# Complete......30g



## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

This is my first real attempt at scaping a planted tank, the amano style tanks are nice but they don't really do it for me so here is my approach.

My first tank was basically a "let's try and keep it alive" tank but this I actually put some though into it so please criticize/comment/praise or disapprove at free will!!!!

30g 
2x96w 6700k
pressurized co2
GW ferts double EI
ADA aquasoil/powersand/tourmaline


















The rocks in there are not only for scaping but functional caves with female cacatuoides and their eggs!!!!


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## aquarium boy (Nov 28, 2004)

very nice the tank looks alot bigger then a 30 gallon OLO.


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## Steven_Chong (Mar 17, 2005)

You asked for it, and with a tank with plants as "alive" as this, you're getting it. 

Save for the left side (which actually seems a bit cut off with the fissident wood coming too close to the front glass), you're tank suffers from "wall of plants in front of a field of grass" syndrom. 

This syndrom not only makes your scape look flat and feelingless (and small), but also means that the pieces of your layout are not well integrated (ie foreground and background exist but are not together)

IE, you suffer from the most common problem with beginner scapes, that being of ineffective (or non-existant) mid-ground design. The mid-ground is the foundation of the layout, on which the background and foreground lean on for support. It's also the part that brings them together. This is true in Flower Garden (dutch), Natural (japanese), style or anything inbetween.

A row of individual eriocaulas, a mid-ground does not make. Moreover, they're quite distracting. In fact I've yet to see a grade-A aquascape that used Toninas or Eriocaulons (these plants disappear once you reach the top 50 of the ADA contest). Not saying it's impossible, but it's not been done yet. IMO, they are not beginner plants, neither in their needs (as mos know) but also in their difficulty of effective use in aquascaping (which most don't realize). I suspect that the key to effective Eriocaula use would be similar to effective DowNoi use-- get them to grow thick together, not spread out individually.

Your rocks also do not seem to carry much weight, or impact the layout much. If anything, they distract the same way your eriocalas do.

Unfortunately, mid-ground design is not something that can just be handed to you. It's something you must come up with yourself. Many people fear the midground because at some level they realize that it is the part most demanding on their creativity. They're scared, so they ignore it. That's why a weak mid-ground is the most common beginner mistake. The need for creativity, is also why mid-ground must be something you make for yourself.


The left side feels very awkward. The piece of fissiden wood cuts it off from the rest of the layout, and the unkept stems are also not good.

Fish choice is unnatural looking. This is not a bad thing in my book, it just means that this layout is for fantasy. I personally like the idea of making aquascapes for a fantasy genre (I did an ikebana style using fancy guppies which I would call "fantasy genre"). Just a warning though, some AGA judges are not as keen on the idea as me. IE, if you're going to do it, you got to blow them away. 

ie, to me it feels like collectoritis right now with the biggest weakness being the "field in front of wall" syndrom.

I think you should focus on 2 things:

-Create more visual interest
-integrate the pieces of the scape together. Get the foreground and background to come together, as well as the left side.

Good luck. You've got the plants to grow, now here comes the art stuff.


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

Thank you for the comment!!!!

The wall and field thing stood out to me too but I could not quite figure out what to do with it! The Fissiden/wood is not permanent and can be moved but that one piece was not intended for the scape and there more so cause I could not get rid of it. 

With the midground the erio/downoi/blyxa has not grown in yet but do you think trimming the "wall" lower in the front would help intergrate it some? Maybe some sort of plant like CYPERUS HELFERI or groomed HM behind the erios? I'm thinking moving the erios/blyxa more forward and into the "field to hlep give it more depth? Or maybe something like dwarf chain sword will help the midground?

What do you mean by unkept stems? I am lost when it comes to the left side in front of the javaferns...... I just don't see anything being there. JohnN. brought up something about the left side too but never replied to what it was..

Again thanks for the comments and the critism Steven is very helpful!! I am not trying to be in any AGA contest but I do see the faults in the scape and every bit helps!


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## Steven_Chong (Mar 17, 2005)

A lot of your ideas for improving are good jumps. One of my tricks is to sacrifice the foreground for the sake of the midground. The foreground's purpose is to make a base line, a lower line of contrast to the mid and backgrounds. For that purpose, it really doesn't need to be given that much space. Even a 2" deep foreground can be more than enough. If your tank is 12" deep, that gives you 10" to play with the midground and then background. If you think about it, this makes sense since HC really doesn't need as much space as rotalas do.

Blyxa, e. tenellus, and hemianthus micrathemoides are all well-tested candidates for the midground, and getting them to integrate with the HC is a step in the right direction. I think HC's biggest visual flaw is that it's too thick. For HC to be best effective, the scaper should take the effort to make it look not "too well trained."

The biggest task for the mid-ground is to create an over-all midground plan. Take the small ideas that you've got like integrating plants, trimming methods for rotala (especially since that plant is actually semi-midground in nature anyway) and think about how to best comebine them in an over-all scheme. Consider an overall flow in the midground, and try to think of how to create variation in the midground so that the scape doesn't all look the same moving your eyes left to right. IE, variation actually helps integration. I know that's weird, but it's how it works out for most.


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

Thanks Steven! 

I have been trying to figure out what I can do/remove/trim since your post. I will try to change a few things to better "intergrate" it all but it will have to wait till have the Lunar New Year celebrations. 

Thanks again Steven!

Anyone one else care to comment?


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Well if I had to do all that thinking that Steven suggest, it would take all the fun out of it for me. I guess that is way I don't make a great aquascaper.

I personally like your tank and fish selection. For your first real scape I think you did a really nice job. I do agree that the left side needs some work. It doesn't flow with the rest of the tank. I also agree that the mid-ground is a difficult aspect to get right. Maybe if you add more of the same plant to make the mid-ground thicker, so there is no space between the plants, that would help.


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## Steven_Chong (Mar 17, 2005)

Psychological Term: Need For Cognition
Need for Cognition = How much you enjoy thinking about stuff

On a Test that scores need for cognition between 0 and 100
Where 0 is hating thinking and 100 is loving thinking
Where 95% of people fall between 40 and 60

Score for Steven Chong: 86 :heh:

Note: This doesn't mean I'm smart, it means I like thinking a LOT. I have FUN when I'm thinking. :heh:

This was one of the tests we took in my psychology class . . .

Anyway, you don't have to think to make a beautiful scape . . . Amano could be a Need for Cognition 30 and still make the types of layouts you see in Aquajournals. Really, for him those things take no effort or thought at all . . . He could design those in his sleep.

Well, on the other hand to get to that level he had to do a lot of thinking and experimenting and insperation-searching . . .


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

Thanks Trenac but I'm not completely satisfied with it, I will try to improve some of the said things...


Thanks for looking everyone


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## wiste (Feb 10, 2006)

Withdrew comments - maybe not helpful


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

I'm thinking if the BlxyaJaponica grows like it suppose to then it should fill the void maybe add some more.

I will also be incorporating some HM to the left side removing the stems and fissiden/driftwood, might be using it to fill the gaps inbetween the Blxya.

I will also be doing a good trim after water change day to help "flow" it more too.

As for the fish I plan to remove the angels but the rest are staying.


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

I agree with alot of the comments Steven made IF you want to take the scape to that level. That being said your tank is very pleasing to look at and that is probably the most important part. In life everything's connected and this is not lost in aquascaping. Even the simpliest grassy plain in nature has alot of complexities when one looks closer and it's these complexities that bring the scene together and give it deeper visual interest. 

It might help to invision something you want to go for and then place the hardscape you feel necessary to recreate that. I'm still amazed how things come together when plants are placed around hardscape. Maybe because it rings true in nature. If you look at dutch-style aquariums, some are beautiful in terms of color, etc. but I've never been a huge fan because of the lack of hardscape. Sometimes they just look like big salad bars. 

But the bottom line is what is pleasing to you and will give you the most satisfaction. Then again this is probably a moving target.


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

Thank Houseofcards.

I trimmed it today, removed the moss log, removed the left stems and planted HM in places that I felt would help transition the fore/mid ground.... now for it to grow in and shape/trim.


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## DonaldmBoyer (Aug 18, 2005)

I think that it looks great the way it is. You can always try to keep the trimming on schedule, and create a "false mid-ground." Like you, I fall into a class of "natural underwater scapes" then a lot of people here. I definitely enjoy looking at all styles; my tanks are more similar to yours. I plan on posting pictures here in month or so....


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## jmy808 (Jan 21, 2007)

Whatever anyone else says, or however your tankscape may be criticizes, I like it. I like it a lot! Nice job, you apparently have no difficulty in growing a lush garden there.
Regards,
Jay


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

Thanks for the kind words but I myself am not completely satisfied with it so I am deciding on how to attack the problem.


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## TigerLilly (Feb 11, 2007)

Steven_Chong said:


> This syndrom not only makes your scape look flat and feelingless (and small),


I disagree on that part. It it wasn't stated in the title that this was a 30gal, I would have thought it was atleast a 55gal or larger.


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## TigerLilly (Feb 11, 2007)

eklikewhoa said:


> I trimmed it today, removed the moss log, removed the left stems and planted HM in places that I felt would help transition the fore/mid ground.... now for it to grow in and shape/trim.


Well, I'm not by any means an expert but I think this is better. Do you want your plants to completely reach the top? I noticed on one side of the tank the plants are "explosive" in terms of growth as the opposite is just starting to get some growth. It just makes it look lopsided. I think if you want it to look more uniform you'll need to cut back on the "explosive" side or make the other side match it. I know many purists here would say to cut back on the explosive side either way and building up the opposite side to match it. I think it would look good even if you had that much plant growth on both sides. I've seen tanks that looked great with an unbelievable amount of growth. Like this tank.

Oliver Knott - the aqua creator -
Unfortunately, it won't let my post a direct link to that page so you'll have to go to the main page. 
1.	click large tank's: 200-400 liters
2.	than click the 280 liter tank.

Overall, it's your choice what you want to go with your tank. As long as you like it it isn't wrong. It is a gorgeous tank.


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

That is only a 30G?!!!
I was looking at this like it was a 75G and then I re-read the title.
I guess your angels must still be pretty small.
I think it is great, but then I am one for biotope set ups where certain fish are allowed to live more naturally in the home aquarium then I am for full out aquascaping anyway.
Not that I don't appreciate great aquascapes and aquascapers, I do and have much respect to those who do, but for me your tank is more my cup of tea.

And that you did all of that in a 30g, bravo.


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## ed seeley (Dec 1, 2006)

I think it's a cracking tank, but I like the fact you want to make it better!

Personally I agree with Steven about the mid ground. In the garden you try to keep things in natural groups or swathes, I think a big improvement would be to plant the blyxa in a large group, rather than a line as you have them now, and get another mid ground plant to plant in a large group below your background plants. I'd recomend grouping the blyxa towards the centre, around the rock caves, and then putting the crypts on the right hand side in front of the stems there. The only other thing would be to get a great focus plant to go infront of your Java Fern on the left, maybe a nice red, mid-size amazon sword, e.g. E.'Red Diamond' or 'Red Flame', or a Nymphaea?


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## Steven_Chong (Mar 17, 2005)

TigerLilly said:


> I disagree on that part. It it wasn't stated in the title that this was a 30gal, I would have thought it was atleast a 55gal or larger.


That's 'cause most of the 55gals you see day-to-day also look like crap. This tank could be made to look MUCH larger.


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