Oldwhitewoods 200l Nature Aquarium Journal

[Themuleous]

Dam straight!

 

[George Farmer]

I could never keep a layout for more than a few months. I find the planning and implementation of new ideas for plants and aquascaping one of the most appealing attributes to this hobby/art. It's a form of evolution, honing our skills, learning from our mistakes - an ever changing, living art.

For me not changing an aquascape every now and again is like an artist painting one masterpiece, then stopping because it looks good. The aquarium is the canvas, the plants the paint, the equipment the brush and the we are the artist. This was the subject of great discussion over on APC actually.

Keep at it Neil - one day you'll be happy, using pure logic the more layouts you have the more likely you will find anything like contentment. Chasing Amano though...... don't forget his photography (and apparent manipulation) gives the viewer a certain positive "falseness".

Good call on the L. arcuata.

 

[oldwhitewood]

Just done a quick revamp, what do you think of the current look...

Not really, this is what I am aiming for though so you guys can see the thinking behind me wanting to change things slightly

 

[Themuleous]

Haha nice try!

 

[simonbrown403]

Your not to far away from it now, and resent pics

 

[Squirrelbuddies]

Right green pipes are the eheim outlet shepherds crook pipe and standard inlet one gets with an eheim filter purchase, both in a daft green colour because that is all they produce.

I replaced my lovely (not) green pipes with the eheim installation sets. They are smokey grey colored and blend in much better -- plus they are modular so you can put them in different shapes and positions. Definitely "hide" much better than the bright green.

I also vote for the tank with less wood. Have fun with the overhaul!!

 

[oldwhitewood]

OK so I decided to revamp the tank a bit. Basically I have removed a lot of the driftwood, well two pieces and used the moss to create this kinda channel thing in the centre.

I am hoping the rotala is going to come back and bush out. I have also planted some l arcuarta towards the right so we shall see what happens with that.

 

[oldwhitewood]

OMG, I have just checked the tank according to the golden ratio and the wood on the left is right in the centre!!!!! Ugh, so I have moved it to the left now and moved some ferns. Can't be bothered taking another photo but suffice to say it looks a bit better. You get the general gist though..

 

[NAL]

Neil,

I see you've given it a good trimming-should come back nice and bushy eh? I might be tempted to give the central area some depth-to me you've created quite a 'suggestive' mood-where is that channel leading? I would plant some crypts down the back to help soften the lines and draw the eye into the space. I like it.

Nick

 

[Themuleous]

So you went a bit free and easy with the scissors then hey? Haha tis fun right? I do that with my HC and spend the next week fishing bits of leaf out! Looks a bit battered at the mo, but I can see your idea and once its filled out again I'm sure it'll look great

Sam

 

[robjack]

Looking good, although from a layout perspective I think I still prefer the previous one. But I guess everyone's got to change their aquascape every once in a while I love the way the plants seem to merge into each other - what sort of moss is it that you're using?

Thanks,

Rob.

 

[oldwhitewood]

Just normal java moss Rob.

The problem with trimming is people wimp out and don't trim down enough. Believe me I should have trimmed these plants down even further which I might still do. I think it's natural really as you are worried they wont come back again as good, but I guess it's something you need to be confident with, I was reading my ADA journals on trimming last night you see so I am fired up about it.

The tank does need something more, it's very green I think maybe it needs some brownish crypts like Nick mentioned or something similar. I was thinking of adding some accents to the moss with e tenellus spread amongst the gaps. Dunno I will have to think about that.

 

[robjack]

Just normal java moss Rob.

I see. How is it attached? To the bogwood or some slate? From the picture it just looks like its growing across the substrate, hence why I thought it might be something other than Java Moss. Like I said, looking good, I love the Rotala, might have to find some myself.

Do you have any higher resolution pictures of the tank?

Rob.

 

[oldwhitewood]

Ah haaa, dead simple. I bought a large sack of slate chippings from a garden centre of for a couple of quid. As the moss is growing voraciously I have lots spare so I thought why not utilise it? You basically just take a small piece of slate, they are a bit bigger than a 50p piece, cover it with moss and wrap the cotton around the stone, then simply place it where you like. You build up a kind of crazy paving effect and it's really easy to do and grows really well. As the slate pieces are different sizes you can get some interesting contours going.

I wanted a low growing plant that wasn't as much messing around so this method gives you that lush lawn effect simply, plus if it gets too long its no trouble to trim it and syphon it off.

I have some hi res shots but I dont upload them as they're a bit big for my webspace.

EDIT - it sounds like I am saying I have invented this technique there of course I haven't it's the same thing Amano has been doing with riccia etc for ages, I guess that is what the riccia stones are for sold by ADA.

you've created quite a 'suggestive' mood-where is that channel leading?
Nick

It's a philosophical tank Nick, I ask the same question of myself sometimes, where am I going? what am I doing? I feel the tank reflects this.






Kidding!

 

[robjack]

Sounds excellent, I think I'll give this a try one day. Presumably I could just smash up some slate and get the smaller pieces that way? It's just smaller tiles, yeh?

Thanks for the idea!

Rob.