Agony In the Garden (3ft. tank)

[dealt]

Hi. This is my first tank and my first post. For your comments and suggestions. Thanks!










The plan (still waiting for these plants to grow)

[illumnae]

very beautiful scape!...so why is it called agony in the garden? =)

[eddyq]

It a wonderfully done, healthy plants scape, maybe the backgroundplants not tall enough ( is that your agony). The glosso I though is the focal point of the scape. Well Done.

[marle]

very healthy growth! I agree the background plants are not tall enough.

Looks like you are going to do a left and right side sloping down and the glosso be the focal point?

How about sharing your tank's parameters?

Great job!

[Sunfire]

Wonderful looking tank, love the hill slope. Wonder what is so agonising about this?

Maybe he bent over too much and sprained his back while planting?

The riccia and glosso are my favourites although I would really love to see more fish in there...

[Aquaculture]

Nice scare .... Its an agony when I see mine now

[luenny]

That's a very nice setup. I wish mine look as good. Well, I guess before that I should be wishing I spend more time maintaining my tank in the first place. Anyway, do keep us posted when your plants grow to your liking. I'm sure it'll be breath taking.

[dealt]

Gee! Thank you guys for the very encouraging comments. Hehe, the artsy side in me wants to symbolize the curtain of red plants on the background as the 'agony' in my little garden. If I have more choice of hardscape, I could have added a few more on the left side to emphasize my title. So for now I guess it's the owner that represents the 'agony' in this tank, the pressure and back-ache I've been through in completing this feat, hehe.

Specifications:

Tank size: 36x17x16in (custom 50g)
Lighting: 4x36wPL
Pressurized c02
Daily Macro and CSM+B (EI dosing)
Calcium sulfate every WC (1x a week)

Flora:

A. Gracillis
L. Arcuata
L. Peruensis
R. Walichi
R. Rotundifolia 'red'
Blyxia Japonica
E. Stellata
L. Incilinata var cuba
L. Aromatica
R. Macandra
M. Ombrosum
R. Nanjensan
Pearlweed
R. Rotundifolia 'green'
E. Tenellus
Stargrass
Crypts (not sure what variety)
H. Corymbosa 'compact'
Anubias 'nana'
Anubias (triangular leafed, don't know what its subtype)
Pellia
Java Fern
Riccia
Glosso
Spiky Moss
*unknown broad-leafed plant beside h.corymbosa in front*

Fauna:

2 CAE
2 Oto
2 SAE
Ghost shrimps
10 Lampeye
10 tetras that keeps on dying for unknown reason.

[tcy81]

nice setup
do trim your background plants and let them grow more bushy.

[dealt]

thanks!

The glosso(s) are on its 3-4th layer and needs some trimming. I'm thinking of 'mowing' it (just trim across the top). has anyone tried it? is it 'safe'? thanks

[leslens]

can i check with the more experienced pple what is the natural evolution for the glosso?

will the bottom layer die?
if left untended what would be the outcome?

really curious whether the lower layer will die off and then followed by the upper layer (since they share the same stem???)

what would happen if u just leave it alone to grow wild?

[dealt]

can i check with the more experienced pple what is the natural evolution for the glosso?

will the bottom layer die?
if left untended what would be the outcome?

really curious whether the lower layer will die off and then followed by the upper layer (since they share the same stem???)

what would happen if u just leave it alone to grow wild?

hi leslens. I am not an expert but I do have some experience with the questions you've just asked. this is actually my second batch of glosso carpet. i pulled out my entire glosso carpet before:


yes, the bottom layer die and starts to rot if they are left unchecked. worse is that bga starts to appear on the rotting part at the bottom layer.

replanting seems to be the most logical solution but too tiring and have to wait few weeks again to have a carpet again. carefully pulling and cutting the top-most layers also works, but then again i'd rather start from scratch than spend hours carefully pulling stems.

[ranmasatome]

wow.. thats a lot of healthy plants you have there.. good job!!

[BuTLeR]

nice growth.. i like your scsape!!!!!!

[dealt]

wow.. thats a lot of healthy plants you have there.. good job!!

hi! thanks, i hope i can maintain them.

nice growth.. i like your scsape!!!!!!

thanks man!

[Samuel2618]

Hi..

Fantastic effort!! When you mentioned that this is your first tank.. I was like wow.. You must have read a lot and planned a lot before carrying out the aquascaping of this high tech planted tank..

Keep up the good work and maintain the plants well..

Regards

[dealt]

Hi..

Fantastic effort!! When you mentioned that this is your first tank.. I was like wow.. You must have read a lot and planned a lot before carrying out the aquascaping of this high tech planted tank..

Keep up the good work and maintain the plants well..

Regards

Gee, thanks. Yep, it's my first tank but I spent 2 months researching before implementing this project. It's on its 4th month now. yep, i hope i can mantain it. thanks!