My first attempt with leaf litter

[Ulu]

All I have here is eucalyptus, Aptos blue redwood, and some chinese mulbery. I might start an experiment, but I have been buying local organic almond leaves.

I am not a good aqua-scaper yet, but it's easy compared to landscaping.
I hire out the real landscaping.

 

[bobblehead27]

I'm pretty sure I read that mulberry is actually really good for the tank. Even green leaves.

 

[Ulu]

Oops . . . brain fatigue. It's a Chinese Elm.

 

[BIG-G]

I use mulberry and oak. The mulberry doesn’t last as long but seem to work well. I know the snails really like the mulberry

 

[bobblehead27]

I use mulberry and oak. The mulberry doesn’t last as long but seem to work well. I know the snails really like the mulberry

Yeah I think I read it's softer so deteriorates quickly, but the shrimp and snails love it, but also it has some chemical that it releases that is antibacterial or antifungal, similar but different to the Indian almond leaves

 

[bobblehead27]

So the RCS came in today with this plant. I'm most likely going to move this to another tank at some point, but any idea what it is? I just looped it around the driftwood for now in case it made the shrimp feel more comfortable.

 

[bobblehead27]

Update on today's progress. I got rid of the decorative rock on the right. The one on the left is still necessary to hold the driftwood down. I think I'm going to remove the rock all the way on the left. I think it might be too much even though I know the rule is keep it odd and that would be number 3 (once the decorative one is gone) the viney plant unraveled some but so far the fish and shrimp are loving it so I'm going to leave it until my tank is complete I think.

What do you guys think so far. Honest criticism please, it's the only way to get better

 

[bobblehead27]

Update. The driftwood finally sank so I removed the decorative rock from the left side. That side seems a little bare now though. I was thinking placing a Java fern under the driftwood right where that middle branch shoots out since I know they do well with low light I figure under the wood will split that into more territories for when I eventually get my cichlids by creating breaks in the sight lines, and it will also fill that area nicely what do you guys think? Too many species of plants? I'm just nervous when the tiger Lilies reach the surface, that area is going to be so empty in comparison to the rest of the tank