# ~Aquascape from Maine~



## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

Hi! this s my first aquascape:














































Plants:
Ludwigia arcuata
rotala sp green
glosso
HC
HM 
Mayaca fluviatillis
Eleocharis parvula and acicularis
Riccia
Rotala rotundifolia
Blyxa japonica

Specs:
Light: 2 x 24W t5 HO, 10000k white
CO2: pressurized with filter as a reactor
Fertilizers: seachem and pfertz
tank size: 10 gallons
WC: every other week

Comments and suggestions welcome!


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## Jareardy (Feb 14, 2008)

You should get a 6700k to bring out the other colors


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

I am probably going to get 6000k midday bulbs.


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

any comments on the aquascape?


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## helgymatt (Sep 12, 2007)

Plants look to be growing very well and healthy. You seem to have three rows of plants all the way accross the tank. Midground, foreground, and background. This is not necessarily bad, but the plants in each row are eaither all the same or have the samle "look". With the background especially, put some different types of plants with different textures and colors. Basically what I am trying to say is work to give more dimension and depth to the tank. One suggestion would be to take out the background plants on the right side and slope the tank from left to right. Then maybe work your drifwood into one area of the tank, perhaps on the left stuck in with the plants?? Work on a focal point. With some minor adjustments this will really turn out nice! I hope you can take all this constructively


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## piscesismyname (Jul 8, 2008)

well, i think it looks nice.


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

helgymatt said:


> Plants look to be growing very well and healthy. You seem to have three rows of plants all the way accross the tank. Midground, foreground, and background. This is not necessarily bad, but the plants in each row are eaither all the same or have the samle "look". With the background especially, put some different types of plants with different textures and colors. Basically what I am trying to say is work to give more dimension and depth to the tank. One suggestion would be to take out the background plants on the right side and slope the tank from left to right. Then maybe work your drifwood into one area of the tank, perhaps on the left stuck in with the plants?? Work on a focal point. With some minor adjustments this will really turn out nice! I hope you can take all this constructively


I am not getting what you are saying.


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## B Considine (Dec 11, 2006)

kakkoii said:


> I am not getting what you are saying.


I think what Matt is saying is that your aquascape suffers from a "hedge-row" effect. Your background appears to be almost all Ludwigia, at the same height, with little to break up the geometry. Same for the height of your midground. This could be due, partially, to your lighting.

Try breaking up the "hedge-row" by using plants with a different color or leaf shape. Perhaps you could reposition your driftwood so more shows through. If you're trying for the "nature" look, you want to create the illusion of depth, as if your aquascape stretches out of sight. If you're going for a more formal "garden" look, try using blocks of different colored plants to add visual appeal.

I'm in the same boat as you, as my 30 gallon is 36" long but only 13" deep. So my background, like yours, tended to be a straight line across. My solution was to divide the back into thirds, with a grassy plant in one third, bunch plants (primarily red) in the middle, and a dark green bolbitis in the other third. It's not great, but it does provide some contrast.

I make no claims of being an aquascaper, but half the fun is re-arranging what you've got. Take a look through this forum for ideas, and try to copy those. I've found this forum to be very helpful. I'd also recommend checking out the websites of any of the planted aquarium clubs (shout out to GWAPA) for further ideas.

Good luck.

Blaise


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## helgymatt (Sep 12, 2007)

I hope you don't take offence to this and you can decide to ignore my comments or use them constructively. Too many times on these forums I see people ask for comments and then everyone just says, "it looks nice". I will say it looks nice, but I'm also providing some comments to improve (in my opinion).

Maybe this drawing I have done will help. 
Basically, you see the lines I have drawn. They are all parallel/horizontal and all the plants fall on those lines. I'm by no means an expert in aquascaping, but it is nice to see some variation in line and incorporation of asymmetry.









I hope this helps.


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## B Considine (Dec 11, 2006)

Matt, thanks for the illustration. Helps explain things much better.

kakkoii, note that you have small leaved plants in the background, grassy plants as the midground, and the low-growing groundcover. Try to mix up the shapes a bit with different plants or hardscape materials, or something with a different color. Maybe arrange the driftwood so it protrudes toward the front more, especially the piece in the back corner.

Blaise


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

thanks guys! I will see what I can do.


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## thief (Feb 20, 2008)

Kakkoii,

As the others said break up your background a bit. To help with the driftwood. I would go with the focal point 1-1.618 Or what ever it is basically bring your focal point to the midleft side or so.

Basically I would take your driftwood and sort of bring them close together maybe to resemble a fallen tree. Also I would have some sticking out towards the front glass and maybe some sticking up to break up the background a little bit more.


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

Some small adjustments and a trim:























































Critiques and comment welcome!


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)




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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

That trim/adjustment made a HUGE difference. Looks good.

-Dave


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

thanks!


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

I agree! Big improvement. Now it does not look like a single wall of plants. You have that kind of valley in the middle. Now get rid of that heater and bag of ceramic beads... Put the heater in the back corner out of view. I think a black background would look great. Go to a fabric store and get black felt or a real heavy, thick black cloth, cut to the size of the back glass, and attach it to the outside of the tank. It will really make your plants stand out.


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

How about this?


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## thief (Feb 20, 2008)

Wow I see that you really improved the placement of your wood. I really like how you made that valley affect in the middle. Now it has a nice focal point and isn't a wall of green. The trim came out really nice too. Also I wanted to know what is that red spot on the tallest piece of wood on the left in the picture? 

Great Job!


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

Oh. thats a shrimp...


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## wrkucera (Jan 6, 2008)

kakkoii said:


> Some small adjustments and a trim:
> 
> Critiques and comment welcome!


Well I certainly thought the first scape was very natural, meaning, as I drive the suburban roads of the state of Delaware back through the suburbs of chester county pa to my house, It strikes me as very endearing to an area I grew up in. I see your first scape and I think of bowhunting whitetail deer. Nothing contrived or "artistic". However your rescape is enhancing the first for me. First I see a long row of fields meet woods edge(first scape), and the re-scape: sometimes I spot a familiar entrance pattern the deer are utilizing based on small openings within the lines of fields and woodline! Brilliant!!! Makes me want to go bowhunting!

Perhaps if you like to be extremely creative and adhering to classic art rules, you can create the work that Takashi Amano and so many others have created. Both have merit for me. What were you envisioning when you created the first?


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

It is the same aquascape. I was going to do the same thing i did, but I was going to let the plants grow in a bit... It was a lot thiner than it looked...


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## The old man (Apr 12, 2008)

I sue do like the changes you made from the members comments. Your fish look good too.


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

Thank you! It makes me feel so good that everyone appreciates my work!


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

Hey, another Amano is born! My only other suggestion would be to remove one of the Riccia rocks. Perhaps create an open pathway from the very front all the way to the "valley" between the two background groups of plants. By the way, it is much easier to give advice than actually do it, because I suck at aquascaping! :hail:


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## Bunbuku (Feb 10, 2008)

Very lovely! I like the playfulness of the dw sticking out of the "shrubs". I haven't yet been able to create that effect 'cus trimming skills suck :wacko:


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

there will be an update tonight


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

actually there has been a slight change of plans... I will update in a few days...


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## foofooree (Mar 11, 2007)

well, that is just beautiful  I love how your wood sticks out of the hm


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## cassiusclay (Feb 19, 2007)

Wow those small almost un-noticable changes along with the trimming made a gigantic impact.People always go to extremes when rearranging a tank myself included and it seems to ruin some aquascapes. I really like the changes you made here simple yet effective.Oh and nice tank


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