# 6Gal nanocube..final rock placement, tell me what you think



## ryanlogic (Dec 21, 2009)

I welcome any and all suggestions, currently there are two smaller rocks of the same material, propping up each of the two rocks in the foreground.

currently:



you can see how it was below :


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## inghamb87 (Mar 10, 2010)

I for one like it. However, I am a beginner myself so do not take my suggestion ;-) I am sure others will have a lot more to add. I have a question though, what are you using for carpeting? 

Question to other members : I have been thinking about using glosso as carpeting and I am,well, a beginner. JUst looking for some options that are good as well as easy to manage. Is glosso a good option for that? Thanks in advance.


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## ryanlogic (Dec 21, 2009)

*Hc*



> Question to other members : I have been thinking about using glosso as carpeting and I am,well, a beginner. JUst looking for some options that are good as well as easy to manage. Is glosso a good option for that? Thanks in advance.


I have utilized hemianthus callitrichoides abbreviated HC in the forum.

I am hoping to set up a DIY CO2 system in the near future (Im drinking lots of Gatorade lol) and im currently waiting for some advice in regards to which fertilization route I should go.

In no expert, but HC seemed like the way to go.

its a pain in the butt to plant and if you read the thread in my signature you can see everything that went into this so far.


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## mmelnick (Mar 5, 2010)

Persoanlly I like it. I would give it an 8 out of 10. But to improve I might suggest that you take the rocks out and put them back in a more "circular" pattern.

having the 3 rocks pointing towards eachoter in a circle type of shape might give the siggestion of movement within your rocksacpe and make it more interesting to look at.

Other than that my only critisism might be that the foreground is taller than the background. But since the other rocks are proping up the bigger ones in the front there might not be much else you could do. 

But really I like it how it is too.


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## ryanlogic (Dec 21, 2009)

im somewhat aware that the rear rock may become consmed once things fill in. im not sure if thats gonna bother me or not. i personally like the front two rocks. I just wish the rear rock was larger..it would fix a lot of the perspective issues. 

Another thing, i had the background built up with more soil than the foreground, but when i filled it it all kinda leveled out.:icon_cry:


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## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

I think you should move the front 2 rocks to the back and the back rock to the front, would smooth out hte focal point in the tank.

Craig


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## kcrossley (Feb 22, 2010)

Craigthor said:


> I think you should move the front 2 rocks to the back and the back rock to the front, would smooth out hte focal point in the tank.
> 
> Craig


I agree.


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## inghamb87 (Mar 10, 2010)

ryanlogic said:


> I have utilized hemianthus callitrichoides abbreviated HC in the forum.
> 
> I am hoping to set up a DIY CO2 system in the near future (Im drinking lots of Gatorade lol) and im currently waiting for some advice in regards to which fertilization route I should go.
> 
> ...


That's what most seem to suggest. Thanks for stressing the fact once again... It seems like HC is the way to go, at least in my case


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## ryanlogic (Dec 21, 2009)

Craigthor said:


> I think you should move the front 2 rocks to the back and the back rock to the front, would smooth out _the_ focal point in the tank.
> 
> Craig



I just need to grow some balls and do it I guess. 

I dread replanting another clump of that HC, and I am having visions of it all just floating up.


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## kcrossley (Feb 22, 2010)

Try to get it in pots. I did that, then separated the potted HC into 1/2" to 3/4" sections and planted it with 12" long tweezers (a must have for this hobby). You'll be fine and it'll look great with your aquascape.


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## ryanlogic (Dec 21, 2009)

I ordered some HC in pots, but the order was canceled. 

I might wait to rearrange rocks until i can order some.


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## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

ryanlogic said:


> I ordered some HC in pots, but the order was canceled.
> 
> I might wait to rearrange rocks until i can order some.


Why not get some HC from the Swap N Shop here I saw several posts with it forsale over the last week.

Craig


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## XOffenseDefenseX (Apr 3, 2010)

*Amano's Designs*

I would like to recommend Takashi Amano's Aquascaping books. It shows many great designs, some are just marvellous and of course.... somehow costly. But it's what you can do with what you have and what you do with that knowledge 

But it did give me some insight on dealing with what I can do regarding
1) Tank size (I had 10 gallons.... so a miniature garden.... city style (lots of plants and tiny fishes) or Rural settings (few large ornaments with distinct shapes) 
2) What fish to put inside (Amano designs usually have tetras frolicking around.... For me I used Red cherry shrimp instead of Amano shrimp to introduce some red... and to keep algae at bay)
3) Types of plants (Plants that are require low lights vs high lights) majestic Ludwigia vs the humble Java Moss.

This is one of his designs... I found it online... similar to one of the pictures in a book I had.


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## Nate McFin (Mar 19, 2009)

This design is by Peter Kirwin not Amano it was 1st place in the AGA 2008 Medium tank (26 gallon)
http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2008.cgi?&op=showcase&category=0&vol=1&id=185


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## ryanlogic (Dec 21, 2009)

*better?*

pictures a bit crooked.


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## ryanlogic (Dec 21, 2009)

*I like this one a lot*

kinda what i am going for...


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## Nate McFin (Mar 19, 2009)

Looks great to me. I like the angle of the back rock and the slope it creates on the right side much better than the first. 
Is that moss growing between the front and back rock? It looks a little awkward and distracting to me right now but it might fit the final scape. What is the rest of the plan for the planting?


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## Green024 (Sep 19, 2009)

Nice tank, and sweet rocks you have there. I do think the second attempt is better, but I am in the same boat as Craig and kcrossley;


Craigthor said:


> I think you should move the front 2 rocks to the back and the back rock to the front, would smooth out the focal point in the tank.
> Craig


If you'd like to find a article to take some notes off from, take a seat for a while and read through Francis Xavier's posts and website. I see him as this sites Iwagumi Guru =]. My Signature also has a link to some Iwagumi info of his. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/aquascaping/87441-iwagumi-design-4-part-article.html 

Is there moss ball in there for any reason in particular?


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## ryanlogic (Dec 21, 2009)

Nate McFin said:


> Looks great to me. I like the angle of the back rock and the slope it creates on the right side much better than the first.
> Is that moss growing between the front and back rock? It looks a little awkward and distracting to me right now but it might fit the final scape. What is the rest of the plan for the planting?



the moss ball is just kinda floating around in there but i stuck it in between the rocks while i was re-planting some of the HC.

I may take the moss ball out, and just but it in a vase in my living room. with a Betta or something. that really does depend on the rest of the scape. 

the plan: MORE HC in the front..and a bunch of Dwarf hairgrass in the back. 

that's pretty much it.  im gonna keep it simple. and just hope i can get a really thick healthy combination of HC and DHG!

if I can find one, id like a dwarf puffer. if I cant find one or get impatient I may just settle for some CRS and maybe a few small fish..not sure what kind yet....Im aware that expesive shrimp would not be a good idea with a puffer...so if i get the puffer, i might buy a few ghost shrimp..he can consider them a snack if he likes.


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## ryanlogic (Dec 21, 2009)

Green024 said:


> Nice tank, and sweet rocks you have there. I do think the second attempt is better, but I am in the same boat as Craig and kcrossley


I have some hairgrass on the way, initially I had some more HC coming along with that order, but he was out of stock, 

I am going to play around with more rock placement variations, but not untill i get the hairgrass in. I wish I had more HC coming as well but I will do what I can to salvage what I have until I can order some more.

still a ways to go on this tank.


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## mikep (Dec 12, 2009)

A little better. I like the two front rocks, but not sure of the back one. Are you planning on any taller plants for the background? Some tall straight grasses would look nice. And i think it would give a nice contrast to the round leaves on your glosso.

Mike


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## ryanlogic (Dec 21, 2009)

*darnit*

im sooooo frustrated right now. ive been messing around with aquascapes all day...cant get it right. water keeps clouding up. i should have just planted the hairgrass in the back and left everything where it was. the HC kept floating up, so now i have unplanted all of it. im back to square one, and im frustrated big time. im close to just draining the whole thing and trying to get everything just right, then filling it again. but that's a pain in the ass too.

ugh


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## dthb4438 (Nov 12, 2007)

I would keep one large rock and break another into smaller pieces and put around it like a parimeter. 

I do like the pics that you put in of the other tanks. I have them on my computer as the background. Here is another that I like:


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## ryanlogic (Dec 21, 2009)

*finalized rock placement*

a little more subtle less prominent all around...but i like it. getting some decent growth on the left, starting to fill in. i recently uprooted the clump of HC directly in the middle up front. Im just too lazy to tuck it back in. its re-rooting itself and I will be able to trim it down in a few weeks.


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## Kathyy (Feb 22, 2010)

Wow. I am so not an expert with this sort of scape but I love this one. I love the foreground cliff and I love the mountain pass with the HG on either side.


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## ferretowner96 (Apr 20, 2010)

dthb4438 is that a tree, or just how it is aquascaped? That rocks!
Rick


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## Adrian99 (May 6, 2010)

Kool nice tank what are the names of those rocks also the names of the grass or plants you have going there. thanks =D


-Adrian


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## ryanlogic (Dec 21, 2009)

Adrian99 said:


> Kool nice tank what are the names of those rocks also the names of the grass or plants you have going there. thanks =D
> 
> 
> -Adrian


These are the Ryuoh stones I used.

the plants up front are called hemianthus callitrichoides most people just call it HC.

In the back on the sides I have Dwarf hairgrass growing. its growing really fast on the left, but on the right its just starting to show signs of new growth.


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## ryanlogic (Dec 21, 2009)

Kathyy said:


> Wow. I am so not an expert with this sort of scape but I love this one. I love the foreground cliff and I love the mountain pass with the HG on either side.


thank you.


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