25cm cube nano journal

[illumnae]

I've just collected my 25cm cube for a future office tank, and am going to take my time to get it up and ready for transport to the office around Christmas.

Tank specs: 25cm x 25cm x 25cm (~16 litres)
Lighting: 13W PL
CO2: None, using Excel as a carbon source
Fertilization: Wondergro Macro+ and Micro+ using modified EI for non co2 tanks
Fauna: Undecided
Flora: Rotala wallichii, Hemanthius micantemoides, japanese hairgrass, downoi, spiky moss, anubias nana petite

[illumnae]

I've purchased 3 pieces of wood to act as part of the hardscape for this tank:



I'm intending to tie them together to hopefully achieve a branchy look with the block acting as a base to help the entire setup to stand. I'll probably have to saw off parts of the branchy wood to get it all the fit into my tank. Here's a possible arrangement i've come up with so far, to be placed at the back right corner of the tank slanted to face the front:



The bottom bits will be sawn off, and anubias nana petite and spiky moss will be tied on to help break the shape and hide the harsher lines and points of joining.

What do you think?

[illumnae]

2 alternative wood placements:





anyone can give any advice?

[yeoyl87]

The first layout seems nicer. The second and third layout seems a bit symmetrical. Asymmetrical look gives people the impression of complexity and will look nicer/impressive to the eyes.

[Aquaculture]

Yes I agree. The branches look better with just the 2 of them as in the 1st photo, without the block like wood.

[illumnae]

would it look nicer if i just had the smooth branch sticking out and do away with the other branch altogether? i figure since it's such a small tank, too much detail might make it too cluttered?

[shrimp999]

Maybe you directly put the wood inside the tank for better positioning.

[illumnae]

Maybe you directly put the wood inside the tank for better positioning.

the woods are too big...i need to saw them first, that's why posting pictures for opinions so i don't saw wrongly once sawn, no more turning back

[brianclaw]

The first one is definitely better, but will look unnatural when placed in the tank. You need another branch. Even numbers will always look weird when trying to mimic nature.

[illumnae]

so would just having 1 branch make things better?

[brianclaw]

Nope, it would just seem lonely. And a little obscene looking. Heheh... Seriously though, another branch would help balance out the look a little more.

[illumnae]

i'll try to find another one...but i'm very afraid of overcluttering the tank...all i want is for the wood to take up 1/4 of the tank max...like in the back corner...i want alot of foreground space basically

[Jaws]

I agree with what bro Brianclaw said. Thats what I have been trying to tell you...

[Shadow]

Some I can't picture it in my mind . I need to look when it is inside tank

[Jaws]

Some I can't picture it in my mind . I need to look when it is inside tank

Thats what I told him but the problem is once he is done with it, I don't think he wants a rescape. Thats what I heard from him .

[illumnae]

Andy, what i said to you was that once the wood has been sawn, it's impossible to "undo" it and try again when it doesn't turn out satisfactory. That's why i'm posting pictures here and asking for opinions, to avoid sawing the wood then discovering that it's piss ugly (e.g. the 2nd and 3rd pictures)

[Jaws]

I think you might want to go with Brainclaws idea of getting another piece of wood. I think a thinner piece will look good. By the way, I already enquired for you regarding the wood but no reply yet. But be prepared to pay more than what you paid for those 3 pieces.

[Shadow]

I agreed with thinner piece, your tank is quite small, 25cm cube

[shrimp999]

If trying to sawn the wood and squeez all 3 in your 25cm cube. Your foreground might not enough at what you expected.
Have you consider bogwood instead of driftwood? Because bogwood got more branchy.

[illumnae]

i haven't been able to find small enough bogwood that i like =) honestly the scape i'm trying to achieve involves bushy stem plants in the back and midground that should obscure most of the wood except for the branchy bits sticking out with weeping/spiky moss tied on. that's why i'm thinking of just having 1 branch stick out, with a slanted stone in the midground as the only hardscape...then i'll leave the rest of the scape to the plants trying to have as little hardscape as possible