Why I like Cardinal Tetras

guppygirl said:

Ok here's my advice. After reading every entrant in the last couple of AGA contests, I would fill in that dark space in the upper left corner. A red plant would be best, to balance the green out or even better, Vallis that points to the right to sort of frame the whole tank with the other bunch of vallis. Dritftwood would be good too, I would put a small peice in the lower right corner to sort of transition from the hairgrass to the big plants above it. You could use something else to transition, but I can't think of any right now.
Also, remember to take pics when the tank has matured from it's last pruning. The judges seem to hate it when it looks freshly pruned or overgrown.
Sorry to be critical, your tank is so totally awesome!!!
Best of luck in the contest!
Robin

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Yes, I thought that was where the bogwood shoudl go too!

Great minds think alike!

I think that the framing idea is good, maybe you could do that with red plants, I think that would look awesome!

Thanks for all the helpful comments guys, much appreciated. I agree with most of them. I actually have a red variety of Vallis on the left, it's hard to see in my sig pic. I would like to have a bigger carpet but would have to sacrifice the Lotus Lily and Anubias nana, something I don't really want to do (yet!) The Lily provides too much shade for Eleocharis, thus the low-light requirement Anubias planting.

Discomafia - Nice to hear you use my tank as reference, very flattering. The right foreground plant is actually Ludwigia arcuata, not R. indica, thus the colour difference. I havent pruned it once yet, it's really slow to grow unlike most Ludwigia and quite light demanding.

I like the additional wood idea to seperate the Eleocharis (hairgrass) and Creeping jenny. I have a spare small piece which I might attach some moss too as well for a more natural look.

More red sounds ok, but I don't want too many focal points, I'll give it some more thought.

Thanks again for all the comments, keep them coming. I'm waiting for some from Tear-scar.

my Lily!

ooooh i love cardinal tetras! and they look fantastic in your tank! i think you will do very well in your competition.

Great as always gf225!!

Lilly is looking amazing!! What is the latin name for it as it looks like my Nymphaea stellata ?

And may i ask why you got your gold ram? or was it just cuz hes so purdy!!
lol

Dave_31 said:

Great as always gf225!!

Lilly is looking amazing!! What is the latin name for it as it looks like my Nymphaea stellata ?

And may i ask why you got your gold ram? or was it just cuz hes so purdy!!
lol

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Thanks. My Lily is Nymphaea japonicus, I bought some bulbs mail-order from Greenline Aquatics.

The Gold Ram is more for my wife's benefit as she wanted some "feature" fish. I plan on getting a second soon to get a pair, I'm hoping their territorial behaviour will encourage the Cardinals to shoal tighter.

I think it is well worthy of competition, very nice tank. With that said, I'll add my 2 cents.

Your plants are really healthy and the tank looks very clean. You trivialize this, but this is an accoplishment in of itself.

The pic/shadows makes it look like the foreground is a straight line instead of maybe an uneven natural-growth formation. I think adding more of the grass towards the front of the glass and the left side couldn't hurt.

Perhaps some hardscape would contrast the thriving plants and also add an earthy color?

I like the "scoop" line thing you have going created by the grass. (in other words if you look directly over the tank down upon it, the line would look like a "?" question mark) It adds depth, but I think it is too obvious being the only foreground plant, besides the nana. I think moving the plant in the fore/midground on the way left of the tank back towards the vallis would lessen this effect, and maybe plant some more grass in the empty space. I think that would be really good because it would make the lillies stand out more, in the line, thus eliminating the ambiguity of the focal point of your aquarium between the lillies and the grass cubby.

Aquascaping is anything but "painting" the tank the way you would have it, but you have managed to create something wonderful. Anyway, whatever it is that you do, keep posting updates.

Puffer_freak said:

Well...I feel a bit evil now...cause I got some constuctive critisism...but...oh well.

I think it would look better with more red in it. Maybe up the left side, in the corner. I don't know, it probably just me, and it might spoil the effect, but maybe having some bogwood in there. Just a small peice, ot peek out from between the plants.

Now...onto the praise: OMG! I LOVE your tank!

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i agree with the idea for some bog wood maybe on the grass, toward the back and maybe starting a little left of the grass, then again maybe not, you have a nice arrangement. Great tank! (my wife agrees with me on plants being the main focus )