And he said, "Let there be light", and there was light.

And he said unto the people, "Looks like you'll be showering for the rest of the week"

Now that's doing it right.

LOL or they think you're growing something else in your bathroom with those lights on at odd hours of the day! :sml1:

Ha ha. Funnily enough, I used to do IT work for an energy company, and the enforcement team did find a few hydroponic set-ups during the three years I was there - usually when the tenants messed with the meters and indicated power usage dropped significantly :facepalm: I was always surprised none of those amateur electrical engineers fried themselves.

Last I heard 3 x 40l bags left. Just confirming pricing now

Still keen as mustard if any of this stuff is available.

That looks like a wicked haul of plants by-the-way!

40 ltr bags are $75 each or $100 including delivery anywhere in NI

Spoke to him yesturday and he has 3 at the moment.

I've tried a few different hardscapes, and this is the best so far. What do you guys reckon - any ideas on layout and plants? :dunno: Still looking for that perfect bit of wood :roll: This is 450 litres, minus the hardscape of course.

Thinking of java fern along the long bit of wood in the background, xmas moss and java fern on the big bit, and dwarf chain swords and glosso for carpeting. Probably some star grass back left, too. Crypts on the slope between the rocks.

Ditto, minus the long bit of wood. Maybe stargrass along the rear

Iwagumi-ish. Just carpet with dcs and glosso. Not sure what else.

Different bit of wood. Xmas moss on the branches will hide the sawn ends. Maybe some java fern on the trunk to fill the rear-top-right corner.

Probably some star grass back left, too. Crypts on the slope between the rocks.

Same, with some roots added to the branches. Xmas moss on the roots, too.

Good work.

I vote for the first bit of wood.

What about embedding it in the hill you've got?

The long bit, can it stand on end and look like a bit of a 'stump'?

How about this? :digH:

I like this one :thup:

I don't like any of them :digH:

IMO you should slope the substrate slighty from the front to the back and not have any big mound thingies, and position the wood and rocks in a non-dramatic fashion and cover the wood with Java fern.

Also I don't really like the whole cave thing that you've got going on there. Looks very African-cichlidy.

Scape #1

I like the first one too

I think the whole thing would look better without the rock on the LHS.

If you're planting the tank, don't worry about what the tank looks like before you plant it - change and move things around as the plants grow naturally. The tank will so to speak 'evolve' more naturally.

Yeah i agree with P44, Ditch the rock on the LHS.

Again, #1 but ditch the big, out-of-place rock on the left.

But that's my favourite rock! :tears: Hmm, back to the drawing board...

I think the whole thing would look better without the rock on the LHS.
If you're planting the tank, don't worry about what the tank looks like before you plant it - change and move things around as the plants grow naturally. The tank will so to speak 'evolve' more naturally.

I disagree, I think the hardscape's just as important as the plants. I just can't find the right bit of wood to go with the (foggy) concept I have in me old noggin :-?

Yeah hardscape is pretty important. I have seen photos of tanks with really good hardscape and it does make a positive difference to the appearence of the tank.

OK, how about this then? Just a basic layout, and I still need to add a long bit of wood along the back so I can fill it in with java fern.

I'm starting to get analysis paralysis, and I'll have to just go for it soon. Aquascaping is hard!

that one's awesome

I like this one :thup:

Me too.. but with the rock on the left laid down flat perhaps.. looks unreal standing up

Man, this site is dangerous, in a MTS sort of way 8)

Me too.. but with the rock on the left laid down flat perhaps.. looks unreal standing up

I still prefer this, but maybe the rock would look better laid flat

:digH:

Are you still using turface? Is it still working good after all this time?

Yep, it's worked out well. It does tend to level out a bit over time - I've got a few dwarf chain loaches - but that's the only negative. Plants seem to like it.