Ishar's 20GH Planted tank

ishar · 02-03-2008, 03:16 PM

Ok. On Avalon's suggestions, I did a bit of rescaping and planning. As you can see below, I removed the left-hand bunch of moss and spread the glosso over where it was (it is already showing a lot of new growth, so I figure it won't take long for it to fill in the space it was given). The moss I removed is being kept in a large vase- just in case I want it later... it was a lot of moss to just throw away :P. If I end up not using it for a month of so I will be splitting it up and selling it to my friends at MFT- so keep your eyes out (there is a lot of moss to go if I do sell

) I also moved my ferns around to give the big bunch in the middle more bulk and the bunch on the right was moved to the left to help cover up the bottoms of the rotala. I was able to take the lead weights off on my anubias as it is anchored well enough to hold itself down. Hopefully you all like the changes. I know I do

. Thanks for the advice Avalon

.

My plan for the foreground is to eventually get myself some dwarf hairgrass and then get rid of the moss all together. For the midground I will likely leave it just as it is- I like it a lot. Unless I find a good red midground plant for right behind the wood I will likely leave the midground as is. For the background I am going to let the vals grow out on the right side, and maybe in the future mix in some different types of vals- some corkscrew and some regular val would be what I'd add. The bacopa will hopefully just grow into a smaller bunch in the center, and the rotala I hope to grow into a rather large and bushy group in the back left corner, and out to the center to the bacopa.

cchase85 · 02-03-2008, 03:23 PM

I can't see below.

cchase85 · 02-03-2008, 03:29 PM

Great job, as usual. You definitely have a knack for aquascaping.

ishar · 02-03-2008, 06:10 PM

lol Thanks cchase

. Sorry about that- I posted before I added pictures lol. It was before I even took them lol. I just forgot, so I edited them in afterwards.

alter40 · 02-03-2008, 06:13 PM

Looks very nice ishar. I really like the way you aquascape your tank!

FishGeek · 02-03-2008, 07:00 PM

Looks Great!!!

Benjamin 13 · 02-03-2008, 08:40 PM

looks funky and thats a good thing!! I like the aquascape!

ishar · 02-03-2008, 08:47 PM

Thanks a lot guys- I really appreciate everyone's support and criticism

I thought it would be neat at this point to make a post of FTS showing the progress I have taken my tank through.

Oct. 1, '07- the beginning

Oct. 10, '07- removed most plastic plants and added jungle val

Oct. 26, '07- all plastic removed

Nov. 10, '07- added anubias barteri var. nana and bacopa caroliniana

Jan. 8, '08- added rotala indica in december, and a double light strip and wood at time of post

Jan. 27, '08 - rescaped like crazy

Feb. 1, '08- added glossostigma

Feb. 3, '08- rescaped again (will likely be rescaped to fix the 50/50 look of moss vs glosso)

It has been quite the changing tank hahaha. Notice how much val I USED to have?? And how little moss I had?? And how small my java ferns were?? lol I never realized just how much everything has grown for me, but looking at this it is so obvious

.

ishar · 02-05-2008, 07:07 PM

Well I have been doing some research on aquascaping and stuff, and I have determined that I am, and have been, aiming for a mini Dutch style aquarium. I already sort of have it set up that way, with big leaved Bacopa next to point-leaved rotala, and straight edged val.. Also the java fern a totally contrasting style to the stem plants it is in front of, with a small, light coloured round leaved glosso in front of that. The moss in the front right corner again in contrast with the vals it is in front of.

Contrary to this however, when I get my dwarf hairgrass in the future and replace the Java moss in the tank with it, the hair grass and the vals will look quite similar, and thus goes against the Dutch style. I think it will look ok though, as they still contrast within their similarities- they are both blades, but one is dark green and very large and thick, the other is light green and very fine and short.

One day, however, when I get a 55-100G tank, I am going to try a feng shui type of tank- the kind that Mr. Takashi Amano excels at and basically created. I don't know if any of you have seen pictures of his tanks, but even with just glosso and hairgrass I have seen pictures of breathtaking displays. Using this idea, I think I will make it a feng shui tank with local, wild caught fish such as sunfish. Anyways, that is just my dream

. I got side tracked lol.

FreshwaterJeff · 02-06-2008, 03:56 PM

Lookin' really good, ishar

Amano's tanks are amazing -- good luck when you start trying your own, and I'm sure we will all cheer you on

02-03-2008, 03:16 PM	#71
ishar MFT Staff Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hamilton, ON. Posts: 1,477	Ok. On Avalon's suggestions, I did a bit of rescaping and planning. As you can see below, I removed the left-hand bunch of moss and spread the glosso over where it was (it is already showing a lot of new growth, so I figure it won't take long for it to fill in the space it was given). The moss I removed is being kept in a large vase- just in case I want it later... it was a lot of moss to just throw away :P. If I end up not using it for a month of so I will be splitting it up and selling it to my friends at MFT- so keep your eyes out (there is a lot of moss to go if I do sell ) I also moved my ferns around to give the big bunch in the middle more bulk and the bunch on the right was moved to the left to help cover up the bottoms of the rotala. I was able to take the lead weights off on my anubias as it is anchored well enough to hold itself down. Hopefully you all like the changes. I know I do . Thanks for the advice Avalon . My plan for the foreground is to eventually get myself some dwarf hairgrass and then get rid of the moss all together. For the midground I will likely leave it just as it is- I like it a lot. Unless I find a good red midground plant for right behind the wood I will likely leave the midground as is. For the background I am going to let the vals grow out on the right side, and maybe in the future mix in some different types of vals- some corkscrew and some regular val would be what I'd add. The bacopa will hopefully just grow into a smaller bunch in the center, and the rotala I hope to grow into a rather large and bushy group in the back left corner, and out to the center to the bacopa. __________________ Old 20G- NOTE there are no pics in this journal anymore 20G Long "The Meadow" Journal ~~~~VOTE FOR MFT HERE~~~~ Ishar's Auctions Ishar's Planted Tank Website Last edited by ishar; 02-03-2008 at 03:29 PM..

02-03-2008, 03:23 PM	#72
cchase85 Medium Fish Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New England Posts: 444	I can't see below. __________________ 29g planted - rainbows, tetras, corys, plecos 10g - being set up in 2 weeks 5.5g planted - pygmy corys, pristella tetras 2g planted - cherry shrimp www.curtischase.com

02-03-2008, 03:29 PM	#73
cchase85 Medium Fish Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New England Posts: 444	Great job, as usual. You definitely have a knack for aquascaping. __________________ 29g planted - rainbows, tetras, corys, plecos 10g - being set up in 2 weeks 5.5g planted - pygmy corys, pristella tetras 2g planted - cherry shrimp www.curtischase.com

02-03-2008, 06:10 PM	#74
ishar MFT Staff Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hamilton, ON. Posts: 1,477	lol Thanks cchase . Sorry about that- I posted before I added pictures lol. It was before I even took them lol. I just forgot, so I edited them in afterwards. __________________ Old 20G- NOTE there are no pics in this journal anymore 20G Long "The Meadow" Journal ~~~~VOTE FOR MFT HERE~~~~ Ishar's Auctions Ishar's Planted Tank Website

02-03-2008, 06:13 PM	#75
alter40 Super Fish Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 1,293	Looks very nice ishar. I really like the way you aquascape your tank! __________________ My current 10 gal native tank (click for my journal) My old 10 gal planted tank (click for my journal) My old 10g Native (click for journal)

02-03-2008, 07:00 PM	#76
FishGeek Super Fish Join Date: May 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 4,265	Looks Great!!! __________________ 44G ~ Equipment: Rena Filstar XP3 & 200W Heater *Inhabitants:* 7 Pristella Tetras, Marigold Platy, Koi Angel, & Female Betta 90G ~ Equipment: Tidepool & 300W Titanium Heater *Inhabitants:* 4 Texas Cichlids & Royal Pleco-L027C Other Pets ~ 3 Horses (Sunny-Roscoe-Luke), 2 Rats (Duncan-Bongo) & a Dog (Chance)

02-03-2008, 08:40 PM	#77
Benjamin 13 Teenie Weenie Fish Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 48	looks funky and thats a good thing!! I like the aquascape! __________________ Dont Try Dont Fail-DTDF Last edited by Benjamin 13; 02-03-2008 at 08:43 PM..

02-03-2008, 08:47 PM	#78
ishar MFT Staff Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hamilton, ON. Posts: 1,477	Sequence Thanks a lot guys- I really appreciate everyone's support and criticism I thought it would be neat at this point to make a post of FTS showing the progress I have taken my tank through. Oct. 1, '07- the beginning Oct. 10, '07- removed most plastic plants and added jungle val Oct. 26, '07- all plastic removed Nov. 10, '07- added anubias barteri var. nana and bacopa caroliniana Jan. 8, '08- added rotala indica in december, and a double light strip and wood at time of post Jan. 27, '08 - rescaped like crazy Feb. 1, '08- added glossostigma Feb. 3, '08- rescaped again (will likely be rescaped to fix the 50/50 look of moss vs glosso) It has been quite the changing tank hahaha. Notice how much val I USED to have?? And how little moss I had?? And how small my java ferns were?? lol I never realized just how much everything has grown for me, but looking at this it is so obvious . __________________ Old 20G- NOTE there are no pics in this journal anymore 20G Long "The Meadow" Journal ~~~~VOTE FOR MFT HERE~~~~ Ishar's Auctions Ishar's Planted Tank Website Last edited by ishar; 02-03-2008 at 09:01 PM..

02-05-2008, 07:07 PM	#79
ishar MFT Staff Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hamilton, ON. Posts: 1,477	Well I have been doing some research on aquascaping and stuff, and I have determined that I am, and have been, aiming for a mini Dutch style aquarium. I already sort of have it set up that way, with big leaved Bacopa next to point-leaved rotala, and straight edged val.. Also the java fern a totally contrasting style to the stem plants it is in front of, with a small, light coloured round leaved glosso in front of that. The moss in the front right corner again in contrast with the vals it is in front of. Contrary to this however, when I get my dwarf hairgrass in the future and replace the Java moss in the tank with it, the hair grass and the vals will look quite similar, and thus goes against the Dutch style. I think it will look ok though, as they still contrast within their similarities- they are both blades, but one is dark green and very large and thick, the other is light green and very fine and short. One day, however, when I get a 55-100G tank, I am going to try a feng shui type of tank- the kind that Mr. Takashi Amano excels at and basically created. I don't know if any of you have seen pictures of his tanks, but even with just glosso and hairgrass I have seen pictures of breathtaking displays. Using this idea, I think I will make it a feng shui tank with local, wild caught fish such as sunfish. Anyways, that is just my dream . I got side tracked lol. __________________ Old 20G- NOTE there are no pics in this journal anymore 20G Long "The Meadow" Journal ~~~~VOTE FOR MFT HERE~~~~ Ishar's Auctions Ishar's Planted Tank Website Last edited by ishar; 02-05-2008 at 07:23 PM..

02-06-2008, 03:56 PM	#80
FreshwaterJeff Super Fish Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 1,261	Lookin' really good, ishar Amano's tanks are amazing -- good luck when you start trying your own, and I'm sure we will all cheer you on __________________ 55 gallon Planted Freshwater Aquarium