Tulgey Wood - Trimmed

[Guest]

Thought I'd start a new journal. I kinda lost interest in my iwagumi - Primordial - and paid the ultimate price; it got smothered in 'orrible black algae, so I tore it down. Now I get to create something new; every cloud has a silver lining. This is how far I've got so far...

 

[TOO]

Could be good. What are your planting ideas?

Thomas

 

[Rob P]

I see these layouts and always think it must make easy jobs such as cleaning of the glass a royal PITA, looks very good though! 🙂

 

[darren636]

Just so you know Troi, primordial was pretty stunning. Its was resolute in its single mindedness- I liked that aspect.

 

[BigTom]

Nice and moody so far 🙂

What rock is that?

 

[Stu Worrall]

Looks like Seiryu Rock.

Love how the braches intertwine troi. Gonna be a cracker

 

[Alastair]

Hope that wood doesnt float 😉

 

[parotet]

Nice wood!

 

[James D]

Looks great! IMO using wood effectively is more difficult but you've pulled it off a treat.

 

[Curvball]

Yes! Very cool.

 

[NatureBoy]

awesome hardscape, packed with tension, and that's definitely down to your placement skills, nice one! How are you going to keep the flow when planted? what ideas for plants have you got?

 

[aliclarke86]

Thats a mean looking start Troi, hope this one works out better 🙂

Sent from my GT-I9505G using Tapatalk

 

[martinmjr62]

Thats a very nice looking set up, a little bit on the dark side

Cheers
Martin

 

[Ben C]

That's going to look cracking with some lush green plants to off-set the dark, moody hardscape. Looking forward to watching what you do with this one.

 

[Guest]

Wow thanks for the kind comments guys.

Could be good. What are your planting ideas?

Hi Thomas, I have ideas for the planting, but I thought I'd live with the hardscape for a while longer yet, and tinker with it.
I've left a lot of holes for epiphytes so maybe Anubias nana petite near the substrate, Microsorium narrow and maybe Bolbitis difformis higher up. I'm going to experiment with a few different types of moss on the wood and rocks and maybe some Riccardia chamedryfolia and Hygrophila Pinnatifida. I'm in two minds about the foreground. I don't know whether to keep it simple with a monoculture of Eleocharis mini or go all out for a mixture of textures and throw in some tenellus, Hydrocotyle Japan, Glosso or Cuba as well. The background will be stems, I want some red to, maybe Rotala, Hygrophila, and Ludwigia species with perhaps a few strands of another Hydrocotyle species growing through it. And if I've got room maybe one or two Crypts🙂

I see these layouts and always think it must make easy jobs such as cleaning of the glass a royal PITA, looks very good though! 🙂

Hi Rob, yep you're right about that...the cleaning bit that is, but I intend to plant densely so maintenance is going to be a PITA anyway. On the flip side, hopefully algae wont be such an issue with so many plants.

Nice and moody so far 🙂 What rock is that?

Hi Tom, Stu is right it is Seiryu Rock, or as it was sold to me, grey pillar rock.

Hope that wood doesnt float 😉

Haha...me too, I've cunningly wedged it with rocks and against itself...the advantage of being so twisty...but it'll still probably float knowing my luck🙁

awesome hardscape, packed with tension, and that's definitely down to your placement skills, nice one! How are you going to keep the flow when planted? what ideas for plants have you got?

Thanks NatureBoy, I'll use a single lilly pipe, the tank is only 70l and my filter outputs 750l/h, and it hardly has any media in it so flow should find a way around the obstacles...I hope.

Thats a very nice looking set up, a little bit on the dark side Cheers Martin

It does look a little on the dark side, or moody as Tom and Ben put it...but I have to confess that's more to do with my cameras default exposure setting (than artistic talent) which is Mary Shelly neo gothic😵

 

[greenink]

Love the general direction of this. Keep it moody I say.

 

[NatureBoy]

NatureBoy said: ↑ awesome hardscape, packed with tension, and that's definitely down to your placement skills, nice one! How are you going to keep the flow when planted? what ideas for plants have you got? Thanks NatureBoy, I'll use a single lilly pipe, the tank is only 70l and my filter outputs 750l/h, and it hardly has any media in it so flow should find a way around the obstacles...I hope.

I meant flow of the wood grain etc, rather than concerns over the 10X rule but I guess it's always good to mix design with practicality.

I've just switched to an outflow pipe rather than spray bar it punches further into the scape

 

[Edvet]

Now just some crypto's and some wild betta's...........

 

[Guest]

I meant flow of the wood grain etc

Oh right🙂...we're usually all so obsessed with water flow; but rereading your comments in context I see what you meant now. Not sure really, I'll just go with it...the flow that is😀 I guess the hardscape is just the skeleton or framework for the plants so not sure how much of it will remain exposed but either way hopefully the planting will compliment it well.

 

[faizal]

I was hitting on the like button for a couple of times when I saw the hardscape,.. "Like ,..like like like !!!" Lol!! This is so awesome ,...love the wood ,...love the rocks,...it's manzi wood isn't it? A work of art .🙂 I think it's gonna be your best one yet. Are you planning on keeping it low tech? I love your choices of plants too,....yeah lots of anubias petite nanas in between the clefts,....it's gonna look epic. Nice one Troi. I agree with Big Tom,...looking very moody & magical. Very "Enya" like ambience,...if I am making any sense.