75 gallon's Aquascape...UPDATE 4-3-07

[JDogg]

Ok first off Suggestions are always Welcome...

i have lost a few plants tanks to a blackout to kill BGA... and am now not so happy with my aquascape...

Current Plants...
Stargrass: Heteranthera zosterifolia
Carolina Fanwort: Cabomba carolina
Oriental Sword Echinodorus macrophyllus
Amazon Sword: Echinodorus amazonicus
Rubin Sword: Echinodorus 'rubin'
Narrow Leaf Chain Sword: Echinodorus tenellus
Primrose: Ludwigia repens
Bacopa caroliniana
Duckweed: Lemna minor

and should be getting some jungle and crystal vals soon...
if you have S. American-ish clippings i am looking HERE

here is what the tanks looked like BEFORE the blackout


i will post tonight with an updated tank shot as well as my schematic of what i am thinking so you can all comment

[WaterPond]

hhhmmm, my first suggestion, GET A BLACK BACKGROUND!

next i would get some more colourfull plants. Persoanlly i dont like the carolina fanwort, but thats just me.

Hows about some more driftwood too!

More GREEEN plants. Slot of the plants in there look kinda yellowish or brown which is pretty unattractive, but aggain JMHO

dont mean to be rude or anything. I think the tank looks good (except for the background)

[DocOc]

I agree with WaterPond about the background and if you are replacing the substrate, go darker. Even if you don't replace the plants with more green, those two changes will definitely improve the appearance of the greenery.

[JDogg]

Originally Posted by WaterPond

hhhmmm, my first suggestion, GET A BLACK BACKGROUND!

next i would get some more colourfull plants. Persoanlly i dont like the carolina fanwort, but thats just me.

Hows about some more driftwood too!

More GREEEN plants. Slot of the plants in there look kinda yellowish or brown which is pretty unattractive, but aggain JMHO

maybe that is the picture... my fanwort is kinda brownish i guess... primrose is reddish...
i did see a really nice piece of driftwood at my LFS today
i like my gravel though LOL
i have been thinking about a black background

here is an updated picture of the tank


and if you can make out my chicken scratch the tentative aquascape plan...

[Lonewolfblue]

I like the layout, with the exceptions of the swords. Especially the Amazon Sword, it will get big, and block everything behind it. I have one in my 75G and the leaves are sticking out the surface of the water. Might want to do something that will be more of a mid-ground plant in those spots.

[JDogg]

Originally Posted by Lonewolfblue

I like the layout, with the exceptions of the swords. Especially the Amazon Sword, it will get big, and block everything behind it. I have one in my 75G and the leaves are sticking out the surface of the water. Might want to do something that will be more of a mid-ground plant in those spots.

i understand that amazon swords get big... but i think there are a couple of different species..not sure what species i have but after over a year it has yet to get more the 6 inches tall

for reason i do not understand all my swords are pigmy...
oriental sword is only 3 inches tall and rubin sword is 5 inches tall

[Lonewolfblue]

All depends on lighting as well. Higher light, they will grow a lot faster, but lower lighting, they grow very slow. In my 75G with 520W lighting, my amazons grew to overcome my 75G in 5 months. lol.

[JDogg]

Originally Posted by Lonewolfblue

All depends on lighting as well. Higher light, they will grow a lot faster, but lower lighting, they grow very slow. In my 75G with 520W lighting, my amazons grew to overcome my 75G in 5 months. lol.

i'm only at about 2.5 wpg

[Lonewolfblue]

With that lighting, it will grow a lot slower, and not overtake your tank so soon. If they haven't grown too much in that amount of time, you'll have a lot of time before you need to make any changes, and it should look good.

[JDogg]

Originally Posted by Lonewolfblue

With that lighting, it will grow a lot slower, and not overtake your tank so soon. If they haven't grown too much in that amount of time, you'll have a lot of time before you need to make any changes, and it should look good.

that is what i was thinking