Making rounded stem plant bunches

[KristinM85]

I am always impressed with aquascapes that have the rounded stem plants in them.

Like this one for example:


(from the gallery at aquaforestaquarium.com)

Do the aquascapers trim these to make them rounded or is it more planting them together to get them rounded? And what kind of trimming techniques would be used?

I can't get my stem plants to look rounded like that no matter how hard I try.

Any tips?

[goalcreas]

I am very interested in getting some techniques also as I am just about ready to start this on one of my tanks.

[Roy Deki]

Stay tuned...This is what my May Issue article will be about.

[zeneo]

First you need to have good conditions for the plants to grow well, specially good light.


Then start trimming in the way you want from the beginning

Having something to cover the front like a smaller plant, rocks or wood will help also.

In the case I used Hemianthus micranthemoides and some wood in the front of rotala sp. green.



After some months


Sorry for the bad english and the bad aquascape also.

[goalcreas]

Thanks for the tip, and yo have a nice scape and I give you high credits for your english.

[KristinM85]

Thanks, zeneo! Your English is great and that aquascape is pretty awesome.

[dougz]

I love that the focal point to the left of the tank, the dark contrasts so well with the light that your eyes are drawn to it immediately..

Nice illusion of depth, and very restful on the eyes..

How did you do it?

(would love to see this tank built from the ground up)

[Brian]

Rounding stem plants is easy for me, I cut the tops of the stem and plant in the sides and wait to grow and do the same

[goalcreas]

That is a good tip also, but I am wondering about how it is done when it is behind a rock or thru some wood where it seems there are few stems but a HUGE TREE like head of Rotala or something.
Like In Roy Deki's tanks and many others.

[zeneo]

Originally Posted by dougz

I love that the focal point to the left of the tank, the
(would love to see this tank built from the ground up)

I've posted a new thread here

It was very dificult to create the depth illusion as it has only 30cm.

Look at day 141, the stargrass it's very easy to make it round and bushie, there are only a few plants in a small space about 5 cm betwen the rock and the glass.

[dougz]

Thanks!

[riverrat]

Wow....nice Ram in the second picture!

[ReefJones]

Without stealing Deki's thunder but giving a quick answer, you start with a healthy bunch of stems and cut them into the slope or grade that you want. A major key is knowing what plants take to cuttings well and which ones don't (Rotala rotundifolia takes trimmings nicely!) You want to cut lower than the slope you want that way you get nice crowns growing back with some fullness to them. As some grow longer you go back and snip the ones that get out of shape. As the plants grow out from your "sculpt" (some species putting off two crowns where one was cut) they will get fuller and you will have a nice head of crowns sloping, slanting, or curving however you made your intial sculpting trim.
Reef

[dougz]

Are those what those background plants are?

I thought Rotala rotundifolia was a red plant?

[ReefJones]

It is a light greenish stem plant that turns pink to rosey colored with good light and lots of iron. I am not sure of which plant you are refering to though I didn't post any pictures?
Reef

[dougz]

I am not sure of which plant you are refering to though I didn't post any pictures?

I'm referring to the aquascape in the original post..

I thought you were, too..

[KristinM85]

Originally Posted by ReefJones

Without stealing Deki's thunder but giving a quick answer, you start with a healthy bunch of stems and cut them into the slope or grade that you want. A major key is knowing what plants take to cuttings well and which ones don't (Rotala rotundifolia takes trimmings nicely!) You want to cut lower than the slope you want that way you get nice crowns growing back with some fullness to them. As some grow longer you go back and snip the ones that get out of shape. As the plants grow out from your "sculpt" (some species putting off two crowns where one was cut) they will get fuller and you will have a nice head of crowns sloping, slanting, or curving however you made your intial sculpting trim.
Reef

Thanks, Reef! I gave it a try with Rotala wallichi in my 40 breeder, but I didn't cut lower than the slope I want. So, when the crowns grew back, the plants were taller than I wanted. Now I will go back and cut them lower so that they grow back shorter. The wallichi is in the midground, so tall isn't good. I'll try to post a pic once I get the wallichi where I want it so ya'll can see my attempt.

Originally Posted by dougz

Are those what those background plants are?

I thought Rotala rotundifolia was a red plant?

I bet the plant in the pic is the green version, Rotala sp. green. The pinkish plant on the right, back may be rotundifolia and the red one on the left colorata. I am merely guessing though. Perhaps I should try to find this tank in the international aquascaping contest....

[dougz]

An exact list would be great, as I like this tank ALOT, and will be copying quite a few things..

[Pat7676]

Roy i can't wait to read your article about this.

[Norbert Sabat]

This is easy to do. You must only know how fast plants species grow in your tank and trim it like hair to make shape that you want.

For example my old (2004) tank - pictures are better than 1000words :

November 2004 after triming:


and 2-3weeks later you have this: