Fun with rocks and roots

[GreenTerror]

Tank: Aquamaxx 10.8 gallon (about 41l) low iron glass cuboid. 40x32x32 (15.8x12.6x12.6)
Cabinet: DIY in progress
Lighting: Kessil A80 Tuna Sun
Filtration: Finnex px360 canister
Heater: 50w
CO2: Custom build. Paintball tank, beer keg regulator, solenoid,
Soil: AS Amazonia
Hardscape: Seiryu stone, spider wood
Fertilization: Going to do EI
Flora:
TBD need suggestions
Fauna:
Thinking of CPD's or green tetras & Amano shrimp

Hello everyone. I am starting a new build and this is my first attempt at a high tech planted tank and the first time I have devoted any real energy into doing a beautiful aquascape. I keep large cichlids so they generally do most of the decorating themselves.

Here is what I have worked up so far. I want to go with a central group of rocks with roots seeming to have grown into the landscape over time. I am going to tie mosses to the branches along with some epiphytes. I want to do a carpet foreground which will likely be monte carlo but I need some suggestions for background plants and some midground plants along the sides of the rock formation to make things flow nicely. I am very open to suggestions on the hardscape and plant choices. Thanks for looking!

Here is a shot from above to see what I'm working with for areas to plant.

 

[GreenTerror]

Played around with paint a bit to do some planning. I think if I'm going to have a red plant it may do best in the top right to draw attention to that area instead of the direct center. Maybe I should go with ludwigia rubin in the back right and a less red rotala behind the rocks. I do like the idea of blyxa in the back left so that might be a winner. I'll have to play with this more at a later time.

 

[alto]

Looks great so far

but (you knew there was one (or more) coming )

Ludwigia repens 'Rubin' is going to look somewhat unbalanced in such a small tank, it has fairly large leaves (link includes a Tropica "plant handling" video so you can see relative size) so I'd suggest
L palustris if you want to stay in the "easy" red category

Micranthemum 'Monte Carlo' sounds a good foreground, it's much easier to establish & maintain than HC, though you still have to take some care with trimming to avoid "lift off"

I'd also shift the hardscape forewards so there's more room at the back for stems etc (depending on your vision for the grown in tank - looking at the paint drawing, you'll want more space at the back)

Check that you have good access around the hardscape for cleaning the glass etc

In a tank this size, I'd tend to do a single red (focal) plant ... but you can certainly play with various reds while deciding which you'd like to use as your focus - or you can go the other route & mix in a lot of oranges & reds

Again depending on the "look" you're going for, you might separate the rocks somewhat to allow planting spaces between the stones

I'd try to play with those stones a bit more - they are much of a height across the front area & then across the back (though sometimes this can look quite different IRL)

If you've not done much with plants, you might find it more fun playing with more species rather than just choosing 3-4, eg, choose a "mixed meadow" approach for the carpet rather than a single species, then do the same with mid & background plantings - obviously not so economic to do this if you're unable to pick up stems through local hobbyists


If you're ordering in "pot' plants

eg, Tropica 1-2-Grow
Micranthemum 'Monte Carlo' - carpet

Ranunculus inundates or Eleocharis acicularis 'mini' - among the stones

Didiplis diandra - for the mid to back area, depending, it has a fairly fine leaf & can show quite reddish
or Rotala 'Bonsai' - this has a nice round leaf & can also show more bronze than green at the growing tips
Both of these can be maintained shorter/taller through trimming/replanting of tips

Pogostemon erectus or Potamogeton gayi in the background (depending what you choose for mid, eg, if D diandra, I'd not use P erectus as I prefer more contrast in leaf shape)

There are so many choices depending on where you want to go with this, one consideration though is to use more slower growing plants otherwise you'll be trimming every week (though it's good to have some faster growing stems at startup) ... I always have to fight to limit myself to fewer plant species

 

[GreenTerror]

Fantastic feedback! I will most definitely pay close attention to plant sizes before I order anything. It's sometimes hard to tell from pictures what the leaf sizes will look like once in the tank so I will certainly skip the ludwigia Rubin. I was considering shifting the hardscape forward and will take a look tonight and maybe post some side shots so others can chime in on the transition from bottom to top and front to back. I'm also not 100% set on having fast growing stems in the center area where I cropped in the rotala. I have considered a softer plant like 'regular' hairgrass perhaps. I do really like that bonsai rotala as well. I am going to do a frosted background so a light airy feel in the back may balance out the strong structure of the wood and rocks. I plan to avoid planting for a few more weeks to make sure the hardscape is proper before diving in too deep.

 

[skarmajunga]

Are you happy with the quality of the tank?