The tank had been set up for a year and 1/2, I was getting tired of its design..
I liked it, but I felt it was too linear, there was just a solid wall of plants along the back, no sense of design or plan. And I was also getting tired of trimming the rotala every week.. So I ripped out all the plants and started over! I built a retaining wall out of driftwood, and planted behind it with Spiral Vals and red crypts only..I moved all the rotala over to the far right corner (not yet visible in these photos) evenuually the Rotala will grow to cover the heater and filter intake.

I like the new design much better..there is a bit of "rule of thirds" going on, and the shrubbery creates a nice bi-level effect with a little path running down the middle.
 

Here is the "before" picture, taken seconds before the carnage began.

 
 
 
 
 

And here is the scene about 45 minutes later!

 

The fish stayed right in the tank the whole time, they
werent fazed at all, actually I kinda think they enjoyed
it! it was quite an adventure for them!
 

Here it is at the end of the first night, the wall is in, but lots
of the plants are still floating on the surface, simply
because there was so much sediment in the water I couldnt
see to plant them!

 
 
 

The next day the water had cleared and I was able to
finish the planting..here is the final result!

 

The plants need to grow in a bit..I will post another picture
here in a month or two when the tank reaches it "mature"
state (whatever that is!)
 
 
 
 
 
 
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