Hardscape Ideas and Opinions

[Turbosaurus]

The arrangement on the left is PURE ART! Beautiful. It left needs to come more toward the center. Once the tank is planted you're going to loose it (which would be a SHAME) if you don't move it a good 3-4" toward the center.


What will your substrate be?

I would suggest going back to the rocks and getting some that are more uniform in color, or at least in the same tone family. It really pulls a scape together. Some on the right look to be more gold, and the one in the middle grouping with the wood- the really pale one - the rest look more taupe or ashy- that might just be the picture, but the ones I mentioned really stand out and that will damage the harmony of the tank. I think you have the size and relativity done beautifully, its just the color (on my monitor?) that pulls it apart. You don't want any one to stand out drastically from the rest, no matter how pretty it is.

You may want to have bigger stones if your foreground won't be sand, otherwise they're going to get lost. I really don't want to see those disappear, they are so pleasing. I can't wait to see the tank take shape, you have an excellent eye.

 

[BioHazard]

20Ls are great tanks, but they suck for being planted due to being so shallow. Spiral vals will be a pita- they will quickly cover the surface, consider using corkscrews instead. (Also remember,most vals don't like Excel but corkscrews tolerate it the best imo.)

Everything else will also eventually give you size or height problems- some sooner than others. You miigh consider either a few parva swords or even a compacta sword as a 'centerpiece". Also look at the wendelov java over the standard java. The wendelov tends to bush more than the regular one which will break the surface in a 20L.

Oh- did I mention I have a few planted 20Ls? The very wise RTR wrote someplace he had given up planting in shallow tanks. Unfortunately, I read it after the fact If its not too late, consider using a 29. It has the same footprint as the 20L but is 6 inches deeper

Sorry for not answering the hardscape part. But my feeling is it has to please you, so if you like it thats all that counts ;-).

Lol, I thought corkscrew vals and spiral vals were the same thing. Lemme guess, corkscrews have a tighter curl? That will be fine. I tried to go for small plants. I though javas only got 8"? I want a C. wendtii, which should only get 4 in. The A. coffeefolia will probably get too tall, but I really like the red/green leaves. Is there a smaller plant that has a similar look? I also plan on getting A. nan petite, which I know will be plenty small. Thanks for the info, suggestions and help! :thm:

 

[BioHazard]

The arrangement on the left is PURE ART! Beautiful. It left needs to come more toward the center. Once the tank is planted you're going to loose it (which would be a SHAME) if you don't move it a good 3-4" toward the center.


What will your substrate be?

I would suggest going back to the rocks and getting some that are more uniform in color, or at least in the same tone family. It really pulls a scape together. Some on the right look to be more gold, and the one in the middle grouping with the wood- the really pale one - the rest look more taupe or ashy- that might just be the picture, but the ones I mentioned really stand out and that will damage the harmony of the tank. I think you have the size and relativity done beautifully, its just the color (on my monitor?) that pulls it apart. You don't want any one to stand out drastically from the rest, no matter how pretty it is.

You may want to have bigger stones if your foreground won't be sand, otherwise they're going to get lost. I really don't want to see those disappear, they are so pleasing. I can't wait to see the tank take shape, you have an excellent eye.

I like the idea of moving it a little. I'll have to get some acrylic or slate and attach it. Maybe I can find a piece that will curl up a bit then go towards the center of the tank, to draw the eye back in.
The substrate will be black flourite sand.
I will play around with the rocks some more. I got some of them from a nearby river, and the smooth ones from Wally World. So, you think I should nix the really pale one, and get rid of the really bright ones then? I guess that makes sense, since I want the fish themselves to be the focal point.

 

[jptjpt]

I would spend time with a couple of razor blades to get that cloudy deposit off of the tank. Just switch to a new blade if it starts to get dull. Be patient. I had to do that to my 55G when I bought it used.

Three focal points may be too much for a 20L. May be if you slope up the gravel really high on the right side towards the back corner of the tank, it'll blend the two piles of rocks on the right side together. You need substrate in there to see it better. You can use different size and color of substrate for effect also. Anyway, just my opinion. Go on with your creation and enjoy.