What Should I Do?

[oldwhitewood]

I was in my LFS today and spotted some of this wood in their display tanks, I've never seen driftwood as good as this before so I quickly found a large bin full of it and bought every piece I could find, there were only 5 pieces left sadly. Here's a picture...

Now I am considering doing away with the wood in my current tank see below....

...and replacing it with this new wood. I mean I'm reasonably happy with the wood I have in there right now but this stuff has a real ADA look to it. If you have a look at these tanks http/www.aquariumkreativ.de/ada_gallery.htm ADA look to be using very similar wood to this, I can't believe I found some!

 

[kenneth_kpe]

those are some really nice driftwood i say go for a complete tank makeover ?

hehehe just do a big water change after lifting large pieces of wood that has been still inside the tank for a long time... something to do with gas pockets or something ? have you heard of this before too ?

 

[pseud]

They look like nice bits of wood but... how big are they? They look kinda small, and I worry they wont fill up much tank space and will look disproportional.

 

[George Farmer]

Well done Neil. I can feel your excitement! You'll only be 100% satisfied if you go for the complete makeover though I'd say (if you're anything like me that is), incorporating all or most of that wood does deserve such effort though and the end result will create an even better layout that you have already.

May I also say how lovely your tank is currently looking. I'm somewhat surprised no one else has commented, it's one of the nicest Nature styles I've seen on here. I particularly love the narrow var. fern.

As for use of the new wood - I'd mess about with it dry first. You could even make a cardboard replica of your tank with the same dimensions to see how it looks exactly.

Try out every conceivable combination of angles and positions until you create the desired effect. It should jump out at you as soon as you see it, it'll just feel right. Personally spend a lot of time at this stage, as you well know the hardscape is of the utmost importance.

Take into account your current plants, they all look healthy and should be fine being uprooted and moved as required. God knows how many times I've uprooted my sag and glosso in the last couple of months, it always bounces back though. You should be able to remove your ferns as a whole plant if you're careful and re-attach onto your new wood.

Obviously the carpet can remain as you see fit, that will require a lot of work if you intend re-planting.

Anyway best of luck with whatever you decide. Why not run a journal? It would be great to see the progress on such a nice tank.

PS I can see your lighting being suspended soon, ADA all the way!

Kudos.

 

[Ste_J]

I'm with George on this one in the sense of a pre make over play. Work out the dimensions of the tank on the table or floor and go from there.

Some great pieces of wood there though - great find! and great looking tank which I have to agree would only look better with some nice twisted wood.

Where did you happen to find the wood? I seem to remember that you are Manchester based so come on don't be shy, who has the good wood???

 

[oldwhitewood]

I'm with George on this one in the sense of a pre make over play. Work out the dimensions of the tank on the table or floor and go from there.

Some great pieces of wood there though - great find! and great looking tank which I have to agree would only look better with some nice twisted wood.

Where did you happen to find the wood? I seem to remember that you are Manchester based so come on don't be shy, who has the good wood???

I could tell you but I'd have to kill you

World Of Water in Timperly. It's called savanah wood I think although I cant remember it right now and I'm at work.

 

[oldwhitewood]

Well done Neil. I can feel your excitement! You'll only be 100% satisfied if you go for the complete makeover though I'd say (if you're anything like me that is), incorporating all or most of that wood does deserve such effort though and the end result will create an even better layout that you have already.

May I also say how lovely your tank is currently looking. I'm somewhat surprised no one else has commented, it's one of the nicest Nature styles I've seen on here. I particularly love the narrow var. fern.

As for use of the new wood - I'd mess about with it dry first. You could even make a cardboard replica of your tank with the same dimensions to see how it looks exactly.

Try out every conceivable combination of angles and positions until you create the desired effect. It should jump out at you as soon as you see it, it'll just feel right. Personally spend a lot of time at this stage, as you well know the hardscape is of the utmost importance.

Take into account your current plants, they all look healthy and should be fine being uprooted and moved as required. God knows how many times I've uprooted my sag and glosso in the last couple of months, it always bounces back though. You should be able to remove your ferns as a whole plant if you're careful and re-attach onto your new wood.

Obviously the carpet can remain as you see fit, that will require a lot of work if you intend re-planting.

Anyway best of luck with whatever you decide. Why not run a journal? It would be great to see the progress on such a nice tank.

PS I can see your lighting being suspended soon, ADA all the way!

Kudos.

Yr right George as usual! The issue I have right now is the size of the wood, it's not very 'high' and would suit a smaller tank such as a 60cm really well. I might re-scape my rio 125 and use some of the bogwood in that to compliment the arragnement in the bigger tank. The photo does not really show you the wood too well but there are some interesting jutting features to the way it is fitted together, I'm a bit reticient to pull it out and the shrimp love roosting in the current on the big centre branch. It's a toughie I might have a play around tonight.

Thanks for the compliment on the tank but I think it looks wrong and in a halfway stage at the moment, I'm waiting for a delivery of c helferi to start to phase out the hygro, and I need to work round the wood composition to highlight it not obscure it. The narrow leafed fern is a good find though, I wish it was available in abundance it gives you an ADA look straight away.

 

[George Farmer]

.........World Of Water.........

How wonderfully ironic. I've visited one of their outlets - the only plants they sold were semi-aquatic.

At least they have nice wood.

 

[Ste_J]

World Of Water in Timperly. It's called savanah wood I think although I cant remember it right now and I'm at work.

Cheers

Might have to have a drive over there at some point

 

[oldwhitewood]

.........World Of Water.........

How wonderfully ironic. I've visited one of their outlets - the only plants they sold were semi-aquatic.

At least they have nice wood.

This one in particular has a brilliant selection of plants, 5 bunches for a fiver. They also get some great stock in from tropica, it's the place where I got my fern from, again never seen it anywhere else in the UK!!! The topica plants are expensive mind you. They have improved over the past couple of years and now offer a really good marine section as well as some interesting substrates and you can normally get shrimp from there although very small fellas. They have actually improved a great deal thinking about it, I used to really diss the place but now I'm starting to think it's my favourite shop. They dont sell pressurised CO2 though that is a shame.

The only other shop that caters for the planted tank enthusiast is Oasis Aquarium in salford. They offer a great selection of Tropica plants alhtough their dry hardscape selection is pretty week. Some of the staff in there are a bit awkward too but the main guy in there is really knowledgable and patient, I could talk to him for hours about the hobby. They typically always have yamato shrimp too. With both these places though it's a case of catching them when they've had a big delivery of plants.

 

[simonbrown403]

The only other shop that caters for the planted tank enthusiast is Oasis Aquarium in salford. They offer a great selection of Tropica plants alhtough their dry hardscape selection is pretty week. Some of the staff in there are a bit awkward too but the main guy in there is really knowledgable and patient, I could talk to him for hours about the hobby. They typically always have yamato shrimp too. With both these places though it's a case of catching them when they've had a big delivery of plants.

Have you an address and/or an web address plz, I'm at burnley, we have a few decent shops up here but the planted side is rubbish, so it might be worth a look when i have some spare time.

PS nice tank , where did you get your lighting arrangement from.

 

[oldwhitewood]

The only other shop that caters for the planted tank enthusiast is Oasis Aquarium in salford. They offer a great selection of Tropica plants alhtough their dry hardscape selection is pretty week. Some of the staff in there are a bit awkward too but the main guy in there is really knowledgable and patient, I could talk to him for hours about the hobby. They typically always have yamato shrimp too. With both these places though it's a case of catching them when they've had a big delivery of plants.

Have you an address and/or an web address plz, I'm at burnley, we have a few decent shops up here but the planted side is rubbish, so it might be worth a look when i have some spare time.

PS nice tank , where did you get your lighting arrangement from.

http/www.worldofwater.com/stores.htm I think oasis is oasis aquarium just google the names.

Thanks. The lights were ordered from aquaessentials, they're arcadia, the luminaire holds 4 39w T5s, I bought an additional suspension kit which consists of 2 metal wires and the frame itself is from IKEA.

 

[George Farmer]

So Neil, what are your plans then? Have you decided yet?

 

[oldwhitewood]

A slight change of the plan. I was looking at my ADA 2005 catalog last night and spotted a tank Nature Aquarium Gallery 8 which inspired me to bascially steal Amano's idea so I think I might keep my l arcuata in the tank and fill in the sides with a green stem plant with smaller leaves than hygro, some kind of green ludwigia variety maybe? If you can advise me that would be cool. I plan to remove the existing bogwood and put these new pieces in, having them at both ends of the tank with a kind of channel in the middle to lead the eye. The new wood is so cool I have to use it I', itching to start on it right away I need to chill out.

 

[George Farmer]

A slight change of the plan. I was looking at my ADA 2005 catalog last night and spotted a tank Nature Aquarium Gallery 8 which inspired me to bascially steal Amano's idea so I think I might keep my l arcuata in the tank and fill in the sides with a green stem plant with smaller leaves than hygro, some kind of green ludwigia variety maybe? If you can advise me that would be cool. I plan to remove the existing bogwood and put these new pieces in, having them at both ends of the tank with a kind of channel in the middle to lead the eye. The new wood is so cool I have to use it I', itching to start on it right away I need to chill out.

Sounds like a marvellous plan. That scape ( no. 8 ) is one of my favourites in the catalogue - and all time. I will be most envious if you manage to pull it off to a standard even nearing Amano's. Although I'm beginning to strongly suspect his "stunning" effect has much to do with his photography techniques. I've heard he has his own film made for him by Fuji, not to mention all the strobe lighting he uses. You can't deny his talent though, both as an aquascaper and photographer. He's certainly come a long way since NAW 1.

Anyway, back to topic. You may like to try Rotala sp. "Green" if you can find it. Tropica stock it - check out their site for the profile.

Be sure to keep us updated, dare I mention journal again?