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Nice example. I think the key is choosing the right plants from the outset, ones that don't mind their feet in water but can also tolerate lower humidity. So you're not necessarily restricted to what we normally consider aquatic plants. You also have more than a few houseplants to choose from as...

This maybe of some help https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/how-to-clean-easy-and-highly-nutritious-greenwater-culture-for-daphnia-and-moina.64674/

Yes absolutely right. There is no need to add ammonia to a planted tank to cycle it. Just plant and let nature do its thing. There is quite a lot of in-depth info on tank cycling and microbial communities here on UKAPS, thanks mainly to Darrel’s @dw1305 research. Just for starters...

I always leave them in, that is if you don't intend to do a massive or 100% water change. Then fill back up carefully, most should be fine and orientate themselves the right way up, those that don't you can give a helping hand to. I think S. minima is smaller than S. auriculata. Maybe Tropica...

Yes that would be a good idea. But it’s a balancing act between light intensity and fertz dosing. It's one you’ll get the hang of with experience. Once the tank has become established it is possible to slowly increase the photoperiod to 12 hours. For frets dosing take a look at Darrel’s Duck...

If you’re planning a low-energy tank, I’d just go ahead and plant. Media from an established filter is always good. But also there will be enough microorganisms on the plants to inoculate the tank and get the cycle going. Plant very densely from the get go, and you’ll be off to a good start.

Lepidium sativum

Absolutely not. Nor shrimp. Not even the largest container. Aside from the diminutive size, the gas exchange will be minimal not only since some are taller than wider but also because of the narrow neck. And with a wooden ball in it just for good measure, it's effectively sealed off. Apparently...

Hi-tech, or take the hybrid approach. Grow less demanding plants, like those suggested above. And like Darrel @dw1305 mentions above inject just enough CO2 to turn the drop checker green instead of lime green. You'll get healthy plants but more of a slow burner, and more wriggle room...

Probably has nothing to do with the fact that the previous PFK editor, was also Marketing and Business Development Manager at Evolution Aqua.

The instructions suggest it's entirely up to you. But I think it's always best to rinse through. Pre-washed for your convenience, can be use without rinse. Please, fill up the tank without stirring the sand bed by pouring the water carefully in a surface. You may rinse it with water before...

I know what you mean, that’s the beauty of UKAPS, you get to share your experiences with like minded folk. Either way, well done for trying to involve your wife. I gave up trying along time ago. She thinks I spend my spare time hanging out online with fellow fishy geeks. I keep telling her it’s...

We’ve discussed this a few times before. I think its business model failed in an increasingly competitive market. It closed in 2018. https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/the-green-machine-website.63921/page-2#post-632065...

I've grown it a few times, I don't remember the leaf edges being so crenate, or the leaves being that long. But then I grew it low-energy without CO2, and like @ElleDee mentions above, crypts have a great deal of phenotypic plasticity when it comes to leaf morphology, responding to different...

That one. You'd expect snake oil from any commercial concern whose sole reason for being is to invent new and interesting ways to try and part us from our hard earned cash. But I find that sort of maneuver form Practical Fishkeeping disappointing. Either way, we all know there is absolutely no...

Very nice. Thanks for sharing @Gill :)

Not sure how much success you'd have trying to grow a dense low growing carpet without CO2 and fairly high light intensity, regardless of species, but it can be done, sort of. There's a section at the end of my tutorial regarding low-energy lawns, and one or two threads that might be of...

They’re present anyway. And will be introduced with plants, maybe other than in-vitro. Too much light unbalancing the system is probably an algae trigger. But it perhaps works in synergy with high organics or ammonia and poor maintenance. Introducing material from a cycled tank has the...

Really looking forward to the event too, including Tai’s talk. Hope to see both old friends and put some new faces to names. Thanks for hosting us again Dave @Aquarium Gardens And like Geoff mentions don’t forget to vote in the poll at the top of the page folks, we want to make sure there's...

@Vandal Gardener No need to dark start before dry start. Dry start is best if you want to establish a lawn etc before flooding. https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/return-of-the-shallow.50172/page-3#post-497164

I don't think I would necessarily. Not sure where this figure of 5 weeks has come from. Seems a bit arbitrary, unless it’s for a specified reason I’m not aware of. Either way, dark start method, as opposed to dry start method (same initials), seems to have become overly complicated somehow...

You'll need to spray once a day, and air the container for around 5-10mins. Or leave a small permanent air gap. It helps prevent mould. Also, I recommend adding fertz to the spray bottle to foliar feed the plants. I use a weak solution of TNC Complete, approx 3mls per litre. There are also...

Might be immaterial now you've knocked up a nursery but I keep mine on a north facing window ledge. They'll be fine for a couple or three weeks, or more

Or maybe it is. I was just paraphrasing the consensus. https://www.aquasabi.com/aquascaping-wiki_algae_twinstar#:~:text=The%20operating%20principle%20of%20the,effect%20for%20many%20years%20now.

If you want to be a record breaker…yeah…

Roy Castle and Noris MacWhirter would have read it

Crikey, this thread just keeps going round and round in circles. I’m confused now though. I thought we’d reached some sort of consensus. It’s not an electrolysis machine, but produces nanobubbles of oxygen. Nanobubbles have unique properties that allow them to accumulate in water to create a...

I would also use a thin layer of sand too. Play sand is an excellent option. It's mostly inert silica and won't affect water parameters. It's also very cheap, so not very expensive to syphon out and replace. The volume needed for a thin covering will also be quick and easy to rinse through...

I use 20mm - 30mm polystyrene. As well as offering a good level of protection it also raises the scape so it doesn't become drowned out by substrate, and retains tension.

Spp. is an abbreviation of the plural, meaning two or more species. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binomial_nomenclature#:~:text=The%20abbreviation%20%22spp.%22%20(,species%20of%20the%20genus%20Canis%22.

Surface scum is just bio film. It should become less of a problem as your tank matures and things settle down. Most of us either live with it or use a surface skimmer of some description. I have one permanently attached. Good surface agitation definitely helps. But when it’s really bad the...

Welcome to UKAPS 🙂 If those are your two choices, it’s a no-brainer. Superfish Scaper all day long. APS tanks can be a bit hit and miss in terms of quality. Or go for another make of optiwhite, rimless and braceless aquarium and the Twinstar RGB. For starters take a look at what our sponsors...

Take a look at this https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/the-shed-tank.35077/#post-376157 @Ady34 might be worth contacting for advice if you’re thinking of having dedicated plumbing. Post in thread 'Re-education.....' Re-education.....

1800mm NatureAquarium layout

I’ll definitely be there, complete with sticky labels for name badges so we can all put faces to names. Hope to see as many members there as last year, both new and familiar 🙂

Amazing place. It’s come up in a previous discussion regarding clear water habitat 🙂 Post in thread 'A Brief and Incomplete History of Aquascaping' A Brief and Incomplete History of Aquascaping

Can’t really tell from the info in the link. If you’re concerned you could always add some sort of vertical bracing in the middle. I’d use a couple of timber pieces.

Anyone got excited and made anything recently, or just come across something worth sharing in the spirit of this thread? Be great to get it going again 🙂

You don’t have to be an artist, you just need a little creativity and imagination. You’re an engineer, I bet you come up with creative and imaginative solutions to problems all the time. Take a look at the Planted Tank Gallery, especially the 2 sticky threads, find a scape you like the look of...

By all means bake both soil or filter media it won’t do any harm. But I think algal spores exist everywhere just waiting for suitable conditions to germinate. It’s perhaps a better idea to try and work out why this persistent bba problem occurred in the first place, so it can be avoided in...

Took delivery of a copy of Encyclopaedia of Water Plants yesterday. This copy wasn’t in too bad condition despite its age; published in 1967. Perhaps a little on the grubby side but it wiped down okay. Still smells fusty though 🙂 Fantastic book, describing over 200 species, each beautifully...

@bazz thanks for posting, It’s one book I’ve somehow overlooked. I managed to find a copy for a few quid. Hopefully it’ll turn up soon and in fairly decent condition.

Crikey @fredi just looked them up, those books are a ridiculous price. Fortunately for me I’m not the biggest catfish fan otherwise I’d bankrupt myself trying to buy them 😁

Nice find Darrel. I’m sensing a pattern here. It always seems to be O2 availability that is key. Knew the Twinstar was good for something, just perhaps not direct algicide.

It’s up to you, I doubt it’ll make a difference to the process either way. I think the idea is just to make setting up a newly planted tank less labour intensive

Tha latest addition to the collection. I already have a later copy of this book, which interestingly is a lot thinner, but the same number of pages. This one is a first edition though. It’s not subtitled “Book One”. I got it cheap since it’s water damaged. So I spent an hour or so ironing wavy...

I don’t think you could do better than a JUWEL Rio. Pre-loved ones on eBay are often decent value for money. You just need to do your homework and select a good one that meets your needs.

Nice scape. I wouldn’t change much really. But if you feel like it’s time for a change just make gradual adjustments of planting and maybe hardscape. Let it evolve organically. At the end of the day it’s just gardening. We don’t think twice about replanting our herbaceous boarders, for...

For sure @_Maq_ . There are no absolutes, every tank is different; there is always more than one route to success. For instance, I like to stick to the x10 turnover rule (x10 the volume of the tank per hour), even low energy. But x5 usually suffices very well. However, I’ve successfully run...

I’ve read some of the thread but not all, so not sure what’s been said. But there isn’t much need for excessive flow in a low-energy system. Except perhaps for good surface agitation to maintain O2 and CO2 levels. Regarding a redundant filter for a new tank, just keeping them ticking over at a...

Certainly soaking it beforehand will always be beneficial and err on the side of caution. But equally sticking it in a tank for a 4 week dark start could be enough.

Either way, I think the general idea is to at least try and avoid the worst of an ammonia spike and help establish plants easier.

Do one or the other. Both is not necessary. It's conflating two totally different methods. In short transitioning plants from emersed to submersed growth can be problematic and these methods might help increase the chance of success. Dark start is letting the aquarium run in flooded with water...

Well done. I’m sure there are many other sorry looking school aquariums that could do with a makeover and then regular maintenance going forward to keep them at their best. Glad the UKAPS community could be of help

Welcome 🙂

There is this thread as well https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/plant-names-taxonomy-and-reference-books.72559/#post-729650

Wow, what an amazing event.

I think you may be right ;)

They look like star anise pods.The fruit is a capsule-like follicetum, star-shaped, reddish-brown, consisting of six to eight follicles arranged in a whorl. They’re used in cooking to add an aniseed flavour. I’ve no idea if they’re suitable as an aquarium botanical, but my guess is they’d be...

Do a dark start for a few weeks and then plant your crypts. You don’t need to worry about liquid rock London water. They naturally grow in water high in carbonates. You don’t necessarily need to worry about CO2 either, they can utilise carbonates as a source of carbon. But CO2 will definitely...

I’ve a 45p running at the moment, but in perpetual dry start (it’ll be flooded one day). It’s something of a sweet spot in terms of size, and therefore maintenance. I definitely wouldn’t go any smaller, especially if you want to keep fish.

It has to be clear every time especially if you have interesting wallpaper. Post in thread 'Why do you spend so much time on UKAPS' Why do you spend so much time on UKAPS Seriously though I think a plain backlit background always looks best, its borrowed space that can make the tank look...

@DeepMetropolis Me neither 😁

Not sure if this has come up yet. Apologies if it has. But saw these low hanging fruit today and immediately thought about this thread. Any good?

I doubt it. Many competition scapes are grown emersed and flooded for the photo shoot and then torn down.

Just why! It’s mad to breed and then try to grow a plant without chlorophyll. Especially under water

Love Felipe's scape with the huge emersed Echinodorus. It's a fitting epitaph to a truly talented artist.

Welcome @Alant. Two weeks isn't too long, they'll probably recover. But we will need images to properly advise you.

It's just another aspect of the hobby and fun to do. Always good to experiment and improve your knowledge and husbandry skills. This was my first nano tank a few years back, 30cm cube. Basic SuperFish, with heater and internal filter. Absolutely loved it. Took me about 30 mins a week to...

I think if the store have motivated owners the nurseries will help them establish a trade. Aquafleur, for instance, set my LFS up with a cascade tank, and lights etc, apart from anything else it makes commercial sense. Apparently, the plants sell like hot cakes.

agree

Reverse respiration or carbonated bottled water gets my vote. Alternatively, buy plants from our sponsors. Most of the plants they sell are kept and grown on in emersed ebb and flow type hydroponic systems or in vitro. No nasties, pest snails or algae infestation. They're also supplied by...

This may be of help https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/reliable-testing-methods.65139/#post-644476

Got this from AbeBooks for a couple of quid. No idea why it has marine fish on the front cover since it's about freshwater tropical fish. But it's not bad at all ;)

Good tip is to keep a watch out for hardscape, and if you see a piece you like buy it. It’s how to build up a decent collection. And the more you have the easier it is to translate ideas in to reality. Don’t limit your search to just aquascaping shops. The landscaping section of garden centres...

Call Aquarium Gardens and tell them what you’re after they may do a mock up for you in one of their dojos and send you some images. Or at the very least send you images of individual pieces.

This one. There is something very evocative about it that I can’t quite put my finger on. https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/the-banyan-forests-of-stickleback-island.12557/

It's possible to create an iwagumi in either. But I guess it depends what you have in mind. You could cut a cardboard box, or similar, down to size and arrange a scape in that. It'll give you a better idea whether it'll work for you.

I think PFK has been in decline for some years. Perhaps the number of potential subscribers just aren't out there any more. It's part of the Warners Group Publications plc. The group publishes a whole load of magazines on different interests. I guess it wouldn't be economically feasible...

No way! What for?

Little bar stewards

Same for us too @Gill. So far no real surprises, worked out great, to be recommended. Remember Google is your friend though, research is key.

Reminds me of this https://www.tuncalik.com/2021/03/natural-aquariums-for-ecological-literacy-and-ecosystem-modeling/

Exactly, give yourself some space, don't force it. It's a hobby after all, it's meant to be fun. Go with what interests you the most ;)

I've just lost pretty much every single plant (bonsai) in a dry start up. All except 1. I've kind of come to the conclusion that they've been selectively bred for certain leaf morphology to the extent they no long have much in the way of resistance to bacterial infection and rot. But it's just a...

Welcome to UKAPS :)

Exactly, my farther, god rest his soul, loved gardening. He had a couple of large greenhouses in which he used paraffin heaters. Aside from providing warmth they released CO2 and improved the yield of his of his various crops. I seem to remember they looked very similar to this but were blue.

1000ppm CO2 improves yield by up to 80%, and also flavour and nutritional value. https://academic.oup.com/hr/article/10/4/uhad026/7049409

By rimless, I’m guessing open top? Depends on your circumstances. In a well ventilated centrally heated modern house it’s not usually a problem at all. But if the house has problems with damp and condensation etc, it’ll only make conditions worse.

Never had much success with it under water, I don't think many folk have. It's probably best grown where Dave has placed it in the scape above, emersed. Filipe did okay with it though, the tree's foliage is made of it... And thanks @Wookii , I plan to keep it simple ;)

You must have a favourite @john6, dig it out and post it here. And you too @si walker ;)

UKAPS has been around for a good few years now, since 2007, and during that time the forum has been blessed with many amazing contributions from an incredibly talented membership. I thought it'd be a good idea if members posted the best of those here. So get digging in the archive and share...

It’s seiryu stone or mini landscape rock. It’s actually metamorphosed limestone, with calcite veins.

I had some spare time today, so on a whim I decided to visit @Aquarium Gardens. The showroom is looking amazing so thought I'd share a few images with you all. The first scape you see as you enter the showroom. This one reminds me of Pandora from Avatar. The colours are insane, mostly due to...

Looks like a midge larva. Free fish food.

Great collection That is an awesome looking aquarium, should be in a museum ;) It'll look very cool restored and back in use. My first aquarium had an angle iron frame. But weirdly it was more for show than essential since the tank was bonded with silicon.

That's a great idea Paulo. UKAPS is blessed with many knowledgeable and generous members, and I bet we could build a comprehensive database given time. We also have many excellent images of fish as well as plants which could help make both unique.

If you're not happy with your current setup, tear it all down and start again. It's not unknown to have a quick turn over of scapes, especially when starting out. Like anything it's a learning curve, It's also supposed to be fun and exciting. I regularly moved plants and hardscape around until I...

Maybe it's just a start and the database will be added to in time.

Be interesting to compare it to real life experience and see how accurate it is.