# Need some advice and ideas on new tank, critiques welcome! Updated 07/28/14



## squatingdog (Jan 26, 2014)

i love the wood! where did u get it?


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## MULDER (May 19, 2014)

It was a piece brought up out of the Edisto River just south of Charleston, SC where I am. The piece in the first tank came out of the Lynches river during a drought... walked out in the the middle of the river and cut it from the bottom and treated it myself. The new one i got ready to be placed in the tank.


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

MULDER said:


> Hello everyone.. this is my first post but I have been an on/off lurker for years. I would still claim to be an amateur but have been in the planted tanks for about ten years now.. nothing major. I had a 30 gallon forever that was given to me which is what started it all...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Hi Jason,
Welcome to TPT
Your new tank is starting to look real good, especially with that great-looking, unique piece if wood.
Suggest you consider getting a couple of tall plants to place at the rear on the right hand side to hide some of that equipment, along with say, a med./dk. blue background, which I feel would dramatize the tank some more.
Then see how it looks to you - you may then want to make a few more modifications.
Best of luck with your new project.


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## MULDER (May 19, 2014)

I have Hygrophylia Augustifolia all along the back but not 100% sure if thats the best placement for it. 

Ive always been partial to the Iwagumi and/or forest tanks yet I always seem to grab a wood centerpiece which is the wrong direction lol


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

The Hygro should grow tall enough for your tank but it'll take some time.
I don't feel the direction of your wood has anything wrong with it.


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## MULDER (May 19, 2014)

No lol I meant figuratively... most of the Iwagumi styles consist of rock mounds and such . Should I relocate it all or leave it as it is?

As with the bottom coverage, I am not sure what would be the best or would grow properly. I have done a full bottom of dense dwarf sagittaria before but I am not sure if it is the route I want to go with now or not. Lighting has always been an issue for me but I think I have enough to possibly try something else.

I will try to get an overhead shot when I get home for layout purposes.

I am totally open to suggestions on how I should go forward with layout, plant choices, etc... The only thing that I know I want is to preserve some openness, finally having depth to play with and keeping things on a smaller scale to give the impression of a larger size. (like the Mountain Clouds and Cherries)

Depth is something I love in a tank but struggle with creating. You can see that in the placement of both pieced of wood in both tanks.


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

LOL - Gotcha.
I would leave it as it is, allow for some plant growth, and embellish/modify from there. Your tank can eventually look just as good as an Iwagumi layout, imo anyway.


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## MULDER (May 19, 2014)

It will defiantly need time. But how do you think I can add depth to the tank? Should I add stones or change the angle of the wood or microscape certain areas? Im thinking that maybe i should gather all of the hygro on one end or perhaps towards the "stump" area of the wood.

Reading others comments in the other threads in this section I think I am at about a 2/10 lol.. really want to get it up to the top.


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## MULDER (May 19, 2014)

I love the way that this looks..

http://www.sfaquarium.org/drupal/files/1008-SFASAugustPostcard-k7.jpg


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## MULDER (May 19, 2014)

Here is a diagram of my tank if anyone would like to help me with the layout.










Im kinda leaning towards pulling everything, mounding the sand towards the center to create a soft slope down to the sides and just growing the hairgrass but open to suggestion... I lean towards minimal, natural and openness... maybe grouping things around where the wood meets the sand.


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## MULDER (May 19, 2014)

Also.. not everything has to be used. Just a list of what I have onhand.


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## MULDER (May 19, 2014)

OK... So I've done some rescaping and started planting the hairgrass. Half way there but will wrap it up tomorrow. Opinions on the new layout?


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

So far I like it.

But wow, that looks like planting that DHG must have been painful. Its so neatly spread out its making me feel the pain of planting it lol


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## MULDER (May 19, 2014)

Lol... Easy for me.. OCD . But it is a looong process.


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## MULDER (May 19, 2014)

Updated my diagram. still concerned about the placement of the ranunculas and crypto though... plus if it would be more aesthetically pleasing to not plant the grass all the way to the glass but leave and edge around it... or maybe it will prove impossible to maintain once it starts chaining...


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

*Need some advice and ideas on new tank, critiques welcome!*

What are you doing with the back right of the wood?


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## MULDER (May 19, 2014)

I really do not know. At the moment I m just placing the R.I. and Crypt there... and that's only because I am not sure they would look good at the "root" on the left. I've thought about moving them and not putting anything over there... but I am not sure that's the right direction to go either. It may end up looking tooo tooo plain. 

I don't know if I should plant at the right where it comes down or leave it bare with just the grass growing all around for a nice large "yard". I'm kind of caught between it being too plain and taking away from the focal point which should be the main root structure on the left. Its a part of the tank that I am struggling with at the moment.

I am also wondering if I should leave bare spots or completely cover the bottom with DHG. I also thought about leaving a trail or path though the middle and under the arch. 

Also wondering if I should put moss on the wood or leave it blank. From my experience with moss before it can be a chore sometimes and I also do not want it to cut any light to the grass below.


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## MULDER (May 19, 2014)

Well.. I planted until I ran out of DHG... Not sure if I should go pick up some more or let it ride.. but I can tell you I am a bit tired of planting it lol...


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## BeastMaster (Dec 17, 2012)

Great job w/DHG, really like your scape. Good luck. : bounce:


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## MULDER (May 19, 2014)

Thanks Beast! I think there is still some tuning.. maybe replacing the hygro with crypts and adding some rocks. IDK but I am going to keep it all recorded


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## BeastMaster (Dec 17, 2012)

MULDER said:


> Thanks Beast! I think there is still some tuning.. maybe replacing the hygro with crypts and adding some rocks. IDK but I am going to keep it all recorded



Your scape is sweeping and clean. I think when your plant growth at the hardscape bases fills out, it will look quite dramatic. Just have to keep up w/ the trimming. :bounce:


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## MULDER (May 19, 2014)

Thanks Beast. I am still so tempted to pull the piece and just use rocks though.... :struggles: lol


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## MULDER (May 19, 2014)

Ive planted some nice low cripts in around the right side of the main hardscape on the left to fill in a bit... but now Im beginning to wonder if I should pull the DHG and move it towards the back along the glass and carpet with glossostigma instead. 

Opinions?


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## fishwife (Apr 11, 2004)

Have you considered angling the driftwood a little so that it is pointing to the front right? That might give you more sense of movement.


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## dzega (Apr 22, 2013)

holly cow that DHG makes me feel bad about how i planted mine


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## sewoeno (Apr 12, 2014)

i absolutely love how its looking. so jealous. totally what i'm aiming for in my tank too! how funny!


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## gt turbo (Sep 13, 2012)

fishwife said:


> Have you considered angling the driftwood a little so that it is pointing to the front right? That might give you more sense of movement.


This is exactly what I was thinking. I would angle the driftwood to the front right and create a denser planting area, in and around the base of the wood on the back left.

About trying the glosso, I say why not add it among the hair grass. Takashi Amano makes a point of mixing his ground cover cause that is how you would see it in nature.

Good luck with your scape.


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## MULDER (May 19, 2014)

Thanks everyone. I will add an updated photo tonight as I have planted a few crypts around the hardscape too block in the taller plants which Im still thinking I may end up replacing. 

I was thinking of moving the DHG to the back along the glass and glosso for the main carpeting plant. I know.. a lot of work to just uproot and relocate. 

I have thought about angling the arm of the hardscape towards the front but I am worried that I would create a large area behind it that would be blocked from view. My original concept was to get a feeling of openness along the right two thirds of the tank and a sense of height along the focal point of the left. I may be wrong there in my layout which is why I an so eager to hear your thoughts. I know that I do want to keep things away from the glass on either end as much as possible if that makes sense lol.


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## fishwife (Apr 11, 2004)

MULDER said:


> Thanks everyone. I will add an updated photo tonight as I have planted a few crypts around the hardscape too block in the taller plants which Im still thinking I may end up replacing.
> 
> I was thinking of moving the DHG to the back along the glass and glosso for the main carpeting plant. I know.. a lot of work to just uproot and relocate.
> 
> I have thought about angling the arm of the hardscape towards the front but I am worried that I would create a large area behind it that would be blocked from view. My original concept was to get a feeling of openness along the right two thirds of the tank and a sense of height along the focal point of the left. I may be wrong there in my layout which is why I an so eager to hear your thoughts. I know that I do want to keep things away from the glass on either end as much as possible if that makes sense lol.


You wouldn't have to make it completely diagonal. Maybe just inch it toward the front pane a little at a time and see what you think. In fact, is your driftwood one piece or two? If two, I was thinking you could just angle the upper part. That would make the placement less static but not block the view.


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## JeremyM (Feb 23, 2012)

Love the looks and curves of that wood... I think it would really be complemented well by that DHG carpet once it fills in. In the old layout I hardly noticed it and it kind of clashed with all the stems, and I only actually saw it in the pic of your new layout. Can't wait till it fills in!


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## MULDER (May 19, 2014)

fishwife said:


> You wouldn't have to make it completely diagonal. Maybe just inch it toward the front pane a little at a time and see what you think. In fact, is your driftwood one piece or two? If two, I was thinking you could just angle the upper part. That would make the placement less static but not block the view.


I kinda wish it was but it is actually one piece. It does sit slightly towards the front on that end but I could twist it a little more.


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## MULDER (May 19, 2014)

Great news.... I have spotted some runners on the DHG! lol. Anyway.. here is an updated picture with the crypts I used to block in the plants around the hardscape. There are two nice bushy crypts one on the front side of the dw arm and one behind which fills in all the way up to the glass. I will probably go plant shopping today as the local store is getting in their new delivery today 





















I think the caboma is gonna get pulled today too lol. It was just a freebee piece stuck in with the shrimp but isn't shaping up right.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Love that driftwood, look forward to seeing it grow in


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## MULDER (May 19, 2014)

Some updated pics from the weekend. Also photos of the equipment. I didnt set out and purchase any of the equipment, I got the whole rig for $200 bucks from a friend of the family who swapped it out for an inwall 200 gallon salt tank. I hate to even admit this but I am not exactly sure what size aquarium this is... Probably not the right bulbs or filtration either but for now its what I have  

I finished boxing in the hardscape with crypts and replanted the telanthera cardinalis. my DHG is continuing to spring off runners.. some areas more so than others.































Equipment:


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## MULDER (May 19, 2014)

Update: est 70 Days

Had a nasty algae bloom for about a month... waited for it to clear but it didn't happen so I got a UV sterilizer (ugly and in upper left) and have cleared the water up along with water changes. Going to leave it in for another week just to be sure. Because of that aside from the hygro nothing else really moved. I have though noticed within the last week the dhg has started showing some signs of growth.. Im still hunting for the right plant to put in the front on the left in the small alcove made by the hardscape... suggestions? Critiques and suggestions on the tank and progress are always welcome also!


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## wlevine09 (Apr 7, 2014)

I agree with what someone else had mentioned, have you tried changing the angle of the wood at all so that it isnt perfectly horizontal. Maybe try bringing the right side forward a bit?


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## Raymond S. (Dec 29, 2012)

Don't know how attatched you are to that brightness level you have.
But a Zoo Med "Flora sun" would add a tad bit more color, but at the same time loose a bit of visible light.
Limiting your hrs and perhaps also splitting it into a two part schedual/w 1 or 1.5 hrs of no light in the middle...total about 7.5-8 hrs would eliminate the UV thingie I believe.
I can't take my eyes off of the empty right side. I know it "fits" the "less is more" concept of the Iwagumi tank/theme but having pondered for a while and rejected several possibilities, a Crypt Balanees found it's way into my mind or two or three planted so the leaves would intermingle as it/they grew in the right corner. On second thought: Two with the right one having it's center about just slightly right of half way between the end of the point on the top piece of wood and the right end and the left one just 3" to the left of that.
They get about 21" tall and fairly bushy eventually.
But have no idea if it would amount to an unwanted distraction.


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