Rockscape Seeking Advise

[Ansell]

Dear Bros,

Started another 2ft tank after the first one leaked on me. This time round instead of using driftwood, I've decided to do a rockscape. The main occupants will be CRSes and Cardinal/Black neon Tetras/Rummy nose.

Specs:
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ADA Bacter 100
ADA Powersand Special
ADA Amazonia Powder Soil
JEBO 303 cannister filter
72W T5HO Lightings (2 interval of 4 hrs each)
CO2 (6 bps)


Flora
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Currently in tank: Glossostigma (Foreground), Echinodorus tenellus (Midground), plants on pots (Vallisneria americana var. biwaensis, i think)
Currently in reserve tank: Mini Riccia, Riccia, Flame moss (on SS mesh), U.S Fissiden moss (on SS mesh), Downoi, Rotala sp. Green


Fauna
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4 x Snails (name unknown)
4 x OTOs

Front View
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Plan View
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Quite lost on scaping it and after going to a few farms and LFS, I still could not decide on the type of Flora to use Hoping to seek advise from bros here. Dont really like a 'jungle' just neat and plain.

Questions:
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1. Quite fixed on the position of the rocks, just that I find that the tank is too tall and quite empty at the top. What can be done, hunt for taller rocks?

2. Midground not much depth, need to raise the height behind the midground rocks, but are there taller midground plants that can be tied to pebbles? Flame moss tied to pebbles (color is quite dull though)? Still have some soil left, should I just pour them in to raise the height behind the rocks? Will the soil stay in place?

3. Background plants,totally lost as to what plant/s I should choose. Are those in the pots a fine choice?

Any bros, pse.

[nexus17]

Hi Bro,

The tetras/rummy noses are not good neighbours of CRS.... they will gobbled them down if the size is right.

If your CRS breed, good chance of becoming meals of the tetras/rummy nose; will be very stress for the CRS.

Just my humble opinion.

[Fei Miao]

Welcome to AQ Ansell Try grouping the rocks , that would open up some space in the centre, thus giving it some depth. You'll have to play around with the rock arrangements to get the right look. I tend to work with odd numbers in the groups, IMO it looks more natural.

Stick to the plants you have right now, after you get rock arrangement right decide on the mid ground plants, it less daunting that way.

[Ansell]

Hi Bro,

The tetras/rummy noses are not good neighbours of CRS.... they will gobbled them down if the size is right.

If your CRS breed, good chance of becoming meals of the tetras/rummy nose; will be very stress for the CRS.

Just my humble opinion.

Thanks. Noted! Which breed are CRS best friends? So far in my reserve tank there are no cases of the tetras eating up the CRSes though.

Welcome to AQ Ansell Try grouping the rocks , that would open up some space in the centre, thus giving it some depth. You'll have to play around with the rock arrangements to get the right look. I tend to work with odd numbers in the groups, IMO it looks more natural.

Stick to the plants you have right now, after you get rock arrangement right decide on the mid ground plants, it less daunting that way.

Noted. Will rescape this Sunday. Hope there will be inspiration. Meanwhile will hunt for taller rocks (similiar to those that I have). Anyone here come arcoss any LFS or farms that have huge and tall rocks?

[Ansell]

After 3 months, glosso ran amock and was all over the place. Removed them and replant again, this time with half the foreground glosso and the other half hairgrass.


Personnally, I dont really like the scape. Owing to the wrong choice of plants and no gradient on the part of the gravel.
I had to live with it everyday!

[vinz]

In my opinion the rocks are too short to be the focus of the layout. They do stand out, but you're left with lots of space on top of the overall picture. And if you want the rocks to be the focus, then the plants cannot be too tall... which brings us back to the too much space above problem.

Check out Amano's rock scapes... the rocks are large and tall, or piled tall. Seldom more than 2 groupings and lots of slope from the gravel. Short plants in front, and medium height plants behind, if any. Or tall plants of the same variety behind each grouping of rocks.

[leeruisheng]

I like the arrangement of the plants but as for the rocks, IMHO I think a different type of rock will look nicer. Rocks like those more greyish and granite looking.