Steve Smith
Member
Below are all of the entries from the UKAPS 2009 Pico contest ready to be judged. It has been an awesome contest with some very ingenius scapes! I just want to take the chance to congratulate everyone that's taken part!
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UKAPS Pico Contest Judging thread.
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Steve Smith
Member
Entry 001
Name: Amy James (amy4342)
Tank Dimensions: (Height/Width/Depth): 12 x 20 x 12
Aquascape Name: VW Decay
Hardscape/Materials used: Naturesoil, Pea gravel, VW Camper van model, model bricks
Plants: Hemianthus Callitrichoides Cuba, Eleocharis parvula, Rotala Rountifolia
Fertilisation: Easy Carbo and EI dosing
About the aquascape: I made the tank by cutting an old glass condensation lid using silicone I already had. The pea gravel and Naturesoil were leftover from previous scapes, and the plants are cuttings from my other tanks. The model bricks costed £8 from eBay and the model camper van costed £4 from eBay. Unfortunately, the seller sent the wrong model - the one pictured is a VW camper pickup, wheres I have the bus. He is sending me the correct model, so I'll swap them over when it arrives.
Inspiration: Well, as many of you know, my two favourite hobbys are aquascaping and VW classic camper vans. So, taking a leaf out of James Maslin's Foundation, I decided to re-create the scene where I first found my Volkswagen van. It was in a terrible state of disrepair, sat on the drive in front of somebody's house, which I recreated with model bricks. The grass had taken over, represented by the Eleocharis parvula, there were brambles obscuring the front of van, represented by the Hemianthus cuba, and the Rotala is supposed to represent the only nice thing growing in the garden - a gorgeous red tree of some kind.
Apologies for the dodgy pictures - never, ever buy an iPhone for it's camera. I'll upload better ones when I borrow my fiance's camera
I used carboard to seperate the substrates and the van is placed on the 'drive'.
This is the finished version with plants. Again, really sorry for the terrible picture!
---------------Final Pics---------------
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8771
Name: Amy James (amy4342)
Tank Dimensions: (Height/Width/Depth): 12 x 20 x 12
Aquascape Name: VW Decay
Hardscape/Materials used: Naturesoil, Pea gravel, VW Camper van model, model bricks
Plants: Hemianthus Callitrichoides Cuba, Eleocharis parvula, Rotala Rountifolia
Fertilisation: Easy Carbo and EI dosing
About the aquascape: I made the tank by cutting an old glass condensation lid using silicone I already had. The pea gravel and Naturesoil were leftover from previous scapes, and the plants are cuttings from my other tanks. The model bricks costed £8 from eBay and the model camper van costed £4 from eBay. Unfortunately, the seller sent the wrong model - the one pictured is a VW camper pickup, wheres I have the bus. He is sending me the correct model, so I'll swap them over when it arrives.
Inspiration: Well, as many of you know, my two favourite hobbys are aquascaping and VW classic camper vans. So, taking a leaf out of James Maslin's Foundation, I decided to re-create the scene where I first found my Volkswagen van. It was in a terrible state of disrepair, sat on the drive in front of somebody's house, which I recreated with model bricks. The grass had taken over, represented by the Eleocharis parvula, there were brambles obscuring the front of van, represented by the Hemianthus cuba, and the Rotala is supposed to represent the only nice thing growing in the garden - a gorgeous red tree of some kind.
Apologies for the dodgy pictures - never, ever buy an iPhone for it's camera. I'll upload better ones when I borrow my fiance's camera
I used carboard to seperate the substrates and the van is placed on the 'drive'.
This is the finished version with plants. Again, really sorry for the terrible picture!
---------------Final Pics---------------
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8771
Steve Smith
Member
Entry 002
Name: Amy James (amy4342)
Tank Dimensions: (Height/Width/Depth): Hmmm, well, it's 12" high and the overall diameter is roughly 20cm. I worked out the volume of the tank by drawing the star on paper, working out the area by splitting it into triangles and then divided 2700 (2.7l in cubic cm's) by that number, giving me 12cm for the height.
Aquascape Name: When you wish upon a star
Hardscape/Materials used: Naturesoil, Fine Coral Sand, Sayuri Rock,
Plants: Hemianthus Callitrichoides Cuba, Rotala Rountifolia, Echinodorus tennellus
Fertilisation: Easy Carbo and EI dosing
About the aquascape: I commisioned the acrylic star shaped base from a local glass and plastics shop which costed £12. I then cut the square bits from an old condensation lid, and I siliconed each side onto the star. The substrates and rock were leftover from previous scapes, and the plants are cuttings from other tanks.
I love star shapes, and I thought this would be a very unique tank. I think the shape lends itself to the design I have planned. I actually like this tank so much I will probably keep it going after the competition has finished.
This is the star with the substrate.
I then added rocks in an iwagumi style. Apologies for the terrible picture.
---------------Final Pics---------------
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8772
Name: Amy James (amy4342)
Tank Dimensions: (Height/Width/Depth): Hmmm, well, it's 12" high and the overall diameter is roughly 20cm. I worked out the volume of the tank by drawing the star on paper, working out the area by splitting it into triangles and then divided 2700 (2.7l in cubic cm's) by that number, giving me 12cm for the height.
Aquascape Name: When you wish upon a star
Hardscape/Materials used: Naturesoil, Fine Coral Sand, Sayuri Rock,
Plants: Hemianthus Callitrichoides Cuba, Rotala Rountifolia, Echinodorus tennellus
Fertilisation: Easy Carbo and EI dosing
About the aquascape: I commisioned the acrylic star shaped base from a local glass and plastics shop which costed £12. I then cut the square bits from an old condensation lid, and I siliconed each side onto the star. The substrates and rock were leftover from previous scapes, and the plants are cuttings from other tanks.
I love star shapes, and I thought this would be a very unique tank. I think the shape lends itself to the design I have planned. I actually like this tank so much I will probably keep it going after the competition has finished.
This is the star with the substrate.
I then added rocks in an iwagumi style. Apologies for the terrible picture.
---------------Final Pics---------------
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8772
Steve Smith
Member
Entry 003
Name: James Marshal
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 12 x 15 x 15cm
Aquascape Name: Fell's Crag
Hardscape/Materials used: Metamorphic rock, lava rock, Amazonia powder, Nile sand and Forest sand
Plants: HC, Stuarogyne Sp and Riccia
Fertilisation: 7 drops of Brighty K per day
4 drops of Florish excel per day
1/2 drop of Green Gain twice a week
1/2 drop of Phyton Git once a week
About the aquascape: The scape design was loosely based on the terrain around Scafell Pike in the lake district, thus the name Fell's Crag. The tank itself was chosen because I liked the thick glass base, I feel that when presented as a photo this gives the veiwer some clue as to the size of the container.
The cost of the setup was £16, this consists of a 6^ cube vase £9 and an Argos desk lamp £7. The set up was part of the rescape of my 20 litre. so the substrates and ferts are small quantities of what were bought for that, and the plants and hardscape came from the breakdown of the old 20 litre scape.
Initial setup pics:
Hardscape
3 hours after planting
---------------Final Pics---------------
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8738
Name: James Marshal
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 12 x 15 x 15cm
Aquascape Name: Fell's Crag
Hardscape/Materials used: Metamorphic rock, lava rock, Amazonia powder, Nile sand and Forest sand
Plants: HC, Stuarogyne Sp and Riccia
Fertilisation: 7 drops of Brighty K per day
4 drops of Florish excel per day
1/2 drop of Green Gain twice a week
1/2 drop of Phyton Git once a week
About the aquascape: The scape design was loosely based on the terrain around Scafell Pike in the lake district, thus the name Fell's Crag. The tank itself was chosen because I liked the thick glass base, I feel that when presented as a photo this gives the veiwer some clue as to the size of the container.
The cost of the setup was £16, this consists of a 6^ cube vase £9 and an Argos desk lamp £7. The set up was part of the rescape of my 20 litre. so the substrates and ferts are small quantities of what were bought for that, and the plants and hardscape came from the breakdown of the old 20 litre scape.
Initial setup pics:
Hardscape
3 hours after planting
---------------Final Pics---------------
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8738
Steve Smith
Member
Entry 004
Name: samc
Tank Dimensions (height/width/depth): 13/15/14
Aquascape Name: none yet
Hardscape/Materials used: westmoreland stone
Plants: taiwan moss, e. parvula, e.acicularis
Fertilisation: 0.5ml easylife profito daily
About the aquascape: this has cost me £0.00 as i made the tank myself using a tank that was delivered broken and they didnt want back 😀. the hardscape i already had. amazoniaII i already had and the light will be from the sun
first of all i added the amazonia II
next i added the main-stone and sub-stone
next i added the barriers for the path using thin clear plastic which is used for writing on for projectors. and removed most of the amazonia using dosing spoons, but leaving some in to hold the barrier in place.
next i added the sand
i then used some cable to make the moss edge along the path
once planted with the moss stones and parvula i covered the tank in clingfilm and left for a day.
today i filled the tank and added the small amount of acicularis i have
---------------Final Pics---------------
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8584
Name: samc
Tank Dimensions (height/width/depth): 13/15/14
Aquascape Name: none yet
Hardscape/Materials used: westmoreland stone
Plants: taiwan moss, e. parvula, e.acicularis
Fertilisation: 0.5ml easylife profito daily
About the aquascape: this has cost me £0.00 as i made the tank myself using a tank that was delivered broken and they didnt want back 😀. the hardscape i already had. amazoniaII i already had and the light will be from the sun
first of all i added the amazonia II
next i added the main-stone and sub-stone
next i added the barriers for the path using thin clear plastic which is used for writing on for projectors. and removed most of the amazonia using dosing spoons, but leaving some in to hold the barrier in place.
next i added the sand
i then used some cable to make the moss edge along the path
once planted with the moss stones and parvula i covered the tank in clingfilm and left for a day.
today i filled the tank and added the small amount of acicularis i have
---------------Final Pics---------------
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8584
Steve Smith
Member
Entry 005
Name: Andyh
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 14cm x14cmx14m cube/vase
Aquascape Name: Small Wonder
Hardscape/Materials used: Dragon Stone, ADA Amazonia, ADA Powersand S, pea gravel.
Plants: Hemianthus Callitrichoides Cuba, Cryptocoryne x willisii, Eleocharis parvula, Xmas Moss and Fissidens Fontanus
Fertilisation: Brighty K, Easy Carbo & ADA Step 1
About the aquascape: Created using leftovers from my other tanks. The only thing i have had to purchase was the vase which cost £12 and one portion of Hairgrass £3. I already had the desk lamp. I have kept the design simple, the idea is that the hairgrass at the back will create a feeling of depth whilst the HC at the front will hide the transition between the gravel and the substrate. I also added a frosted background
Photos:
In Situ in my study:
---------------Final Pics---------------
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8770
Name: Andyh
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 14cm x14cmx14m cube/vase
Aquascape Name: Small Wonder
Hardscape/Materials used: Dragon Stone, ADA Amazonia, ADA Powersand S, pea gravel.
Plants: Hemianthus Callitrichoides Cuba, Cryptocoryne x willisii, Eleocharis parvula, Xmas Moss and Fissidens Fontanus
Fertilisation: Brighty K, Easy Carbo & ADA Step 1
About the aquascape: Created using leftovers from my other tanks. The only thing i have had to purchase was the vase which cost £12 and one portion of Hairgrass £3. I already had the desk lamp. I have kept the design simple, the idea is that the hairgrass at the back will create a feeling of depth whilst the HC at the front will hide the transition between the gravel and the substrate. I also added a frosted background
Photos:
In Situ in my study:
---------------Final Pics---------------
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8770
Steve Smith
Member
Entry 006
Name:Jason Griffiths
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 14x14x14cm
Aquascape Name: Pico Paradise
Hardscape/Materials used: Bogwood, Dragon Stone, Oli Knott Nature Soil, Unipac Zambezi Sand
Plants: Eleocharis Acicularis, Lilaeopsis Novea-Zealandia, Crytocoryne Moehlmannii
Fertilisation: Easy Carbo, EI, from main tank in water change
About the aquascape: The tank is a 14cm cube purchased from Hobbycraft for £3.99, with the hardscape and materials taken from other tanks. I wanted to use plants I hadn't used before with a view to using them again in the future. Lighting is a PC unit I used to use over my main tank as additional light
---------------Final Pics---------------
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8698
Name:Jason Griffiths
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 14x14x14cm
Aquascape Name: Pico Paradise
Hardscape/Materials used: Bogwood, Dragon Stone, Oli Knott Nature Soil, Unipac Zambezi Sand
Plants: Eleocharis Acicularis, Lilaeopsis Novea-Zealandia, Crytocoryne Moehlmannii
Fertilisation: Easy Carbo, EI, from main tank in water change
About the aquascape: The tank is a 14cm cube purchased from Hobbycraft for £3.99, with the hardscape and materials taken from other tanks. I wanted to use plants I hadn't used before with a view to using them again in the future. Lighting is a PC unit I used to use over my main tank as additional light
---------------Final Pics---------------
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8698
Steve Smith
Member
Entry 007
Name: Neil
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 10 x 10 x 10cm
Aquascape Name: Mossy Stream II
Hardscape/Materials used: LFS landscape rock, TGM graded gravels, ADA Forest Sand Xingu, slate
Plants: Salvinia natans, Riccia fluitans, Taxiphyllum barbieri
Fertilisation:
TPN+ 5 drops daily
EasyCarbo 5 drops daily
EasyNeo 1 ml at W/C
About the aquascape:
Sadly my first pico entry 'Mossy Stream' sprang a leak 🙁. Its replacement is based on the same idea of a mossy stream but I learnt a few things whilst setting up the first so this is new and improved! I have added a Riccia stone from my nano tank which looks a lot more lush in addition to the moss, and also some floating Salvinia Natans for an authentic 'stream' look.
The scape cost me £17.29; £6.79 for the Azoo Mignon 60 and £10.50 for the glass cube (its the only square vase I could find in Winchester!). As I could only find a 10cm cube it was a challenge to fit everything in! The plants were from my nano setup and lighting comes from a 20w halogen desk lamp that was kicking around. In a moment of inspiration I added a 'stand/cabinet' from an unused photo cube with some nice japanese paper in the panels. Coincidently it was exactly the right size!
Setting Up
For the Azoo filter to sit right and so that it wasn't sucking up sand I made this using acrylic from the sadly demised first tank and a glue gun;
and finally here is the full set-up in situ 🙂
FInal pics:
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8810
Name: Neil
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 10 x 10 x 10cm
Aquascape Name: Mossy Stream II
Hardscape/Materials used: LFS landscape rock, TGM graded gravels, ADA Forest Sand Xingu, slate
Plants: Salvinia natans, Riccia fluitans, Taxiphyllum barbieri
Fertilisation:
TPN+ 5 drops daily
EasyCarbo 5 drops daily
EasyNeo 1 ml at W/C
About the aquascape:
Sadly my first pico entry 'Mossy Stream' sprang a leak 🙁. Its replacement is based on the same idea of a mossy stream but I learnt a few things whilst setting up the first so this is new and improved! I have added a Riccia stone from my nano tank which looks a lot more lush in addition to the moss, and also some floating Salvinia Natans for an authentic 'stream' look.
The scape cost me £17.29; £6.79 for the Azoo Mignon 60 and £10.50 for the glass cube (its the only square vase I could find in Winchester!). As I could only find a 10cm cube it was a challenge to fit everything in! The plants were from my nano setup and lighting comes from a 20w halogen desk lamp that was kicking around. In a moment of inspiration I added a 'stand/cabinet' from an unused photo cube with some nice japanese paper in the panels. Coincidently it was exactly the right size!
Setting Up
For the Azoo filter to sit right and so that it wasn't sucking up sand I made this using acrylic from the sadly demised first tank and a glue gun;
and finally here is the full set-up in situ 🙂
FInal pics:
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8810
Steve Smith
Member
008
Name:Tonser
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 14cm x 14cm x 14cm
Aquascape Name: Prehistoric Pico
Hardscape/Materials used: Malaya Powder / Sarawak sand / Fossilised Wood / gravel
Plants: Unknown fern like stem, bolbitis difformis
Fertilisation: 2 x drops all in one solution daily, 2 drops excel daily
About the aquascape: The cube was £6 from the local florist and I painted the back black with left over engine paint ! Everything else was left over from my optiwhite scape. The unknown plant was from the local M Aq (£2.95) they thought it was "something like 'parrot-fern' - the legal one " - does that mean anything to anyone ? The bolbitis shoots came off the leaves of my mother plant in the discus tank 😀
I got really in to this and scaped it in 40 mins, so forgot to take any pics along the way 😳 Here are a couple as the water clears...
Tony
---------------Final Pics---------------
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8800
Name:Tonser
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 14cm x 14cm x 14cm
Aquascape Name: Prehistoric Pico
Hardscape/Materials used: Malaya Powder / Sarawak sand / Fossilised Wood / gravel
Plants: Unknown fern like stem, bolbitis difformis
Fertilisation: 2 x drops all in one solution daily, 2 drops excel daily
About the aquascape: The cube was £6 from the local florist and I painted the back black with left over engine paint ! Everything else was left over from my optiwhite scape. The unknown plant was from the local M Aq (£2.95) they thought it was "something like 'parrot-fern' - the legal one " - does that mean anything to anyone ? The bolbitis shoots came off the leaves of my mother plant in the discus tank 😀
I got really in to this and scaped it in 40 mins, so forgot to take any pics along the way 😳 Here are a couple as the water clears...
Tony
---------------Final Pics---------------
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8800
Steve Smith
Member
009
Name: Stu Worrall
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 10x10x10cm
Aquascape Name: Dragon Quarry
Hardscape/Materials used: Bogwood, Dragon Stone
Plants: Fissidens
Fertilisation: 3 drops of brighty k, easycarbo and ADA step 1 per day.
Lighting: A Halogen desk lamp rescued from the garage 🙂
About the aquascape:
The tank cost me £5 at the beginning of the year, its an Aqua One Cube. Hardscape is from existing stuff for future scapes. Planting is just good old Fissidens. The name of the scape came from the fact that I bashed (quarried?) some dragon stone up for the graded gravel around the wood.
---------------Final Pics---------------
Front
Right Side
Corner
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8670
Name: Stu Worrall
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 10x10x10cm
Aquascape Name: Dragon Quarry
Hardscape/Materials used: Bogwood, Dragon Stone
Plants: Fissidens
Fertilisation: 3 drops of brighty k, easycarbo and ADA step 1 per day.
Lighting: A Halogen desk lamp rescued from the garage 🙂
About the aquascape:
The tank cost me £5 at the beginning of the year, its an Aqua One Cube. Hardscape is from existing stuff for future scapes. Planting is just good old Fissidens. The name of the scape came from the fact that I bashed (quarried?) some dragon stone up for the graded gravel around the wood.
---------------Final Pics---------------
Front
Right Side
Corner
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8670
Attachments
Steve Smith
Member
010
Name: aquaticmaniac
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 10cmx21cmx10cm
Aquascape Name: Foothill Valley
Hardscape/Materials used: Stones, sand, small pebbles, twigs, and rock chips.
Plants: Java moss, Eleocharis sp., spiky moss, a few bits of fissidens, and unIDed moss.
Fertilisation: N/A
About the aquascape: Today I received the 3mm thick plexiglass that I will be using to make the tank. I also have been finalising my hardscape with a rock I found in the garden. The rock had been in my 40g, but I had decided it was too small. I broke it into pieces and am still deciding on the final arrangement.
I am waiting for some java moss to arrive, but I'm invisioning a scape with low moss growing amongst the rocks. I would have preferred to use a carpeting plant, but since I don't have decent substrate, I will be going with moss and having fun with that instead. According to my calculator, the volume comes to 2.4 liters.
The plants are all from other set ups I have (except the Java moss which was kindly donated by saintly). The substrate is nothing special, which is why I'm not even attempting more difficult stems, etc. Lighting is negligible, and is basically provided by the larger tank beside it. (In the final week, I put this tank in the window with 8h of light per day.)
Total cost: £3.83
---------------Final Pics---------------
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8682
Name: aquaticmaniac
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 10cmx21cmx10cm
Aquascape Name: Foothill Valley
Hardscape/Materials used: Stones, sand, small pebbles, twigs, and rock chips.
Plants: Java moss, Eleocharis sp., spiky moss, a few bits of fissidens, and unIDed moss.
Fertilisation: N/A
About the aquascape: Today I received the 3mm thick plexiglass that I will be using to make the tank. I also have been finalising my hardscape with a rock I found in the garden. The rock had been in my 40g, but I had decided it was too small. I broke it into pieces and am still deciding on the final arrangement.
I am waiting for some java moss to arrive, but I'm invisioning a scape with low moss growing amongst the rocks. I would have preferred to use a carpeting plant, but since I don't have decent substrate, I will be going with moss and having fun with that instead. According to my calculator, the volume comes to 2.4 liters.
The plants are all from other set ups I have (except the Java moss which was kindly donated by saintly). The substrate is nothing special, which is why I'm not even attempting more difficult stems, etc. Lighting is negligible, and is basically provided by the larger tank beside it. (In the final week, I put this tank in the window with 8h of light per day.)
Total cost: £3.83
---------------Final Pics---------------
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8682
Steve Smith
Member
011
Name:Tom Brockley (TBRO)
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 14 cm cube
Aquascape Name:The Jungle Book
Hardscape/Materials used:Cube Vase from John Lewis - £12, Goose Neck 20 w lamp from home base - £ 6, Other materials salvaged from other tanks, ADA Xingu Sand, river gravel, coarse gravel, garden pebbles, red moor root - off cuts
Plants:Christmas Moss, Rotola sp Green, 'narrow' java fern, amazon frogbit
Fertilisation:TPN + Easy carb (in water from main tank used for water change)
About the aquascape:I wanted to try a pico Jungle scape rather than Iwugumi, I also wanted to try a set up without nutrient rich substrate - to avoid ammonia issues. I've tried to use plants that will be able to take nutrients from the water column. As with my other scapes moss features heavily and I chose Christmas moss that will hopefully form pretty leaf shapes. Tying the moss to such small stones was tricky but hopefully the thread will disappear as things grow. Now it sits on my book shelf, brightening up my office 🙂
<initial setup photos>
Empty Cube
Wood positioning
Threading on the moss
Dry scape
With the other books
Front
Substrate detail
Hope you enjoy - Can't wait to see other peoples efforts, have fun - Tom
---------------Final Pics---------------
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8676
Name:Tom Brockley (TBRO)
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 14 cm cube
Aquascape Name:The Jungle Book
Hardscape/Materials used:Cube Vase from John Lewis - £12, Goose Neck 20 w lamp from home base - £ 6, Other materials salvaged from other tanks, ADA Xingu Sand, river gravel, coarse gravel, garden pebbles, red moor root - off cuts
Plants:Christmas Moss, Rotola sp Green, 'narrow' java fern, amazon frogbit
Fertilisation:TPN + Easy carb (in water from main tank used for water change)
About the aquascape:I wanted to try a pico Jungle scape rather than Iwugumi, I also wanted to try a set up without nutrient rich substrate - to avoid ammonia issues. I've tried to use plants that will be able to take nutrients from the water column. As with my other scapes moss features heavily and I chose Christmas moss that will hopefully form pretty leaf shapes. Tying the moss to such small stones was tricky but hopefully the thread will disappear as things grow. Now it sits on my book shelf, brightening up my office 🙂
<initial setup photos>
Empty Cube
Wood positioning
Threading on the moss
Dry scape
With the other books
Front
Substrate detail
Hope you enjoy - Can't wait to see other peoples efforts, have fun - Tom
---------------Final Pics---------------
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8676
Steve Smith
Member
012
Name: Tony
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 25 x 11 x 10 cm
Aquascape Name: Fern Vale
Hardscape/Materials used: Malaya Powder, Sarawak Sand, Seiryu Stone, Manzanita Wood
Plants: Fissidens Fotanus, Peacock Moss, Lilaeopsis Novea-Zealandia
Fertilisation: All-In-One Ferts daily, Excel daily, 50% w/c daily
About the aquascape: I had the glass cut at a local glaziers (optiwhite front and back) for £12, then glued it with some left over aquarium silicon I had. The substrate, was left over from my main optiwhite tank, and the hardscape is from my 'stash' of rocks and woods. The Fissidens and Peacock Moss are both cuttings from my discus tank, and I bought the Lilaeopsis from the local MAq for £2.95 🙂
It will sit on its plinth (an offcut of kitchen worktop) on the shelf in my office, under one of my 35w desk lamps.
Having filled it with water, the fissidens looks a bit thin on the branch - as its such a slow grower I may add some more to it this week.
---------------Final Pics---------------
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8715
Name: Tony
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 25 x 11 x 10 cm
Aquascape Name: Fern Vale
Hardscape/Materials used: Malaya Powder, Sarawak Sand, Seiryu Stone, Manzanita Wood
Plants: Fissidens Fotanus, Peacock Moss, Lilaeopsis Novea-Zealandia
Fertilisation: All-In-One Ferts daily, Excel daily, 50% w/c daily
About the aquascape: I had the glass cut at a local glaziers (optiwhite front and back) for £12, then glued it with some left over aquarium silicon I had. The substrate, was left over from my main optiwhite tank, and the hardscape is from my 'stash' of rocks and woods. The Fissidens and Peacock Moss are both cuttings from my discus tank, and I bought the Lilaeopsis from the local MAq for £2.95 🙂
It will sit on its plinth (an offcut of kitchen worktop) on the shelf in my office, under one of my 35w desk lamps.
Having filled it with water, the fissidens looks a bit thin on the branch - as its such a slow grower I may add some more to it this week.
---------------Final Pics---------------
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8715
Steve Smith
Member
013
Name: Gill
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 11cm 12.5cm 10cm
Aquascape Name: Daphnia Petite
Hardscape/Materials used: Bogwood
Plants: Fissidens Fontalis, Christmas Moss, Java Moss, Flame Moss, Anubias Nana Petite, Marimo Balls, Amazon Frogbit.
Fertilisation: N/A
Total Cost: I think the Tank was £2
About the aquascape: I was trying to decide on what to do and went out yesterday looking for Vases in the Local FLorists.
I found that they all carried cubes but all to Big. I ended up buying a Lovely U Shaped Vase but it is Toooo High to enter.
So hunting around in the Garage I found this tiny little Display Tank that I bought from Last Mays BLA Auction in Corby. I had not used it before as it leaked. So soent a bit of time resealing the leak and Retaping the Edges and Base.
I decided to use all the Plants that I already had to hand, and Cracked the Bogwood into Smaller more Pointy Shapes.
The Inhabitants: 1 Baby Ramshorn Snail, Daphnia Magma, and Japanese Blue Guppy Fry dropped while I was scaping this.
Photos:
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8585
Name: Gill
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 11cm 12.5cm 10cm
Aquascape Name: Daphnia Petite
Hardscape/Materials used: Bogwood
Plants: Fissidens Fontalis, Christmas Moss, Java Moss, Flame Moss, Anubias Nana Petite, Marimo Balls, Amazon Frogbit.
Fertilisation: N/A
Total Cost: I think the Tank was £2
About the aquascape: I was trying to decide on what to do and went out yesterday looking for Vases in the Local FLorists.
I found that they all carried cubes but all to Big. I ended up buying a Lovely U Shaped Vase but it is Toooo High to enter.
So hunting around in the Garage I found this tiny little Display Tank that I bought from Last Mays BLA Auction in Corby. I had not used it before as it leaked. So soent a bit of time resealing the leak and Retaping the Edges and Base.
I decided to use all the Plants that I already had to hand, and Cracked the Bogwood into Smaller more Pointy Shapes.
The Inhabitants: 1 Baby Ramshorn Snail, Daphnia Magma, and Japanese Blue Guppy Fry dropped while I was scaping this.
Photos:
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8585
Steve Smith
Member
014
Name: Luke Landsburgh (Mr. luke)
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 7cm X 25cm X 5cm
Aquascape Name: The Buds of Spring
Hardscape/Materials used: Pebbles and sand.
Plants: Various uk native mosses and a uk native stem plant (not ure on the species)
Fertilisation: Cat litter base layer of substrate loaded with Ferts... 1 drop of liquid carbon added daily
About the aquascape:
The container is an old cotton bud container...
The whole aquascape cost me the grand total of £0.
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8759&start=0
Name: Luke Landsburgh (Mr. luke)
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 7cm X 25cm X 5cm
Aquascape Name: The Buds of Spring
Hardscape/Materials used: Pebbles and sand.
Plants: Various uk native mosses and a uk native stem plant (not ure on the species)
Fertilisation: Cat litter base layer of substrate loaded with Ferts... 1 drop of liquid carbon added daily
About the aquascape:
The container is an old cotton bud container...
The whole aquascape cost me the grand total of £0.
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8759&start=0
Steve Smith
Member
015
Name: Steve Smith
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 10cm x 10cm x 10cm
Aquascape Name: Sticks and Stones
Hardscape/Materials used: Manzanite wood, ADA Forest sand, ADA Aquasoil Amazonia, small stones
Plants: Hydrocotyle Verticilata, Fissidens Fontanus, fissidens Splachnobryoides, Glossostigma Elatinoides
Fertilisation: 0.5ml Tropica Plant Nutrition, 0.5ml Easycarbo every two days
About the aquascape: Got all my materials ready over the last week. Finally sat down tonight to set it up. Added the Aquasoil and ADA sand before building ontop with the manzanite wood. Lighting is a 13w power compact bulb.
Total cost - £0! Plants came from other tanks. Hardscape is from other projects. Ferts from other tanks. Recycled Aquasoil and ADA sand from a previous aquascape. Light is from an old nano also 🙂
Initial setup pics:
Front:
Side:
Full:
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8680
Name: Steve Smith
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 10cm x 10cm x 10cm
Aquascape Name: Sticks and Stones
Hardscape/Materials used: Manzanite wood, ADA Forest sand, ADA Aquasoil Amazonia, small stones
Plants: Hydrocotyle Verticilata, Fissidens Fontanus, fissidens Splachnobryoides, Glossostigma Elatinoides
Fertilisation: 0.5ml Tropica Plant Nutrition, 0.5ml Easycarbo every two days
About the aquascape: Got all my materials ready over the last week. Finally sat down tonight to set it up. Added the Aquasoil and ADA sand before building ontop with the manzanite wood. Lighting is a 13w power compact bulb.
Total cost - £0! Plants came from other tanks. Hardscape is from other projects. Ferts from other tanks. Recycled Aquasoil and ADA sand from a previous aquascape. Light is from an old nano also 🙂
Initial setup pics:
Front:
Side:
Full:
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8680
Steve Smith
Member
016
Name: Gill
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 13x14x12
Aquascape Name: Riven
Hardscape/Materials used: Slate, Shattered, Crushed, Powdered, Pea Gravel, Compost,
Plants: Moss from the Kitchen Roof
Fertilisation: N/a
About the aquascape: This is Scape was inspired by mountains that have constantly shifting shale. I wanted to capture that aspect of a Mountain.
So Again with a Hammer and Many Hits to fingers and Cuts from the Razor sharp slate I have this.
I did not want to add much planting and left it minimal.
I am not sure whether to add any livestock to this apart from Dapnia, thinking of some snowballs Shrimplets to represent Mountain Sheep.
I forgot to add that the cube Cost £1 from HODDY, last year
Photos:
Slate - Which I have alot of left over, incase anyone wants some
Cube, adding base of gravel and Sand
Starting to Add the Backdrop of the Mountain
Adding Moss
Added the Powdered Slate first and then started to fill untill covered. Ontop of this I added More Slate rubble to create the Shale effect i was Going For.
I am Very Happy with How this has turned out, as this was what i wanted to achieve with a Larger Cube than the Daphnia Petite.
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8619
Name: Gill
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 13x14x12
Aquascape Name: Riven
Hardscape/Materials used: Slate, Shattered, Crushed, Powdered, Pea Gravel, Compost,
Plants: Moss from the Kitchen Roof
Fertilisation: N/a
About the aquascape: This is Scape was inspired by mountains that have constantly shifting shale. I wanted to capture that aspect of a Mountain.
So Again with a Hammer and Many Hits to fingers and Cuts from the Razor sharp slate I have this.
I did not want to add much planting and left it minimal.
I am not sure whether to add any livestock to this apart from Dapnia, thinking of some snowballs Shrimplets to represent Mountain Sheep.
I forgot to add that the cube Cost £1 from HODDY, last year
Photos:
Slate - Which I have alot of left over, incase anyone wants some
Cube, adding base of gravel and Sand
Starting to Add the Backdrop of the Mountain
Adding Moss
Added the Powdered Slate first and then started to fill untill covered. Ontop of this I added More Slate rubble to create the Shale effect i was Going For.
I am Very Happy with How this has turned out, as this was what i wanted to achieve with a Larger Cube than the Daphnia Petite.
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8619
Steve Smith
Member
017
Name: Gill
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 10 - 6 - 6 - Novelty Light Bulb
Aquascape Name: Forgotten Lair
Hardscape/Materials used: Crushed Slate, Shattered Slate, Powdered Slate, Cotswold Bluff Chippngs, Potting Compost.
Plants: Terrestrial Moss - Grown Emersed in a Bucket for a few Months = Whatever has been growing in it.
Fertilisation: N/A
About the aquascape:
Ok so to say that this one was tideous is an understatment. I do not have steady hands and using Hammer and Chisel was a little precariuos to smash and shatter the slate (Left Over from past Tanks).
I had an idea to carve (Dremmel) more interesting shapes in the Bluff Chippings, but it did not look very good.
As I was shattering the Slate I remembered that the Slate from the Rainbow Crabs Tank(Previuos Owners) was very soft and could be crushed into a Very Very Fine Substrate, so that was the next job using a Hammer.
I decided that I was going to get a pot of HC from PAH but decided against that due to money restraints (So Skint), and Decided to try some of the Moss i have been growing in the Garden.
So with that out of the way here are some pix. There are a lot of them.
Photos:
Moss and Bluff
Soft Slate to be crushed into Substrate
Firstly Adding Some Sand and Pea Gravel as a Base
Added some of the Crushed Slate
On Top of the Sand Mix I added some Potting Compost and then some of the Bluff Chippings.
Onto this I placed a Clump of Moss and Started to Play Around with the Positioning of the Shards of Slate.
This was the worst bit as using tweezers to manouver in such an awkward space was time consuming and tediuos. Once I was happy with the placement I added smaller lumps of slate and stones or support. I basted in a little water to allow things to settle before carrying on any further.
I an Happy with the End Result, but may tinker with it a little.
I used lots of tiny flat peices of shattered slate to create lots of tiny caves and cave entrances within the scape. Which I hope is Visible.
For the final Shoot I will be using my Dad's new Sigma Macro Lens. Just need to learn how to use it, as it is Huge and Bulky.
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8599
Name: Gill
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 10 - 6 - 6 - Novelty Light Bulb
Aquascape Name: Forgotten Lair
Hardscape/Materials used: Crushed Slate, Shattered Slate, Powdered Slate, Cotswold Bluff Chippngs, Potting Compost.
Plants: Terrestrial Moss - Grown Emersed in a Bucket for a few Months = Whatever has been growing in it.
Fertilisation: N/A
About the aquascape:
Ok so to say that this one was tideous is an understatment. I do not have steady hands and using Hammer and Chisel was a little precariuos to smash and shatter the slate (Left Over from past Tanks).
I had an idea to carve (Dremmel) more interesting shapes in the Bluff Chippings, but it did not look very good.
As I was shattering the Slate I remembered that the Slate from the Rainbow Crabs Tank(Previuos Owners) was very soft and could be crushed into a Very Very Fine Substrate, so that was the next job using a Hammer.
I decided that I was going to get a pot of HC from PAH but decided against that due to money restraints (So Skint), and Decided to try some of the Moss i have been growing in the Garden.
So with that out of the way here are some pix. There are a lot of them.
Photos:
Moss and Bluff
Soft Slate to be crushed into Substrate
Firstly Adding Some Sand and Pea Gravel as a Base
Added some of the Crushed Slate
On Top of the Sand Mix I added some Potting Compost and then some of the Bluff Chippings.
Onto this I placed a Clump of Moss and Started to Play Around with the Positioning of the Shards of Slate.
This was the worst bit as using tweezers to manouver in such an awkward space was time consuming and tediuos. Once I was happy with the placement I added smaller lumps of slate and stones or support. I basted in a little water to allow things to settle before carrying on any further.
I an Happy with the End Result, but may tinker with it a little.
I used lots of tiny flat peices of shattered slate to create lots of tiny caves and cave entrances within the scape. Which I hope is Visible.
For the final Shoot I will be using my Dad's new Sigma Macro Lens. Just need to learn how to use it, as it is Huge and Bulky.
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8599
Steve Smith
Member
018
Name: Adam Andrews
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 14x14x14cm
Aquascape Name: Pico Peak
Hardscape/Materials used: Seryiu Stone, ADA Xingu Sand, Oliver Knott Nature Soil(fine)
Plants: Hemianthus Callitrichoides, Pogostemon Helferi, Eleocharis Parvula, Echinodorus tenellus, Peacock Moss.
Fertilisation: TPN+, AE Carbon, Daily.
About the aquascape: Pico cube from John Lewis online= £15 delivered, light is an 20w desk lamp that I already had, I only had to buy a new bulb for it= approx £3 and other costs were irrelevant as the materials and plants were/have been either donated to me- thanks SamC for the tenellus and Oatfish for the Moss 😀 Then the stone was left over from a great batch I brought
and again both the substrates were left overs from my 35litre Nano.
The tank is sitting on an old bedside table top, on the kitchen counter, for the background I have simply used an tetratec manual 8)
Main Stone in after substrate:
Complete hardscape:
Planted:
In-Situ Shot:
I have "Jiged" around with one of the substones a little as you may tell in latter pictures, moss was tied to an off cut of an airline and hopefully that will hide the plastic substrate divider, eventually.. plants have been generally cut short as for example the harigrass that i already had was in a right state, I just hope 4 weeks from now they will have grown 🙂
Thanks
Adam.
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8784
Name: Adam Andrews
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 14x14x14cm
Aquascape Name: Pico Peak
Hardscape/Materials used: Seryiu Stone, ADA Xingu Sand, Oliver Knott Nature Soil(fine)
Plants: Hemianthus Callitrichoides, Pogostemon Helferi, Eleocharis Parvula, Echinodorus tenellus, Peacock Moss.
Fertilisation: TPN+, AE Carbon, Daily.
About the aquascape: Pico cube from John Lewis online= £15 delivered, light is an 20w desk lamp that I already had, I only had to buy a new bulb for it= approx £3 and other costs were irrelevant as the materials and plants were/have been either donated to me- thanks SamC for the tenellus and Oatfish for the Moss 😀 Then the stone was left over from a great batch I brought
and again both the substrates were left overs from my 35litre Nano.The tank is sitting on an old bedside table top, on the kitchen counter, for the background I have simply used an tetratec manual 8)
Main Stone in after substrate:
Complete hardscape:
Planted:
In-Situ Shot:
I have "Jiged" around with one of the substones a little as you may tell in latter pictures, moss was tied to an off cut of an airline and hopefully that will hide the plastic substrate divider, eventually.. plants have been generally cut short as for example the harigrass that i already had was in a right state, I just hope 4 weeks from now they will have grown 🙂
Thanks
Adam.
AdAndrews said:
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8784
Steve Smith
Member
019
Name: Jason Griffiths
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 14x14x14cm
Aquascape Name: Riccia Rockery
Hardscape/Materials used: Dragon Stone, Oli Knott Nature Soil, Unipac Zambezi Sand
Plants: Riccia Fluitans, Eleocharis Acicularis, Lilaeopsis Novea-Zealandia, Staurogyne sp., Pogostemon Helferi, Rotala Rotundifola
Fertilisation: Easy Carbo, EI, from main tank in water change
About the aquascape: Like with my other Pico, this tank is a 14cm cube purchased from Hobbycraft for £3.99, with the hardscape and materials taken from other tanks. E.Acicularis and Lilaeopsis left over from my other Pico, Staurogyne, Rotala and P.Helferi taken from my main tank, Riccia kindly donated by laimyzaz. Lighting is a shared PC unit with Pico Paradise
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8776
Name: Jason Griffiths
Tank Dimensions (Height/Width/Depth): 14x14x14cm
Aquascape Name: Riccia Rockery
Hardscape/Materials used: Dragon Stone, Oli Knott Nature Soil, Unipac Zambezi Sand
Plants: Riccia Fluitans, Eleocharis Acicularis, Lilaeopsis Novea-Zealandia, Staurogyne sp., Pogostemon Helferi, Rotala Rotundifola
Fertilisation: Easy Carbo, EI, from main tank in water change
About the aquascape: Like with my other Pico, this tank is a 14cm cube purchased from Hobbycraft for £3.99, with the hardscape and materials taken from other tanks. E.Acicularis and Lilaeopsis left over from my other Pico, Staurogyne, Rotala and P.Helferi taken from my main tank, Riccia kindly donated by laimyzaz. Lighting is a shared PC unit with Pico Paradise
Journal: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=8776
- Status
