Journal Long-winded ramblings about Dutch-style aquascaping

[Art]

Safe travels! Tank is looking good. I'm really jealous of the space you have that gives you the ability to space your plants properly.

My square smaller footprint limits my ability to do that.

 

[gjcarew]

My first Dutch layout was in a 22 gallon long, which was a truly unreasonable size. I like to think it taught me a thing or two about using the height and depth of the tank effectively, since I had so little of either!

 

[gjcarew]

Getting there! Still quite a few groups (looking at you pinnatifida!) that need some work.

I like the combination of plants overall. Still not sold on the ludwigia pantanal in that location, since it's kinda overwhelming to the eye being such a bright red, yet I haven't propped enough stems to replace the ludwigia rubin yet.

The "moss" walls are not working but they also aren't doing any harm so I'm leaving them for now.

 

[Art]

Why do you think the walls are not working? What moss do you have on them?

 

[gjcarew]

Why do you think the walls are not working? What moss do you have on them?

Calicostella prabaktiana. I don't think it's the moss per se, I'm trying a new method of using window screen mesh. I suspect the holes are too small for the moss to grow through

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

I love your buce, is it Godzilla? I love seeing it planted like that and growing so densely. Your clearly doing something right with it

 

[gjcarew]

Thanks, that's just tissue culture Kedagang I've been growing for a couple years.

Buce is labeled as an epiphyte but grows way better rooted in my experience. I started growing it like this after seeing @Dennis Wong growing brownie ghost in the same manner.

One day I'm gonna buy some and grow a field of brownie ghost 2011

 

[Art]

Calicostella prabaktiana. I don't think it's the moss per se, I'm trying a new method of using window screen mesh. I suspect the holes are too small for the moss to grow through

Hmm. You made me look it up. It's a beautiful moss-like plant at least.

Have you tried growing it on a rock in the aquarium as well? Just to see if it's the mesh or wether your setup isn't geared for it?

 

[gjcarew]

Hmm. You made me look it up. It's a beautiful moss-like plant at least.

Have you tried growing it on a rock in the aquarium as well? Just to see if it's the mesh or wether your setup isn't geared for it?

Yeah, I had a huge clump of it on a rock previously. I think I might put some on a smaller piece of wood, I do love the look of moss even though growing it on walls is a pain.

Tank is still just plodding along, nothing new but a little refining and fiddling with things here and there. I like where it's headed - the visual strength of the groups feels balanced to me, and the groups are interesting and varied. There are still some little things I'm growing out here and therebut they would of course come out for any photos

I like the kinda crazy cyperus helferi on the right side, it adds a touch of wildness to the tank

 

[Art]

@gjcarew it is looking nice. Must be a joy to see in person.

Would you remind me what is the substrate you're using?

 

[gjcarew]

@gjcarew it is looking nice. Must be a joy to see in person.

Would you remind me what is the substrate you're using?

A bit of a mix; the bulk of it is caribsea peace river gravel, but it has a base of old aquasoil and these days I top it off with Lapis Lustre sand

 

[Art]

Interesting. So it is mostly inert except for the old AquaSoil. Reminds me of the old days when we mixed laterite with small gravel.

 

[gjcarew]

Like most art forms, having a competition-level planted tank requires two aspects: the design, and the execution. It's far too easy to focus on the design and never really nail the execution because of constant fiddling.

It's important to decide at some point, "This is the design I'm going with," then focus on the execution to the best of your abilities. Refine the shapes of groups, work on trimming and timing, make small tweaks in ferts and color spectrum to get the absolute most out of your layout.

Do I always follow my own advice? Of course not. I made some rather drastic adjustments to the layout. Forgive the cloudy water, but I've done a lot of replanting today.


I need another water change tomorrow then I'll post a clearer picture

 

[gjcarew]

A better photo. I need to give some more space to everything, it's feeling a bit crowded right now.

 

[FrankZ]

View attachment 5841
A better photo. I need to give some more space to everything, it's feeling a bit crowded right now.

Providing space is a major struggle for me. I either go with way to much or not enough. Rarely can I find that perfect spacing.

 

[gjcarew]

I didn't even realize it until I looked at my last post but I've done a decent amount of obtaining new plants and rearranging over the past few weeks. The overall look is still similar, but I got some rotala walichii, penthorum sedioides, and helanthium bolivianum 'angustifolius'. A lot of the new plants are still adjusting, but I think they're gonna look good when they settle in.

If I keep the walichii as a curtain plant, I may have to do something other than the myrio Guyana mini behind it. They have a very similar shape.

I did a little before and after because I knew this was gonna be a big trim. I'm sad I had to butcher the lotus like that but I let it get almost to the surface so it needed a hard chop.

Still no word from AGA, so I'm just plugging along and doing my own thing! If the tank is within striking distance by the time they announce it I'll submit something, but I'm just enjoying the tank for what it is right now.

 

[Joel Armstrong]

I enjoy seeing the before/after trim pictures, helps me learn more.

Beautiful looking tank there! Well done!

 

[SkaleyAquatics]

Man I was drooling over that lotus then I saw the post trimming. Understand the need to trim it but man was it immaculate.

 

[gjcarew]

Man I was drooling over that lotus then I saw the post trimming. Understand the need to trim it but man was it immaculate.

I know, it's always a bit of a tragedy when you have something looking that mature. I try to remember that it's going downhill one way or another, either when I start getting lily pads or from trimming. So at least now it will recover.

 

[gjcarew]

Those of you lamenting the loss of my lotus will be pleased to see she's recovered.

I don't know if that myrio Guyana in the back right is gonna work. I used it as a background plant in my 22 gallon long but the stems don't seem to be able to get long enough without breaking in this tank. So maybe it can go where the helanthium bolivianum is now, and that can be the curtain plant.

All of which leaves the back right in limbo, yet again. I'll take a trip to aquarium zen soon and see if anything strikes my fancy.