Zenscape's Joy Of Harlequin (an update)

[zenscape]

Exactly a month ago was like this. General opinion was that the glosso aint right. I felt that it was a bit of messy. But was busy with other tanks and neglected this tank'




Over the weekend, torn down the glosso lawn and changed the background. Added in cosmetic sand and trimmed the background. Took pictures and observed the contrast. Previously the tank was full of energy, life and brightness. Now, there is a feeling of tranquility and cooling effect. Even the fish look calm to me. Let me know which one do you like:-

[Cpark188]

Hi bro, indeed it looks so much different after trimming it down. Very neatly trim and it demonstrate your skill in bringing up the cool effect of the scape. Hope to learn your tactic. Can even see the fishes schooling happily, thanks for the update that give us the opportunity to see the real work. Are this tank for AD competition and sure to get good result. Cheers.

[michael lai]

I like the 2nd picture but it's like too cosmetic, too artificial maybe it's the sand. My 2 cents anyway, still great job!

[tcy81]

The 2nd photo is much better and nicer in my opinion.
very nice setup

[aquanatix]

Argh...your tanks always seem to make the rest of ours look shoddy!
I liked the 1st one actually,just that the glosso was kinda growing out of place?
Like you mentioned,the 2nd tank after trimming gave a better sense of tranquility due to the layered scape.I can't help it,i'm in love with your rocks and DW!

[torque6]

Black background looks good and the surrounding plants are being contrast nicely. Great shot on your harlequin, it highlighted them well.

[juggler]

Both are beautiful.
1st picture is lively. 2nd one looks calm.

[Cpark188]

Both are beautiful.
1st picture is lively. 2nd one looks calm.

Haha, he have no choice but to choose the 2nd, after all it's already done. So I should say 2nd picture is the most beautiful. It's true and I'm not bluffing. His work deserved credit.

[leeruisheng]

It looks so much nicer with the new details Maurice.

[the_r0ck]

I have always been awed by your scapes. Another fantastic one.

One thing though, the right mid-ground seems a little dark. Do you plan to have it that way? Or do you intend to trim it down to have a more prominent slope or to add plants in?

I love the foreground arrangements of the new scape.

[oblivion]

the 2nd scape appeals to me more
allows the scape to showcase more clearly the placement of the dw and rocks

were the ferns on the lower dw branches newly added?
or were there already there previously but overgrown by the glosso?

great work!
and in one weekend!
i would need forever to achieve that amount of work, and it will be light-years away from being as nice!

[zenscape]

Thanks for all the positive responses. Never knew that you guys stayed up so late at night So we have a general consensus that the black background is fine.

Hi bro, indeed it looks so much different after trimming it down. Very neatly trim and it demonstrate your skill in bringing up the cool effect of the scape. Hope to learn your tactic. Can even see the fishes schooling happily, thanks for the update that give us the opportunity to see the real work. Are this tank for AD competition and sure to get good result. Cheers.

Hi Cpark, thanks for the comment. Glad you like it and I am not sure whether to submit this.

I like the 2nd picture but it's like too cosmetic, too artificial maybe it's the sand. My 2 cents anyway, still great job!

Yah, I was also not a fan of cosmetic white sand. But after a while in this hobby, i have decided to do something different this time and I hope virtually, the picture could bring out an impact with a wide spectrum of colour and contrast. I am still trying and experimenting stuff.

The 2nd photo is much better and nicer in my opinion.
very nice setup

Argh...your tanks always seem to make the rest of ours look shoddy!
I liked the 1st one actually,just that the glosso was kinda growing out of place?
Like you mentioned,the 2nd tank after trimming gave a better sense of tranquility due to the layered scape.I can't help it,i'm in love with your rocks and DW!

Hi tcy81 and Aquanatrix, the rocks are collected over the years. The problem we face here is that it is hard to get distinctive looking rocks and I don't know where in sg i could collect rocks from the nature. Can anyone organise a rock collecting trip?

Black background looks good and the surrounding plants are being contrast nicely. Great shot on your harlequin, it highlighted them well.

Thanks Torque

Both are beautiful.
1st picture is lively. 2nd one looks calm.

Haha, he have no choice but to choose the 2nd, after all it's already done. So I should say 2nd picture is the most beautiful. It's true and I'm not bluffing. His work deserved credit.

Just when Juggler was giving me a headache, Cpark came to the rescue..hahaha

It looks so much nicer with the new details Maurice.

I have always been awed by your scapes. Another fantastic one.

One thing though, the right mid-ground seems a little dark. Do you plan to have it that way? Or do you intend to trim it down to have a more prominent slope or to add plants in?

I love the foreground arrangements of the new scape.

Hi Calvin. Sharp observation about the right dark patch. Seriously, I didn't know it turned out this way. But some may like the dimly effect to get a hint of mystery. haha

I didn't use flash this time and maybe this is the cause. I will try again using flash to see whether light can reach there.

the 2nd scape appeals to me more
allows the scape to showcase more clearly the placement of the dw and rocks

were the ferns on the lower dw branches newly added?
or were there already there previously but overgrown by the glosso?

great work!
and in one weekend!
i would need forever to achieve that amount of work, and it will be light-years away from being as nice!

Yes, glosso was pulled out essentially to bring out the sand and scattered small rocks here and there. I wanted to define the scape more prominently. I find that with any foreground plant, all small rocks will be hidden and all layout details will disppear in no time.

The baby ferns are newly installed. Hope they would look good eventually.

[Fei Miao]

I like this! Michael pointed out a good point, perhaps some small pebbles along the edge and the "valley" would have reduce some starkness/artificial with the white sand.

Is that some thread showing on the foreground stone?


[/QUOTE]

[aquanatix]

Hi tcy81 and Aquanatrix, the rocks are collected over the years. The problem we face here is that it is hard to get distinctive looking rocks and I don't know where in sg i could collect rocks from the nature. Can anyone organise a rock collecting trip?

Its agreed...guess most of us can't really seem to find proper objects to place into our tanks.Like torque6 mentioned,he spent like months just trying to find proper rocks for his setup! A rock/DW collecting trip sounds nice...but guess it'd look very weird if a group of guys went shopping for rocks in the outdoors?

[oblivion]

Its agreed...guess most of us can't really seem to find proper objects to place into our tanks.Like torque6 mentioned,he spent like months just trying to find proper rocks for his setup! A rock/DW collecting trip sounds nice...but guess it'd look very weird if a group of guys went shopping for rocks in the outdoors?

sometimes its all about luck
you might not have to buy necessarily, just keep your eyes on the ground when you walk! (and risk banging into something of course!)

i saw some nice dark granite rocks lining the pathways of a condo over the weekend
was SOOOO tempted to stick my itchy hand out and just grab some home

[aquanatix]

Mwahaha...i get the same feeling ALL THE TIME!
It's a bloody disease i tell you,eversince i started the aquarium hobby...
I was never able to stop looking at things without thinking of how they'd look in my aquarium!Be it in the trails up it Bukit Timah when i'm doing my weekly riding or the construction sites...argh! The GF tells me i'm obsessed,i say passionate? Anyway a good hardscape is very essential to the eventual look. For zenscape's case,the rocks were a damn good selection while the DW were just icings on the cake.I'm envious...sigh~Anyway i will be making to trip to the fish farms tomorrow just to show my foreign friends around,praying hard that i'll be able to find some nice stuff!

[Shadow]

Hi Cpark, thanks for the comment. Glad you like it and I am not sure whether to submit this.

It is so beautifull and yet you are not sure whether to submit this. I can't wait to see the tank that you are going to submit.

By the way, I prefered the 2nd picture (without glosso)

[iwishweallcouldwin]

aquanatix i agree with you! was doing some filming at toa payah garden recently and as i was looking around for filming locations, i kept thinking, "wouldn't it be nice if i can create a similar scape like this part of the garden, or that part, in my fish tank!"

think that's a clear indication of how deeply poisoned we can be

[zenscape]

It is so beautifull and yet you are not sure whether to submit this. I can't wait to see the tank that you are going to submit.

By the way, I prefered the 2nd picture (without glosso)

Haha.. I can decide provided i STOP taking photographs and change my mind as a result. Never had second thought on this tank as it was not my favourite. But perhaps now.. haha. Suffering

[zenscape]

aquanatix i agree with you! was doing some filming at toa payah garden recently and as i was looking around for filming locations, i kept thinking, "wouldn't it be nice if i can create a similar scape like this part of the garden, or that part, in my fish tank!"

think that's a clear indication of how deeply poisoned we can be

Talking about poison.. I saw a beautiful bonsai and having thoughts for a few day whether i could produce that in a water tank ....