# 40cm - Javanese Paradise



## Tom (16 Jul 2008)

OK, got rid of the vast majority of algae now, so here's a (probably) final shot. Tried white, black and grey backgrounds and this seemed to come out best. Not sure if I want fish or not. If I got some it'd probably be either Hengali Rasboras, Featherfin Rainbows, or Lampeye Killis. Will see if work can "loan" some to me lol. If not, this will be the final shot.








Any criticisms appreciated!!


Tom


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## ceg4048 (16 Jul 2008)

Wow, speechless mate...  Only the tiniest of question marks would be that the Blyxa-like plant on the left aft side seems to disrupt the symmetry ever so slightly? Maybe the reflection off the side glass makes it look more of a disturbance than what it is in reality.

Cheers,


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## Tom (16 Jul 2008)

Thanks, it's mainly due to your help that I got rid of the algae! Maybe if the Blyxa grew in a bit more, it might look better with a triangular composition rather than convex?

Tom


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## Dacious (16 Jul 2008)

Hi Tom,

The scape looks fantastic! How big is the tank? Personally I think a shoal of lampeyes would look really good, particularly if its not a huge tank. Yeh I too was drawn to the left hand corner for some reason.


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## Tom (16 Jul 2008)

Clue's in the title mate, 40cm (25l)    Yeah lampeye's sound the best choice to me as well. Thanks
Tom


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## Dacious (16 Jul 2008)

Haha! Yeh, but I meant overall dimensions, depth, height? Sorry didn't make myself clear!

Also, what moss did you use?


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## Tom (16 Jul 2008)

Ah ok, erm 40L x 23D x 27H   

Tom


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## Dacious (16 Jul 2008)

Wow, you have really made the dimensions of the tank look much much bigger to me. How long do you think the java fern will last before it gets too big?


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## spaldingaquatics (16 Jul 2008)

Tom said:
			
		

> Any criticisms appreciated!!



Sorry I can't help you there, I think it's excellent!  
wish I had your skills, my tanks end up looking like the aquatic version of a picasso (and I don't mean the car!)


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## ceg4048 (16 Jul 2008)

Yes, that could be. I kinda like the idea of the convex mound myself though. To get the triangle wouldn't the Blyxa need to grow taller than the fern? Tough to do. To me Blyxa is more of a transitional element because it's too tall to be ground cover but doesn't have the magnitude to be a background. Let it grow in and see what happens though.  

Cheers,

PS.  Just let me know immediately if Blyxa changes color. I'm still trying to get to the bottom of that issue. :?


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## Tom (16 Jul 2008)

> Wow, you have really made the dimensions of the tank look much much bigger to me. How long do you think the java fern will last before it gets too big?



Well it's been in there about a couple of months, and all it's done is bushed out and gone sideways. Maybe that's because of the high lighting, but I reckon it could be kept in there fairly long term. 



> Just let me know immediately if Blyxa changes color. I'm still trying to get to the bottom of that issue.



Got any theories? When I bought it it seemed a bit more "bronze" in colour than it is now. 

Tom


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## Garuf (16 Jul 2008)

I've read that blyxa only changes colour when it's in high light after being trimmed, no reason why was offered however. 
A fantastic scape Tom, If I were you I'd keep it running for another month or so, it's too soon to tear it down yet not until you've let the blyxa grow some more to alter the composition.


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## ceg4048 (16 Jul 2008)

I have an unsubstantiated theory that it is PO4 related as well as light related. JamesC gave me a clue in this thread=> viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1967

It flowered with massive doses of PO4 and was bronze(ish). I left town for a few weeks and my tank ran out of PO4. The Blyxa turned emerald green and all the flowers disappeared. I'm dosing again and the tank is recovering as usual so I expect in two weeks or so I'll see another colour change if this theory holds any water.

Cheers,


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## Ray (16 Jul 2008)

Tom, it looks stunning.  What backdrop is that?  It looks like a graduated backdrop, changing hue - or does the lighting achieve that effect?  Where did you get it or did you make it?

Thank you,

Ray


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## Tom (16 Jul 2008)

Ray - I bought black, white and grey card from WH Smiths this morning to try out, and this was the white one. My wall is a blue colour, which may be why the lower half of the photo is bluer, I'm not sure.   

Tom


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## TDI-line (16 Jul 2008)

10/10 Tom.


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## REDSTEVEO (16 Jul 2008)

Tom said:
			
		

> Ray - I bought black, white and grey card from WH Smiths this morning to try out, and this was the white one. My wall is a blue colour, which may be why the lower half of the photo is bluer, I'm not sure.
> 
> Tom



Tom,

Tank looks the business!! 8) 

Ray kindly pm'd me with the link to your thread. I've just looked at it :!: I've read your answer to Rays question about the backdrop   Errr.......white card from WH Smiths :?:  Wall is a blue colour? Come on mate you need to be a bit more specific than that   In the famous words of the guy in the wheel chair off Little Britain.....eeerrrr I want dat one!

I want to take the backing off my tank and copy if I may what you have done. Any clues :?: 

Cheers,

Steve.


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## Tom (16 Jul 2008)

Glad you like it   

lol I wouldn't leave the card on all the time, just blu tacked it to the wall for the shot. Then just shine a light at it to backlight the tank. If you want more specific, it was A3 size plain white card, 74p I believe    Usually I don't have a background, just the wall colour.


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## REDSTEVEO (16 Jul 2008)

Cheers,

Your so modest it hurts 8) 

Steve


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## LondonDragon (16 Jul 2008)

Wow tank looks amazing, for a moment there I was like 40cm???? Looks bigger than my 80cm Rio, without fish is hard to tell.
Congrats on a great tank and love your photography, light works really well


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## George Farmer (17 Jul 2008)

Tom said:
			
		

> Any criticisms appreciated!!



Lovely 'scape, Tom but I can't help thinking the moss is too dominant creating very two dimensional feel to the layout.  More background planting and complex textures thoughout the foreground would help.  Even losing some moss to reveal more rockwork may improve things?

Maybe I'm just jealous though!  It's all to easy to critique a good aquascape, as the areas for improvement become easier to identify, paradoxically. 

Does that make sense?


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## blue33 (17 Jul 2008)

Blyxa looks a abit distracting for me, some woods behind with Java moss tie to it would be great IMHO.


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## Tom (17 Jul 2008)

> Lovely 'scape, Tom but I can't help thinking the moss is too dominant creating very two dimensional feel to the layout. More background planting and complex textures thoughout the foreground would help. Even losing some moss to reveal more rockwork may improve things?



Thanks George, I can see what you mean although the word I would use is "overgrown"!    I was really pleased with the rockwork, so before I take the scape apart I'll have a play. 



> Does that make sense?


#

Had to stare at it for a while, but yes it does!   




> Wow tank looks amazing, for a moment there I was like 40cm???? Looks bigger than my 80cm Rio, without fish is hard to tell.



That's another reason I'm hesitant about adding fish, in case it totally blows the scale. 

Tom


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## John Starkey (17 Jul 2008)

Hi Tom,i really like the scape simple but effective,me personally i find it hard to create a aquascape grow it in then take it down to redo something else,i realise that without this rescaping i wont become as good as some of the guys on here but i like to see mine develop over a long period, best wishes for your future scapes you have a long time ahead of you and i will be watching what you create very closely , regards john.


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## sanj (17 Jul 2008)

What about javanese rice fish to complete the javanese theme ?


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## George Farmer (17 Jul 2008)

Next time you're in Peterborough, Tom, check out MA @ Crowland.  They have some awesome microfish, including Oryzias sp. 'Neon Green' that I used in 'Little Mountain'.  They're about 12mm.  If they still have them...


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## Graeme Edwards (17 Jul 2008)

Hi Tom, great work pal.

My critique, Although heavy with plants, the tank still looks a little immature. Its lovely but if we are to talk competition level think about what the judges would be looking at. Plant choice and sustainability. The fern is quite small at the moment, give the scape 12 months and you would loose the idea and original design. Perhaps Windolove fern would be a better choice? 
I agree with George, some times less is more. Hack some of the moss back, show off the quality rock work. Also when you hack moss back it comes to growth much better, more compact, something you scape would benefit from.

Great photography, but for me personally im not sure about the purple hue to the back ground,its distracting for me.

The style of scape suggests its a long term slow growth scape, so see if you can keep it so. This scape will benefit from the possibilities of time.

Good work!!!


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## Tom (25 Jul 2008)

Thanks for all the advice   

I spent 3 nerve-racking hours re-scaping the tank last night, only to re-do it again this morning  :? 



> I agree with George, some times less is more. Hack some of the moss back, show off the quality rock work. Also when you hack moss back it comes to growth much better, more compact, something you scape would benefit from



Done, and I agree it looks much nicer IMO   



> The fern is quite small at the moment, give the scape 12 months and you would loose the idea and original design. Perhaps Windolove fern would be a better choice?



Possibly, but I like narrow fern!    It hasn't gained a lot of height in the time the tank has been running, it's just bushed out. I'll see how it goes. Thinking about replacing it for something totally different, but don't know what. Maybe even hairgrass...

Javanese Paradise MKII





Tom


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## LondonDragon (25 Jul 2008)

Looks great Tom, I like the mosses on the stone, really effective, congrats.
Would look even better had you removed the equipment prior to photo, that green pipe is off putting.


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## Tom (25 Jul 2008)

Thanks. It''s not a final photo or anything this time round, hence I didn't remove the equipment, but I suppose thats no excue for lazyness    Suppose it's about time to clean the filter pipes as well   

Tom


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## LondonDragon (25 Jul 2008)

Tom said:
			
		

> Thanks. It''s not a final photo or anything this time round, hence I didn't remove the equipment, but I suppose thats no excue for lazyness    Suppose it's about time to clean the filter pipes as well
> Tom


Was only a side comment as the tank looks great  keep those scapes coming


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## Tom (9 Aug 2008)




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