# New tank journal : Tree design (i know, how original)



## paradise (Jan 13, 2006)

This is my first new tank in a long time, not trying to be avant garde, just a tank to enjoy. The goal is to have a pristine look, with ZERO equipment in the tank. The filter is drilled through bulkheads in the back. Heater is in the filter, CO2 is going to be inline. The back panel is painted black, and the black inlet and outlet disappear against it.

*Tank*: Custom made Leemar 48x20x15, Starfire glass no-brace
*Stand*: Custom made with veneer matched to other furniture
*Lights*: 4 foot 4 bulb fishneedit.com fixture, suspended over tank (_the hanging fixture needs to be adjusted down, looks weird right now_)
*CO2*: 10lb aluminum canister from Micromatic and regulator from GreenLeafAquariums
*Substrate*: Aquasoil II, Manzanita tree, other driftwood, seriyu rocks
*Filter*: Eheim Pro II Thermofilter 2128

Here is what it looks like today:


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## paradise (Jan 13, 2006)

Evolution of the wood tree:

Got it in Downtown LA Flower District, this is what it looked like:









First Trim (not enough, but better redo 5-6 times than overdo the first time):









Second Trim, in the tank, almost there, though some of the top branches still look off.









Final Trim (I think)


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## gBOYsc2 (Nov 26, 2010)

That's a really awesome piece of wood. This tank has some serious potential!!

If I might add some constructive critisizm, I think you should remove the branch off the ground as it takes away from the tree look of the other wood. I think some rocks in it's place would be great as well as having more "emergent" rocks from the substrate around the tree.


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## paradise (Jan 13, 2006)

Thanks for the comment, his is EXACTLY the kind of talk I would love to start. I do not love the left side and I agree that proportions are wrong on it, it's too big and loses the "realism" of a tree. I just have not been able to come up with anything interesting for the other side.


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## gBOYsc2 (Nov 26, 2010)

Excellent placement though! Do you know what you will be using for the top of the tree? Or is it going to be leafless?


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## paradise (Jan 13, 2006)

The tree will be made of weeping moss, trimmed to look like weeping ivy if possible, with long separate branches, weeping down.


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## schg (Dec 22, 2010)

Looks great so far!


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## doubleott05 (Jul 20, 2005)

thats gonna take forever to waterlog nice wood


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## Saturation (Mar 24, 2010)

Cannot wait, to see the development.

Keep us posted Please!


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## rwong2k (Jan 13, 2005)

wow nice tank! can't wait to see this filled out!


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## ThoHell (Jan 9, 2011)

Very nice piece of wood!


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## ScottH. (May 13, 2004)

Great piece of wood! 
I am doing a very similar setup to yours with a big old tree on the right side...In my setup I have a slight hill in the back right corner forming a gentle slope towards the tree. My plan is to create the representation of a tree in an open grass field, using Eleocharis parvulus for the field with some clumps of blyxa here and there (hopefully giving a more wild look seen in nature).

From the first picture of the tree (post trim) it seems like you have a lot of left over branches. you could possibly make another tree or roots coming from the stump.. With a tree so big, to me, it needs to be the focus without something else pulling any concentration from it. Some sort of "root structure" could help pull the focus to the tree even more.

I think that tree could be very powerful/beautiful alone overlooking a nice field.
Maybe possibly tilt the tree more so the longest branch on the left is closer to parallel with the substrate, but still slightly above parallel to see if it gives anymore flow or balance. That could also bring more of the top branches into the water (unless the camera angle is deceiving me).

I can't wait to see how the weeping moss plays out...I am currently using christmas moss in my tree and it looks nice. Wish I had some weeping moss tho.


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## Gunplameister (Jan 12, 2011)

looks great and keeping me motivated and excited for my project


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