Not my cup of tea

[The Big Figfetti]

Ok, I realize that some people will enjoy the look of this, but I feel like I suck at aquascaping and I can’t execute the vision I have.

How can I help this look more cohesive and less jungle/wild looking?

I like portions of it. But for instance, I don’t like the right side, the long crypts. They seem so out of place.
And the ferns coming from the middle wood isn’t how I pictured it, but they are all individual leaves and I’m having a hard time placing them on the hardscapes.
The pennywort also just isn’t full, I know, but I don’t know how to make it look how I want.

Just feel a bit deflated with it. And I’m worried about moving things around over and over.

 

[otterblue]

I personally like it a lot. I have the opposite problem: I try to make wild, natural scapes and they come out looking cohesive. Symmetry could be one way of making it look cohesive - or perhaps tighter grouping of plants.

 

[The Big Figfetti]

I personally like it a lot. I have the opposite problem: I try to make wild, natural scapes and they come out looking cohesive. Symmetry could be one way of making it look cohesive - or perhaps tighter grouping of plants.

I’m glad you mentioned that. I was wondering if it would choke the plants out if I planted them closer/tighter together. I may do that with a few of them…

The ferns really throw me off, since they are each individual leaves, and they’re different varieties. I should have stuck to 1 or 2 varieties but I think I have 4 different kinds.

I forgot I meant to add the floaters from my 10 gallon. Super long roots, I’ll cut those. But here it is with the floaters.

At this point, maybe I should just sit and watch. Remove the ones that aren’t doing well, and try to fall in love with what’s left.

 

[GuppyPerson89586]

I agree with @otterblue. I really like your tank look!

​

 

[Sgooosh]

I’m glad you mentioned that. I was wondering if it would choke the plants out if I planted them closer/tighter together. I may do that with a few of them…

The ferns really throw me off, since they are each individual leaves, and they’re different varieties. I should have stuck to 1 or 2 varieties but I think I have 4 different kinds.

I forgot I meant to add the floaters from my 10 gallon. Super long roots, I’ll cut those. But here it is with the floaters.

At this point, maybe I should just sit and watch. Remove the ones that aren’t doing well, and try to fall in love with what’s left.

you have a beautiful tank!
for a jungle look, floaters with long roots, long stem plants, and vallisneria is good
I see some small stem plants in the foreground of the tank, once they grow longer you can trim and put it in the back
but maybe for a 10 gallon, vals will overgrow it too quickly.
i introduced like 5 stems of vallis to my 75gal and it took over.

 

[Deleted member 149562]

You're not alone in having your inner Picasso refusing to become reality. I think we all suffer from that when designing our aquascapes.....the minds eye badly let down by the ability of the fingers

Things always seem to look "off" in the initial period when that newly delivered pile of plants seem awesome upon arrival, you think "how are all those going to fit" and then once done, there appears to be far too much room left

I admit that I have pretty much given up on live plants (except for the bulbs that seem to thrive)....I am a self confessed plant killer extraordinaire, even the weeds in the garden outside curl their toes up for me without me touching them

That said, even with my artificial decor, the minds eye usually never recreates itself into reality without several days spent rearranging and tweaking

We have ALL been there at least a dozen times...so despite the frustrations, you are not alone. Things will come right eventually and you can sit back and admire your handywork and design skills.....patience is key, not just with the cycle process and the fish...but patience is absolutely required when trying to recreate what you had in your minds eye for the aquascape....it'll get there eventually

 

[The Big Figfetti]

you have a beautiful tank!
for a jungle look, floaters with long roots, long stem plants, and vallisneria is good
I see some small stem plants in the foreground of the tank, once they grow longer you can trim and put it in the back
but maybe for a 10 gallon, vals will overgrow it too quickly.
i introduced like 5 stems of vallis to my 75gal and it took over.

I saw these corkscrew vals and just loved them! They’re on the right back of this 30gal. My 10gal has some regular val and I’m sure I’ll have to rehome some to this tank soon! They’re doing pretty well so far in the 10gal.
The small ones up front are S. Repens. I’m hoping to trim and replant them over and over to make a carpet. If they survive!

 

[The Big Figfetti]

You're not alone in having your inner Picasso refusing to become reality. I think we all suffer from that when designing our aquascapes.....the minds eye badly let down by the ability of the fingers

Things always seem to look "off" in the initial period when that newly delivered pile of plants seem awesome upon arrival, you think "how are all those going to fit" and then once done, there appears to be far too much room left

I admit that I have pretty much given up on live plants (except for the bulbs that seem to thrive)....I am a self confessed plant killer extraordinaire, even the weeds in the garden outside curl their toes up for me without me touching them

That said, even with my artificial decor, the minds eye usually never recreates itself into reality without several days spent rearranging and tweaking

We have ALL been there at least a dozen times...so despite the frustrations, you are not alone. Things will come right eventually and you can sit back and admire your handywork and design skills.....patience is key, not just with the cycle process and the fish...but patience is absolutely required when trying to recreate what you had in your minds eye for the aquascape....it'll get there eventually

This is such good advice. I’m super new to all of this. Hoping I can be patient enough to let nature do it’s thing and I end up loving it.
I’ll keep tweaking it for now. Really want to try the clumping together idea that was mentioned here. But I also don’t want to kill plants while I ‘play’ around with the scape.
Patience is so hard to learn, but so worth it, I know!

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Yep. Give it time. Those java ferns grow slowly, but they do grow, and they do fill in. They'll surprise you--one day they're sparse and awkward looking, and the next you're asking yourself, "Where did this jungle come from?" And all the different varieties look exactly the same once they get big, in my experience, so don't get too worried about that.

The carpet plants will fill in over time. This has the look of a stunning aquascape, to me. It almost looks like a Dutch-style setup. If there is a plant you don't like the look of, you can remove it. But give it time. And realize that the more you fiddle with it the longer it will take.

 

[emeraldking]

Maybe the tank doesn't have the look you've visioned but it does look great though...

 

[The Big Figfetti]

Yep. Give it time. Those java ferns grow slowly, but they do grow, and they do fill in. They'll surprise you--one day they're sparse and awkward looking, and the next you're asking yourself, "Where did this jungle come from?" And all the different varieties look exactly the same once they get big, in my experience, so don't get too worried about that.

The carpet plants will fill in over time. This has the look of a stunning aquascape, to me. It almost looks like a Dutch-style setup. If there is a plant you don't like the look of, you can remove it. But give it time. And realize that the more you fiddle with it the longer it will take.

I’ve heard that term, Dutch style, but finally went to go see what it meant. Those aquascapes are gorgeous and it seems like a lot of work and patience goes into them. One day!

Thank you for this wisdom. I will do my best to just let it balance and thrive and do what it will do.

 

[The Big Figfetti]

Maybe the tank doesn't have the look you've visioned but it does look great though...

Thank you! I’ve already spent hours staring at it and I’ve only just planted it yesterday
Loving this addicting hobby already. Hoping that excitement continues as play the watch and wait game.

 

[jaylach]

I also think your tank looks great.

If you are looking for 'balance' you MIGHT try rotating your wood as close to 180 degrees as the tank allows to bring the higher part of the wood to the right and then use some tall growing plants on the left to balance. This kind of arrangement serves two purposes in that the tall plants give good contrast to the wood along with giving good hiding places for fish. Also the side with the wood gives an open area for swimming room.

Keep in mind that I'm just giving an opinion to look at. In no way does this mean it is what you should do. It is just what *I* might do. It is your tank and your opinion is the only one that really matters.

 

[connorlindeman]

I think its looks good.
Give it some time to fill in. The plants will grow and fill out the bald spots.

 

[seangee]

Trim, replant, repeat. This happend in the first 10 weeks https://www.fishforums.net/threads/office-space.460205/post-3948940