# Help with Woodscape for 125



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

I was given an opportunity to collect some driftwood for an upcoming 125 gallon scape. I've used driftwood in tanks before, but never had much of a knack for it. I had help yesterday while picking it out, but today I find the wood is much larger than anticipated when I taped off a realistic 72" x 18" area.

I made 7 potential arrangements. Take a look at what I've come up with and give me your opinions. Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome. Maybe this is too much wood for a 125?

*First pic for size reference:*









*Number 1*









*Number 2*









*Number 3*









*Number 4*









*Number 5*









*Number 6*









*Number 7*


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## ddavila06 (Jan 31, 2009)

that looks so koool!! i love using wood on all of my tanks but im not much of an aquascaper...lets wait and see what the pros have to say


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## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

Goodness that's a lot of wood!!!!!!!

I like the 1st/2nd setup, but the last seems more realistic. With that much wood I would suggest a low light setup, otherwise the tannin leach may prove overbearing when you're sitting and enjoying the view. That of course is assuming the wood will leach a lot. Those peices all look really good though, and knowing you I imagine you're going to set the whole tank up a few times before you've settled on a scape.

Unfortunately, I cracked the left-side pane of the 125 this morning while removing the substrate...sorry...


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

mudboots said:


> Unfortunately, I cracked the left-side pane of the 125 this morning while removing the substrate...sorry...


AHHHHH!!!!! :shock: Oh well, at least you already had it empty and all the plants and fish re-homed. Looks like I'll be picking the smaller pieces of wood to fit into the 55.


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## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

mudboots said:


> Unfortunately, I cracked the left-side pane of the 125 this morning while removing the substrate...sorry...


ound: Hah Hah Hah!!!!! Just kidding! It's sitting in the living room waiting for the trip to "The USDA-NRCS Service Center in Anahuac, Texas."


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Dude...not cool... 

Hey, bring it to my "sub-station" in East Houston...


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

MHO, the three stumps with attached root flares look very natural together. I would arrange those three first, then add other pieces to strengthen the composition.

For example, the left side of #4 combined with the right side of #5. Move the two stumps from the right side of #5 a little closer together.

I KNEW Mudboots was kidding about the 125!


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## f1ea (Jul 7, 2009)

Let's have a try... 
its free, right?

I would do... kinda something like No.5... without the left-most piece, and placing the biggest stump about where the central one is (ie at the right focal point/golden ratio thing). Then put the thinnest (the one in the middle in 5) to the right of the bigger one, and closer to the back glass... in the end, the biggest nicest stump will be on the focal point and closest to the front, the thinnest to the right and behind, and the one on the left... just where its at.

Glosso/Marsilea/HC in the foreground with E. tenelus. 
Some crypts, ferns and anubias for the mid... then myriophyllum, rotala and other nice stems at the back.

For fish: dwarf cichlids, cories and 2 schooling species. OR... Altums, lots of cardinal tetras and cories....

LOL wait a minute... did i just steal your tank?


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## Jdinh04 (Oct 7, 2004)

Very nice pieces of wood! I definitely like placement *2* and *6*. Ideally, I don't think you could ever have too much wood in a tank like the 125. With plants, you can let them grow while wood doesn't. I think its best to have more wood than less wood. You will be able to prune and fine tune the plants to make them grow around the wood as you wish.

Anyhow, great pieces of wood, keep it up!


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Solve all problems... ship it to me!

Actually, I like number 6. 
Odd number of main pieces (the vertical ones) and something to tie them together. The 2 vertical pieces on the left blend together to make one. 

Try this: 
Move the biggest stump to the golden mean, either left or right. 
Set up a pair or else the next largest at the opposite golden mean. Then group the smaller ones nearer the big ones. 
Last, lay out the horizontal pieces like you have them in number 6, connecting the major pieces with sloping horizontals. 

Keep trying to work in the arching piece that is in arrangements 1 and 2. I like that piece, I just don't know how it would fit. 

Is this a covered tank? Do you want any of these to extend out of the water?


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Thanks for all the great feedback!

As a matter of fact, this tank will be for _Apistogramma macmasteri_, so f1ea is on the right track there. The tank is also uncovered and the big stump will be just below the water surface. The cuvred log in pics 1 and 2 would poke about 3" or so out of the water if I use it. The BIG stump on the left of pic 2 and 3 would stick 3-4" out of the water, maybe more, but would also need some cutting to fit into a 72" x 18" tank. It's about 20" or more from tip to tip at its narrowest point.

Right now I'm leaning toward the last pic (7) , I guess it's the minimalist in me. But I do like the look of the big curved piece, and I've been toying with some more possible layouts (different placements, directions, swtiching sides). Decisions, decisions...


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## PeterE (Feb 9, 2010)

I go for number 3. The tree-like piece of wood on the left is great. I guess I don't really like the look of the big curved piece on top of the stump because it doesn't really look natural to me. Still looks really cool. What kind of wood is this? The pieces are huge! This is going to be a very cool tank.


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

PeterE said:


> What kind of wood is this? The pieces are huge!


I believe it is Ashe Juniper, _Juniperus ashei_. There's a chance it could also be Eastern Redcedar (_Juniperus virginiana_) but I feel comfortable calling it Ashe's. Both species are commonly called "Cedar" in Texas. This was collected in it's native habitat in the San Marcos, TX area.


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## Amazon_Replica (Nov 24, 2007)

So jealous, Whichever placement you decide, thats a great looking selection to have. I hope it all fits together well for you.

I like #7 also. If it were me, I would keep the left and right like #7, but throw in the middle piece from #5


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Amazon_Replica said:


> I like #7 also. If it were me, I would keep the left and right like #7, but throw in the middle piece from #5


Hmm, you're the second person to recommend exactly that. I prefer less wood (as in #7), but as I picture the plants in place, alot of the wood will get hidden as the plants grow in. So, that extra piece would be a good idea. So, basically, it would be pic #5, but the left side pieces would be arranged as in pic #7.

The BIG stump with all the branches coming out (left side in pic #3) is great, but too large for this scape I have in mind. It really needs a tank with a wider footprint. The limbs are nice too, but not my style...at least not yet.

Amazon swords, 'Oriental' swords in front of/beside them for color, 4 species of crypts (small group of each in visible spots) with _Lindernia grandiflora _as midground and _Staurogyne repens _(whatever the "Tropica" one is) as foreground. Throw in some Anubias here and there and MAYBE a tall stem at the very back corners.

Keep adding input guys and gals. This is getting me very eager to start!  Probably in 2 weeks (or sooner) I'll start a journal on this.


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## kwc1974 (Jan 4, 2006)

Dude I hate to jump in after you got this far. I have more of the wood if you need some more fill in pieces or want to try something else 

Btw. I like #7 but feel it needs to be built on more. Remember this Is a dry set up and once the plants are combined and fill in the wood will look more diminished and not stand out so much


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

WOW!! That is BIG wood!!! I can't imagine having all that in a 125g. It will definitely stand out. Of course I know the rage now is bigger and more wood. I'm interested and will stay tuned!

So funny about Mudboots joke! LOL What are brothers for?


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## vancat (Nov 5, 2004)

wow! But where will you put the ceramic children?


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## Dielectric (Oct 7, 2008)

Dave,

that wood is completely awesome!!!!!!!!!!!! i am jealous! it looks like a tank that i would set up.


P.S. I like #1


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## amphirion (Nov 13, 2008)

Bring A slightly closer to the center, but still on the left side. we're going to use this piece as your focal point. the trick is to have everything radiate from that point.

Use pieces C and E as overhang/arching pieces. C may look best if it were flipped horizontally, then vertically so that the longest part sticks outwards towards the center. E may be used as a second arch. Make sure that C and E both are coming from A, since A is established as our focal point.

Pieces D and B should be used to help support C and E.

with that note, partially covering the wood with substrate also supports and alters the look and appearance of the wood, making 5 pieces appear as one. you should exploit this as well. the gravel should be sloped and descend from the focal point (highest at the back left corner, and lower at the front left, right, and back right corners) good luck!


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Thanks guys and GAL! Yep, Kevin, you are going to have to help me set this up when it comes time. I was dead set on #7, but now you've got me thinking about plants hiding all the wood and amphirion has got me doing backflips in my head with the pieces. 

To think, I was worried about not having enough plants at first, now I'm afraid I won't have enough room for all the species I want to use. 

Oh, by the way, I did get some stone to attach the moss and anubias to.


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## Amazon_Replica (Nov 24, 2007)

Opened a can of worms with this one. You HAVE to keep a journal or log or something on this.


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Amazon_Replica said:


> Opened a can of worms with this one. You HAVE to keep a journal or log or something on this.


HAHA! Yes I did. And yes, I will! Once it's set up there will be a journal on it...it'll be in the "Journal" forum. In fact, I may make this my journal thread and just rename it/move it over later. Give me a couple weeks.


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## totziens (Jun 28, 2008)

I have the same taste as PeterE. I prefer #3 too. Just like PeterE, I don't like the curve wood. I think the curve piece of wood looks unnatural.

#3 reminds me of a forest destroyed by human activities - chopping off the trees and flood the entire area with water that you call a dam.


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## f1ea (Jul 7, 2009)

davemonkey said:


> Thanks guys and GAL! Yep, Kevin, you are going to have to help me set this up when it comes time. I was dead set on #7, but now you've got me thinking about plants hiding all the wood and amphirion has got me doing backflips in my head with the pieces.
> 
> To think, I was worried about not having enough plants at first, now I'm afraid I won't have enough room for all the species I want to use.
> 
> Oh, by the way, I did get some stone to attach the moss and anubias to.


Just as i thought, layout #7 is nice minimalistic and so on... BUT are you willing to make the 'compromise' and go full minimalistic plants/fish wise?

i doubt it hehe. 
Hence why i thought you would like better with a little bit more wood... something of a mix between #5/7 and a good nature-wild plant mix.

Good luck!


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

Number 3 hi dave nice to see you again


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## Barbapappa (Jan 4, 2008)

I really like the piece of wood on the left at scape #2 and #3, if it where me I would use that one and then a few smaller pieces on the other side of the tank. Or the flat on the bottom stump wich on #2 and #3 is right of the higher piece? 

Any reason why the same pieces is at the right side all the time?


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Barbapappa said:


> Any reason why the same pieces is at the right side all the time?


No, I just got figured I took enough photos of the wood and I could use my imagination for the rest. But I do like the way it looks with the top of it at that particular slope. That side of the stump is the better looking side as well, but as many are starting to mention, that may not matter once the plants fill in.

And to f1ea (and everyone else on the issue of plants covering the wood), you're right. I want this tank as heavily planted as possible, so I'll need to make use of all the wood that I can if I want it to be visible.

Brad, where have YOU been?! Do you still have a couple tanks set up?


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

2 right now and 4 more to come lol


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

I finally got it started. See THIS thread for my new journal.


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