Alpine Gardens

[Martin in Holland]

It's looking very healthy...lotsa bubbly everywhere...lotsa light but still no algae...

 

[Nathaniel Whiteside]

Some updates. One full shot before pruning (or rather before pruning the Ammania/Rotala; everything else was pruned some days ago). The others: close up of my beloved Ammania "bonsai"/Rotala indica and Gladiota viscidula beginning to grow after a major initial prune. Lovely plant. I think I am about a month from having the scape as I would like it and ready for final photographs.

Looks excellent mate, you must be really happy with how it's turned out.
I like the pronounced look of the ammania above the rest of the other plants, looks like a 'wood' or 'forest' from afar.

 

[nybraby]

This is excellent, I've just spent 10minutes looking at one photo, really great looking tank.

 

[darren636]

I'm envious... Makes me want to get a tmc signiture and dust off my co2 kit

 

[Dave Pierce]

Looks absolutely stunning! I am so jealous...so great inspiration for future scape

 

[darren636]

Right. That's it. I'm going to aquajardin tomorrow. Damn you all!

 

[Dave Pierce]

 

[TOO]

It's looking very healthy...lotsa bubbly everywhere...lotsa light but still no algae...

Thanks, Martin. Well, not quite algae free. I have had a good amount of BBA and green algae, but only on the rocks. The green algae has receded since I raised my lights, and the BBA also seems to be on the retreat after weeks of liquid carbon attacks.

Looks excellent mate, you must be really happy with how it's turned out. I like the pronounced look of the ammania above the rest of the other plants, looks like a 'wood' or 'forest' from afar.

Thanks, Nathaniel. I am glad that you get the impression of a wood in the distance. My only concern is that when I let it grow as tall as in the last picture the left side perhaps becomes a little unbalanced because of the rather low Eleocharis (Alexander also mentions this somewhere above). The alternative is keeping the Ammania/Rotala lower and angled so that it slopes down into the "valley". Hmmm, not sure...

Overall, it is not quite there yet. The Monte Carlo still needs to cover in the center and the Marsilea in the left side (this space has really been my problem space). This is not so visible in the pictures, but when you stand close it is. I am thinking one more month is needed, although the Marsilea may not solve the problem; it is growing a bit taller than I had hoped.

This is excellent, I've just spent 10minutes looking at one photo, really great looking tank.

Wow, that makes me proud. Thanks a lot.

Looks absolutely stunning! I am so jealous...so great inspiration for future scape

Thanks, Dave, good to see you back. I look forward to seeing your next scape.

Right. That's it. I'm going to aquajardin tomorrow. Damn you all!

Ha, ha, I am pleased to be able to drive the capitalist wheels of society.

Thomas

 

[TOO]

Small update as the end of Alpine Gardens approaches. I will be taking this down over the next weeks. New exciting project in the making...more to come.

Since last time I have removed my Riccia carpet. Mainly because the lower portions of it started looking a bit tired. But also because this plant was getting on my nerves, with cuttings attaching everywhere. To replace I have simply extended my MC and HC carpet.

The left side part between the rocks have long been a problem. I had Marsilea, but wanted something brighter, so exported some H. tripartita from the other side of the tank. Still needs to grow in a bit, but better this way I think.

R. inundatus introduced. Lovely plant, wonderful leaves and stays quite small.

Have added a group of Galaxy rasboras (Danio margaritatus).

 

[Phlash]

Epic......love love love.

 

[tim]

Superb scape Thomas, look forward to watching your next project.

 

[Martin in Holland]

sad to see it go....

 

[Jason King]

great scape if your new project is as good as this one it will all be worth it.

 

[TOO]

Thanks all (including the likers), really appreciate all this positive feedback.

sad to see it go....

It will always be in our hearts......no, joking aside it will be a tough breakup for me. This is my first successful and long-term scape. And looking at it now I dread the day I will pull it apart. Will have to tell her: "babe, it's not about you, it's about me...".

Thomas

 

[Alexander Belchenko]

Very nice final picture Thomas, I like it very much.

Still the left side of ammania (or maybe left back corner of the tank) get some attention. Maybe that's because the edge between ammania and hair grass is so sharp, I dunno.
Anyway, let's see your next great project!

 

[Ian Holdich]

I love this scape...really well done mate!

 

[plantbrain]

Nice shape tank and nice scape. Riccia is not common much in many scapes, weedy and troublesome for many, but it grows well.
Good use of it here.

A pipette and some peroxide might be more useful than Glut for spot cleaning the rock. A toothbrush is also under rated.

 

[parotet]

Very nice scape... looks different, well balanced, peaceful.

 

[TOO]

Very nice final picture Thomas, I like it very much. Still the left side of ammania (or maybe left back corner of the tank) get some attention. Maybe that's because the edge between ammania and hair grass is so sharp, I dunno.

Thanks, Alex. I tend to agree with you. Perhaps I have let the Ammania get a little too big, but it is true there is somehow an unbalance there.

I love this scape...really well done mate!

Thanks, Ian. And also for putting it on Facebook. That quite improved my status with my 12-year old daughter .

Nice shape tank and nice scape. Riccia is not common much in many scapes, weedy and troublesome for many, but it grows well. Good use of it here. A pipette and some peroxide might be more useful than Glut for spot cleaning the rock. A toothbrush is also under rated.

Thanks for your comments, Tom. I actually took the Riccia out. It looked amazing in the first three months (nothing can beat a pearling Riccia carpet), but lately started to look somewhat dead underneath. I couldn't deal with the idea of untying and retying all of my 15+ Riccia stones. So out it went. Is this your experience too, that it looks tired after a while? Light and CO2 is quite good and I have pruned regularly to avoid this.

I haven't thought about peroxide for the stones, thanks for suggesting this. Which resolution would you use?

Very nice scape... looks different, well balanced, peaceful.

I like those words, thanks .

Thomas

 

[plantbrain]

Try Mini pellia, Ricciacardia instead of Riccia. Different darker shade that what you have now. Another interesting plant perhaps: Hottonia or Limnophila wavy.
Fine textured, delicate and bright white green.