Low-Tech 140L

[bumbleweasle]

hehe, back sooner than I thought! Two reasons: this is way too addictive; and the ech.tenellus is already putting out runners... WOOOO!

 

[ian]

looking loads better! You soon have enough E tenellus to cobble dogs with. The only thing i'd change in your tank is the plant pot, and pop another bit of wood in there. But it's your tank and you do what you wish

 

[bumbleweasle]

Thanks, ianho! I'm not really a fan of the plantpot, either, tbh.. Remnants from the days before plants.. (There are actually two of them in there, but you can't see the other one cuz it's propping up the bottom end of the fluval, to keep it from inhaling sand...) I get paid on Thursday, though, so I'll have a scout about for alternatives.. D'ye reckon eBay's the best bet for that?

 

[ian]

it just depends what you want and what you're willing to pay. There's some nice bits on Ebay at the moment.

http/shop.ebay.co.uk/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=bogwood&_sacat=See-All-Categories

Most LFS sell it as well, Maidenhead aquatics normally have some nice bits in. They will also have bits in there tanks, you could always be cheeky and ask for a few bits out of the tanks. You will get the wood at a fraction of the price and it's already pre-soaked.

 

[bumbleweasle]

Cheers! I'll have a think about the kinda shape I'm after & get something on eBay, methinks.

We do have a few decent LFS here but they're all out of town (although I guess a piece of bogwood ain't gonna suffer the bus ride as much as fish would!)

 

[bumbleweasle]

Right, time for some opinion-seeking...

I removed the plant pot, & knocked the bloomin' bogwood over while I was in there. It's not the first time, so I ended up recruiting the bogwood from the far right of the tank (with the peacock moss on), & now the tank looks like this:

I like it, but still think it's lacking something. I tend to do this kind of planning better visually, so I started making up a picture-plan:

...Went off to boil the kettle, & when I looked at it again, that purple patch really stuck out. I had been attempting to make the bolbitis the focal point of the scene, but am now wondering if that wee well in the scape wouldn't make a better one? Now that I see it highlighted like that, I really like how the surrounding bits seem to flow into it, & think it needs something to draw the eye. Perhaps, instead of filling the gap with a wee plant, I could try some pale wee pebbles, or just pristine sand?

Here's a closer look at it... What d'ye all reckon? (you'll have to pretend that dodgy bit of moss-covered filter sponge on the substrate isn't there, heheh.. I'll be removing that & stripping it down to plug some gaps elsewhere. )

 

[bumbleweasle]

Sawed off that awful branch today

...still not sure what to do with that "well"...

 

[ian]

this scape is also coming on in leaps and bounds, we have some really nice planted tanks in the journal section at the moment.

 

[bumbleweasle]

Glad it's still improving, I've mucked about with it so much in the last month that I was beginning to wonder if I wasn't just overdoing things!

I am happier with the added height in the arch/bolbitis, though, & those bits of wood are nice & stable now, so we'll be having no more aquaquakes!

The wisteria & indian fern are looking kinda sad. Not sure if they're still in recovery from their postal damage, or they're just not liking my tank.. Everything else seems to be growing like mad! Anyhoo, will need to decide whether to get more or try something else, as since I removed that branch it looks relatively bare on that side.

 

[bumbleweasle]

Right, 'scuse the slightly photoshopped pics, havin' a bit of a wobbly day with the old joints, hehe.. so had to "sharpen" 'em a bit.

Decided to fill in that area with clean sand today.. I figured it's easy to change if I don't like it, and ... well, I don't think I do!

I really don't know what to do with it.. Reckon it defo needs something to draw the eye, but this is probably a bit much, eh? Suggestions would be highly appreciated!!!

And, no branch = need more plants!!!

 

[bumbleweasle]

Pretty please?

 

[ian]

why not add a little bit of colour in there, maybe some crypt wendtii 'brown'

I actually like what you have done in there, that new sand draws the eye.

 

[bumbleweasle]

Thanks, Ian,

I actually hadn't been considering coloured plants.. those brown crypts are nice! Will have a read tomorrow & think about that left hand side.

Think I might have worked out what's bugging me about that sand.. it might just be a wee bit too "neat". I'm going to try moving the piece of wood on the right just a little, so the space isn't quite as circular. Maybe add a little touch of moss or dwarf sag, something to soften the edges a bit.

Cheers, I'm looking forward to investigating coloured plants!

 

[bumbleweasle]

Ian, you were right about that crypt, hehe.. after looking at other coloured plants I reckon that's the best for my tank. Will be ordering later this week, along with some extra moss cuz I'm an addict.

Latest plan - am trying to play emphasise the perspective so it looks like the view (right) from a wee hillside (left), hehehe.. ambitious, I know, but I gotta do something during my uni holidays, hehehe..

So, on the left-hand side.. the extra moss will be used to make a "roof" for my heater/filter (for disguise and to suggest hills up the back), with more large-leaf plants (e.g. that nice brown crypt) up front to make it look more like foreground. Think the extra moss on the bogwood arch has confused the perspective a little... not sure whether to move it or wait for the moss to grow in & see if I can work with it! Anyhoo, here it is at the moment:

 

[ian]

this is turning into a really stunning looking scape, and i'm very surprised you haven't had more comments giving you credit from your work. Well done, i bet it's great to sit a watch this tank at night!