# [Wet Thumb Forum]-My new project: step by step



## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

My current project is a new 12 gallon nano cube aquascape.










As you can see I am using Eco complete. I think I have pretty much decided to create a "Mound" type aquascape. It seems the most logical design for a cube, and it would be less effort, (perhaps)

I don't really have any set plans. I am going to just make this up as I go along. And all of you are welcome to chime in as I go!

My real challenge as far as I am concerned is to create a Mound unlike anything anyone else has done before.

Here are some things I am considering using:










This branch I collected from the Oregon coast. It measures about 18" from the tallest tip to somewhere at the base horizontal section. It will have to be secured or buried to keep from floating.










This is a peice of dense hardwood that I have hadf for years in various aquariums. It still has some thread attached to it. Each side of the V measures 8 or 9"










This is a peice of petrified wood with a hole in the center. The picture is horrible, but it actually has some burly wood texture at the top. THe whole thing is only about 3 or 4 inches across.










The last items to choose from are two peices of corkbark, also previously used: they still have dried up java moss still attached. One is about 7" long, the other is 9" long. Both about 3" wide or a little more.

I definetly want to use the thin long branch. Ev erything else I am not sure about. Any thoughts or suggestions at this point?


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

My current project is a new 12 gallon nano cube aquascape.










As you can see I am using Eco complete. I think I have pretty much decided to create a "Mound" type aquascape. It seems the most logical design for a cube, and it would be less effort, (perhaps)

I don't really have any set plans. I am going to just make this up as I go along. And all of you are welcome to chime in as I go!

My real challenge as far as I am concerned is to create a Mound unlike anything anyone else has done before.

Here are some things I am considering using:










This branch I collected from the Oregon coast. It measures about 18" from the tallest tip to somewhere at the base horizontal section. It will have to be secured or buried to keep from floating.










This is a peice of dense hardwood that I have hadf for years in various aquariums. It still has some thread attached to it. Each side of the V measures 8 or 9"










This is a peice of petrified wood with a hole in the center. The picture is horrible, but it actually has some burly wood texture at the top. THe whole thing is only about 3 or 4 inches across.










The last items to choose from are two peices of corkbark, also previously used: they still have dried up java moss still attached. One is about 7" long, the other is 9" long. Both about 3" wide or a little more.

I definetly want to use the thin long branch. Ev erything else I am not sure about. Any thoughts or suggestions at this point?


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## Shane A smith (Jun 15, 2003)

Its no good mixing different wood types. If you want to use the twig than find more twigs that are the same type of wood. I think having a mound of maybe 2 differents plants with the twigs coming out would look cool.


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

Its funny you say that Shane, because after looking at this:










I pretty much came to the same conclusion! So I am going to ditch the bigger peice of wood, and cut up some more of the thin branchy driftwood. Next question is do I want to use the corkbark? I am kinda leaning toward NOT, because it may ditract too much from the branchy wood, which I want as a main focal point.

I am going to have to find some small rocks however to keep the branches weighted down.


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## Nillo (Jun 11, 2005)

I don't think that different woods in an aquascape are necessarily distracting. It depends on how you use them. The corkbark definitely looks out of place. The hardwood piece, however, could become a good root-looking piece of hardscape. I have noticed that in nature I tend to find snags where twigs have become caught up in the roots of trees along the shoreline. The twigs come from all along the stream, so there might be a few different types of wood. I think what I am trying to say is that if the different types of wood are alluding to different parts of the tree, I don't think that it would look unnatural. I do agree that you are going to need more twiggy pieces.


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

Don't know how far you are right now with this new tank. But if not too far off, then I would suggest the same in ditching the big bog wood. Use the smaller, twisty ones instead. You could create a rather disoriented and chaotic look with those alone. It would look like a series of maze in which the small fish and shrimp can swim in and out of. I like your concept, because often times in nature, things aren't orderly. 

Paul


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

I will have an update over the weekend. Interesting comments so far!


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## imported_pomby27 (Jun 26, 2003)

or you could even use rock/stones to create a scape. thats what i'm trynig to work on now. im' biased...haha


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Any new pics Robert?


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

Soon, I promise!


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

OK, here is the next stage



















Then I took four pots of E. acicularis, (dwarf hairgrass), and separated them out into smaller clumps. Hairgrass roots are very shallow, so for this reason I left some of the rockwool on the plants.



















The hairgrass is planted all the way back to the rear corner. I am going to trim it shorter in the front and let it grow taller in the back.


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

Interesting, Robert. What other plants do you plan on using?


Paul


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

petite nana, perhaps more java moss, I am not sure what else. I think I want to keep all the plants pretty low to the substrate.


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

Look forward to seeing its completion









Paul


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## imported_locus (Feb 2, 2003)

> quote:
> 
> The hairgrass is planted all the way back to the rear corner. I am going to trim it shorter in the front and let it grow taller in the back.


Based on my experience with hairgrass, you will find it hard to have it short at the front and long at the back whilst still looking good. When you trim it, the tips will go brown and regrowth will mostly come from runners.

Do you have enough lighting to try a glossostigma / hairgrass combo? Perhaps if you have lower light levels you could use Marsilea in the front and hairgrass at the back.

I think you could get away with the different wood types if you used the dense driftwood in more of a plant anchoring role. Cover it in plants and you wont even see it


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## SCMurphy (Jan 28, 2004)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by locus:
> Based on my experience with hairgrass, you will find it hard to have it short at the front and long at the back whilst still looking good. When you trim it, the tips will go brown and regrowth will mostly come from runners.
> ...


I agree with locus, you have to slope your substrate to get the hairgrass to have that hillside look, trimming it will only last for 2 or 3 days between trimmings. Be forewarned that E. acicularis will grow 6 inches tall. I'm having trouble maintaining E. parvulus which grows 4 inches tall in my 10 gallon tank.

Hairgrass is also very invasive when it settles in. You need to be diligent in uprooting stray plants.


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

Actually I do have it slopped. I do not mind the trimming. It is a small tank, and pretty easy to do, and I suspect it may not grow THAT fast, but even so I can deal with it. I'll see how it goes. I added some more hairgrass today trimmed shorter, and I will add some petite nana and some other plants in the next couple days. I will show more pictures over the weekend.


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

Well, staring at this I see things that I am not sure about. I am trying to make a path going up to where the peices of wood meet, can you see it? I am thinking the dirty white rock has to go, and I am thinking the peice of wood closest to the front should possibly be re positioned, maybe lower? What do you all think?


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## ancientpimp (Jun 2, 2004)

dont see the path but definitely agree that u remove the dirty rock. driftwood in front seem ok in first pic but on second pic and different angle it seem angled too high. just a thought


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

Robert, 
The dirty rock has to be covered up or removed. I think the that the driftwood in the back left corner has to go . It pulls your eye way from the rest of the aquascape. I too think the piece of wood closest to the front should be re positioned it is to close to the front glass.

Hawk


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## Nillo (Jun 11, 2005)

I agree with Hawkeye that the wood in the back left corner should go. I think that I would use it in tandem with the piece of wood in the front that looks similar. I think that I would use these pieces to in a more horizontal arrangement in the front of the tank. I think that you can use them to reinforce the path idea by redirecting the path from its origin in the front left to the right of the tank and around the front piece of wood and using those 2 pieces of wood to hide the path a little and give the tank a greater sense of depth. Right now the path doesn't read well because it goes straight back and because of perspective it looks really short. if it is able to run diagonally thru the landscape and around things I think it will resolve itself better. 

Hope that helps.


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## lesley (Aug 16, 2003)

Hello Robert,

When I look at this arrangement, I can't quite see how the pieces "got" to where they are, would it be appropriate to have them look as they they have fallen there or are the remains of old tree roots?

I like the path.

Hope my comments give food for thought.


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## Ngaio (Oct 7, 2004)

IMO the piece of wood at the front draws the eye the wrong way. You want to lead the eye back along the path - the wood at the front leads the eye back to the front of the tank and off to the right.


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

I knew this had problems when I looked at it. I thought that perhaps it was simulating roots sticking up and being worn by a strong current...but maybe not! I will have the revision next weekend! If there is anymore comments, keep them coming!


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## Wally (Aug 31, 2003)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by Robert H:
> I thought that perhaps it was simulating roots sticking up and being worn by a strong current...but maybe not!


Robert,
If this is the look you are going for, then you should make sure that all of the wood is at the same angle and facing the same way, thats how it would look in nature


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## Shane A smith (Jun 15, 2003)

Coever the peice of wood in the back left with willow moss or java moss. Anything dark. It would look good once the plants grow up a bit. I like this tank a lot. Do not mess with the middle back of the tank. Some how i think it add a crazy amount of depth to the tank. the way the rock looks under the wood is nice.


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## Cougra (Mar 31, 2004)

If your trying to go for a path look, I think the front of your path is too wide. Try narrowing it down a bit and remove that white rock. 

To me it appears that you have a stick lying along what should be the path?? If that's the case, try using that stick to line the left side of the path. In your stream senario, it would create the illusion of a natural barrier that would prevent plants from growing for a narrow band on the other side as water swirls behind the solid object.


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