Zenscape's 'Over The Rainbow' (A short history)

[zenscape]

Hi, this is a short history of my 'Over The Rainbow' tank....

This was my previous layout for my 4ft Tank. This layout had been with me for 1.5 years. Enjoyed it very much. If you could recall, it had served me well and I count my blessings to have it world ranked No. 26, Honour Award, in ADA International Aquatic Layout Competiton Year 2007






Early December 2007, before x'mas, I thought of rescaping the tank.. Bought some hardscape and started working on it. Changed the woods and rocks and added some new plants. Of course, my favourite Java 'narrow' would stay. At the end of the day, I gave away a pail of moss! Picture taken 10-12-2007, what you see was a 3-day old tank. At that time I still didn't have any idea which directions the scape was heading. But I liked it somehow..






Picture taken in early Jan 2008. Tank had been a month old or so. Scape beginning to take shape but background plants were generally weak and unimpressive. Really dislike the messy look and wondering what should I do next. Slightly regretted tearing down my previous layout :-





In Feb 08, pressed on and persisted. Threw away all the untidy plants in the background. Thought hard and adjusted light and fert regime and after a while, it seemed something good beginning to form...Mid ground plants were generally slow growing and background plants bloomed in the way I wanted it to be. Picture taken sometime in early March 2008. After i saw the picture taken, a title instantly came to my mind..





This is what it is today... a less than 5-month transformation. Can't do much about it now. Feeling nostalgia for the song 'Over The Rainbow', a childhood memory:-
'Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
There's a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby...'



and hope you like what you see and let me know at which stage of the tank you like best.

[Jervis]

I find the DW arrangement in your original tank more forceful... can really feel the energy. On the other hand your latest scape offers more room for personal interpretation... more captivating as it allows the eyes to move front and back. Both are world class and I'm sure you can get a good ranking this year

[ranmasatome]

Maurice, would it be possible to trim the green plant at the right back side a little more sloped? otherwise it just looks like block of plants..

[michael lai]

Yup, agree with Ranma, a little too flat....

[ranmasatome]

Also when you do that.. the back will become more visible so probably have to get the plants more "filled up" behind it. The front will also not cast as much of a shadow so the java ferns or whatever you used just under the "green block" would show more.... as of now can see it is quite lush already... maybe just a little bit more...

[torque6]

Still prefer the old scape.

[John N.]

Not one of my favorite scapes of yours, but its quite nice. The last picture brings a clean look with carefully trimmed plants, so that is the one I like. Is that the one you submitted in for the ADA contest and got ranked with? Very good job and I would love to have that tank in my house.

-John N.

[torque6]

Missed your post on getting 26th for ada 2007. Well done.

[properfool]

I'm a complete newbie but i think your first scape was more striking. From a completely aesthetic point of view,the driftwood in your new scape is too symmetrical. Doesn't lead the eye as well as the previous scape cause it's a closed
diamond shape. I think that naked branch in the centre of the sandy "path" is a problem.

The other possibility is the centre of focus for the scape has become the hole in the centre of the hardscape, which is ?too central (not the golden proportion thing)


But it's otherwise a beautiful scape much nicer than anything i could do..

[stormchild]

Love the latest scape. Forget about the old ones, you'll never bring it back. Love you planted tank on a day-to-day basis.