First look- 125G driftwood aquascape

[MrMuggles]

There's going to be a lot of mesh bags of lava rock holding the final height. This one's going to be tricky, for sure... I don't think I've ever gone this high with my substrate before.

I have a bunch of mesh bags and I plan to raise the back end of my scape a lot, eventually. I had this idea to use a coule skinny slabs of slate, oriented vertically on the long edge, to build tiers that keep the top layer of substrate from eroding at higher altitudes.

 

[Jellopuddinpop]

I have a bunch of mesh bags and I plan to raise the back end of my scape a lot, eventually. I had this idea to use a coule skinny slabs of slate, oriented vertically on the long edge, to build tiers that keep the top layer of substrate from eroding at higher altitudes.

Not sure how I feel about that. I dont think I would want the slate showing.

 

[Jellopuddinpop]

the whole point of snapping all of these photos was to look at them constantly and nit pick, and I'm wondering if I should tweak something... Would you take this whole highlighted area and move it as far right as it can go? Or is it better to leave it where it is to leave room for plants on the far right?

 

[JPog]

I would leave it. it seems to adhere to the golden ratio with that thick swirly section of the wood just left of those lava bags.

Als from my experience when you have strong driftwood your probably not going to want tall plants to the right of it, you want a certain amount of negative space. And if this is going to be very lush and most of the wood eventually gets hidden then it won't matter as much IMO.

 

[Jellopuddinpop]

I would leave it. it seems to adhere to the golden ratio with that thick swirly section of the wood just left of those lava bags.

Als from my experience when you have strong driftwood your probably not going to want tall plants to the right of it, you want a certain amount of negative space. And if this is going to be very lush and most of the wood eventually gets hidden then it won't matter as much IMO.

Most of the unplanted, negative space will be where the sand path is, and underneath the arch. That area underneath should be mostly Staurogyne Repens, AR Mini, and Buce / Anubias.

 

[Jellopuddinpop]

I just thought about this, but will Hydrocotyle Tripatra Japan attach itself to hardscape? That might be SUPER cool looking to have that whole arch covered in weeping clovers, like a hanging garden...

 

[Immortal1]

I like the idea of the hanging garden.
What is your plans for the hardscape in general? I ask simply because in my tank I do have some Mopanin wood hardscape but you would not know it as it is completely obscured by the Anubias nana and Buce.

 

[Jellopuddinpop]

I like the idea of the hanging garden.
What is your plans for the hardscape in general? I ask simply because in my tank I do have some Mopanin wood hardscape but you would not know it as it is completely obscured by the Anubias nana and Buce.

I'm planning on epiphytes in and around the nooks and crannies at the base of the wood, but nothing attached higher. The exception would be moss or something in specific places.

Do you know if Hydrocotyle Japan will attach to the wood like an epiphyte would?

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 447]

I'm planning on epiphytes in and around the nooks and crannies at the base of the wood, but nothing attached higher. The exception would be moss or something in specific places.

Do you know if Hydrocotyle Japan will attach to the wood like an epiphyte would?

No it will not. High light and co2 will make it dense and busy, but let me tell you once it takes off it’s literally a weed.

 

[Jellopuddinpop]

No it will not. High light and co2 will make it dense and busy, but let me tell you once it takes off it’s literally a weed.

Thanks for the heads up. I need to find some fast growing, easy plants to soak up nutrients in the beginning, but maybe this isn't the one I want to add. If the whole tank is full of slow growers, the first few months will be a nightmare.

I'm really battle scarred after dealing with the scourge of moss in my tank right now, and I don't want to replace one mortal enemy with another lmao

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 447]

My experience with moss was much different. What kind do you have ? The one that I enjoyed most was ‘pilo’ moss, it’s not a fast grower but grows similarly to willow moss in a hanging manner. Moss for me always becomes a nest for algae but I think that was a maintenance issue on my end.

Have you thought of floating plants? Not only fast growers but they will shade any excessive light

 

[Jellopuddinpop]

My experience with moss was much different. What kind do you have ? The one that I enjoyed most was ‘pilo’ moss, it’s not a fast grower but grows similarly to willow moss in a hanging manner. Moss for me always becomes a nest for algae but I think that was a maintenance issue on my end.

Have you thought of floating plants? Not only fast growers but they will shade any excessive light

Well, I didn't exactly buy the moss that's giving me issues. It must have come in on something else, and it grew in and around a forest of Giant Hairgrass behind all my hardscape. I think it's Christmas moss.

I'll pull a clump out today and snap a pic.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 447]

You know I was thinking, maybe H. Trip. Mini would be a better solution for you? The leaves are smaller and more compact and I imagine would be easier to control. I don’t think it’s anything you can buy unless it’s a TC and not sure how you feel about them. TC never work for me unfortunately.

 

[Immortal1]

I'm planning on epiphytes in and around the nooks and crannies at the base of the wood, but nothing attached higher. The exception would be moss or something in specific places.

Do you know if Hydrocotyle Japan will attach to the wood like an epiphyte would?

From reading below, looks like Japan will not attach.
Leaving the hard scape exactly as you have it, I could see certain taller, straight growing stems on the far right side and maybe behind certain section of the hard scape.