Jungle Clearing

[lljdma06]

I see more moss!!! Looking really nice. Lots of color, very pretty. I like it...

 

[stevereade]

Thanks, yeah the moss wall is doing great now, really thick.

 

[stevereade]

looks great with the new broader leafed plant on the plant, what is that?

If your talking about the one in front of the Rotala coming through the Sword its Heteranthera Zosterifolia (Star Grass), if its next to the Rotala on the rear right its Limnophila Aromatica from plants alive, I'm getting more but from planted tanks instead as its the more bushy and colourful variety, if your after some I'm gonna be trimming it soon as its growing so fast now.

 

[Biulu]

I like, but personally I wouldn't add more plants. I think the bare sand gives a nice contrast to the plants and the wood.

 

[stevereade]

Ahhh, the Limnophila is just gonna fill a midground space you can't see from the pics is all and I don't want a complete carpet from the HC just want a patchy natural growth carpet so it doesn't look to man made, thanks tho, glad you like it.

 

[stevereade]

Right, I got the hump with it after seeing how dirty it was getting around the stems and after it all grew in some of it was blocking out the light to the other plants.
My Staurogyne SP is dying too so I had a change around, more Limnophila Aromatica turned up so I thought I'd put it all in one corner to create a real bushy colourful area, the Pogostemon also died so thats out now too.
I'm planning on getting some more Hygrophila Compact as its doing so well and is a much better green than the Staurogyne and once I have that the HC Cuba will probably be dead too lol, I just can't seem to get any in good condition.
The HC Cuba I keep getting either has some dead when I get it and the rest follows suit or it just goes downhill so I'm gonna use Riccia, slate and a hair net to get the grassy lawn I'm after, pics coming soon.

 

[Katch]

What kind of flow have you got around the tank and what lighting? Just curious coz I'm in the middle of maturing a similar tank and I'm having a few algae issues. I'll post a pic later (as I promised weeks ago!)

 

[stevereade]

Dunno what filter it is, its a small pump built in to to compartments at the back of the tank but where the inlets and outlets are placed it creates great circulation and I don't get any algae what so ever.
Oh its a single 36W light built into the lid.

 

[Katch]

Here's what I'm up to with the same tank;

 

[stevereade]

Looks good

 

[stevereade]

Ok, new update, I got some Riccia from ebay and added the nice lawn at the front as I was having trouble with getting the HC to grow.

I bought 5 Anubias Nana and 2 Alternanthera Reineckii for a tenner, put the Alternanthera in the centre midground and cut up a piece of old bog wood for the Anubias to root too at the front left and right corners.

Really happy with the way its come along now especially as the Star Grass has gone mad and filled out the back of the tank and the Limnophila Aromatica is growing really well.

Anyway I'll let you be the judge this is like the forth time I've had a change around and I'm finally happy with it so I'll just be adding little bog wood splinters with Riccia on them to fill in some spaces and create some more natural looking space fillers, oh you can see the moss wall is doing well now too in some pics.

All comments welcome guys.

 

[Carlovel1]

Looking great, the riccia is fantastic.
The only thing I would do is to sort of arrange the plants a bit more. What I mean is , bunch the same species plants closer together rather than spreading over the back of the tank, 1. so you can see the moss wall better
and 2. so that it looks more like a 'Dutch' scape (aswel as looking more neat and tidy

 

[ian]

looks really good Steve, well done mate, the riccia really sets it off. Hope your proud off it, i would be.

 

[Biulu]

Yes, this looks really good! Wouldn't touch it anymore, just sit back and relax...

 

[stevereade]

Thanks guys, yeah I'm really proud of how its turned out.
The problem with the plants spreading at the back of the tank will be sorted very soon, the Star Grass I've left for now as I'm selling 3 lots of cutting from it Monday hence letting it get long, bushy and its overhanging the Limnophila.
Will be giving it a good trim Monday too, I have too keep a close eye on it as being this densely planted some of the thicker plants block out light to the lower stems. Believe it or not there is a load of Red Myriophyllum and Rotala Indica in the back doing well too lol, its just difficult to see.
Thanks for the comments guys, I have another little planted project on the go at the moment too. Its a 32litre Aqua One and its low light with ferts and CO2 so will be putting up a journal for that next.