Evolving Jungle - 157L Planted Tank

[pm]

Yeah, I can't seem to leave it alone... I guess that is one of the beauties of a planted tank, it is very dynamic.

My biggest "issue" right now is my dwarf hair grass.  When I say issue I mean what to do with it.  It grows great for me, and is still my foreground plant on the right side.  The problem is that it is a little too tall to have anything medium size growing behind it, or something small growing beside it.  It also spreads into everything, but that I can deal with.  So right now I am trying to determine if I want to make it my whole foreground plant (i.e. have it run the length of the tank), or figure out a way to segregate it so it looks somewhat natural.  From above, my hair grass forms a perfect little rectangle... not very natural looking at all.

[charlie]

Yeah, I can't seem to leave it alone... I guess that is one of the beauties of a planted tank, it is very dynamic.

My biggest "issue" right now is my dwarf hair grass.  When I say issue I mean what to do with it.  It grows great for me, and is still my foreground plant on the right side.  The problem is that it is a little too tall to have anything medium size growing behind it, or something small growing beside it.  It also spreads into everything, but that I can deal with.  So right now I am trying to determine if I want to make is my whole foreground plant (i.e. have it run the length of the tank), or figure out a way to segregate it so it looks somewhat natural.  From above, my hair grass forms a perfect little rectangle... not very natural looking at all.

It`s the main reason i got rid of haigrass, it tkes over the tank & requires constant pruning to keep it in check , so out it went  
you can trim it to keep it short but it only grows back in no time, not to mention the pain of getting the trimmings out of the tank .

[pm]

Here is an update after some changes.  Still not quite right in my eye (too many focal points), but getting there.  Comments always welcome.

[touchofsky]

Gee, it is looking pretty darn beautiful to me!

[bettabreeder]

Too many focal points psssfftt. IMO it basically just means a new experience everytime you look at it. But yeah looks incredible!

[exv152]

What kind of crypts are those? and what's the red plant next to it, to the middle/right?

[charlie]

What kind of crypts are those? and what's the red plant next to it, to the right?

I think that plant came from me & for a while i thought it was Alternanthera reineckii - since i had Alternanthera reineckii  for a while & got rid of it, i picked this one up in Montreal under the impression it was Alternanthera reineckii which was the plant that got me going in planted aquariums, well the short of it is while doing some research recently i discovered  another plant looks very similar to it ( to me anyways), so i`m in the middle of investigating it with some Gurus on another forum, i`ll report when it`s conclusive, so for now it`s a red plant that looks like/ could be or could not be  Alternanthera reineckii 

[pm]

When I got the crypts (some time ago), I was told there were wendtii browns.  They were not always that colour or that compact.  They have good unobstructed light right now, so they are really really brown.  When they were under less light there were more dark-green brown and about twice the size (the leaves).

Errol... Hey that means it was false advertising... I want my money back 

[Peekay]

I love your species choices.  Nice variety of colours and shapes.  I see what you mean about the hair grass you mentioned earlier.  It's luscious, but looks hard to work around. 

How's that downoi doing for you?  those are the ones you got a couple weeks back, right?

[charlie]

When I got the crypts (some time ago), I was told there were wendtii browns.  They were not always that colour or that compact.  They have good unobstructed light right now, so they are really really brown.  When they were under less light there were more dark-green brown and about twice the size (the leaves).

Errol... Hey that means it was false advertising... I want my money back 

Marketing 101 bait & switch, common in Ottawa in this hobby more so in other niches of this hobby  .
But seriously i can report my suspisions seem to be  correct , after consulting with some Gurus on another well respected forum in the plant world they were mixed opinions of what it was , the majority  agree it is Ludwigia Glandulosa/Peruensis
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plantfinder/details.php?id=56

as opposed to this
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plantfinder/details.php?id=58
My apologies guys , but no refunds 
Regards

[pm]

... I see what you mean about the hair grass you mentioned earlier.  It's luscious, but looks hard to work around...
How's that downoi doing for you?  those are the ones you got a couple weeks back, right?

Yeah, I am on the fence right now with the hairgrass.  I might keep it, or sell it, not sure yet. 

Yes, it is the downoi from a few weeks back, but it wasn't always in this tank since then (I have a 10 gal that I never bothered to get rid of and now I am so thankfull that I kept it.  It is a plant/shrimp holding and grow out tank).  So as of now the downoi isn't doing much, one completely melted in just a few days, not sure why, but the others are hanging in there.  Hopefully it is just acclimating itself to the setup. 

[exv152]

... so i`m in the middle of investigating it with some Gurus on another forum, i`ll report when it`s conclusive, so for now it`s a red plant that looks like/ could be or could not be Alternanthera reineckii  

I've been a member of a few sites, one is aquaticplantcentral, but have you tried...
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/

[pm]

Well the hairgrass is gone    But more Downoi+ added 

Replanted the front to deal with a substrate issue as well.  Needs to grow in now.  Hope i can wait for that before I fiddle with it again.

Pics coming soon 

[charlie]

waitiiiiinnnnnggggggg 

[pm]

waitiiiiinnnnnggggggg 

Here ya go... sorry about the window reflection, but this is the best shot I have.

Cheers!

[daworldisblack]

Looking Nice!

[touchofsky]

Looks great!  I like the changes 

[fischkopp]

Very nice! Now lean back, enjoy the tank  and let grow for a while, or at least for a week.

If you ever decide to part with these golden brown crypt please give me a shout.

[charlie]

i got a peek of this tank on the weekend in maintenance condition meaning plants missing water change in progress etc & it still made an impression, now seeing it replanted it even looks better, great job Peter &i endorse Roberts advice leave your hand out of the tank
that put`s meaning to " Pot telling the kettle it`s bottom is black".
great job

[pm]

The only plant changes that will occur in the near future are replanting uprooted plants.  My cory and momma amanos seem to have become experts at pulling out planted stems