Comments & suggestions for new 3 ft setup

**freezze** · 21st Aug 2006, 10:42

Hi all,

just rescape my 3ft tank due to outbreak of BGA..

All comments n suggest are welcome.. so that i can improve the "look" of the setup.. somehow i feel that something missing in the tank..

Also can helps me ID the plants..

Thks

just finished planting the foreground..

Finished setup

**Spawnster** · 21st Aug 2006, 12:25

not bad at all.

**grey_fox** · 21st Aug 2006, 13:24

Looks nice freezze, but why that empty space at the right? Gonna fill it up? Can't quite put my finger on it but the rock looks weird with the right side empty.

Think with the stemmed plants, you'd probably need to trim it a lot once it gains a foothold.

Nonetheless, good job still

**freezze** · 21st Aug 2006, 14:00

the right part is to be left bare! or should i place a piece of rock in the bare area??.. btw there is another rock behind the big rock which is block by the green plant.. therefore i was think of changing the green stem plant to japonica..so that the rock can be seen..

**Spawnster** · 21st Aug 2006, 14:36

yeah once u mention it, the rock looks too bulging compared to the rest of the scape. maybe a sliimer rock?

**grey_fox** · 21st Aug 2006, 14:49

Hi freezze,

The rock is fine, what I mean is that the rock looks odd now, reason being that the right side of the rock is bare and empty and the scape cuts off like a block on the right. I assume you're aiming for a sloping scape?

I think having Blyxa Japonica around the rock will look nice, well the stemmed plants look nice now however once it grows in height it will definitely overshadow the rock, probably having Blyxa japonicas around the rock would further smooth the scape.

To each his own

Still, good job!

Just sharing my 2 coppers

**freezze** · 21st Aug 2006, 14:52

noted the comment... still got one month to meddle around until the tank is fit for occupant..

so all comments are welcome.. btw any idea wat is the name of the plant in my setup?

**FishFan** · 21st Aug 2006, 21:07

The brownish plant you have is Rotala Wallichii. Your foreground plant should be Echinodorus Tenellus.

Perhaps a close-up shot would be better for us to help you?

**freezze** · 22nd Aug 2006, 09:37

last night done some minor adjustment to the tank..

is it better?

**grey_fox** · 22nd Aug 2006, 13:12

Nice! Time to wait for the plants to grow.

**freezze** · 22nd Aug 2006, 14:35

i got a question to ask.. is Rotala Wallichii used as a foreground or background plant.. i found in the some of the website.. stating that it is a foreground plant?

if so i got to shift them again n find other plant to replace their location.

**grey_fox** · 22nd Aug 2006, 15:19

It can be kept as a foreground plant, just that you have to constantly trim it, it can grow up to 30cm or more (from what I've seen).

Height 10-30 cm Width 2-4+ cm
Light requirements medium-very high
Temperature 18-28 °C
Hardness tolerance very soft-medium
pH tolerance 5-7
Growth fast
Demands difficult

Rotala wallichii is a demanding plant that develops red shoot tips in good light conditions. The most decorative effect can be achieved by planting a large number of stems in a group. R. wallichii is a good foreground plant, and suitable for small aquariums because it is easy to prune if it grows too large. CO2 addition boosts growth considerably. It also prefers soft, slightly acidic water.

courtesy of tropica.com

**freezze** · 23rd Aug 2006, 09:17

So it can be used in background or foreground.. only when used at the background, you dont trim it too often right?..

**soulfinder78** · 23rd Aug 2006, 10:37

i simply love yr red plants in the middle. wondering if i add them into my tank right hand corner will it be nice cause mine is a all green tank look so boring.

http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ad.php?t=22761

**zenscape** · 23rd Aug 2006, 10:50

Nice set up Freeze. Very natural and soothing feeling to me. Maybe due to the low lying pieces of wood in a nonchalant layout and plants at the right height at this point.

As Rotala Wallichii is fast growing, consider now how you are going to deal with it when it reaches the water surface?

To complete the natural flair, perhaps you may consider getting some smaller stones to place it around the front and side of the exiting stone and around the front of the wood.

**freezze** · 23rd Aug 2006, 11:54

Originally Posted by soulfinder78

i simply love yr red plants in the middle. wondering if i add them into my tank right hand corner will it be nice cause mine is a all green tank look so boring.

thkx.. but that plant grow rate is fast..therefore more maintenance

..
Having different color of plant in tank make it look nicer..

**freezze** · 23rd Aug 2006, 11:58

Originally Posted by zenscape

Nice set up Freeze. Very natural and soothing feeling to me. Maybe due to the low lying pieces of wood in a nonchalant layout and plants at the right height at this point.

As Rotala Wallichii is fast growing, consider now how you are going to deal with it when it reaches the water surface?

To complete the natural flair, perhaps you may consider getting some smaller stones to place it around the front and side of the exiting stone and around the front of the wood.

do u mean add rock in front of the Echinodorus tenellus?
As for rotala wallichii, i intend for it to be tall n bushy

**zenscape** · 23rd Aug 2006, 13:08

Originally Posted by freezze

do u mean add rock in front of the Echinodorus tenellus?
As for rotala wallichii, i intend for it to be tall n bushy

I would place them around and below the wood and behind the e. tenellus Make sure the stones are slightly tall enough so that the tenellus will not completely cover them after they grow in.