Advices needed for Rescaping

[jasonchua1982]

Hi everyone,

I am thinking of rescaping my 4 ft discus planted tank.

Here is how it look now.



It originally started with a theme of a path to the "mountains" (rocks with mosses). However the amazon sword on the left hand side of the tank and some narrow twirling leaf plants in the center has grown denser and overwhelmed the mountains.



The dense center portion as shown above.



Fast growing amazon sword that is going to reach water surface.

I am thinking of a new scape where I will shift all the foreground plants (barcopa) to the front to form my foreground/ carpet, then at the background I will redistribute the plants in the center to form the dense vegetation behind. I may remove the amazon sword as they caused an indifference in height with those on the right.

In front of the row of vegetation I will place my rocks spread across the length of the tank (instead of cluster at one corner), i.e. the rocks are now in between the forground plants and the fast growing plants (vegetation) behind. However I do feel abit weird as there are no transitition. From foreground plants suddenly to mountains and rainforest behind, somemore you rarely see grasspatch (foreground) just in front of a mountain.

Hope bros and sis here can help give some advices on how I can better scape my tank. Thanks in advance

[Verminator]

As for the background. I believe mixing up the plants you have currently will be good enough. Just distribute them around, don't keep one sort to one side, and another to the other like you have done for now.

As for your mountains. I think they are too square and "plonked". It lacks variation/distribution. You could do with some bigger rocks that are more mountain like which you can spread across the width and breadth of the tank, yes? Which you can tie moss if you wish like you have done here, personally i think letting a green film of algae grow on can look quite pleasing, and very natural if controlled.

The existing forgound carpet plant you have, whatever is it? This can be salvaged, i like it. I don't know if you plan to tear down the tank 100% or just rescape with fish and water still in? Either way, keep all your stock. When you come to replant the forground, however painstaking it is to plant them all again i would, but try to get the density higher. Plant them closer together in more confined/controlled or planned areas in the forground. Try breaking the transition from carpet to rock (mountains) with clumps of hair grass perhaps. Or other smaller bushy shrub like plants. Hemianthus Micranthemoides or something like Hydrocotyle verticillata. Possibly even Hygrophila Corymbosa 'compact'. I could go on for ever naming medium sized plants that would form an ideal line breaker and make the change in height transition more gradual and easy going. Lilaeopsis Mauritiana? Obviously light levels, fert, substrate and CO2 all come into question when thinking of alot of plants i seem to have named there.

That red plant growing inbetween two rocks, is that Echinodorus Rubin 'narrow leaves'? It looks to be like it. If not doesnt matter, whatever it is it looks stunning and would look great more centralised and given pride of place. Make a feature of it.

The stem plan growing in amongst the amazon sword i would move behind one of your relocated rocks or new rocks inwhich it can grow into itself and fully be used to its beauty.

This tank excites me, is it obvious from how much i'm rambling on Soooooo much potential i can see with this concept.

Do do do do do keep us updated

[Verminator]

I do apologise if thats one GIANT bore

[jasonchua1982]

I do apologise if thats one GIANT bore

Hi Verminator,

Thanks for your advices, its certainly not boring and very enriching, you brought up some very good points

Actually I plan to do the rescaping in batches, move the foreground plants from the back to the front first as well as re-position the rocks, maybe another week i will move the and redistribute the background plants as I don't think my fishes can take it if I am to tear everything down and rescape.

The red plant growing inbetween two rocks is Echinodorus Rubin,it has different colors of leaves as it grow, will heed ur advice to cast more limelight on it As for the stem plants with amazon sword, I am not sure what is its name but I got i from thailand, they seems to keep growing upwards, searching for a support.

Thanks for ur suggestions for medium height plants as well as all other useful advices, will certainly keep this in mind and update u again on the new scape.

Cheers

[Verminator]

I look forward to seeing it

[Jervis]

How long have you been keeping the Echinodorus rubin narrow leave? Looks really good... perhaps 2 more? Maybe can place them inside the area surrounded by your 'Stonehenge'.

[jasonchua1982]

How long have you been keeping the Echinodorus rubin narrow leave? Looks really good... perhaps 2 more? Maybe can place them inside the area surrounded by your 'Stonehenge'.

Hi Jervis,

I have been keeping them for 8 mths, it was there since my tank was set up, it started off with red leaves, then green leaves, then red leaves again now

Will take ur suggestion into consideration too, thanks !

[Verminator]

Think you need to rehost your images so we can see what you've achieved

[jasonchua1982]

Think you need to rehost your images so we can see what you've achieved

Hi Verminator,

You can't see the pics?

Heres from another webbie







I kind of like the new scape, as least not as dense and messy as the old scape, I feel there are more space for my Discus to swim around.

Its close to completion, left the following:
1. planting of more broad based leaf on the left side (background) of the tank
2. getting a small rock to fill up the front left portion.
3. waiting for the HC to grow
4. I am also thinking of getting some prominent plant (like Echinodorus rubin) at the background so its not 1 whole patch of greenery dominated by the Vallisneria nana and crypt

Any comments for improvement are appreciated

[Verminator]

Looks top notch. E. Rubin would make a good contrast yes. The red/bronze glow will be stunning along with your rocks.

[jasonchua1982]

Looks top notch. E. Rubin would make a good contrast yes. The red/bronze glow will be stunning along with your rocks.

Thanks Verminator for your kind comments, will update again when I add the new plants or when the foreground matures