2feet Tree Scape

[Mystikboy]

Hello,

I have been fish keeping for about a decade now. Only recently have i ventured into the plants and aquascaping department. However, i have maintained only low maintenance scapes, involving only mosses and ferns, without CO2 and chiller.

My previous tank is as follows:

photo(7).JPG

This tank had flame/weeping/java/mini christmas/christmas moss, mini/US fissiden, Bolbitis, Narrow leaf Java, Golden Nana and Nana petite, all contained in a 1.5 feet tank. i used Borneo Wild growth, essence k and lush dosed 1ml daily.

However, i am trying my hand at aquascaping, and purchased a second hand Juwel 2ft tank. Thus far, i have washed the tank and pasted black oyama paper around 3 sides to prevent unnecessary (sun) light as my tank will be near the window.

For fertilizer, i have bought premixed dry fertilizer from the US. it contains the followingotassium nitrate, potassium sulfate, Plantex CSM + Boron, magnesium sulfate and Plantex CSM + B. I plan to complement this with BW Growth.

My Filter has been and will continue to be an eheim 2232. a little over powered as the 2232 can cope up to 35gallons/127gph, but it also means very clean water and a good flow about the tank. Plan to decrease the flow by fitting a spray bar.

I have purchased the wood, rocks and gravel from Seaview, and this is the result. the 'tree' is essentially 2 pieces of wood, with one piece as the base, the other piece the branches. have modified one piece to fit the other so it looks more or less seamless. The rocks are 3 separate pieces.

photo(8).jpg

Please advice me on the arrangement, if there is anything that i can do to modify, and perhaps other tips or constructive comments. I personally think the gravel is too low, and will be getting some more soon. I hope to create a dark, almost gloomy scape. just a lone tree in a forest glade. Silent and brooding. My inspiration, or what i hope to achieve would be something close to this, albeit with a more melancholic atmosphere:

The pictures cannot be loaded as there is an expletive in the url.
They are the works of Filipe Oliveira, namely Syrah and Pinheiro Manso
[IMG]http://faao.kicks-***.net/Fotos/Plantados/Historico/2007/01.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://faao.kicks-***.net/Fotos/Plantados/60L/PM/20080420.jpg[/IMG]
Looking forward to learning from you guys! Thanks

[Peanut8787]

Your tank look so soft and just by seeing it make me relax.

Thanks well done

[mincedmeat]

I think what you could really do is to tie moss all over the wood such that when it grows, it gives the impression of it being a tree. Try Christmas or Taiwan moss for the wood.

I would say to leave the foreground barren since it fits your theme.

[Mystikboy]

Thanks, peanut. you're referring to the planted tank right? i had it for about 6months, trying all the plants i loved to see which one grew best. and i find that mini xmas, xmas and weeping were the prettiest. Mini pelia died in my tank though. =/

For my new tank, I am thinking mini xmas on the bottom, xmas as the tree leaves, and philippine fern/anubias petite here and there. i also have a tree log (it really looks like a tree that collapsed) and i plan to plant it with weeping

i actually wanted to leave the bottom barren as you suggested but i think a forest glade will have grass at the bottom. will update as i slowly fill out my tank (: thanks for your comments i really appreciate them!!

[VSGenesis]

Those plants on mesh are?

[Mystikboy]

You must be referring to those in front. they are Mini fissiden on 9cm x 5cm SSmesh.

[VSGenesis]

You must be referring to those in front. they are Mini fissiden on 9cm x 5cm SSmesh.

Ah..I see. So for those you just bury them in the soil?

And the setup really nicely done.

[Mystikboy]

haha thank you! not exactly i just place them on the soil but i heaped up abit of the gravel at the front of the tank such that the mesh is not visible.

[thomashl_99]

very nice.....

[Mystikboy]

Reattached my nanas to the 'tree' and planted my collection of mini ferns to small lava rocks, to be shoved into the substrate so the plants will look like they are growing from the ground



My rock arrangements. Still unsure if I should have them embedded/partly uncovered or have them more dramatically exposed...

[Mystikboy]

That is my holding tank. Only to be moved to my main tank when all the plants I plan to get have been obtained and tied. It's been one month. Very enjoyable process

[mincedmeat]

The rocks shouldn't be dramatically exposed if the focus of the tank is on the tree. You don't want too much attention on the rocks either. Having them lying low (pardon the pun) would do your scape a greater good. Just my 2cents.

[Mystikboy]

Good point. Wld you guys think the current arrangement works

[Mystikboy]

A box I constructed by cutting and tying steel meshes, to hold the soil for my lotus which I plan to plant in the far right corner. The box will separate the soil from the quartz gravel and make replacement of soil/ rescaping easier. Also hope that a box will somehow limit the lotus' growth. Haha we shall see. Will line the box with a mesh tmr to further diminish the size of the gaps. Tmr is the day everything falls into place (:

[Mystikboy]

So far. The basic impression is there

[Mystikboy]

The result thus far

[diazman]

Looking good. More pictures when the lotus grows big