# Mr Aqua 12 gallon long low iron Christmas present



## bsboust (Nov 26, 2014)

Hey all,

My wife bought me a new tank for Christmas and I was trying to lay out the hardscape. Any suggestions?


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## fishyjoe24 (May 18, 2010)

http://plantednanotanks.com/cryptkeeper54s-mr-aqua-12-gallon-long-tank-video-photo-gallery/
maybe just rocks. here a big list of 12g long tank journals to give you ideals.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/1...gallon-rimless-wanna-get-1-post-see-here.html


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

That looks pretty good, but I would move the wood (main focal) to the left so it' off-center and use the rocks as 'support' hardscape by working them more into the substrate. Generally you don't want rocks and wood to compete.


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## bsboust (Nov 26, 2014)

Thanks for the input, I will try both of your suggestions and re-post a picture. The wood was the main reason I wanted the 12 gallon long so I want to keep that if I can make it work. This will be a shrimp only tank and I like that the wood extends out of the tank.


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## bsboust (Nov 26, 2014)

Here is my 12 gallon long rearranged.


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## mscotty12321 (Jan 31, 2015)

I like the wood. What kind is it?


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Wonderful!


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## bsboust (Nov 26, 2014)

Thanks,
These are 2 pieces of manzanita that I bought from Rich V at one of the club meetings this summer. they fit together perfectly.


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

I think that positioning looks much better. I think the substrate would look better high in the area around the base of the wood and sloping down to the rocks partly buried. The rock on the right is pretty large, but with a foreground growing and the rock more covered in substrate I think it could look good.


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## bsboust (Nov 26, 2014)

A little more tweaking after some friendly advice


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Both of the last two versions look really good. Regarding the most recent, keep in mind that any foreground planting can quickly overwhelm stones that are set very low to the substrate. You will need to keep foreground plants very short if you want to see the stones. I've spent a lot of time getting the stonework just right, only to have it hidden by planting as the tank developed.


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

I think you've done a great job tweaking it. What a difference the substrate sloping made. 

I hear Michael's concern about the stones, but those are still pretty large so you don't want them to compete against the wood just complement it. Any low growing foreground HC, etc will work quite nicely. You can always just trim anything growing over the stone, so I really don't see that as much of an issue.


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## ObiQuiet (Oct 9, 2009)

This looks great! The 12g long proportions have always intrigued me. I am eager to see how you develop it.


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## fishyjoe24 (May 18, 2010)

bsboust said:


> Here is my 12 gallon long rearranged.


nice nice nice. :supz: now the wood looks like it flows with the dragon stone rock.


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## bsboust (Nov 26, 2014)

Thanks all,

I will post pics of the progress as it goes. I plan to take it slow so there may be some time between posts.


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