Advice on layout please:)

kevinmichael77

Guru Class Expert
Oct 5, 2012
385
7
18
Wisconsin
Just wanted to get some advice on this layout. Plants are finally filling in just not quite sure how I feel about it after all this work. Was hoping to get some advice from those more experienced than I in Aquascaping. Really like the wood and the plants just not sure on the placement. Thanks for those who take the time to reply!
 
Last edited by a moderator:

antbug

Guru Class Expert
Apr 4, 2011
124
5
18
go to www.tinypic.com and upload the picture to that site. It's free and quick. Then take the code for " Forums & Message Boards" and post it here.
 

kevinmichael77

Guru Class Expert
Oct 5, 2012
385
7
18
Wisconsin
antbug;127037 said:
go to www.tinypic.com and upload the picture to that site. It's free and quick. Then take the code for " Forums & Message Boards" and post it here.

Thanks Antbug!
Hopefully this works.

e2hbt.jpg
 

antbug

Guru Class Expert
Apr 4, 2011
124
5
18
we have a picture :)

You're doing a good job with the hair grass, but the wood isn't working for me. With what you have going on, a few good sized rocks would look a lot better. You could place them along the grass line and have the what looks like blyxa tucked around the bottom of the rocks. Then the background plants can grow up and over it. You could also keep the wood and mix it with the above to have a wood and rock scape. The other thing that could help is a lot more background plants in larger groups and go for that dutch look.
 

kevinmichael77

Guru Class Expert
Oct 5, 2012
385
7
18
Wisconsin
antbug;127095 said:
we have a picture :)

You're doing a good job with the hair grass, but the wood isn't working for me. With what you have going on, a few good sized rocks would look a lot better. You could place them along the grass line and have the what looks like blyxa tucked around the bottom of the rocks. Then the background plants can grow up and over it. You could also keep the wood and mix it with the above to have a wood and rock scape. The other thing that could help is a lot more background plants in larger groups and go for that dutch look.

Do you think this sort of design would be better? This is the only other wood I have at the moment that fits this tank. I do have plenty of rock as well. Initially this scape was just supposed to be Belem and blyxa but got carried away and my goal with this went out the window. Perhaps with this wood I could attempt a more Dutch style.

2zsxyps.jpg


Thanks
 

antbug

Guru Class Expert
Apr 4, 2011
124
5
18
It would help separate the foreground and background, so it might. I still think you need more than just that. Have you thought about a rock/wood scape?
 

kevinmichael77

Guru Class Expert
Oct 5, 2012
385
7
18
Wisconsin
antbug;127148 said:
It would help separate the foreground and background, so it might. I still think you need more than just that. Have you thought about a rock/wood scape?

I have plenty of rock I just don't really have an idea of how to integrate the two. With the wood in my current scape the wood pretty much takes up the width of the tank which might be part of the problem in defining front/mid/back.

The second pieces of wood are smaller and would take up mainly the mid with a little bit coming towards the front which may help defining the areas. Only worry is uprooting everything with my fish and causing a mini cycle by doing a rescape. I just want to get it to a point where I'm happy with it and all the plants compliment each other and get the necessary light.

If I decided to try the second group of wood is that arrangement ok? If you see the need for rocks where do you suggest I place them? I'd still like to have an area of Belem as the carpet and utilize the blyxa and possibly the auraguai in the mid ground.

Thanks a ton for your feedback Antbug!!
 

kevinmichael77

Guru Class Expert
Oct 5, 2012
385
7
18
Wisconsin
Solcielo lawrencia;127134 said:
Can you take a picture of the side of the tank? This would show the width of the wood.

Sorry for the bad pic, there's just too much crap in the way. If you can see it the wood pretty much encompasses most the width of the tank. I can see how this makes no separation.

The optional wood that I pictured would mainly stay in the mid ground. Is the second arrangement appealing at all. The main piece of wood has some real interesting characteristics up close.

Thanks socielo!

10o2pg6.jpg
 
Mar 20, 2013
1,007
46
48
US
So I'm assuming the wood is one piece? If so, you should break it into separate pieces which makes it easier to lay the branches where you want it.
 

kevinmichael77

Guru Class Expert
Oct 5, 2012
385
7
18
Wisconsin
Solcielo lawrencia;127156 said:
So I'm assuming the wood is one piece? If so, you should break it into separate pieces which makes it easier to lay the branches where you want it.

What's in there now is 3 pieces but are longer which I use the root to anchor them in?

Second wood option doesn't do it for ya?
 

Gerryd

Plant Guru Team
Lifetime Member
Sep 23, 2007
5,623
22
38
South Florida
Hi,

Could you group the wood a bit closer together and kept to the left 2/3 of the tank?

Also, blyxa and hair grass are very alike and may not work here. I would regroup the wood, use belem as the carpet plant, and then use your stems here and there for contrast.

- - - Updated - - -

Hi,

Could you group the wood a bit closer together and kept to the left 2/3 of the tank?

Also, blyxa and hair grass are very alike and may not work here. I would regroup the wood, use belem as the carpet plant, and then use your stems here and there for contrast.
 

kevinmichael77

Guru Class Expert
Oct 5, 2012
385
7
18
Wisconsin
Gerryd;127161 said:
Hi,

Could you group the wood a bit closer together and kept to the left 2/3 of the tank?

Also, blyxa and hair grass are very alike and may not work here. I would regroup the wood, use belem as the carpet plant, and then use your stems here and there for contrast.

- - - Updated - - -

Hi,

Could you group the wood a bit closer together and kept to the left 2/3 of the tank?

Also, blyxa and hair grass are very alike and may not work here. I would regroup the wood, use belem as the carpet plant, and then use your stems here and there for contrast.

Thanks for the feedback Gerry!

That's why I was kinda thinking of goin with the other pictured wood arrangement so I could have sections and still utilize the blyxa. You don't think they belong in the same tank at all? The blyxa is startin to get nice red colors in it.

Think stick with what I've got but designate the wood to one side then and ditch the blyxa?

Thanks
Kev
 
Last edited by a moderator:

kevinmichael77

Guru Class Expert
Oct 5, 2012
385
7
18
Wisconsin
antbug;127148 said:
It would help separate the foreground and background, so it might. I still think you need more than just that. Have you thought about a rock/wood scape?

How about something along these lines? This uses two original pieces of wood and some extra rocks I have.
Perhaps use the left side and along the front tapering down to the right corner with the Belem. Use the blyxa in the midground amongst the wood then stem out the background with the stems I have.

Let me know if ya get some time:)
Kev

2yyxxs0.jpg
 

antbug

Guru Class Expert
Apr 4, 2011
124
5
18
kevinmichael77;127282 said:
How about something along these lines? This uses two original pieces of wood and some extra rocks I have.
Perhaps use the left side and along the front tapering down to the right corner with the Belem. Use the blyxa in the midground amongst the wood then stem out the background with the stems I have.

Let me know if ya get some time:)
Kev

2yyxxs0.jpg


Not bad. I would add some more rock though. Something on the inside circle or at the end of where the main branch ends. You will need to move your stem plants to the back left corner and the blyxa to the right or the midground section as you suggested, basically switch your background plants around, but this would help. More rock IMO though.
 

kevinmichael77

Guru Class Expert
Oct 5, 2012
385
7
18
Wisconsin
Ok so I think I've decided on this layout but just wanted to get some final feedback. I still may place a few rocks to supplement but I want the wood to be the main focus.

Here's what I'm thinking on the plant layout.

Front:
Belem will come from the left starting at the stumps then going along the wood/front across to the right corner.
Mid:
I may do a patch of hygro. Araguaia on the right mid behind the Belem or on the left mud by the wood stumps. I will use the blyxa japonica and auberti in the mid section starting at the right then spreading it to the left in the middle of the wood arrangement.
Back:
The back will be filled in with S. Belem, Pantanal, R. Ceylon, R. Wallachi, Tonina, and a few other random stems I have.

xmv8za.jpg


Hope this makes sense!
Let me know if that sounds like it will work.

Kev