plantbrain
Member
- Joined
- 2 Aug 2007
- Messages
- 1,938
I'm not sure this is really a "Western" aesthetic or not.
It is not traditional in either style, perhaps a long way from either style.
But my own ideas and visions are not based on that. Our local Bonsai club is heavily dominated by Japanese masters. But they like other styles too.
If you can blend the intellectual, emotional and the intuitive then you are doing something right.
I have the nerdy thing with the various plant species.
Emotional impact
Intuitive usage.
I'm following this path in other aquariums also.
Some are much more Nature style. I'll have one somewhat like this since I enjoy color/constrast and lots of species, but many other tanks, not so much. I just do not have the time or motivation to keep that many tanks like this.
One is enough.
Water is cloudy because I obviously just moved a few things and trimmed a lot. The highlighted plant here is the green Erio setaceum, type 1. In the rear is a massive type 3. It has a darker green color and is about 3x as large. The S. maderia was not doing so well and the position was not far, just 2 rows over for the Erio's. They were in sad shape a couple of months ago, but now they are looking very nice. I've had better luck with Type 3, but this is about the 3-4th time I've found decent success with the Type 1 and am now able to scape effectively with it over the long term. It's somewhat slower growing and forms nice dichotomous branch tops. These are nice bright white green making for a nice contrast against the broad red leaves. The Front red plant is A. reineckii "mini" which is similar in growth rates as the Erio type 1. The Rotala macrandra is a weed, but it's pretty and does well on this troublesome location. So I do not care much about it, it'll grow no matter what abuse I throw at it. The next bright green plant is the Micrantherum(we are sure of this genus) umbrosum(?) monte carlo. I sent some to Tropica so it will be widely available commercially soon. You can also look at the piece of wood I put over in this right corner and drilled holes for the Riccardia, it's completely engulfed now. Took a bit of patience, but now it's doing what I want. To be able to scape with a nice plant effectively is a good feeling. It's not an easy one for most people.
The other picture gives you an idea of the hacking I do. I uprooted and then replanted the tops this time to most of the rear row, I topped but did not uproot the the Ludwigia senegalensis. Ludwigia sphaerocarpa gets a good hack every week pretty much, grows about 3-4" a week I'd say. The bottom portions, the stumps will send new side shoots if you plant them back or in another tank, or outside emergent. the Monte Carlo, I keep pushing back as it creeps into the other groups. Bladderwort is present and is the biggest PITA in taking care of this tank. I try hard to keep ahead of it. The ADA aqua soil clouds a lot, but the tank will clear in less than a day or so I would say.
I'm not sure what I'll do about the rear right corner yet, the type 3 Erio setaceum is a nice plant, so I might see which of those or the S madeira does well/better back there. If so, I'll pout the Erio type 3 in the 180 Gallon tank and make a nice stand over time over there. If not, then perhaps this or some other new plant that comes down the pipe.
It is not traditional in either style, perhaps a long way from either style.
But my own ideas and visions are not based on that. Our local Bonsai club is heavily dominated by Japanese masters. But they like other styles too.
If you can blend the intellectual, emotional and the intuitive then you are doing something right.
I have the nerdy thing with the various plant species.
Emotional impact
Intuitive usage.
I'm following this path in other aquariums also.
Some are much more Nature style. I'll have one somewhat like this since I enjoy color/constrast and lots of species, but many other tanks, not so much. I just do not have the time or motivation to keep that many tanks like this.
One is enough.
Water is cloudy because I obviously just moved a few things and trimmed a lot. The highlighted plant here is the green Erio setaceum, type 1. In the rear is a massive type 3. It has a darker green color and is about 3x as large. The S. maderia was not doing so well and the position was not far, just 2 rows over for the Erio's. They were in sad shape a couple of months ago, but now they are looking very nice. I've had better luck with Type 3, but this is about the 3-4th time I've found decent success with the Type 1 and am now able to scape effectively with it over the long term. It's somewhat slower growing and forms nice dichotomous branch tops. These are nice bright white green making for a nice contrast against the broad red leaves. The Front red plant is A. reineckii "mini" which is similar in growth rates as the Erio type 1. The Rotala macrandra is a weed, but it's pretty and does well on this troublesome location. So I do not care much about it, it'll grow no matter what abuse I throw at it. The next bright green plant is the Micrantherum(we are sure of this genus) umbrosum(?) monte carlo. I sent some to Tropica so it will be widely available commercially soon. You can also look at the piece of wood I put over in this right corner and drilled holes for the Riccardia, it's completely engulfed now. Took a bit of patience, but now it's doing what I want. To be able to scape with a nice plant effectively is a good feeling. It's not an easy one for most people.
The other picture gives you an idea of the hacking I do. I uprooted and then replanted the tops this time to most of the rear row, I topped but did not uproot the the Ludwigia senegalensis. Ludwigia sphaerocarpa gets a good hack every week pretty much, grows about 3-4" a week I'd say. The bottom portions, the stumps will send new side shoots if you plant them back or in another tank, or outside emergent. the Monte Carlo, I keep pushing back as it creeps into the other groups. Bladderwort is present and is the biggest PITA in taking care of this tank. I try hard to keep ahead of it. The ADA aqua soil clouds a lot, but the tank will clear in less than a day or so I would say.
I'm not sure what I'll do about the rear right corner yet, the type 3 Erio setaceum is a nice plant, so I might see which of those or the S madeira does well/better back there. If so, I'll pout the Erio type 3 in the 180 Gallon tank and make a nice stand over time over there. If not, then perhaps this or some other new plant that comes down the pipe.
. It's kind of a "best of show" in the collectoritis category (Alan's tank comes a close second!). This tank appeals to anyone who loves seeing the variety of colours and forms that aquatic plants take and seeing them grow in luxury health. Do you reckon you could do it at a higher kH?
