output from the melt...


I realized something today. A silent cycle would never have worked for me. I have too much ammonia in my tap and it cause a higher nitrite spike then I would normally have had. There's no way to have the tank safe for fish with an immature filter and ammonia in my tap water.

 

[Biulu]

Hi FF, just saw this thread, well done! With reference to your pathway, I find that the piece of wood on the right hand side is sticking out a bit too much and forming an obstacle on your path.

As normally the view is from left front to right back (you also placed your rock that way) maybe you should change places with the pieces of wood? So your bigger piece is on the left at 2/3 and the smaller one is on the right?

 

[FishFanatic04]

I see what you are saying...The shape of the wood may allow that I'll have a look when I do this weeks maintenance. Probably better to do so now before the crypts have really dug their roots in.

I was having a hard time getting the hardscape and plants to compliment in a nice shape, so appreciate the advice. I had left this tank alone for awhile to let the plants settle. Luckily I have saved more then I thought I would be able too. Mostly crypts but I think crypts all over the foreground will be pretty.

 

[FishFanatic04]

Okie dokie. The bigger piece of wood cannot sit on the left side. The shape of it and the length didn't allow it to work. I moved the 2 piece a little and fixed the shape some. My bigger problem is the plants. I have a buttload of crypts now. I brought all of the crypts from my 75g to here and there are entirely too many for one tank.

I'm so sad that they split and became 50 plantlets. Anyway, I will not throw out any plants after losing so many, and they aren't strong enough to send out to anyone else. After all the melting, some of them only have 1 leaf left and new sprouts. I can't properly scape either tank and I'm starting to feel really frustrated

Normally with my hobbies I can just go out and get the supplies and get to work. I can't find plants locally and I can't afford to buy a bunch of stuff online with the shipping charges over the roof. Not until I pay off my credit card that maxed under the fish TB fiasco! My husband who lets me do and have whatever I want has firmly stopped my spending.

Anyway, watch for a listing for the crypts in the next few months,

Sorry for the ranting session. I just had to whine a little.

 

[Biulu]

Can you not simply take some of the plantlets and plant them together in 1 hole? You know, like a bunch?

This is what farmers do too; 3 or more small plants in 1 hole and you can always weed out afterwards...

 

[FishFanatic04]

I worked it out actually. I will upload some pics at some point. When the crypts get all full, I think it will look nice. A little more contrived then I normally try to plant. I prefer jungles. The crypts were hard to keep planted anyway so trying to plant a group would have had me cursing like a sailor.

Everything looks like it has stopped melting and there is new growth everywhere. Even the egeria has started looking better. I didn't want to throw it out.

I saved a lot of Bacopa

 

[FishFanatic04]

Here is the tank today. The moneywort has to go. I don't like it. It is like a limp version of Bacopa {which I do love} The spray bar won't fit on the side of the tank which is really sad, the center is the best place for flow and my plans for the tank don't cover it. I can remove it for pictures?

When I close my eyes and picture the way the plants will grow I can really see something neat. The tons of crypts could grow in all full and bushy. The Bacopa will grow tall and full. On the left the Egeria Densa will grow tall and I will fill it in densely.

My problem now is what to place where the moneywort is. I am attempting a triangle in the background that compliments a triangle on the sand. Whatever replaces the moneywort should compliment the triangle shape.


I would appreciate thoughts at this point. Am I improved? Should I fight harder with my hardscape? Please picture the plants in a fuller state. I am maxed out and am dealing with what I have. Except for one possible purchase to replace the moneywort if need be. If you want to be sweet you could say "keep the moneywort, it's great"




Edit: In pure doofus style, I forgot to add the picture

 

[JDs4me]

And there I was expecting a tank full of brown sludgy gooey plants!! It looks excellent with lots of growth potential...

The rock is gone then; no bad thing that as perhaps it was a little light and out of synch with the otherwise dark background and substrate - lovely contrast here between this and your plants; well done - well on the road to complete recovery

 

[FishFanatic04]

I am worried that I didn't improve anything in this tank and the shape may still be off. At the same time I kinda like it.

I am battling liking it personally over wanting to learn to execute actual aquascaping techniques and shapes successfully.

 

[FishFanatic04]

My flow is TOO good in this tank right now and the plants are being pushed over. I need to add the flow adjuster to the bar and all will be well. I'll spread out the swords a little so they have room to grow.

 

[FishFanatic04]

Opps. I got my threads mixed up.

 

[FishFanatic04]

So I hate the moneywort. It's doing very well however and I will let it grow some more. If it continues to thrive I will be listing it. {edit: for postage only}

Any thoughts on what I could use there? I look at this scape everyday and wonder if it is still "off" I'm dying to see it with the crypts all full and the egeria and bacopa tall. Patience.

If I add some micro sword on the right to make a stronger triangle shape, maybe that will help.

 

[JDs4me]

your hardware all blends in really well...except for that filter outlet pipe! Hope you don't mind me saying, but I would keep the moneywort and have it all in that corner to cover that pipe, which keeps drawing my eye across! Or something else tall there if not, to cover the pipe and add more dimension to that rear corner behind the wood?

I love the background; I am painting my 5' newcomer a slate grey rear glass as I love your contrasts...have you got reds in those plants? I have an Alternanthera cardinalis in my cemetary tank which is doing well; ultra low-tech with just a clay fert ball at the root; likes an alkaline pH; ochre-brown upper leaf surface, a red/purple colour underneath, grows to about 20cm I have read...be a nice colour in there perhaps?