Help/Mentoring with Aquascaping Project

[DreaminginBlue]

I trimmed the spider wood so it'd fit in the tank. It's not ready to sink yet, so I've weighted it down with some rocks. It all looks very haphazard and messy right now, but hopefully I can straighten it out soon.
I got two anubias nana petites and three marimo balls at Petco, as well as a little bit of a background for the tank. I also added the java fern TMaier sent me. They're going to stay as they are now, with just their roots buried in the gravel, until I'm able to get the rest of my plants on Monday or Tuesday. Then I'll figure out where I want everything.
I also picked up some clear beading thread made of plastic, so I'll use that to tie the plants down.
Edit: not sure why the pictures are sideways? LOL

 

[TMaier]

Gonna be awesome.

 

[DreaminginBlue]

Thanks. I really hope so.

 

[superpeytonm]

I love that wood!

 

[DreaminginBlue]

I do too! I worried that trimming it might detract from its appeal, but it still looks fantastic. I can't wait to plant it.

 

[DreaminginBlue]

I'm contemplating Pygmy chain swords for the foreground... thoughts? My light reading has said they like medium light, so I'm not sure. I just worry that dwarf sagittaria might get taller than I'd like if it doesn't have as much light as it wants.

 

[TMaier]

I've never had the Pygmy. My dwarf sag is about an inch tall.

 

[DreaminginBlue]

It looks nice! That's what I'm going for. How much lighting do you have on that tank?

 

[fishenthusiast]

I'm contemplating Pygmy chain swords for the foreground... thoughts? My light reading has said they like medium light, so I'm not sure. I just worry that dwarf sagittaria might get taller than I'd like if it doesn't have as much light as it wants.

As of the moment, I've noticed that Dwarf Sag is quite controllable in low lighting. Just trim before the leaves get too tall.

 

[TMaier]

I have a Finnex Planted + 24/7.

 

[DreaminginBlue]

Okay, that sounds manageable. I'll go with that, then.
The plants are supposedly going to arrive tomorrow. I'm very excited.

 

[fishenthusiast]

Okay, that sounds manageable. I'll go with that, then.
The plants are supposedly going to arrive tomorrow. I'm very excited.

I have mine dimmed down. I believe I have it set at 40% white, 30% red, 30% blue, and 20% green. The plants get enough light and I have barely any algae. That's the perk of having low light: it is easier to balance the tank.

 

[Autumnsky]

Congrats on a nice score for the wood!

Fishing line has come off on me before and it was getting a fish tangled so I tie and cut, tie and cut, and don't go around and around and around as I had done previously.

The other thing which was like magic which was showed at the Aquatic Gardeners Associaton conference this spring was using the superglue and then some substrate like a powder, rubbed together or whatever you need to do for it to be more fine and dirt like, and dabbed over the superglue spot to cover the white discoloration which can occur!!! There was a demonstration by Luca Galarraga who shared the tid bit which he had been shown by another aquascaper.

Also he tied pieces/branches together and glued well then untied after they were set.

 

[DreaminginBlue]

Thanks! I'll look into that, possibly that method could work for me.
I picked up some water wisteria and water sprite for the tank. Until I'm ready for it in there it's going in the ten gallon with my betta.

 

[DreaminginBlue]

My betta Atlas...
"Mom, what are all these green things? It's fun to explore and hide in them. I like the green things. They're mine now."
His ten gallon has been temporarily taken over by plants for the 20 gallon project. I'm still working on finding some suitable plants for him, but it's nice to know he's enjoying the greenery. Scaping his tank will be my next project.

 

[DreaminginBlue]

Plants arrived today! They look fantastic and I can't wait to scape the wood with them.
Since I didn't have enough time today, I put them in the tank until I can deal with them tomorrow. I will definitely post pictures once it's all set up.
So excited!

 

[DreaminginBlue]

After hours of wrestling with beading thread and sweating the placement of every single plant, I managed to get everything tied down except for some extra java moss and two Anubias Nana golden. The java moss I stuck in another tank and the anubias I put in the foreground of the 20 hexagon for now. I put the wisteria and water sprite in as well. Might mess around with their positioning and add some other plants.
Definitely still a work in progress.
Any feedback would be welcome. I can always adjust things.

 

[DreaminginBlue]

The rest of the pictures. Not sure why they're sideways. Technology is not my forte.

 

[Autumnsky]

Looks like you put in a boat load of work on those DW. Congrats for getting so much accomplished!

 

[TMaier]

Great job. I was a twitchy nervous wreck afterwards trying not to break plants.