Newby alert!! New set up.

[taytas01]

Hey guys, just joined on here ( be gentle) and am just in the process of starting a re-do on my community tank.
This will be my first large attempt at aqua scaping.
I have a lovely but very large piece of wood which I'm going to put to the back of the tank to make room for carpeting/foreground plants, I will be wanting tall plants in each corner hopefully plant the wood up with different moss.
My question is what your thoughts are on the best substrate to use for this kind of set up.
My initial thoughts are john inns no3 capped with small gravel but was wondering if there were better options

Juwel vision 260ltr
pressurised co2
Inline diffuser
T8 lights ( will be upgrading to a 4 bulb t5 overhead light ASAP )

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[Henry]

John Innes No.3 is an excellent substrate for low tech and high tech tanks alike, although CO2 supplementation will require comprehensive fert dosing (EI dosing) to ensure the plants are receiving everything they need. You could achieve what you have planned with just the soil substrate and some less demanding plants; Glossostigma elatinoides, Lilaeopsis brasiliensis, and Eleocharis acicularis are all good low tech carpeters.

I wouldn't be so quick to upgrade your lights, but concentrate on flow around the tank, if you plan on going high tech. T8's will be far easier to manage than T5's until you hone you CO2 distribution and fert dosing.

 

[Martin in Holland]

It seems that the wood are 2 pieces...why not try to put them upright or in an angle ?....maybe even make 2 big trees out of them in the foreground or halve way ....?
Mess around with those nice pieces of wood, I'm sure there are many more options than just putting them at the back

 

[Edvet]

Tutorials | UK Aquatic Plant Society Watch out with T5's , the algea will love that much light

Do I have too much light? | UK Aquatic Plant Society

 

[taytas01]

Thanks Martin but apart from the two small darker pieces at the front (each end) that is just one big piece, the large flat rock at the front was just temporary to hold it down.


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[taytas01]

Thanks Henry, I will check those plants out today, I will be starting with the t8's as I don't have the funds for the lights just yet (just bought the full co2 set up and a new external filter) so will have chance to give that a shot.
I read up on EI ferts and will be using them, as far as flow is concerned, the one I just got is 2000ltr per hour so I've got 7.6 x turnover, hopefully that should be enough??



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[Martin in Holland]

more flow is always better, you can always ad a small powerhead to the tank.

 

[NC10]

Welcome taytas01. You have the same tank as me, so I'll be following with interest

 

[taytas01]

Hey guys, after a few new purchases and a lot of messing around I finally got my first aquascape done, i decided to get rid of the massive wood as it overtook the tank.
I only set it up 5 days ago and can see the difference already, really looking forward to the next few months.

 

[Leesey]

That looks lovely,
I like the fact that there is open space and is simple and less crowded.

Jon

 

[taytas01]

Cheers jon, hoping it will once the hairgrass an Cuba carpets.

 

[NC10]

The old wood you had was stunning, although I agree that it didn't quite sit right with the tank, nothing much you could have done with it really.

I'm just not feeling the new layout though. No disrespect, just being honest. The only thing I'm drawn to is the massive expanse of back wall, even when I consider future growth. It's still early with time to change, so I thought I'd give my opinion. With that wood and those stones though, it could look pretty special

Think of turning the wood so it looks like a root/tree growing. Built up on a high substrate surrounded by the rocks keeping the substrate back would look amazing IMO Either centred to flow out to either side, or concentrated at the back left and flowing down to the front right. If you could get another piece the same and make them look like one piece to bulk it out, that would be even better.

It's always hard to get across what you have in your head, but something along the lines of this, obviously the other way round going left to right. Or centred.

If you could get another more upright piece and use the piece you have now to stretch it out so to speak, it would be amazing.

Obviously if you're happy with it keep it the way it is, it's your tank lol Just thought I'd share my thoughts

 

[Martin in Holland]

I have seen this tank a few times from really close-up in a shop in Hong Kong (Green Corner) ....it was impressive, but this photo must have been photo shopped to the max. I wonder now how often this happens?

Sorry to side track a bit in your topic Taytas

 

[taytas01]

How very dare you nc.....lol

Only joking Not a problem, all feedback is welcome, as I said this is my first scape and to be honest I think the picture you put on is a bit out of my league for now.
I'm sure I'll try something a bit more adventurous once I'm more used to the Co2 / ferts and plants in general, ( never done it before )

It does look a bit bare at the minute, that was the 1st day but
once grown in the plants on the left hand side will fill that side of the tank all around that wood. I have a sword and a few larger stem plants hidden round the back.
I have some more Blyxa around the front now and will be putting some more plants in there but am waiting for the wood to sink ( hence the rock on it )
Apparently soaking it for 2 weeks wasn't enough

I do know where you are coming from with the mass of black, and I do love the root effect "although have seen it done to death" but if what I've read on here is right I've no doubt I will be making changes as I go along.

Not a problem Martin, I agree with you about the photo shop, I've seen many a plant on the net which has never been a colour match to the real thing.

 

[NC10]

lol I'm just glad you took my comment in the way it was intended, thanks

Fair enough the roots been done to death, but it's a good place to start and learn all the same. Just copy someone else When you get used to dosing ferts, carbon and learning what plants do what etc, the worlds your oyster.

I've personally left it too late really without having to rip my tank apart, so I just wanted to point things out which you could change now easily, rather than later.

As Martin pointed out, that photos been abused by photoshop, so just ignore it. That was the only thing I could find to get across the overall layout I had in my head. I suppose the main point I was trying to say is to incorporate the wood and the stones into one main feature. At the moment you have all the stones at the right and wood at the left, totally separated, apart from the stone weight Even if you just left the wood in the same position but pulled it towards front centre a bit, you could mix some stones into it, using the stone to build the height up at the back and with you pulling it out also increases the length along the tank, but still leaving an open part for you to carpet at the right hand side. I know what I mean anyway

Good luck with it anyway mate, look forward to seeing how you progress

What happened to the old wood?

 

[taytas01]

Yeh, thanks for that, I'm sure I'll be changing bits as I go anyways.
Got to admit I thought the wood looked slightly out of proportion ( too large) there but was hoping once the moss has been put on and the surrounding plants had swallowed it up it wouldn't look as out of place.

I Sold the large wood and put the money towards the new lights.

 

[taytas01]

Hey guys, it's been a while, and been quite a few changes/learning curves but tank has come on quite a bit since my last post.

 

[brandon429]

filling in nicely the carpet took off!