• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Going Dutch Tropica 1-2 Grow Style

Looking very healthy still. Can I criticise your work too? Constructive of course, like you did with mine;) In Dutch style streets should always run diagonally from front to back. Never parallel to the glass. This is especially apparent with the Alternathera. Maybe you can adjust that a little with the next trim;)

About the slower growth. That is exactly my experience. The first two weeks the 1-2 grows grow like crazy, like on steroids (perhaps there is some in the gel:p ). After two weeks it slows down, and they grow like regular plants.
 
2 weeks ago these were in little plastic pots. This is insane.

Tell me about it Rob! It's almost an instant aquarium.

Looking very healthy still. Can I criticise your work too? Constructive of course, like you did with mine;) In Dutch style streets should always run diagonally from front to back. Never parallel to the glass. This is especially apparent with the Alternathera. Maybe you can adjust that a little with the next trim;)

About the slower growth. That is exactly my experience. The first two weeks the 1-2 grows grow like crazy, like on steroids (perhaps there is some in the gel:p ). After two weeks it slows down, and they grow like regular plants.

Thank you Yo-Han, I love a bit of constructive criticism. I agree with you and will aim to diagonalise the A mini when I trim it. Thank you again for the comment. I'm no expert in this style of tank

looks great mate, bummer about the p. erectus though. i reckon youll have trimmed the right side of that tank ten times over before it hits the surface lol

Cheers mate, I'm perhaps being a bit impatient, It's because the rest has gone mental.
 
Thank you Yo-Han, I love a bit of constructive criticism. I agree with you and will aim to diagonalise the A mini when I trim it. Thank you again for the comment. I'm no expert in this style of tank.

You're welcome! I've done quite a few Dutch setups for clients now, but it has never been my style. Too many rules! For example, the aquarium should only be visible from the front, the back and sides should be fully grown and normally use panels to cover it. Yours is visible from at least 4 sides. But growing plants to the left and right you can create an illusion it is only visible from the front.
Second most important rule is only 1 plant specie per 10 cm length of the tank. So you're already losing lots of points:p
Next, there should always fit a finger between every group. So it should not be too crowded. Than you've the Nymphoides on two placeso_O Every plant should only be in one group, not in different places! And plants like Echinos and lilies are considered solitairs. You can only have 1 solitair in a tank and it should be placed on the golden rule in the middle or back of the tank, never in a corner.

All of these rules are visible in the aquarium of the Grand Prize winner Willem van Wezel:
bouw11.jpg


Don't get me wrong, I'm not binding you to these rules (I don't like them either), but that is what Dutch style is (plant wise, animals, water parameters and technique are very important as well and will all be checked in real life!!) Right now, any NBAT judge would not even consider it Dutch style I'm affraid:oops: And although you would receive maximum points for plant health, you'll probably end up in the bottom for not following the rules...

You see why I switched to nature style, haha!
 
this is developing nicely mate . you are making me want to get my next tank and do a dutch scape even more than i already did !
 
You're welcome! I've done quite a few Dutch setups for clients now, but it has never been my style. Too many rules! For example, the aquarium should only be visible from the front, the back and sides should be fully grown and normally use panels to cover it. Yours is visible from at least 4 sides. But growing plants to the left and right you can create an illusion it is only visible from the front.
Second most important rule is only 1 plant specie per 10 cm length of the tank. So you're already losing lots of points:p
Next, there should always fit a finger between every group. So it should not be too crowded. Than you've the Nymphoides on two placeso_O Every plant should only be in one group, not in different places! And plants like Echinos and lilies are considered solitairs. You can only have 1 solitair in a tank and it should be placed on the golden rule in the middle or back of the tank, never in a corner.

All of these rules are visible in the aquarium of the Grand Prize winner Willem van Wezel:
bouw11.jpg


Don't get me wrong, I'm not binding you to these rules (I don't like them either), but that is what Dutch style is (plant wise, animals, water parameters and technique are very important as well and will all be checked in real life!!) Right now, any NBAT judge would not even consider it Dutch style I'm affraid:oops: And although you would receive maximum points for plant health, you'll probably end up in the bottom for not following the rules...

You see why I switched to nature style, haha!

Thanks again for the rule check, but I wouldn't mind being last tbh...maybe it's time for them to review the rules? Lol

Insane growth Ian, can't wait 'till you start shaping the stems.


Cheers Dan, I might give it a trim this weekend.

this is developing nicely mate . you are making me want to get my next tank and do a dutch scape even more than i already did !

Thanks Mark! Do mate!
 
all being well im looking to treat myself to a 100cm optiwhite for christmas , so its a case of when rather than if ;)
 
Well said! They still give points reduction for 'unnatural' PO4 and NO3. Everybody need to do a 90% waterchange before a house visit and dose nutrients after. How lame?!


They do house visits! The more I hear/read about the Dutch comps makes me think I should just stick to nature aquariums!
 
Yes, house visits. It's not only about the layout, water parameters, number and species compatibility, technique and safety, even placing in your house, everything is graded. The total of everything makes up whether you are the best planted tank keeper. And perhaps the hardest thing, there are regional finals before the national finals a few months later. Meaning your aquarium should be tiptop at least a few months long. So it is not really about the best aquascaper. But don't worry, you're not bound to this, just wanted to give you some inside in real Dutch style;)
 
I have a lot of respect for the Dutch masters. Their self-discipline is excellent and something we could all learn from - it doesn't have to be exclusive to Dutch aquascaping.

I really like the idea of house visits for aquascaping contests. Not practical on a large scale though. I guess the next best thing would be video, and I wonder if this will happen in the future. Much harder to cheat with video entries too.

Anyway, tank's looking great Ian. Plant health looks super. I wonder if your R. macrandra will turn red soon?

How are you finding the formality of this style vs. the Nature Aquarium style? Do you really like it for its actual style, or are you enjoying it more from a challenge and interest perspective? I don't think I'll do another Dutch-style for a good while, but never say never!
 
Yes, house visits. It's not only about the layout, water parameters, number and species compatibility, technique and safety, even placing in your house, everything is graded. The total of everything makes up whether you are the best planted tank keeper. And perhaps the hardest thing, there are regional finals before the national finals a few months later. Meaning your aquarium should be tiptop at least a few months long. So it is not really about the best aquascaper. But don't worry, you're not bound to this, just wanted to give you some inside in real Dutch style;)

Thanks again Yo-Han for the insight. Good job I'm not bound to this! Lol

I have a lot of respect for the Dutch masters. Their self-discipline is excellent and something we could all learn from - it doesn't have to be exclusive to Dutch aquascaping.

I really like the idea of house visits for aquascaping contests. Not practical on a large scale though. I guess the next best thing would be video, and I wonder if this will happen in the future. Much harder to cheat with video entries too.

Anyway, tank's looking great Ian. Plant health looks super. I wonder if your R. macrandra will turn red soon?

How are you finding the formality of this style vs. the Nature Aquarium style? Do you really like it for its actual style, or are you enjoying it more from a challenge and interest perspective? I don't think I'll do another Dutch-style for a good while, but never say never!

Thanks George, the video thing was talked about a lot wasn't it. It turned out files would be massive though, as everyone would be shooting in 1080.
I've had a chat with mick and he says to hang on in with the Mac, I have chopped them and re planted, so we'll see.
Tbh George I'm finding it a little boring. I'm enjoying it from a stem challenge, but the ascetic side is a little boring.

I need wood!
 
Good going on the Rot. macrandra, Ian - so now we want to see the Amannia getting orange tips, please ...............;)
Mick.
 
Looking lush and healthy mate. I have a feeling a new scape will be on the horizon very soon :D

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2


Give it another month or so I reckon. Tbh is has all slowed down, thank god!

Really nice, the colours are unreal :)

What % are you running the tile at ?

Cheers Mark...the tile is running at 100%, as it was in the last scape. As long as you have the c02 balance you won't have any problems.

Good going on the Rot. macrandra, Ian - so now we want to see the Amannia getting orange tips, please ...............;)
Mick.

Cheers Mick!
Gonna have to find that orange paint!
 
Back
Top