Inspired!! - With Photos :)

[Nerine]

After meeting Karen Randall and hearing her inspiring talk...I'm tearing my 55 gallon aquarium apart. Ok it's not really aquascaped right now. It was....but things went a little haphazard with the catfish!

So tonight, it's off to buy plants   I will be posting before and after photos!!

My only problem is the contest plant....I dont like it!!! at least right now!!! LOL It's not a look I'm going for!!!! I will have to figure out how to work around it

Right now in the 55: 8 Zamora Woodcats, 1 bumblebee catfish, 1 pleco, 1 betta, LOTS of java moss and java fern, misc swords, bits of twisted val, contest plant and some unknowns. (will post a pic tonight!)

[BigDaddy]

My wife, after Karen's talk, graciously "reminded" me that our tanks need a little bit more attention moving forward as well

As far as the contest plant goes, don't think about how it looks so much as how it will look with other plants in front of it.  You want contrasting leaf structures and varied colours.   The earthy green crinkled leaves of the aponogeton will contrast a fine leaf bright green stem plant quite nicely.

[renadia]

So Alisa,

What did you buy and how is the tank looking?

Are you going to post any pictures?

See ya

Diane

[Nerine]

haha thanks for reminding me before I know it the day is done!!!
I have pics, just need to upload them.
I didn't end up buying anything...went to petsmart, but half the plants were dead, and I haven't been back since their last shipment. I think I'll post in the classified's as looking for plants

[beowulf]

I am happy to see a few people including myself were inspired by Karen's presentation.

[charlie]

I am happy to see a few people including myself were inspired by Karen's presentation.

Way to go guy`s  , can`t wait to see what you guy`s & dolls come up with, loving it 

[fischkopp]

There is a long aquascaping winter coming! For sure: the presentation was great and gave me a lot of new ideas. Now I am planning to do some more 'serious' gardening too ... 

[renadia]

SO did you end up buying anything? Or are you at the planning stage?

[Nerine]

ha!
I don't know if I'm too picky or what....but I couldn't find plants that I liked...I don't want all the "normal" plants that they sell in the petstores...I think I'll just bring cash to the next meeting and pick up plants there

So in the meantime, I'll work with what I have, lots of java moss, java fern and swords, and of course our little contest plant

and yes...I'm slow on the picture taking!

my 75 has lots of pond plants in it, I need to cut them back and fill the tank with water!

[Nerine]

Before pics After pics will come later

That dark green blob...LOTS of moss







Can you find "Waldo?" (actually her name is Ol' Battleaxe)

[BigMomma]

You even have the white sand 

I always found moss looks really neat when its tied down to something, like a piece of driftwood, otherwise it tends to go all over the place.

[Nerine]

hehe there's WAY too much to tie down Its now mostly in buckets on the floor around the tank hahaha
it grows easily and looks pretty when attached to driftwood

[cora]

HEHE the Before pics!! you should post some of what it looks like now. EMPTY LMAO there isnt much in there. hehe I guess it will grow eventually!! maybe

[Nerine]

you're so....encouraging
I'm coming over to pick up some fertilizers and steal some of your plants

[cora]

I dont think that there really is plants to steal Im gonna throw them out!!! icky like the rest of my tank LOL come get the fertilizer i dont know how much is there.

[renadia]

I love the face in your tank it's pretty cool 

[Nerine]

I picked that up for a few dollars at petsmart I love it when petstore discontinue decorations haha I'd love to work it into the landscape somehow... it looks better covered in algae