# Driftwood Hardscape Critique



## ShawnS (Dec 13, 2011)

After some toying around with placement i've managed to narrow my most favored set-ups down to 3: 

Set Up 1









I was trying to create something similar to CL's aquascape from this: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=98871&highlight=Gallon+Rimless+Iwagumi. Although, I kinda feel like its too Christmas tree-y, like it branches out too much. 

Set up 2








With this hardscape i'd do something like this: http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/1245/dsc6820o.jpg. Where there would be a distinct path between the two opposing pieces of driftwood and be very very densely planted around each. Along with rocks around each piece creating their own varying levels of substrate. 

Set up 3








With this set up, i'd have more a flowing motion from the right corner to the left. With this set up i would arrange the plants in the mid and background according to color intensity, creating some kinda of sun or explosion pattern. (Greatest at the right end and slowly lessening in intensity as it gets farther away.) I like this one personally the best because I feel it would follow the guidelines of how to aquascape better, its more artistic, and its actually my own idea; rather than just a recreation of someone else's. 

So what are your thoughts? I'd love to hear your feedback.


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## CatB (Jan 29, 2012)

i like the first and third a lot, only problem with the first is that sometimes a piece in the dead center like that turns out pretty weird looking...


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## Sara3502 (Jun 18, 2012)

I like the third the most.


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

I like all three, depending on how you do the plants around it. If you use low light, mostly green plants, I like #2 where the driftwood take center stage among a lot of green. If you use a variety of plants, especially stems, then I lean more towards #1 and #3. The taller the plants, the more I go to #1 because tall plants would hide the lower parts of #3.

However you do it, you have some nice pieces of wood. It should look good in your tank no matter which way you decide. I just hope you don't cover it up too much with the plants.


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## 50089 (Dec 11, 2011)

I like the third the best also.


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## DishyFishy (Jul 17, 2011)

I'm with 3!


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## ShawnS (Dec 13, 2011)

Yeah I don't know if you could tell by the enormous amount of bias from my description but I was already leaning largely towards #3 :3. Any *suggestions on colorful plants*? Also, I was thinking of *Dwarf Hair Grass as the carpeting foreground*. I hear its a lot easier to grow as a carpet than dwarf HC. As always feedback is appreciated, negative or positive.


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## 50089 (Dec 11, 2011)

What lights are going to be on the tank? Are you planning Co2 and/or ferts of some kind? All of these factors would play into what types of plants you could get.


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## ShawnS (Dec 13, 2011)

Lighting: I have a 24-inch Dual T5NO Fixture. According to the lighting chart with the two T5NO bulbs and my 16inch tall aquarium its giving me medium light while on the top.

Co2: Diy, so far i've tried my hand at Anubis and some other weird looking stem plant from my LFS, and they're both growing just fine so it seems to be working alright. 

Ferts: I have a whole bottle of Flourish Excel that i've yet to use.

Not to sound rude, but what does my specs have to do with your opinion on *Dwarf Hair grass vs. Dwarf HC as a carpet*? And why would my specs somehow prevent anyone from *suggesting colorful plants*? I can Google the plant's requirements, and if they have requirements I don't have, and i want the plant badly enough, I'll change my specs accordingly. I don't want you limiting your plant suggestions based on my current specs...


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

ShawnS said:


> Ferts: I have a whole bottle of Flourish Excel that i've yet to use.


Excel isn't a fertilizer. It is a carbon source. It is a substitute for CO2.

Flourish Nitrogen, Flourish Potassium, and Flourish Phosphorus are the macro ferts (all three combined).

Flourish Comprehensive is the micro fert (without iron). To include iron, you can get Flourish Iron.


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## ShawnS (Dec 13, 2011)

Complexity said:


> Excel isn't a fertilizer. It is a carbon source. It is a substitute for CO2.
> 
> Flourish Nitrogen, Flourish Potassium, and Flourish Phosphorus are the macro ferts (all three combined).
> 
> Flourish Comprehensive is the micro fert (without iron). To include iron, you can get Flourish Iron.


So just to confirm you're saying either I could get Flourish Nitrogen, Flourish Potassium, and Flourish Phosphorus. Or I could get Flourish Comprehensive and Flourish Iron? Both groups accomplishing the same thing and covering all the bases? Or should I have and use all 5 for fertilizers?


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

To do complete fert dosing, you'd get all 4 (5 if you get iron) ferts.

It's the same as dry ferts, only they've added the water. So you pay extra to have the water already mixed in. The thing is you don't even have to premix ferts with water. You can dump dry ferts directly into a tank.

Here's the same 5 ferts (iron is included) in dry fert method. This would last a person with a 55g tank 1 year or more: http://greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/micro-macro-fertilizers.html

Notice the P (phosphorus) K (potassium) N (nitrogen) are the macros. And CSM+B are the micros with iron (comprehensive + iron).

Same thing, different form. One you squirt. The other you dump in dry. One you pay extra for water. The other you skip buying the water since aquariums already have water.


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## ShawnS (Dec 13, 2011)

Ah, well thanks for the money saver.  Greatly appreciated. Btw, would you suggest investing in aquasoil or will Eco Conplete be just as effective?


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

As effective? There are pros and cons to either substrate. I think the main thing is that people have been able to sustain excellent planted tanks with either substrate.

The thing to do is to make a list of the various pros and cons of both substrates, and then look to see if any of those attributes determines the decision for you.

Personally, I prefer Eco Complete. It grows my plants very well, doesn't screw with my pH, doesn't give off ammonia, doesn't break down into mud, holds nutrients for plants, isn't too badly priced, and is black in color (the color matters to me). However, there are others who swear by AS. It's really a personal choice.


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## ShawnS (Dec 13, 2011)

Alright cool. I'll probably go with Eco complete then simply because it doesn't turn into mud overtime like Aquasoil does. Also, to me, aquasoil is absurdly overpriced.


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## jakevwapp84 (Jul 8, 2012)

I really like the piece.


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## ShawnS (Dec 13, 2011)

Update: 

I've ordered 40lbs of Eco Complete and it will be arriving Wednesday. In the mean time i've been doing some research on plants of certain colors that fit my specs and grow in medium lighting. *I will only be using 1 kind of plant for each color, i'm just seeing which ones you would suggest I use. As of now I only know what limited information Aquatic Plant Central can give me, so if one plant is harder to grow than another, or if you have knowledge of another plant that is twice as colorful, I will be most appreciative. * Here's what I've got so far:

Red: 

Alternanthera reineckii 'rosaefolia' 









Pink:

Bacopa sp. 'Colorata









Rotala sp. 'Colorata' 









Orange: 

Cabomba palaeformis








Ludwigia ovalis 








Rotala wallichii 









Yellow:
Suggestions 

Green: 

lobelia cardinalis aquarium








(I'll probably end up just using some kind of mid-ground plant, like Anubis)

Carpeting plant: (Still torn, Hair Grass is easier to grow but I like the look of HC better. )

Dwarf Hair grass 









HC


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## jakevwapp84 (Jul 8, 2012)

I have found this plant that i really like it is called fissidens fontanus. it looks cool and is usually sold in pads. I could make a nice carpet plant. Doesnt Anubis secrete a substance poisonous to shrimp?


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## unpluggedmusic (Apr 28, 2010)

I love your pieces! If i have these wood, i will prefer to have the branches branching out towards the front! The whole thing will be centered in the tank towards the back glass. In the middle of the branches, i would use plants such as java fern, narrow leave java fern, etc to create a very leafy centerpiece. Hairgrass as foreground would be top choice for me too! But it gets algae tangled with the grass at times, but dont worry. You can always trim the infected part off. Pulling the algae will only result in pulling all hairgrass out... Good luck, i will love to see your update!


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## ShawnS (Dec 13, 2011)

I really don't want to make an island, but thanks for you input. Perhaps your idea is more realistic than mine  But I want to at least try my color variant idea first.


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

Most of the plants you have selected are a little more difficult to grow. Since this is a new setup, I'd suggest making sure you have quite a few easy to grow plants to get the tank going and then swap out the plants once the tank has stabilized somewhere around the second to third month. New tanks are harder to deal with at first, but become easier once they mature.


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## ShawnS (Dec 13, 2011)

Alright thanks. By the way, those dry ferts you linked me, could i use them if I wanted to dry start my HC? Or would i have to buy the liquid ferts and use them in a spray bottle? Also how am I suppose to supply the HC with CO2 if i use the dry start method? Just leave the CO2 running in the water-less tank? Also how often should I spray the inside of my tank with water?


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

CO2 is already in the air so you don't have to add any when using DSM. That's one of the main reasons for using DSM.

I'm not sure how to dose ferts for DSM, but if it's done with liquid ferts, then you can do it with dry ferts. Dry ferts are the same as liquid ferts except the water hasn't been added. So all you do is dissolve dry ferts in water to make them into liquid ferts. Then you can spray them or whatever you'd do with any liquid brand.

Since I have not tried DMS, I'll leave the questions on _how_ to fertilize the plants to those more familiar with the practice.


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## ShawnS (Dec 13, 2011)

Update: 

After Filling








I ended up re-rearranging the driftwood. It look really bad because I wasn't anticipating how the slope of the substrate would effect the appearance of the driftwood. So it looked dumb, and now it looks great! (To me) By tomorrow I'm going to go to my LFS and buy some plants, So i'll have another update by then. 

I actually ended up rearranging my room just for my fish tanks.









And here's the 10gal I currently have my fish in while I cycle the 20gal:









The plan is to set up the 20gallon with the same idea as before. With a boom-plosion of color in the top right corner and slowly fading and then have a carpet of HC along the left and bottom side. Once that's done i'll move my fish in from the 10 gal and rescape that as an Iwagumi shrimp tank!


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## Neatfish (Jun 22, 2012)

Where do you get wood like that? Can you just use a branch off any tree?


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## LAKE (Jul 9, 2012)

I wouldn't under value the addition of iron.

It may not be essential to achieve growth but it sure can make a difference in the appearance of the plants! 

It is difficult to market a suitable iron source to please everybody as the pure most usable form oxidizes so easily. No powders, questionable effect range of liquids. Organic sources are often best. Some foods are high in iron. Finland did research on using their abundance of Peat as a heating fuel source, three forms of iron complicate it beyond practical. I have provided a link. I find natural alternatives more complete than branded products that need supplemented with other branded products. Combinations can work really well. Feeding a little Peat to the biofilter is worth the trial to see if you like it.


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## ShawnS (Dec 13, 2011)

Update:


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## PlantedVirgin (Feb 17, 2012)

Very nice look so far. keep up the good work and more pictures.


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## Shanster (Jul 23, 2012)

So where did you find a piece of driftwood like that? That's essentially what I'm looking for...


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