Some snap shots of 'Reborn'

Some snap shots from my 2ft tank 'Reborn'

"Power of Nature" renamed to "Reborn"

I did some changes on the Power of Nature, mostly replace the Elatine triandra with Hemianthus callitrichoides and also removed Ludwigia brevipes. I also rename it to "Reborn"

It is amazing to see how simple plant change can tranform the whole look.

AGA 2009

My latest photo which is submnited to AGA 2009 competition. This is probably the last photo, this tank will soon be hand over to other and I can start with new scape.

The AGA judges comment are:

"Pretty tank with healthy well-grown tank. The central stump (?) is little stark and overpowering however." - Karen Randall

"Nice tank! I love the use of Elatine as the foreground. It seems to work grean in this tank and the Hydrocotyl is a nice contrast to the other grasslike plants. Some additional fern growth to the left of the stump would soften up the stark vertical line pf the driftwood. Although the L. brevipes is one of my favorite plant, it use in this tank is overpowered by the driftwood. Nice tank." - Bailin Shaw

August 8 update

This is how the tank look a like after 2 months. Some work still need to be done on the left side. The crypt look kind of distracting, need to replace with other plants have not think of any plant yet though.

a bit of update

2 weeks have passed and water have clear up. I added 2 Otocinclus affinis and 3 Iriatherina werneri yesterday. All of the plants are doing well. However, I'm still looking for plant to put at the left side behind the wood. Change the idea of mixing Glossotigma elatinoides with Elatin trianda. Glosso leaf is about the same size and color as Elatin trianda, it would be difficult to differentiate both from far, thus defeat the purpose of mixing it. Instead, I'm mixing it with Hemianthus callitrichoides 'cuba' (HC) which is much smaller leaf.

Finally have the time to continue this project. I'm using GEX soil green packet, mainly due to the fact that ADA soil price keep increasing thus must think of alternative. The water still cloudy or milky when I took the photo, it clear up after a week. I did not expected this, I always hearing GEX soil does not cloud the water, I guess it was not entirely true.

Current plants selection:
1. Java fern on top of the stump
2. Cryptocoryne wendtii 'brown' left side behind the stump
3. Vesicularia montagnei (Christmas Moss)
4. Elatin trianda on the foreground, thinking to mix it with glosso
5. Eleocharis parvula as a background behind the root

Tree Stump

Some photos of tree stump colected around my home area:

Initial Sketch

Time for new scape on my long abandon 2ft tank. Above is my simple sketch. The scape is about how tree still survive after the logging. It shows new braches and leaves are growing from cut area. It show how resilient nature is.

At this moment my plants selection are:

1. Cryptocoryne wendtii var. green


2. Echinodorus tenellus


3. Eleocharis parvula (Dwarf hairgrass)


4. Eleocharis vivipara


5. Glossostigma elatinoides


6. Microsorum pteropus (Java fern)


7. Rotala sp green


8. Rotala sp red


9. Vesicularia montagnei (X'mass moss)

I'm Curently on the process of gathering material. It may not even materialize if I cannot get the right wood, which is the main focus point. There is not much wood selection at local fish shop in this country