Put this together the other afternoon in a SuperFish 30cm cube I had knocking around the garage. It might change, I won't be planting it for a few days yet. Not sure if it's wholly appropriate to post this in journals 'cause I'm not sure if it's going to turn out to be much of a keeper, but hey... There's a layer of soil under the sand, a 1:1 mix of peat and ericaceous compost and I'm going to be using CO2, so it'll be a fuel injected soil tank. Haven't given much thought to plants just yet, or for that matter where I'm going to put them - the hardscape is a bit overwhelming - but I have some loose ideas.
Looking good Tim that's a great height you have in a small tank. As you know from my lowtech scape i love it when rocks with wood are combined, intertwined. Any ideas on the plant list yet? Maybe some small Anubias or Bucephalandra, moss? And maybe some grass or Lilaeopsis? Looking forward to see how the natural substrates work with the added co2 etc. Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk
Hi Jason, thanks. Probably HC Cuba, Crypt wendtii Kompakt, mosses, mini pellia, stauro, ludwigia sp Mini Super Red, and Rotala rotundifolia, some mini buces and anubias. I've used CO2 and soil together before and it works very well.
Tim One one problem with that Aquascape its not in our home. Tim can you get any of the Anubia nana petite it would give you patches of green and not hide any of the rocks and those wonderful tangled roots Keith
Thanks Keith I'm going to use Anubias nana Pangolino, it's smaller than petite, so it maintains the sense of scale, you know help make a small tank look big.
Tim it looks like the A nana petite has more rounded leaf than the A nana Pangolino Tall bulky plants would to put it bluntly would kill your Aquascape. Keith
They sure would Keith. Most of the plants I'm using are from my current scape Windswept Eternity so they are tried and tested. It's gone a bit wild as I've not had the time nor the inclination to look after it properly recently... Then Now Don't ask to see a FTS it's a complete swamp
Tim Swamp please you mean the "Wetlands" Seeing you have all those plants how would a scattered bit of colour here and there or just a very wild thought that reddish tinge as a carpet plant? As I said a wild thought easy take it out if it did not work. Keith
Hi Keith, I do actually plan on doing something like that, but with C. wendtii Kompakt. It's deep russet and contrasts well with HC, which will form a carpet. The red plant in the second image is Ludwigia sp Mini Super Red, that will add a highlight of colour at the back left of centre in amongst tightly trimmed R. rotundifolia...well at least that's the plan so far.
Thought I'd post a couple of pics of the final hardscape for the sake of journal continuity. I've taken out some wood, jiggled a few rocks around and played with the sand a little more. I must be quite happy with the result as I haven't been tempted to touch it for a while, and I now have space for the planting I envisaged Good news, the pieces I needed have arrived from HK, including a miniature pollen glass diffuser; wish I could find a similar sized drop checker - the smallest I can find is still about 4cm. I did have one that was only 2.5cm but I smashed it accidentally I'm just waiting for a few plant deliveries, and then I can scape, namely Bucephalandra "Mini Coin", Bucephalandra "Black Phantom", and Riccardia chamedrifolia.
Tim If you knew of a Glass Blower they could make you one. Substrate RH side have you done any thing to stop any slippage? Keith
Hi Keith, yes there are rocks under the sand that will stop slippage, plus one of the reasons the substrate is higher on the right to offer greater stability; maintaining the angle of repose But the main reason is it echoes the slant of the rocks and hopefully will add a degree of harmony as the HC sweeps from front left to top right and seemingly in to the distance As for a drop checker, I've decided on one of these...just rediscovered one I used years ago. Anyway, the Buces have arrived, healthy plants and decent value for money @ £7.50 each inc P&P from an eBay vendor. More scaping tomorrow... Mini Coin left, Black Phantom right
Tim There is a Video around of an Aquascape being built by adding plenty of rocks then pouring the substrate over the rocks to make a slope. Great healthy looking plants and at a very good price. Keith
Planted at last, it's a bit scruffy looking, but hopefully it will soon grow in and I can set about manicuring it...
Looking good Tim I wouldn't say it was scruffy, tbh for a newly planted tank it looks very natural to me. Spot on mate. Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk
Thanks Jason, it's a bit unbalanced at the moment, but I'm hoping it'll make a bit more sense when the plants have grown in properly.
