120 x 55 x 55cm 'On the sea shore'

[Mark Evans]

Re: 120 x 55 x 55cm 'On the sea shore'

Something about that one rock on the Right front, it blocks the path going back.

Moved to a less obstructive position.

However, with it being a sacrificial stone, it still would work there. To break up the monotony of an 'all gravel' foreground. 😀

 

[Mark Evans]

Re: 120 x 55 x 55cm 'On the sea shore'

oved to a less obstructive position.

Your right Tom.

I've moved it closer to the bigger stone, so it's now a 'supporting' stone if you were to follow the 'Iwagumi' way of doing things.

It's certainly opened up the path. Thanks Tom


rocks by saintly's pics, on Flickr

I think I may open up the path to the left to. I've wanted to play on the idea of having 2 paths rather than the typical 1

I look at these as 'coves' or 'nooks and crannies' rather than a full blown 'path'

1

 

[Mark Evans]

Re: 120 x 55 x 55cm 'On the sea shore'

When you get wonderful growth from the 1-2 grow! range, it's really hard not to want to add a massive wall of stems.

I reckon this is similar to the ADA wabi-kusa style of growth.

You seem to get great growth right from the bottom of the plant. Completely different to the potted brother.

That little clump of rotala, is from the smallest pinch of 1-2grow!


1-2-grow!-Rotala-Rotundifol by saintly's pics, on Flickr

 

[Piece-of-fish]

Re: 120 x 55 x 55cm 'On the sea shore'

Very interesting on 1-2 grow. I shall be starting a full nano using those plants.
Ahh and more or less nice hardscape Mark

Just teasing 😀

 

[plantbrain]

Re: 120 x 55 x 55cm 'On the sea shore'

Something about that one rock on the Right front, it blocks the path going back.

Moved to a less obstructive position.

However, with it being a sacrificial stone, it still would work there. To break up the monotony of an 'all gravel' foreground. 😀

Once the plants are in there, that will not be the case...........it will highlight and enhance the look and depth of the tank.

Less ......is more. :idea:

But.......the nice thing about the guts of the scape, they are well placed.....these smaller tid bits can be added, moved or removed any old time.

Play around and see what you think later.

I have my own opinions but I tend to ask these questions openly.......this is the good path: to question yourself and your choices, not just rude critiques. You ultimately live with the tank and have to face your creation daily........I do not :idea:

 

[plantbrain]

Re: 120 x 55 x 55cm 'On the sea shore'

If you have seen the 120 Gal I have been doing for god.....a while now....I ask these same questions of myself and move and play around like lego building blocks in search of a nice color and plant scheme contrast.

This is teaching me a great deal.
1. How to work with different species and contrast together.
2. How each species is able to grow and how the best method of trimming applies(eg, not just ADA style, or just Dutch style)
3. The wood is similar to stone but with more forms from rock like Burls, to smaller thin wisp of branches.
4. the Sense of depth and thickly planted groupings.

However, this is not nature style. I have a feeling that is more your direction, but you can still use some of these ideas above to approach nature style, in other words, these approaches are universal regardless of style.

You take risk and try different things. Don't like em? Easy to change them back, just take your time and give them a few days to think and ponder what looks right, best for you.

I find many of the ideas I had, were frankly, terrible. But that is how we learn, we try and make mistakes, and then learn from them. Think of all the mistakes Amano has made over the years.

Tenacity keeps us going. Tenacity triumphs over $, skill, intelligence etc.

 

[JohnC]

Re: 120 x 55 x 55cm 'On the sea shore'

.....
Tenacity keeps us going. Tenacity triumphs over $, skill, intelligence etc.

 

[tim]

Re: 120 x 55 x 55cm 'On the sea shore'

another inspiring journal in progress mark

 

[Mark Evans]

Re: 120 x 55 x 55cm 'On the sea shore'

another inspiring journal in progress mark

Thanks Tim.

Once the plants are in there, that will not be the case...........it will highlight and enhance the look and depth of the tank.

Less ......is more.

Sure is Tom.

Not having a tank I can post about is killing me. The 90cm is getting all the attention under the sun, and I carried out a full tank shot session 2 days ago, which, if I may say, maybe one of the best, full tank shot I've ever taken; Technically speaking.
The lighting was just right.

I'm not sure when I'll get around to setting this up...soon I hope! and with what I'm learning about red plants hopefully this should have a splash of colour.

 

[Iain Sutherland]

Re: 120 x 55 x 55cm 'On the sea shore'

The 90cm is getting all the attention under the sun, and I carried out a full tank shot session 2 days ago, which, if I may say, maybe one of the best, full tank shot I've ever taken; Technically speaking.

ooh, do share 😉

 

[Antipofish]

Re: 120 x 55 x 55cm 'On the sea shore'

Once the plants are in there, that will not be the case...........it will highlight and enhance the look and depth of the tank.

Less ......is more.

Sure is Tom. ....... and with what I'm learning about red plants hopefully this should have a splash of colour.

So what ARE you learning about Red plants Mark ? The secret of their success ? If so... spill the beans buddy 🙂

 

[Mark Evans]

Re: 120 x 55 x 55cm 'On the sea shore'

So what ARE you learning about Red plants Mark ? The secret of their success ? If so... spill the beans buddy

Still learning! but, a very big BUT....i seem to be getting colours!

I've got Rotala Rotundifolia going pink.... I've not had that in about 3 years!!!!!


eustralis-stellata by saintly's pics, on Flickr

ooh, do share

Soon mate.

 

[Antipofish]

Re: 120 x 55 x 55cm 'On the sea shore'

So what ARE you learning about Red plants Mark ? The secret of their success ? If so... spill the beans buddy

Still learning! but, a very big BUT....i seem to be getting colours!

I've got Rotala Rotundifolia going pink.... I've not had that in about 3 years!!!!!

So what is it that you've learnt lol.

 

[viktorlantos]

Re: 120 x 55 x 55cm 'On the sea shore'

Cheers Mark, the photo is great as always. Kudos for that
Isn't that Pogostemon Stellata on the middle which has a nice color?

I only see Rotala in the back with some orange and some red at the end which is laying on the top of the surface, the rest is green behind the Stellata.

Also wondering if you used any color correction? The 2 sakuras on the top of the stone has some weird color there if i maginify with flickr. Or the tubes do this?

just interested about it mate do not take it as an offense

 

[Mark Evans]

Re: 120 x 55 x 55cm 'On the sea shore'

Also wondering if you used any color correction? The 2 sakuras on the top of the stone has some weird color there if i maginify with flickr. Or the tubes do this?

Combined with T5 and colour correction, saturation, yes Viktor. I must admit, even this one is OTT,but check out the other images...their OK.

Isn't that Pogostemon Stellata on the middle which has a nice color?

😳 blimey, i do apologize! I've named it wrong. yes mate.

So what is it that you've learnt lol.

T5 and Iron. works a treat.

I only see Rotala in the back with some orange and some red at the end which is laying on the top of the surface, the rest is green behind the Stellata.

Thats because you cant see the bit that i'm on about. It's in a part of the tank I've not shown.

I'll have to watch how i phrase my comments, to be a bit clearer.

 

[Antipofish]

Re: 120 x 55 x 55cm 'On the sea shore'

Hi Mark, thanks for that 🙂 I had heard that myself oddly and must have stored it at the back of my mind. Thanks for mentioning. There must be a biological/scientific reason behind that which no doubt Clive could elaborate on. Would a rusty nail in the tank do ? LOL. I actually have a Fe test kit in the Sera master kit I was given. Wonder if they have any accuracy at all. Not that I am gonna start testing Fe but would be interesting to know "starting points" at least. Either way, your learning experience is certainly working. That pic is a cracker. You must be very pleased, given the difficulty you have experienced with reds in the past. And thats not failure; they might grow for one person and not another purely because of different Fe levels in their water. I can't recall if you use tap or RO ?

 

[viktorlantos]

Re: 120 x 55 x 55cm 'On the sea shore'

Cheers Mark, thanks for the clarificaiton and sorry again if i seemed offense that was not my goal. 😳
The photo looks brilliant by the way i would be happy to have that on my wall 😀

Additionally to the Fe and T5 which ferts you're running currently?
I've seen that in our tanks if i dose with EI (Nitrate is 20-30mg/l in the water column there) and dose with a leaner fert on the other (ADA now but could be anything), the one which is lower on Nitrate the better red color will do on plants without iron too. But if i add some iron colors goes even better.

So for this reason if go after nice deep red color for a stem forest i probably go on an alternate fert route first.

Tom may will bash me becasue of the above lines 😀 but this stuff keeps getting back to me since i am using EI 4 years ago.

 

[plantbrain]

Re: 120 x 55 x 55cm 'On the sea shore'

I'd not fear too much about the colors...........just work on growth in general, this is the path to good color, everyone thinks there's a trick.

T5's are nice and can reflect a lot of red color also. Eg red blubs make the tank look redder, but then your greens do not look as nice.

ADA did this with a few of their bulbs NO T12's and then the HQI's, and the PC's, but man....They are like over a decade behind when it comes to lighting. The ATI lights I use are pushing 400% more light watt for watt with the same PAR and literally 30 more color combinations if not more.

With colors, you can work within the red shades themselves, or oranges, or yellows. Amano made mention of this recently in AJ. If the plant is placed high in the rear, then you often see the undersides which can be very different colored as well.

Some reds are more appropriate with contrasting greens than others............, I think many seek the blood red color, I tend to like a wide range if I add color. Otherwise, I generally work with the many shades of greens.

You will never run out of combinations here. With 400 plants, the various combo's are limitless.

 

[Iain Sutherland]

Re: 120 x 55 x 55cm 'On the sea shore'

Like tom said im still working on growing plants let alone worry about reds.. but i am curious how people add iron? I have only ever used flourish iron, a long time ago when i didnt really know what/why i was adding it, and it makes the water very milky for a few days.
I seem to remember a thread about some not being good in shrimp tanks also??
Any advise would be an education

 

[Westyggx]

Re: 120 x 55 x 55cm 'On the sea shore'

John at APF can sort you some iron http://www.aquariumplantfood.co.uk/fert ... 2-50g.html