Experimental jungle - 20G long

[Tim Harrison]

Lovely scape, and nice vid

 

[alto]

Nothing wrong with a nice platy
- especially as many livebearers will contribute to algae control

& you will always have fish in your tank none of that skulking about in the plants behaviour for a good platy or guppy

 

[Tim Harrison]

Yeah...actually, I love platys
They were the first tropical fish I ever kept...they made me the man I am today

 

[J Art]

Nice J

How are you measuring CO2?

ph/kh. Recently adjusted and raised it a bit. Of the mindset that no test is completely accurate, so get in the ballpark with whatever method you have and then observe and adjust.


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[J Art]

Nothing wrong with a nice platy
- especially as many livebearers will contribute to algae control

& you will always have fish in your tank none of that skulking about in the plants behaviour for a good platy or guppy

I would almost venture to say they're part of the "cleanup crew" team.

 

[J Art]

Lovely scape, and nice vid

Thanks, @Troi . It's a work in progress. Sort of scaping as I go...working in reverse a bit. It's amazing how quickly these stems grow with ample light and pressurized CO2. Sometimes seeing growth difference between morning and night. Things should start to really take shape in a few weeks or so.

 

[J Art]

Week 4

Grew like crazy the past week. You can see from the last photo that the myaca shot up to the surface again in about 6 days. I'm thinking it might be time to start reshaping a bit.

Now that the right side is bushing out a little, maybe it's time to chop down that hairgrass in the back to create some open space in the middle?? Need some suggestions....

Lowered the lights and dropped the one on the right down lower than the others to get a bit more light on the stem side considering the substrate is lower. Still having trouble keeping those ludwigia red and orange, but growing well. Could it be lacking in light spectrum? Maybe this is where the floods fall short.

Added a powerhead for increased flow to the lower/middle portions of the tank.

Swords and platys possibly migrating to another tank and being replaced with neons soon.

Suggestions on improving welcomed.

 

[alto]

yah know we yearn for plant lists

I'd begin by thinning out the hair grass (I think you mean the taller species at the back middle)

Neons ... hmmm ... what other options at your lfs
or perhaps black neons (these don't grow as big if you get juveniles & grow them on yourself vs the farms)

 

[J Art]

I'm thinking the plan will likely be to propogate the myaca fluviatilis leftward and start shapring the slope of the stems towards the lower right corner.

Ok plant list, here goes:

Hygrophila Pinnatifida
Myriophyllum Mattagrossense
Ludwigia Super Red Mini
Another Ludwigia type that's a bit orange, unsure of proper name
Annubias Bonsai
Christmas Moss
Rotala H'ra
Didiplis Diandra
Java Fern
Bolbitis (African Water Fern type)
Hydrocotyle Leuccephala
Myaca Fluviatilis
Heteranthera Zosterifolia
Didiplis Diandra
Acicularis Belem
Acicularis Eleocharis
Lace Java Fern Windelov

 

[J Art]

5 Week update.

Myriophyllum Mattagrossense is taking lead and claiming space over the Myaca Fluviatilis, which is now pushed more to the background. Myaca is more weedy looking anyways. Can't wait for the ludwigia super red mini to bush in a bit more. Not in love with the new rock placement on the right side, but need something to define a midground....so this is doing the job for now. The evolution continues.

 

[J Art]

Quick iPhone snap. Still needs some manicuring and tidying up, but it's slowly morphing itself into something. Myriophyllum Mattagrossense is definitely taking the lead over other stems.

 

[J Art]

A couple quick snaps...

Did a big trimming and will be doing more in a week or 2. Thinking about rearranging the driftwood piece. Possibly facing the opposite direction to create more of an overall "V" design.

But again, this is meant to be a learning tank more so than an aquascape, so in that regard it's been great so far.

The Myaca Fluviatilis has all but completely been outcompeted by the Myrio Mattogrossense. And oddly/coincidentally, the Myaca has been the only plant that had some algae issues. Maybe because it was in the back and not getting enough flow/co2/etc....or maybe because it was being out-competed...maybe a mixture of both, not sure. Either way, most has been removed.

Been going for 2 months and really just beginning to see how these plants behave and grow.

Have probably trimmed out the entire mass of the Brazilian Pennywort on the left about 2 times over since it's been in there. Grows ridiculously. Smells kind of nice though when you cut it...sort of like some sort of sweet celery.

Haven't had much luck with ferns in this setup for some reason. Most have been transferred to the 10 gallon low tech where they seem to be doing much better.

Below is an iphone snap from above. Always amazed at that view...

 

[alto]

for me the wood has always been too solid/too upright ... but I don't have any better ideas

Right & Left sides of the tank are strong contrasts with nothing linking them or providing a transition (my inner eye is startled )

I like the Brazilian Pennywort yet it seems out of context

There is an ethereal quality to the right, as you wander hidden things might be revealed - I feel invited into the scape
The left seems very no nonsense ... solid... hard edges

( & yeah, I'm a poor scaper )

 

[J Art]

for me the wood has always been too solid/too upright ... but I don't have any better ideas

Right & Left sides of the tank are strong contrasts with nothing linking them or providing a transition (my inner eye is startled )

I like the Brazilian Pennywort yet it seems out of context

There is an ethereal quality to the right, as you wander hidden things might be revealed - I feel invited into the scape
The left seems very no nonsense ... solid... hard edges

( & yeah, I'm a poor scaper )

That is a perfect analysis. I completely agree. Pennywort may have to eventually completely end up in then10 gallon and start getting the stems from the right working on the left.

The fun part of this setup is that It's naturally scaping itself over time.


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[alto]

that It's naturally scaping itself over time.

I like that
- & it's something that Amano talked about in his early (English published) work

This is partly why I just don't/can't fall in love with the new diorama style of aquascaping, the hardscape is too unyielding ... to my imagination

 

[J Art]

So as far as a next step. Should I remove this piece of driftwood entirely and start populating that side with stems? Get a more interesting piece of driftwood? Carpet that area with Monte Carlo?

 

[Alexander Belchenko]

I'd removed the wood and/or maybe moved it to the right side background.

 

[alto]

I'm not sure what the wood shape is, but perhaps try reclining the wood starting from the left wall (sorry B pennywort ), with some open substrate in front (again no idea if this is possible with this piece) ... if it seems a good shape etc, then look to practicality of "sinking" the wood into the substrate ... I don't envision a place still for those rounded stones but they look easy to shift about

Try angling the wood in various directions & leave it for a day or so before deciding how that new position feels.

Monte Carlo always looks good against wood re color/texture

 

[J Art]

I have a feeling our friend driftwood will be relocating to another setup along with the Pennywort, lol.

 

[J Art]

Haven't updated in a while.

Driftwood is gone and have been filling the left side with the right's trimmings.


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