Critique my hardscape Low tech Do!Aqua 60P

[lucaz koh]

Decided this would be a better place to post this rather than the journals forum as it's not a "journal" as of yet

So after staying away from the hobby for more than 3 years, I've decided to come back into it after seeing TGM's closing down sale. Have had success with growing plants and keeping fish and shrimp alive in the past with CO2, decided to keep the budget "moderately" low this time by going non-CO2.

Also inspired by George Farmer's low tech non-co2 scape, going to try to replicate that to a certain extent.

Equipment:

Tank: Do! Aqua 60P (60cm x 30cm x 36cm)
Filter: Eheim Ecco Pro 130
Lights: Chihiros RGB 60cm (on order, ETA 2 weeks)
Hardscape: ADA Aquasoil Amazonia Powder 9L
Substrate: Seiryu Stone + Spider Wood
Flora: Rotala sp "Green" (back right corner), Ludwigia repens rupin (mid background), Staurogyne repens (near stones), and Helanthium tenellum "Green" (carpet)
Fauna: Green Neons OR Boraras Briggatae, Orange Sakura Shrimp

Current hardscape as below, will let the wood sink into the substrate a little to bury it a bit and hide the "trunk" that's visible now, same with the rocks. Let me know if anything can be improved or if you have any tips in general!

Still waiting for my lights to arrive, will be slow progress on this till they arrive. Have drawn an outline of the tank's dimensions on the box below to give an idea of scale.

and here in the tank

alternative scape (rocks will be raised once substrate is in to hide the trunk bit)

Thanks, Jon.

 

[MrB15hop]

I prefer the 2nd one.
I'd try not to lift the stones too much, maybe a little, but I'd be trying to keep that knarly bit exposed..

 

[lucaz koh]

I prefer the 2nd one.
I'd try not to lift the stones too much, maybe a little, but I'd be trying to keep that knarly bit exposed..

thanks for your insight, but would you mind explaining why? i thought it might be too distracting, and if i couldn't lift the rocks enough was gonna stick a java fern or anubias onto it or maybe some moss.

just noticed you're from wales, did a couple years of university in cardiff, can't get enough of the place!

 

[alto]

You might find this video helpful - note that wood length inside the tank dominates over that extending outside the tank

George Farmer scaping Nature Aquarium

I'm not a fan of the gnarly centre of the wood (common in this type of root) but this is easily de-emphasized with plants so just focus on nice display of the long branches

 

[alto]

The upright stone is too strong (or needs more supporting rock)

 

[lucaz koh]

You might find this video helpful - note that wood length inside the tank dominates over that extending outside the tank

George Farmer scaping Nature Aquarium

I'm not a fan of the gnarly centre of the wood (common in this type of root) but this is easily de-emphasized with plants so just focus on nice display of the long branches

you can't see it in the photos but the back left branch is actually already pressing up on the back of the glass, so no room to move the branch. Im hoping once ive added substrate to raise the rocks the gnarly bit is hidden a bit more, but like you said, should be relatively hidden once plants are grown in.

do you reckon i should tie bits of moss onto the tips of the wood? or leave them clean?

The upright stone is too strong (or needs more supporting rock)

are you referring to the first scape? Im kinda leaning towards the second one better now as it seems to blend better together.

If you're referring to the first scape, I agree the main stone seems a bit isolated compared to the rest. trying to keep costs down so may not go with the first scape and opt for the second one instead now

thanks for your comments!

 

[MrB15hop]

thanks for your insight, but would you mind explaining why? i thought it might be too distracting, and if i couldn't lift the rocks enough was gonna stick a java fern or anubias onto it or maybe some moss.

just noticed you're from wales, did a couple years of university in cardiff, can't get enough of the place!

I've got no technical reason, It just appeals to me.

Yeah, Cardiff isn't too bad a place..lol

 

[Keith GH]

Jon

I like this on but I would like you to go back a little to your mock tank and try to improve on what you have done.

Substrate levels?? Sand or garden soil can be used

That main rock is your focal point.
It's too central it requires a little move to the LorR
Two back rocks both same height rotate or stand upright, preferably the LH one to give it an extra height.
The other feature is the DW can you lift it at least 10cm to expose the knotty feature.

Keith

 

[alto]

I'd consider sawing the wood into 2 pieces (through that gnarly bit) for more options on placement & angles - it's easy to disguise the cuts with moss or java fern

If you like moss, give it a go, easy to remove if you decide against it - note that moss should be started very sparingly & then grown in with trimming, rather than as big clumps (which look grand immediately but then the underneath areas often die back)

You might also look at separating the 3 stones (like in George's non-CO2 video)

 

[lucaz koh]

Jon

I like this on but I would like you to go back a little to your mock tank and try to improve on what you have done.

Substrate levels?? Sand or garden soil can be used

That main rock is your focal point.
It's too central it requires a little move to the LorR
Two back rocks both same height rotate or stand upright, preferably the LH one to give it an extra height.
The other feature is the DW can you lift it at least 10cm to expose the knotty feature.

Keith

Hi Keith, thanks for your replies.

Going on what you said please see if what i've done is any better, first off is the raised wood and left hand stone, with everything moved ever so slightly to the right for focal point. (not sure how i feel about the gnarly/knotty bit still, weeping moss over it maybe? was going to hide the knot lower down and put a java fern on top, with the main stone hiding the roots/rhizome)

Next would be keeping the 3 rocks separate as you suggested, it was my original idea actually.

thoughts? thanks.

I'd consider sawing the wood into 2 pieces (through that gnarly bit) for more options on placement & angles - it's easy to disguise the cuts with moss or java fern

If you like moss, give it a go, easy to remove if you decide against it - note that moss should be started very sparingly & then grown in with trimming, rather than as big clumps (which look grand immediately but then the underneath areas often die back)

You might also look at separating the 3 stones (like in George's non-CO2 video)

was indeed of thinking either weeping moss or java fern to hide the gnarly bit, but a few others above have suggested keeping it exposed as well so will have to decide later on.

have also separated the 3 stones as you suggested in the photo above, have a look and tell me what you think?

thanks.

 

[alto]

I'd continue working with the separated stones,just my preference though - I'm less keen on the island concept

I'd definitely cut that wood through it's gnarly middle

 

[Keith GH]

Jon

The separate rocks is the way to go.

Here are a few simple ideas of rock placements. You might think of something like this and working your DW into the Squascape.

Keith

 

[lucaz koh]

Thanks, will proceed forward with the separated stones

Had another idea to flip the wood around, less keen on this due to where the tank is situated, will be mainly viewing is from the left so all I’ll be seeing once grown in is the stems.

Thinking of a low growing crypt in between the two left stones to plug the gap?

What do you guys think of the way the vertical branch seems to “divide” the tank almost in half?

 

[Keith GH]

Jon

I was going to ask you could this be done reason its 110% better.
this would be the stone placement to work on.
It could be leaning on the larger center stones from that wide pathway.

Keith

 

[lucaz koh]

Jon

I was going to ask you could this be done reason its 110% better.
this would be the stone placement to work on.
It could be leaning on the larger center stones from that wide pathway.

Keith

I’ll give that a go tonight, it may not be possible given the tank’s dimensions and the wood’s size but I’ll do my best and report back. Thanks

 

[lucaz koh]

I'd continue working with the separated stones,just my preference though - I'm less keen on the island concept

I'd definitely cut that wood through it's gnarly middle

Definitely not cutting the wood as I haven’t decided if I want to kept it yet! Haha. That’s why you can still see the Maidenhead aquatics tag attached.

 

[lucaz koh]

Right, so I’ve come up with the following two. The wood’s dimensions wouldn’t physically let me place it anywhere else with this arrangement so here :

First

Plan on burying the little root between the two stones under the substrate and maybe give the main middle stone a little more tilt to the right

Second

With the left stone slightly further back. Again will bury the root and tilt the main stone.

In both layouts the main stone is about 1.5 inches from the front of the tank, wood and stone dimensions won’t go any farther back.

Thoughts? Too central, especially with the tall branch dividing the tank? You can see on the box where I’ve drawn the 1/3 and 2/3 marks for the tank

 

[Keith GH]

Jon

It would have been a lot easier if you had made a Mock Tank to the actual size of your tank then added a substrate.

I have made several suggestions for you to think about.

Keith

 

[Keith GH]

Jon

Here they are.

Rotate the DW to allow you to move it to the left, place a rock underneath the twiggy piece its resting on. I can be covered by the substrate or covered by plants.

1 Rock move to the right and back a little.

2 Rock rotate and move to the left to locate the front 1/3rd dot.

3 Rock a small one behind the twiggy piece and try to get the back 1/3 dot

? If you can do all this it will look completely different especially the three rock placement. Most important a full Mock tank it will be a lot easier to get everything perfect first.

Keith

 

[lucaz koh]

Can’t move the wood any further to the left due to the left branch. Unless I snap it and file it down?

Also the big main stone I have is fairly chunky and squarish so also limits movement unfortunately.