# Evolution of my 10 gal



## Fergus (Jul 11, 2011)

I was trying for two banks of a river. Not very sustainable.










plants growing, not even scaped.









The first scape i've even been remotely satisfied with. Just planted everything.


























How can I improve my scape? what do you think?


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

i love those red plants! what are those? 
i personally dig those dutch scapes when i see people having tall and contrasting plants. so i personally would take out the middle driftwood, create a valley of sorts, have tall red and green plants at the 2 corners in the back (like various rotala and the ones you have now), put a carpeting plant in the middle OR a midgroun plant that doesnt grow tall but grows in an outward direction in a ball shape (like baby tears, blyxa, Lindernia rotundifolia but you'd have to trim). i would definitely put a carpeting plant on the foreground. your red plant in the middle (forgot the name, red lotus?) will get very big so i would suggest to put it near a corner . just my own two cents!  oh and some pennywort would be nice!

i know its a 10g so its hard to do a nice dutch but maybe you can aim and challenge yourself to do a mini version of something like this for example --->

http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2010.cgi?&op=showcase&category=0&vol=1&id=32

all the best! 
Oh and if you want to start over if you ever choose to, try an Iwagumi tank! gotta love those.


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## Fergus (Jul 11, 2011)

I think the plant you liked is the nymphae zenkeri, "african tiger lotus'. IT's in the foreground, just right of centre. It should also shoot a big lilly up out of the water when it's mature.

There is some really sad anubias nestled in the driftwood as well.
The red plant is a form of rotala, and i have no ide of the name of the green plant in the back.

I had no idea I had gone for the dutch look, but i guess with the symmetry thats what it looks like. How would i break up the symmetry, but still have rotala on both sides?

Also, I LOVE that tank to which you posted a link. Should i move the rotala to the back? Having it in the front makes the tank look a bit deeper than it really is, which I like. Maybe it doesn't. Also, pennywort is my favourite plant. I'll definitely pick some up.

Anyway, i'll update with more pics when the plants grow in a bit, or if i add plants or re-arrange.

Thanks for the advice.


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## Fergus (Jul 11, 2011)

I moved the nymphae zenkeri and planted as many sprigs of blyxa japonica as I could find floating in my other tanks. There are also a few tiny bunches of echinodorus sp, and even 2 lonely stalks of HC. All of these are the remains of prior failed attempts at cultivation. Hopefully they will grow in across the left and centre, and i'll get some actual bunches of hc for the front right corner.

Also, I hope to get some matt vinyl backing for both tanks. White or light blue grade to white for the left, and black for the right.


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## Beijing08 (Jul 19, 2010)

The red stem plants look like Nesaea sp. from the Menagerie...
those don't do too well in our own tanks since they were grown emersed at the farm in Asia. They need tons of light and high co2 once submersed to show something similar to the colour we see. 

In terms of scaping...you've done a great job arranging stuff (esp. the wood) around in such a small space (20x10). I think on your next scape/ rescape you could try looking for a focal point (i.e. the 2/3 ratio or a central island layout). That would give the scape much more depth and provide a more solid and robust hardscape for the viewers.


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

i quite like the rearrangment that you've got going now . honestly, all it matters is that you like it right? it's all up to personal taste. from your most recent pic, i think by moving the driftwood closer together at a more acute angle (like an inverted V) would look even better ! then once your midground and foreground plants fill up nicely ( i would just aggregate all the midground plants together in a big bunch somewhere in between the 2 driftwoods  ), it should be pretty cool!


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

ahah and ya, i want to attempt to try dutch scaping too *.*. but sigh...school's always in the way....why do they have to prevent me from aquascaping ....lol


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## Fergus (Jul 11, 2011)

Astute observation with the Nessia sp coming from the menagerie. I love the menagerie, and Mat and Harold are the kind of people who should work at all fish stores.

I'm dosing with excel, diffusing CO2, adding phosphorous, chelated iron, potassium, chelated nitrogen and flourish micro. i'm staying away from flourish Trace. I have 3 watts/gal of light, and my lighting period is a depressing 7 hours.

I've had nessia melt and turn green before, but I expect it to do better now that i've converted a ton of money into bottles that say seachem and fluval.

I though the nymphae Was in a 1/3 focal point sort of place. Do you find a theoretical visual centre for the object and place based on that, or sort of average out the foliage and use the dead centre for alignment? ( i don't have the linguistic tools to effectively discus form and proportion)

I definitely want to find some new driftwood. The stuff i have is underwhelming. I really want to find some old dead juniper and attach some moss to it, and use that instead of the ironwood.

I'll update as plants grow in.


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## Beijing08 (Jul 19, 2010)

Fergus said:


> Astute observation with the Nessia sp coming from the menagerie. I love the menagerie, and Mat and Harold are the kind of people who should work at all fish stores.
> 
> I'm dosing with excel, diffusing CO2, adding phosphorous, chelated iron, potassium, chelated nitrogen and flourish micro. i'm staying away from flourish Trace. I have 3 watts/gal of light, and my lighting period is a depressing 7 hours.
> 
> ...


I get your point. I think the Lotus should not be in the direct centre front of the tank, because it does grow to a whopping size...(over a foot long with 5" leaves). If you'd like to keep that in a small tank, try putting it in the back to let the leaves rise over the hardscape. Use purely driftwood and rocks to maintain the general layout, and plants will fill in the gaps in between.

I think you could use some good narrow leaf java fern =)
click on my signature (gtaa nano tank contest) below to see the "island" look
with java fern as a central piece.

The fun part about this hobby is definitely the ever-changing perspectives and new scapes ppl come up with. The possibilities are endless! Use your imagination and don't be afraid to experience with new concepts. You never know how well it'll turn out =P


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## Fergus (Jul 11, 2011)

*update*


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## Canadianbettas (Oct 18, 2009)

Fergus said:


>


Love your choice of plants, and planting arrangement..
those red ones certainly pop... good contrast!


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## Fergus (Jul 11, 2011)

Thanks a lot. The whole "patience" thing finally clicked in.


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## Fergus (Jul 11, 2011)




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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

WOW...now that it niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice *.* good job!!


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## tranceaddict (Apr 3, 2011)

That lotus is bumpin! wish mine was so big  
Nice job.


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

That's looking awesome. Wish i had some of that rotala macrandra...


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