Third Time's the Charm

Lovebug

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Jun 25, 2017
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I'm thinking about taking out the manzanita branch. It just doesn't look natural. It's a beautiful piece, and the Malaysian driftwood is less striking, but I think I want the hardscape to be less obtrusive. The look I was going for was a log/stump half buried in the riverbed with a branch laying over it, but It's just not happening. May just go with the stump look by itself, and add some java fern and maybe some moss.

Any advice is appreciated.
 
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Jul 17, 2017
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I'm thinking about taking out the manzanita branch. It just doesn't look natural. It's a beautiful piece, and the Malaysian driftwood is less striking, but I think I want the hardscape to be less obtrusive. The look I was going for was a log/stump half buried in the riverbed with a branch laying over it, but It's just not happening. May just go with the stump look by itself, and add some java fern and maybe some moss.

Any advice is appreciated.
I'm interested to hear what more experienced aquascapers have to say but I was thinking the same thing as you but I'm not sure why. I wonder if the problem is that the stump evokes a different scale than the finer branch and that clashes. Or maybe it's the paleness of the branch? I wonder if it will work better when the branch darkens up?
 
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DutchMuch

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Day+14+tank.jpg

I get what you mean. And I agree, now that you point the whole branch thing out, it does look pretty out of place lol. The stump, I think you could try and make it look like the stump in... cant remember his name, was it greggz tank? idk. A flat topped stump. Then from there on im out of ideas right now for you, still need my morning coffee. :)
 
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Kyalgae

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Not super experienced, but the branch puts a very noticeable focal point almost dead centre of your tank. It divides it in two. For some reason asymmetry looks best, that branch makes it look symmetrical. You could attempt a different location for the branch, and maybe soften it with some plants growing off of it, java, maybe buces, moss even. I would even try it over you stump, with the larger portion poking up out of the water, and the finer branches pointing down into the substrate like roots. Or maybe shift the branch to the left, keep the orientation, and have some branches poking out behind the java fern. Might want to look up the rule of thirds, maybe read about how to make a photo appealing by moving a focal point. Painters do it, we just don't get paint, we get plants.

Lol please excuse my horrendous photoshop skills (GIMP actually), I tried moving some things around, and adding smaller pieces of wood :p I'm just bouncing ideas here. Have a beer, and spend an hour moving it around.

SO784h2.jpg
Day+2.0.jpg
 

Lovebug

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Jun 25, 2017
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Pennsylvania
Yeah I was trying to make the java fern patch be the focal point, but the manzanita ends up trying to steal the show. I removed it, and it looks better. Will put a pic up later when I get a chance to upload it. I also picked up some limnophila sp. which is a nice addition.
 
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Lovebug

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Jun 25, 2017
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Here's the adjustment...

adjust2.jpg

adjust1.jpg


Much better balance I think without the manzanita. My camera isn't getting a good shot of the bacopa in the back. Looks white. But there's a good bit of it, and it's coming in great. Can't wait for it to be a jungle back there.

Here's a closeup of the limnophila I added on the right. Such a beautiful plant.

adjust3.jpg


And I moved some bacopa from the left corner where it was too shaded to other places in the tank. Decided to put a little crypt undulata straggler I had lying around. Will enjoy watching it slowly consume the corner. :)

adjust5.jpg
 

Lovebug

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Jun 25, 2017
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Pennsylvania
My only issue right now is the tank is taking freaking forever to cycle. I've been at 0.25ppm NH3, 5ppm NO2, and 5ppm NO3 for 14 days straight. I'm adding a small amount of ammonia daily to supplement what the aquasoil is leeching. Doing regular water changes. I guess it just takes time.
BUT I WANT FISH!!!

Patience is a virtue I suppose.
 

Coasters13

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Jun 29, 2017
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very nice !

I see that you don't have algaes issue

I'm dealing with cyanobacteria :-/

yes, patience is a virtue especially for aquascaping !

good luck !
 

Lovebug

Member
Jun 25, 2017
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Pennsylvania
very nice !

I see that you don't have algaes issue

I'm dealing with cyanobacteria :-/

yes, patience is a virtue especially for aquascaping !

good luck !

I'm having a little bit. Right now, I have some hair algae starting in the dwarf hair grass. And I've been spot treating blyxa with glut. Overall I've been beating it back with glut and CO2. It's present but not winning :)