# Follow-Up to Petrified Valley



## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

I finally got around to redoing my 72g Bowfront. I was going to retire this tank to the plastic frame graveyard, but decided to give it one more go. The tank now has a canopy which goes well in my kitchen. So I'll maintain this canopy style tank and a few open top tanks as well. I'm still working on the hardscape so no pics yet. Here are a few pics of the previous setup:










This time around I'm going with a low-maintenance scape of mostly ferns, mosses. Probaby a few choice stems and that's it.


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Wow, quite a nice tank! What plant is growing on the rock 1/3rd of the way over from the left of the picture at the bottom?


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

Zapins said:


> Wow, quite a nice tank! What plant is growing on the rock 1/3rd of the way over from the left of the picture at the bottom?


Thanks, I think your referring to the Ludwigia Repens x Arcuata.


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## Dan S (Nov 28, 2008)

Awesome scape, very nicely done! I'm glad you spared it from the grave yard and shared you pics. Looking forward to the updates.


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Below that, growing on the rock, it is dark green and short. Is it moss?


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

Zapins said:


> Below that, growing on the rock, it is dark green and short. Is it moss?


Oh, that's just riccia. There are about 5 rocks in the midground covered with riccia.


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Hmm ok thanks. It looks darker than normal for some reason.


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

Zapins said:


> Hmm ok thanks. It looks darker than normal for some reason.


You have a good eye. I'm not sure why but some of the riccia grow darker than usual in this tank. Here's a pic with two pieces of riccia right next to each other and you could see the difference.


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## gravy9 (Aug 28, 2008)

Very nice tank. Love the layout.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Your tank is really nice. Love your depth, colors, leaf textures and sizes. Very interesting!


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## Nevermore (Mar 26, 2007)

Excellent!!! Very nicely done!


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

Thanks much!


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Woah yeah I see the difference! Strange...


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## DonaldmBoyer (Aug 18, 2005)

House, Zapins, anyone else? Could the difference in the riccia be caused by the slight shading that the "riccia rock" on the right in the picture is getting. The one on the left seems to be more out in the open. It would make sense; the riccia in the shade would need to increase it's chlorophyll to capture more light energy and hence have a darker green color.

Or, I could be out of my head.... 

Anyhow, I love the former set up and can hardly wait to see the new scape! What are you planning to do?


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

It could be due to more chlorophyll, but it might also just be a shadow? I'm not really sure since the picture doesn't really show that...


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

DonaldmBoyer said:


> House, Zapins, anyone else? Could the difference in the riccia be caused by the slight shading that the "riccia rock" on the right in the picture is getting. The one on the left seems to be more out in the open. It would make sense; the riccia in the shade would need to increase it's chlorophyll to capture more light energy and hence have a darker green color.
> 
> Or, I could be out of my head....
> 
> Anyhow, I love the former set up and can hardly wait to see the new scape! What are you planning to do?


Thanks Donald. Yeah I had thought about shading, but I've had riccia grow completely different within several tanks and there was no shading variable. Maybe it is nutrient distribution but nothing I could say with any certainly. As far as the new scape. For me personally I'm trying to create something that will require the least amount of hands-on as possible, but I still want things lush so it will still be a high-tech tank.


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## Pinto (Mar 22, 2008)

Very nice. Very interesting to the eyes.


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

house - it sounds like you are looking for the same kind of tank that I am. My tank has lots of anubias petite, java fern, anubias nana, glosso, utricula g., dwarf sag and a few stems as accents. 

There are plenty of designs that can be done with these plants and the upkeep is negligible.


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

Zapins said:


> house - it sounds like you are looking for the same kind of tank that I am. My tank has lots of anubias petite, java fern, anubias nana, glosso, utricula g., dwarf sag and a few stems as accents.
> 
> There are plenty of designs that can be done with these plants and the upkeep is negligible.


Thanks for the comments.

Zapins, yeah I'll be using some of those. Probably not glosso, I'll probably go with a sand front since I find it much easier to clean or replace sand then eventually redo a planted front.


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## crispo069 (Mar 13, 2007)

wasnt this tank of the month at some point??? I loved it then, and I still love it now....I'll be sad to see it go, but I really look forward to your next setup...I'll keep an eye out for it.


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

Thanks crispo. Yeah it was TOTM back in '07 when I was innocent, naive aquascaper.


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## Bunbuku (Feb 10, 2008)

Pretty damn excellent for an "innocent"! You managed to tread a fine line between a well-manicured and "natural" aquascape. How many times did you have to revise it before you felt things were right? 

Can't wait to see your next piece. Will it be low tech and low maintenance?


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

Bunbuku said:


> Pretty damn excellent for an "innocent"! You managed to tread a fine line between a well-manicured and "natural" aquascape. How many times did you have to revise it before you felt things were right?
> 
> Can't wait to see your next piece. Will it be low tech and low maintenance?


Thanks for that perceptive comment. It was revised several times. I know I have a pic somewhere when I first made the layout, see if I can find it. Yes the next tank will definitely be low maintenance but still high tech. Not much in the stem department.


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

nola said:


> One of the best tanks I have seen so far!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> :clap2:


Oh go on. Your making be blush!


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## scoot (Dec 6, 2008)

Ok. What type of lights do you have going?


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

scoot said:


> Ok. What type of lights do you have going?


260watts CF


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

The background is particularly black. Did you paint the glass black on the back or use paper?


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

Zapins said:


> The background is particularly black. Did you paint the glass black on the back or use paper?


It's one of those backgrounds that you apply ( I think vaseline) in between the glass and the background and then squeeze out the air bubbles. Kind of a pain to put on, but once it's on, it's on!


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## ShaneS (Jan 14, 2009)

A little late i know, the riccia that grows in dark is probably something called sinking riccia. Eventually if you hold riccia down for long enough it stop being as bouyant and grows darker, just a phenomena i guess


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