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Shaun's 180L Rio - First Scape

S

ShaunWhite

Member
Joined
14 Jun 2011
Messages
51
Location
Somerset
After much lurking and reading, i've recently set up my first aquascape / planted tank so after several nudges thought i might try to write a journal on it's progress.

I've had several tropical community tanks and eventually a nice marine reef tank which ran very successfully for several years. Now 3 children later, I fancied setting up another tank but not marine, hence how i got here.

My current set-up
Tank
180L Juwel Rio
Filtration / Circulation
Standard Juwel internal removed
Eheim ECCO Pro 300 external added
Koralia nano 1600 added (tonight hopefully, postman permitting) for circulation
Substrate
Flourite Black along with some Tropica Plant Substrate below and with a fine (1-2mm) quartz gravel section
CO2
Dennerle pressurised CO2 system with ladder / flipper diffuser
Planting
Cabomba caroliniana
Bolbitis heudolotti
Ceratopteris thalicroides
Hygrophila Rosae Australis
Cryptocoryne petchii
Cryptocoryne wendtii green
Echinodorus tennellus
Microsorium pteropus & narrow
Riccia fluitans
Vesicularia dubyana
Plus one other i'm not sure of at the moment......
Hardscape
Redmoor root
Lighting
2 x 45w Juwel T5 Highlite (1 x day, 1 x nature) with reflectors (again postman permitting)

System has been set up a few weeks now but i have already suffered my first disasters (well they felt like disasters at the time). After initially setting up the substrate and wood, dry, into what I felt was the best layout, I planted a few plants, weighted the wood down and filled the tank.
All looked OK for a while, after the initial haziness had cleared, a week or so later more plants arrived which i duly planted (creating a lot of cloudyness?) and at the same time decided that the wood may have soaked up enough water to sink on it's own.
I removed the bags of pebbles used as weights and stood back to admire my handywork, all looked nice so i took the dripping pebbles to the kitchen and as i returned was greeted by lots of floating wood, floating plants and ditchwater!

No amount of rescuing was going to resurrect this 'aquascape' so the wood went into the bath and i saved what plants i could.
Now, with hindsight, 😳
mistake #1 - believing the back of the packs of Flourite saying it didn't need rinsing as it definitely did and lots of it.
mistake #2 - underestimating how long redmoor root may take to sink

I've now cleared the tank, thoroughly rinsed the substrate and rebuilt and replanted the tank into a scape i'm much happier with.

Things are coming along nicely now, crypts have got new shoots, cabomba growing well, however the echi tennelus looks very yellowed and i've yet to see any new growth. 🙂

So that's the story thus far, i'll try and take some pictures tonight and post for (please be gentle) comments.....

Cheers for now and sorry for long post...
Shaun
 
Re: Shaun's 180L Rio - First Aquascape

Hi Shaun!

guess you are not alone in underestimating the wood sinking times 🙂 . My wood didnt sink even after 8 months & a few sessions fo 4 hour boiling 😀 ! Fortunately the LFS gals were kind enough to replace it! Thankfully there wasnt any fungal stuff on the wood.

Welcome to the club.
-niru
 
Re: Shaun's 180L Rio - First Aquascape

You definitely would'nt be the first person to have a scape ruined by your wood floating up - A couple of journals on the forum describe similiar setbacks 🙂

I have the Flourite red in my tank. I rinsed pretty well before using, but still get clouding and dust thrown up when tinkering with the planting etc. I must say to that I am a bit disappointed by how difficult it is to get plants to stay down in this rough substrate 🙁

Looking forward to seeing your pics and following your tanks journey 🙂
 
Re: Shaun's 180L Rio - First Aquascape

Hi Jason

I agree about the planting in Flourite (not that i've got much in the way of comparison mind you) but was very surprised both by how rough this substrate is and how much rinsing it needed.

Well postman has brought me goodies today, light reflectors and koralia so will be fitting these tonight.

Shaun
 
Re: Shaun's 180L Rio - First Aquascape

Hi All

Well the reflectors and koralia are now fitted and got chance to take a photos although they didn't come out quite as good as i hoped, will try some with my Nikon D80 soon.

IMG_1707.jpg

IMG_1709.jpg

IMG_1710.jpg

My two unidentified plants are the one in the far right corner and the reddish plant just behind the left piece of wood.

Have also fitted an external heater although the internal is yet to come out, just in case.

I'm still waiting for some riccia to attach to stones and cover up the join in the two substrates, did order some but it didn't go very far.

Comments?
 
Re: Shaun's 180L Rio - First Aquascape

I guess the far right corner plant is an Amazon Sword, and the reddish plant on the left is either Alternanthera Reineckii or Ludwigia glandulosa.

-niru
 
Re: Shaun's 180L Rio - First Aquascape

Thanks for the info niru.

Fertilisers have arrived today, i've got some from one of the boards supporters, AquariumPlantFood, its their TFF aquarium Plant Nutrition all in one.

Dosage is stated as 5ml per 50L daily.

How would you recommend I start dosing this? Everyday? at a reduced rate?

Shaun
 
Re: Shaun's 180L Rio - First Aquascape

What are you weighing the wood down with ?
 
Re: Shaun's 180L Rio - First Aquascape

niru said:
I guess the far right corner plant is an Amazon Sword, and the reddish plant on the left is either Alternanthera Reineckii or Ludwigia glandulosa.

-niru
Click to expand...

It's definitely Alternanthera Reineckii - I've got the same in my tank.

Love the layout. Just wondering whether some carpet plants would be good to soften the transition into the sand.

I'd also replace the green eheim pipes. Just get some cheap acrylic tube, and bend it using a heat gun. Or if you're feeling really experimental and want to save a whole load of money try this. I'm waiting for some pipes in the post and am going to give it a go.
 
Re: Shaun's 180L Rio - First Aquascape

Hi there. Great looking first aquascape! I would advise you to place some stones on the border of the Flourite Black and the white quartz. If not, the Flourite will slide all over the white quartz, ruining the nice white pristine look. Especially if you plan on stocking shrimps/cories/loaches.
 
Re: Shaun's 180L Rio - First Aquascape

Hi all

Thanks for the nice comments on the tank, i'm quite pleased with it so far.

Mortis - The wood's weighed down with strips of lead fashioned into suitable shapes, after my first floating wood episode, this will be staying on for a while.

Mike - I've checked on the Tropica catalogue and i'm now sure it's Alternanthera Reineckii - Thanks

Regarding the carpeting plants, I would like to soften the transition into the sand and so far I have added a few small flat pieces of slate with Riccia attached to the border of the flourite and sand but haven't got enough. I'd bought two packs of Riccia but it didn't go far enough so i'm not sure whether to buy more or wait and see if i like it?

My plant knowledge is pretty poor at the moment so any ideas for suitable carpeting plants would help.
Plus I'm looking for a suitable plant to go just off centre towards the back behind the lead weight on the photos so any ideas would be welcome.

Flygja - I had bought some flat pebbles to cover the border but really didn't feel they went with the layout, so i've added a few Riccia stones.

I'm adding fertiliser now the TFF Plant Nutrition at a rate of 5ml per 50L on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday and will monitor and attempt to get a feel for if this is sufficient etc.

I'm not sure whether my Java Moss is going to attach itself to the wood, i've secured one bunch with fishing line but found this too fiddly to do in the other locations so i used some plant ties. The moss is growing well, just doesn't look like its attaching. I've also go my first bit of green hair algae but only on each bunch of java moss. I'm removing this using a rough stick, hopefully this will reduce in time.

Cheers for now

Shaun
 
Re: Shaun's 180L Rio - First Aquascape

Hi All

Quick update with some photos.

Current Tank
DSC_3160.jpg

Crypt new growth
DSC_3156.jpg

Ech Tennelus Runners?
DSC_3154.jpg

Ceratopteris thalicroides new growth
DSC_3157.jpg

Hair Algae on Java Moss (reducing i think...)
DSC_3159.jpg

Left Side
DSC_3162.jpg

Right Side
DSC_3161.jpg

Cheers for now

Shaun
 
Re: Shaun's 180L Rio - First Aquascape

Looking really good Shaun....you should be pleased. Nice photos and thanks for sharing 🙂
 
Re: Shaun's 180L Rio - First Aquascape

Hi Shaun

just a small observation: You use a CO2 ladder flipper for injection, and the CO2 DC is sitting nest to the ladder. In my experience, the ladder is a pretty much waste of gas due to poor efficiency in dissolving the gas. I was initially fooled by what Dennerle said on their manual that CO2 gets dissolved pretty fast and the escaping bubbles you see are actually "other waste gases" from the tank which plants dont need.. Thats pretty much rubbish.

Since the DC is sitting next to the ladder, there is a high chance that the color it shows might not be a good indicator of overall CO2 in the gas. I would move it to some other side, and if possible replace the ladder with a diffuser or a reactor. If this is not possible, perhaps a waterjet directed towards the ladder from one of the upper sides would delay the bubble flippings thereby (perhaps) increase CO2 solubility??

Otherwise, your tank looks very nice and beautiful. Thanks for sharing the pics! Personally I like the substrate colour contrast!

cheers
niru
 
Re: Shaun's 180L Rio - First Aquascape

Hi niru

Thanks for the info, i have wondered about the flipper and now looking at it the DC is right next to it, Dohh..

Can you recommend a good diffuser and/or reactor?

Cheers Shaun
 
Re: Shaun's 180L Rio - First Aquascape

Well there are many in market. I use a Dupla external Reactor that sits on the output side of the external filter which goes to the spray bars. I am in Switzerland, so most products are from Germany. Guess in UK you have a wider (cheaper Asian??) variety available at better prices. If you can hide the reactor, do a DIY with plastic as well (theres some thread somewhere..) that would be way cheaper.. I tried diffuser in the tank and also CO2 output going into the powerhead, but didnt like the misty bubbles' look; also thought that some CO2 still escapes. No idea with the external turbo automizers though. My current reactor is big (was for a 500 liter tank), so this means that the entire gas gets dissolved in the water, which I am quite happy about 🙂

cheers
niru
 
Re: Shaun's 180L Rio - First Aquascape

Are you THE Shaun White? The flying tomato?! 😉

I like the look of your scape, very nice and you plants look nice an healthy. I am currently running my Co2 through an Aqua Medic 1000 reactor and seem to be having good results. It is larger than the UP Atomisers available so if space is an issue it might not be for u.

You could probably double your Riccia by letting it float on the surface.
 
Re: Shaun's 180L Rio - First Aquascape

Hi Bob

Definitely no flying tomato's I'm afraid 🙂

Might consider the Aqua Medic 1000, i'm a bit reluctant to try the UP atomiser as i don't want a lot of misting in the tank. I'll relocate the DC tonight and see how the CO2 level is the other side of the tank and make a decision from there.

Cheers

Shaun
 
Re: Shaun's 180L Rio - First Aquascape

If you decide to go with the AM1000 be away that you are increasing the diameter of a section of you hosing so there is "some" reduction in the flow rate from your filter. So you may have to add a powerhead of some sort. They come packed full with bioballs, but I removed mine and have just recently added an undo body scrubbery thing as a sort of net to break up any bubbles further.
 
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