"Evening Sun"

[Avalon]

I decided that my vacation time would be well spent at putting together my first "real" aquascape, as opposed to just growing plants. I just set it up a few minutes ago. Don't be too harsh, aquascaping isn't my forte. Please do tell me what you would fix/move/change (and why)!

"Evening Sun"



Top down photo of P. Stellata "broadleaf" and Rotalla sp. "vietnam"



Top down photo of P. Stellata (regular kind)




Notes: The rocks are temporarily there to hold the wood down, not rockscaping. There's some scrappy plants in the middle I'm trying to grow out (just got them), so they really aren't part of the aquascape. I've got some moss coming for the driftwood so it won't all be so bare. There's still some work to do.

I'm kind of thinking the big green plant (Hygro. corymbosa "siamensis") is a little jarring for the subdued look I'm trying to achieve; this tank is in my bedroom. However, it is currently intended as a focal point, but I'm missing some plants to relieve the "eye strain" of it.

Oh well...tell me what you think!

[seastaar88]

avalon, for a so called "non aquascaper," your tank looks amazing. i love that piece of wood on the right -- the angles and color of it are fabulous. just wondering what you've got in there for light. i agree that green plant it a little harsh for your tank. maybe move it to another tank. what is your foreground "grass"-like plant? i love when the substrate is covered like that.

[Lotus]

Looks really good so far!

I was about to say something about the rocks, until I read the note. I agree about the H. corymbosa being a little too bright, if you're going for a subdued look. I think I'd replace it with something with round leaves, for a little texture contrast.

What's the crypt at the front? Is that C. moehlmanni?

[Avalon]

Thanks for the kind words! The foreground is dwarf hairgrass, or elocharis acicularis. The crypt in the front is actually a wendtii "Tropica." I recently got it, suprisingly at Wal-Mart, so it's still adjusting to submersed growth. As for the big green plant, I'm at a loss for a focal plant. A "Kleiner Bar" sword would work well, but swords get too unruly. What would you say to some anubias in the midground/foreground, on the left side? There's one plant on the right you can't see in the pics--Pogostemon helferi, or "Daonoi." It's a nifty plant, but grows very slowly. Hopefully the plants I do have growing out will work. They barely survived 6 days in a box in the mail, in freezing weather. I'm trying to get my Rotalla sp. "Nanjenshan" to recover. I think it will be a nice plant if it can.

[Lotus]

It really looks like you've worked hard on this.

I think some anubias would look nice. Maybe one of the new hybrids like starburst or wavy leaf would be interesting

I wasn't sure about the crypt, it did look like it might be emersed growth.

I know those swords can get unruly. I am trying out some Red Melon/E. barthi now, and that might work well in your tank (gets to about 10"). It has reddish oval leaves. Is this the 75g tank?

[fishcraziee]

OMG!!! B-E-A-Utiful!!!!! It looks like a pic out of Nature World or something (book slips my mind...) I wish I had such taste with plants and such >. <

[fishtrap]

Avalon... you're a natural

Re: Hygro. corymbosa, I don't know much about the exotic plants yet, but I think a splash of some kind of red color plant would look smashing in that spot.

[dogdoc]

Very nice Avalon.

Aquascaping not your forte? I beg to differ. That looks awesome.

[cinlnk]

Simply put here ..... Just beautiful...... looks like you worked a very long time on it and well thought out ..... I love it

[NoDeltaH2O]

Dude, the tank is a work of art. These really is not much more you could do to it except get that wood to stay down.

KUDOS!