Right! Yesterday I had a long long day, preparing the tank, plants etc and finally the tank is full!
I have taken the decision for a first time in a good few years, to use sand, instead of active soil, after seeing a lot of wonderful aquascapes, done by Mark Evans and Tropica.
So had to take the hardscape out of the tank, to put a layer of Tropica Plant Substrate underneath. This leave me with no option, but to alter a bit the stone work.
This is the final hardscape, which I am happy with.
For the carpet in the foreground I have decided to use Marsilea crenata - wonderful small leaf variety. In order to cover the whole area, as I had 3 cups of the plant only, I have used a small razor to form probably about 80 small clumps (after 1 hour of splitting and cutting with surgical accuracy
).
Here is a tray with half of them (phone pic
):
The planting of the marsilea took me probably 40 min
, but I have manage to cover the whole area.
After that, I have planted Hygrophila pinnatifida around the wood, with the intention that with its dark purple, brownish green colour will add a splash of colour.
On the edge of the hardscape and along the back left corner I have planted a lot of Pogostemon helferii and Penthorum sedoides.
On the back I have mixed lots of Rotala rotundifolia, Rotala green and Proserpinaca palustris 'cuba', which hope will give nice colour and texture of the tank.
Here and there I have also planted some Rotala 'araguaia' - which looks like Amannia bonzai, but with orange/redish tips and Rotala 'mini butterfly' which should bring a very dense and bright red colour.
Finally I have flooded the tank, which unexpectedly
caused the wood to float......
So I had to empty the tank again and to fix it..... this explain the chunky stones over the hardscape..... which hopefully will be able to remove in couple of days.
Please excuse me for the poor picture with all the equipment in (I am waiting for lily pipes) The water is still a bit murky.... but should clear any time soon
I have taken the decision for a first time in a good few years, to use sand, instead of active soil, after seeing a lot of wonderful aquascapes, done by Mark Evans and Tropica.
So had to take the hardscape out of the tank, to put a layer of Tropica Plant Substrate underneath. This leave me with no option, but to alter a bit the stone work.
This is the final hardscape, which I am happy with.
For the carpet in the foreground I have decided to use Marsilea crenata - wonderful small leaf variety. In order to cover the whole area, as I had 3 cups of the plant only, I have used a small razor to form probably about 80 small clumps (after 1 hour of splitting and cutting with surgical accuracy
). Here is a tray with half of them (phone pic
):The planting of the marsilea took me probably 40 min
, but I have manage to cover the whole area. After that, I have planted Hygrophila pinnatifida around the wood, with the intention that with its dark purple, brownish green colour will add a splash of colour.
On the edge of the hardscape and along the back left corner I have planted a lot of Pogostemon helferii and Penthorum sedoides.
On the back I have mixed lots of Rotala rotundifolia, Rotala green and Proserpinaca palustris 'cuba', which hope will give nice colour and texture of the tank.
Here and there I have also planted some Rotala 'araguaia' - which looks like Amannia bonzai, but with orange/redish tips and Rotala 'mini butterfly' which should bring a very dense and bright red colour.
Finally I have flooded the tank, which unexpectedly
caused the wood to float......So I had to empty the tank again and to fix it..... this explain the chunky stones over the hardscape..... which hopefully will be able to remove in couple of days.
Please excuse me for the poor picture with all the equipment in (I am waiting for lily pipes) The water is still a bit murky.... but should clear any time soon
