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George's 80cm - final shots

George Farmer said:
Well...

Jeremy and Dan popped over yesterday and blagged some stuff including most of my glosso and hairgrass.

It's gone to a good home! :lol:

Trust me guys, this tank is the nuts! photos don't do it justice.
 
George

I have just read your latest blog on this tank and noted a couple of things.

You say that you have got a white film developing on the surface. Guess what.....I moved my pipes to the same position as yours last week and I have the same.

I used to have the lily pipe rippling the surface in the old position but put it under the water as I was copying you this time and sure enough the 'protein' film arrived on cue.

I'm not so sure it is a protein film if you are geting it too as you won't be feeding your fish much as they are small. I feed quite a lot as I have to put boodworm in for the plecs and Rams and then cater for the tetras.

Could this film be something to do with the Tropica? or sulphates? or the way you use bleach then dechlor on the CO2 disc or something else?

If I have it now and haven't in the past (admittedly I was previously moving the water permanently) then I don't think its to do with lighting. (I am after all using 1 x 30W HO T5 and 1 x 18W T8 over the same size tank!!!

The other thing I noted is that you say the narrow leaf is now perking up. Has it attached? Was I right about this 'quirk'

Andy
 
There are different types of surface scum. The one I get is caused by, believe it or not, Iron Bacteria. It can be recognised by if you break it with your finger it doesn't flow back together and has a blueish hint to it. If you have a fatty scum then this is caused by lipids leaching out of the plants.

This website is in German but is very good - http://www.aquamax.de/HG27UG02.htm

James
 
I suggested that quite often plant I put into my tank that need attaching i.e. ferns, anubias etc. seem to suffer after a week or so and I end up hacking away the suffering leaves. Then after a month or so when their roots attach properly they suddenly perk up and grow wonderfully.

Superb link that James.

Andy
 
Nice one George, good move.

Not sure about that big central rock though, i don't think it needs to be there, perhaps another stem would work better?
 
Looking good George. Don't like the central rock I'm afraid. Too dominant all by itself and right in the middle. Possibly move it slightly to the right and angle it forward a bit.

Have you ever thought about a splash of red? A red sunset over the top of the forest type effect. Can look quite stunning. Something for the future maybe?

James
 
Garuf said:
It just wants being less central that's all.

Thanks for the clarification, Garuf.

I like it where it is for now though. Maybe I'll move it once the 'scape has matured a bit.

Sometimes breaking the 'rules' can work. Sometimes not. We'll see...

And thanks to everyone for the feedback, really. I was only joking with my mini-rant. ;)
 
It seems that everyone is concentrating on the glass box that the aquascape is set within.......?
From a design point of view your eye is drawn to the mass of plants on the right in which the rock is placed perfectly according to the golden ratio.
Cropped.jpg

FullTank.jpg

If you are to look at the actual tank then yes the rock is placed bang smack in the centre but IMO when looking at an aquascape it's the positioning of things within the scape as opposed to the tank.
Just my thoughts on an aquascape that i don't believe deserved such a bashing.
 
That's clever thinking there Dan. Not quite sure I agree, but I like the idea.

Not that I really know what I'm talking about but something a bit striking to pull your eye away from the central rock may help.

Interesting to see how this one develops.

James
 
Thanks, Dan.

I have to admit that I don't really think too hard about placing focal points these days. I put it where I think it looks best, trying to take into consideration growth also.

Clearly this has been picked up by a few as being 'too central', that is fair enough, as that's interpretation. It will be interesting to see how any judges may see this.

It's interesting that the grids show that my 'instinct' does conform to the golden ratio if using the main plant group. The negative space on the left, as Dan suggests, is designed to be almost insignificant, providing contrast to the fuller planting. I tried explaining this in my blog.

It's easy to say, but when you see the tank in the flesh, it looks more balanced still. Maybe because you have the three dimensions.

A small photograph doesn't accurately reflect this, of course.

I have some exciting plans for final photography involving over 300w of HO T5...
 
IMHO the central rock is very dominant (as you intended I think George?). I think it might be more 'balanced' if there was a counterpoint rock sticking up from the low area, but it sounds like you're not worried about or intending that! The slope with the stems looks superb.
 
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