# Concrete Mountain Landscape



## Basviola (10 Dec 2019)

*The idea*
A couple of mountains with a mountain range in the background. Spaces for aquasoil in built into the rocks and lifted up to different levels of height, some right below the lamp, at the top of the mountains. So I hope to bring smaller foreground plants up into the mountains!

*The aquarium*
128 liters Aqua stable, (80x40x40)cm

*Filtration*
HMF filter, 600 L per hour, Eheim compact.

Powerhead for better cirkulation. Will be placed in the back left corner cave, with openings behind the high mountain and front left corner.

*Light*
Chihiros VIVID RGB

*Substrate*
From bottom and up in layers:
Sphagnum, Rexolin(micro) and red clay granulat, 2 layers of each, at least in the back in this case!
Topped with aquasoil mixed with black gravel 3 mabe 4/1

*Hardscape*
Cement, sealing mixed with color pigment. (I used Makemake products, same method used bigscale i many zoo's and so on)
The concrete done in 2 layers on a modeled support structure. In this case mountains shaped in flamingo, to scratch out after second layer of concrete cures.
Painted with Color fix mixed with white and black color pigment.
Glued in place with silicone.

*Livestock*
RSC
Amano shrimp
?

*Picture journey*
Getting into aquascaping, building this scape and going high tech:

*Hardscape to be glued in place:*



 
With the original sketch on the table, the mesh can begin!!!



 




 




 




 




 




 
A powerhead may need to be installed in the cave to ensure proper flow. The water will then hopefully be sucked from the back top left of the aquarium to the front opening of the cave.
Maybe the bazooka Co2 atomizer could be placed down there with the powerhead blowing co2 over the carpet.



 
Here I have tried to illustrate some of the areas that will be filled with aqua soil. Behind the mountain left is a decent amount of soil upbove the cave to grow f.eks. some red stems.



 
With PU foam I glued in a curved 3mm acrylic plate on the top of the mountain on the right side, so it can hold a good solid amount of soil on/in top of the mountain straight up by HMF.

The plate is covered in pu foam in the picture, allso I tried to shape the mountains giving sove ekstra volume here and there.




 
Happy days!!



 
All over... I mean really ALL OVER the place!! =)




 
I am satisfied and am looking forward to getting started with concrete! The green plastic is simply to better visualise how it will look plantet.
I made a little video showing this base structure from different angles:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IH4n1pnI6Apa1lOLDHOEp3Td1rNQEeIw/view


*The concrete*
First layer of concrete with fiber and no carving/detailing.
Second layer no fiber and with detailing by carving and so on.



 
First layer with fiber reinforcement



 
First layer with fiber reinforcement



 
First layer





 
Second layer with carving, can be done after concrete has cures for about 2-4 h 



 
Second layer

*The paint job*
I used color fix and white and black color pigment.



 
Ekstra stone to place around... dont ask me why I made them so similar in size and round!!


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## CooKieS (10 Dec 2019)

That's so.cool! Following with interest


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## Basviola (10 Dec 2019)

*Aktive substrate with micro ferts.*

*

* 
First i filled up the different holes that should hold soil.



 



 




 
First layer of spagnum, rexolin is ready to be thrown in.



 



 
Red clay granulat to absorb the nutrients and release to plats.



 
Second layer of sphagnum, only applied to the back. After that Rexolin again and red clay, all in layers.







 
Insektnet, mostly to protect the aktive substrate from me, but also if I would like to have fish that digs around some day!




 
On top of that a mix of aquasoil and black gravel... most parts is aquasoil... reused aquasoil I must admit! But only used for 5-8 month. =)




Some old pump material used to support substrate.




 
Ready for the smaller stones



 




 
This is my hardscape!



 
Or maybe this...


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## cbaum86 (10 Dec 2019)

So much patience to build this and even more to keep tidying up after yourself. Worth it in the end, looks impressive, congrats!


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## Basviola (10 Dec 2019)

I had to rig up a CO2 system, and as my two tanks are in the children's room the solution I went with was to customize an IKEA play kitchen:

Ju

 
Just there left to the kitchen, thats the spot!



 
Add on for the kitchen almost done...



 
Now I just need to make a hidden way through the plate! So I can adjust the needle valves.




 
Really tight, not gonna be pretty from behind.




 
Hole done!! Also made a switch, so I can easily turn on and off the powerhead in the HMF filter on the tank to the left.




 
And the kids are happy! =)


Thanks for watching, all critique is very welcome...


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## Basviola (10 Dec 2019)

*DSM and Yoghurt mos combo
*
On the 7. december... late night I enjoyed myself with planting following 1 2 Grow plants from Tropica.

2 pots of MC
2 pots of HC
1 pot of Eleocharis mini
1 pot of Alternanthera reineckii Mini

It felt better than any christmas evening i can remember from I was a kid!!!



 
First bit of MC in the tank!




 
That was to pots of monte carlo!



 
Last plants added. HC in the back and on top of mountains. Hairgrass along the mountains, and Alternanthera here and there.

I sure hope this turns out good!

I have blended also blended some Christmas mos and "painted" on the rocks... Can anyone confirm if I can use this for Yoghurt method, as Nigel is mentioning to use fine mosses in his video? At least I will find out now!


*Today. 10 december I wiped the glass to take this picture:


 
*
I am really happy with the scape. I will properly add the blue sky back to the sides also, and black when ever "inside" rock.

I will keep you guys updated.

Thanks.


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## Andrew Butler (10 Dec 2019)

Looks great, following with interest.


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## Looneeyy (10 Dec 2019)

That, is what it’s all about!
That’s probably the coolest thing I’ve seen in a long time! Can’t wait to see more updates?


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## PARAGUAY (11 Dec 2019)

Great intuition brilliant result,well worth your efforts looks great


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## frederick thompson (11 Dec 2019)

Looks awesome. Love it. 

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk


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## zozo (11 Dec 2019)

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon.


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## Tim Harrison (11 Dec 2019)

Nice to see you posting this here and that it's working out well


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## Basviola (11 Dec 2019)

Thanks for all the support guys, I really appreciate it!

*What i do now looking after the DSM*
Ventilate the tank 2-3 times a day. I spray pretty much everytime i ventilate, I think I might spray the tank to much... but somehow I keep doing it!! No signs of mold yet!

I spray with 4-5 dl RO water to 4-5 drops Tropica Premium and 4-5 drops Tropica Specialised.
Until now i sucked up excess water every second day. And I try to spray more in the back, to keep the more elevated substrate wet.


 




Small parts of plants have started to yellow a bit. Also some straws of the Eleocharis is completely brown/yellow looking dead, discharged by the plant. Should I just leave this in the tank, or would it be worth the effort cutting/peeling it away?


 







 
Can I grow anything is those really shaded areas? Or will It be to dark for low light plants?


The VIVID is at 70% with a ramp up time on 1 or 2 h. Should I crank it up to 100% to speed up growth?


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## Kalum (11 Dec 2019)

Very impressive @Basviola the work that's went into it and how you've pulled it off is great!

How about a shade/reflector on the front of the vivid to maybe angle some more light down into these shaded areas?


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## Shinobi (11 Dec 2019)

Er normalt ret skeptisk over for plastik og kunstige ting i akvariet, men må indrømme du er sluppet ret godt afsted med det her

ADA sælger et produkt kaldet "Unzan stone" tænker det er lignende fremgangsmåde


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## Thumper (11 Dec 2019)

Shinobi said:


> ADA sælger et produkt kaldet "Unzan stone" tænker det er lignende fremgangsmåde


ADA unzan stone is a lava stone which got manipulated (by hand/machine?). A friend has some and they are 100% lava.


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## zozo (11 Dec 2019)

Basviola said:


> Can I grow anything is those really shaded areas?



Anubias, grows in extremely low light.. Hence the name i guess, from Anubis "The Egyptian god of the underworld."

It doesn't require soil and lives as an ephiphyte, in nature mainly to rocks.

Another option could be Lomariopsis cf. linatea.


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## Shinobi (11 Dec 2019)

Thumper said:


> ADA unzan stone is a lava stone which got manipulated (by hand/machine?). A friend has some and they are 100% lava.



Coated w special material....pretty certain that’s a fancy way to say cement


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## Thumper (11 Dec 2019)

Shinobi said:


> Coated w special material....pretty certain that’s a fancy way to say cement


You were on the wrong rock. Unzan is pure volcanic rock.


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## Basviola (13 Dec 2019)

So a quick update.

Christmas miss for the yogurt method did not work out for me... it looks brown and dried out.

The rest looks good, but I do not see growth yet, now 6 full days on DSM.
I hope a lot happen beneath the substrate, and plants are making them self ready to explode fill in!

*Should I increase the intensity of the VIVID from the now 70% to 100% ?

Will ancistrus sp root up a established carpet of the mix of MC, HC and hairgrass?
*
when the tank is ready to be flooded I will buy steam plants, Bruce, and other plants for this tank... but also carpeting plants and other goodies for my other aquarium... with the sick guppys.
*Will I be able to plant in vitro carpeting plants directly submerged in my other aquarium that holds 3 grown up ancistrus, or will it be a lost game from the beginning?*

Sorry for all the questions... and I have been reading non stop about this hobby close to 2 years now!

But one more for now!

*For now I am dosing Tropica specialized and premium in the water I mist the tank with. How much should I actually add?*
I think I did 5 drops of each for a little less than a half liter bottle. On the bottle it says 5 pumps (5x 2 ml) or 100 liter aquarium water pr. week.
*

I will snap some pics for you guys soon.

Thanks for reading, replays and likes!
*


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## Iain Sutherland (15 Dec 2019)

While dry starting you may as well wack your lights up to 100% as the plants aren't limited on co2.
I wouldnt spray ferts, the soil should be enough during dry start.
Wouldnt worry about a few leaves dying off, as long as it's just a few then it's normal, if it's a slow decline if more and more then you need to think about a cause...

It's looking great though 

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


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## Basviola (15 Dec 2019)

Thanks, light ran on 90% today... Tomorrow I will reprogram it reaching 100%

I will relax with the ferts then, what ever dosed should also be bound to the top layer of the substrate in the tropica soil. And when root reach through that, they have tons of micro's available... in the red clay granulate.

I wonder if all this sunrise sunset and light intensity ramp up and down, is really something that benefits the plants? Or if it is just for me to have fun, and actually waste time on full light intensity to support the photosynthesis?

Anyway I find it nice/cool to have a slightly red tone the days first hour and slightly blue in the last hour. To top it off I have been playing with the idee of programming a step engine with an LED on a stick to look like the sun passing over the mountains in the back, using an arduino. Together with film on the glas and LED strip at the back bottom.
Anyway, now the ide out if anyone feel bored one weekend!

I ran into a problem, luxury problem, but still.... I am going on holydays for 7 days in 41 days from now.... 

I am thinking the best solution is to keep the tank emersed, and find a friend who is willing to ventilate and spray every evening? I can not ask for more than that, but would it be enough?

Still no sign of growth.... getting a bit impatient!

Thanks again for all the support.


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## Andrew Butler (16 Dec 2019)

Basviola said:


> I wonder if all this sunrise sunset and light intensity ramp up and down, is really something that benefits the plants? Or if it is just for me to have fun, and actually waste time on full light intensity to support the photosynthesis?


I think it's more for the inhabitants; if you imagine waking up in the morning and all of a sudden being blasted with a load of bright sunlight in your eyes 
As for the plants I'm not so sure


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## Basviola (24 Dec 2019)

Andrew Butler said:


> I think it's more for the inhabitants; if you imagine waking up in the morning and all of a sudden being blasted with a load of bright sunlight in your eyes
> As for the plants I'm not so sure



Well that makes sense. And also I find it fun to play around with having the red sunrise/set and the blue hour after sunset.

*Anyway here is a quick update:*
I spray the plants now just RO water I buy in the supermarket. No frets.

I think the carpeting plants is slowly starting to grow. MC looks best, HC have some yellow spots here and there, and the hair grass have a hard time some places...

Don't know if the concrete sucks up moisture, or raises ph... as it definitely would without the color fix sealing liquid mixed with the color pigments at the paint job... It should seal everything and make the tank ready to fill with water and plants after curing...

But the Christmas moss also have a hard time... mabe It is not suitable for yoghurt method, but after a few days most of it was pretty brown and looking dead. As you can see in the following video.

In the video I try to show the secret way the fish can swim through the LH mountain... I really hope they will! 

A little video:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QK_jmUwmKPiuHAXRs5qa9-wrrJ_CfH9x/view?usp=drivesdk

But the alternanthera reineckii mini really responds well to the DSM in my tank!


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## Basviola (6 Jan 2020)

*30 days update:

HC *is having some trouble in areas with just aquasoil - gettig yellow and dying of. But it is doing well in the main substrate. Maybe it is because of the limitet "container" size for the substrate, and that it is actually drying out? If you have any thoughts on this, please enlighten me!

*MC *is doing ok I guess. *Hairgrass* I dont really se any growth, but I only spread out one pot...

*Alternanthera reineckii mini*, have grown really well, and to help it grow compact I trimmed of the tops after the following pics was taken. Trimmings whent straight into my other plantet tank! =)

95% of the *Christmas moss* is completely dried out, or died of for other reasons? A few small spots is still green, the place with most alive is allmost on a vertical surface, which does not make sense to me, as the rest looks dried out... well I guess I have do glue in patches where I like as the tank gets flooded.




Day 1 - (just for easy reference)









30 days

Some more pictures:


 

 

 




I have some questions:

Should I do anything about the dying (brow) plants ?
Should I trim the carpet when I flood or just leave it with some time to adapt?
End of january I am going on holidays for one week, would I be best off  flooding tank soon as possible, and change a lot water until the holydays? Or should I have a friend to come over and mist the plants every evening and wait to flood after I get home?
Please tell me, what else would you plant here?


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## Basviola (9 Jan 2020)

As this is my first dry start... I really appreciated some advise on above questions please!

My instinct tells me to remove all brown plant material, and that will be most part of HC in the back mountain chains. I probably order some ekstra moss to fill out those lines when I order the last plants for the flooding.

Anyway here is a picture of the Alternanthera reineckii mini after the trim.
It grows bigger that expected, atleast in its emersed state.


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## SRP3006 (9 Jan 2020)

When I did my dry start I went on holiday for 10 days and left it dry. I left small ventilation holes to stop mould and asked a friend to pop in twice to spray. Unsure if your rocks will absorb water so you might need it spraying more.

Much less work to leave it dry for a few more weeks and then you can spend plenty of time optimising your flow and co2.


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## Basviola (9 Jan 2020)

Thanks a lot for your reply, that is what I will do.... I think a spray everyday would be best.

What do you guys think of the dying/brow plants? Should it just cut it out, and/or remove with tweezers?


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## PARAGUAY (10 Jan 2020)

Go to Emmersed Growing : "Andy's HC Propagator Step by Step . " will probably help also Nigel 95 I think has a video of how to dry start somewhere.?I will try to find it later


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## HafMan (3 Feb 2020)

Following this with interest. looks incredible. Keep it up!


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## steve Short (3 Feb 2020)

amazing creativity


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## Basviola (3 Feb 2020)

Thanks guys...
Tank is ready for me to order plants... but I am so much in love with most plants I am looking at.
Trying to make a realistic shopping list I always end up with plants summing up to the wrong side of 100 euros... and this might be overkill! Ok there is a few plants for my other tank among them, but still!!

*Please help me out, what would be your top 3 or top 5 to ad to this tank?*


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## Basviola (3 Feb 2020)

This was my last try:



 

The plants with XL is a 9 cm "in vitro"  wich contains more than 3 times the plats material as a standart 1, 2 grow from tropica (5 cm in vitro)
It might be enough with just a 5 cm for some of the plats, but its just 1 or 2 euros more to get the bigger one!!


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## Sammy Islam (3 Feb 2020)

I would add some staurogyne repens in the foreground where the dark/shadow areas are created by the rocks. I would probably add a small buce like kedang plotted about randomly or towards the back to keep perspective, and maybe some moss on the rocks/creeping down.


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## Basviola (4 Feb 2020)

Sammy Islam said:


> I would add some staurogyne repens in the foreground where the dark/shadow areas are created by the rocks. I would probably add a small buce like kedang plotted about randomly or towards the back to keep perspective, and maybe some moss on the rocks/creeping down.



Thank you. That sound like a very good idea! Have you grown staurogyne repens in the shade like that before?
Personally I think it grows very slow in my other tank, but it is also a low light tank. But not in the shade...

*Ok sorry but the following is a lot of questions, mainly about plant care and possibility. Hope you will take your time to help me out, and thanks in advance. *

Do you guys think it could work with rotala Vietnam along the back mountain chain, if I trim it to stay lowest possible, I hope it could work like another 'layer' before the back mountains. Read it can be trimmed to stay as low as 3 cm.

Then I plan to plant some stems that can grow taller behind the big LH mountain. On the left in the elevated substrate corner, and on LH mountains right side.

I am unsure about back RH side just next to the HMF. This spot is the end of the I flow... but I might try some stems here as well, because you can see the mat from the HMF if you look from the 'right' or should I say wrong angel.

Is Buce smaller than Anubias bonsai pettite?

I will buy plants from wasserflora, and among other plants buce is something I would like to try. If one who knows the different species could tell me what species that would be the smallest, I would really appreciate it. They don't have that many!
Here is a link, my own guess is the one called buce red mini, but that is just according to the name..

https://www.wasserflora.de/shop/search.php?search=buce

I am not sure about the alternanthera reineckii mini... mabe I can keep it low enough to keep perspective... Think I overplantet a bit, but unsure what groups I should pull out. Any suggestions is very welcome as well.

Allso should I expect the alternanthera reineckii mini to drop all leaves when I flood the tank?

And would it be beneficial for its transition if I prune it just before the flood, so new shot can grow out straight into submerged form?

The plant mass of MC and HC is pretty dense now...
I would like to share some of the MC with my low light tank. Would it be better to wait until plants moved into submerged state in their current environment? I would this be same same?

Is there a chance that the brown and dry christmas moss will regrow when flooded or should I just clean it off?

And ofcourse here is a 2 days old update picture:


 
Funny to see how the alternanthera reineckii mini is bushing from the pruning, and how the stems that I found to short for pruning a month ago now has grown really tall.

woups... another question is it ok to prune/cut the stems if there is only one node (set of leaves) below the pruning point?
Guess that is how I keep it as short as possible?


...again thanks for reading and helping me out, this forum is pure gold!


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## Andrew T (4 Feb 2020)

Great work! can’t help but think that the AR detracts from the overall large feel of the tank making everything look smaller .
Have you considered a smaller plant as a replacement?


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## Basviola (5 Feb 2020)

I really been looking at plants and plants and plants... So many, so nice, and jet I agree the AR is really big, especially the lump right in the middle, maybe even more or all of them!

Have also considered low small bushes, of stones or very small piles of branches with moss in it.
Or some trees, a big one to the front, and then some smaller ones to the middle ground and some extremely small ones on the mountain range in the background.
If you or others have some good ideas for plants I am all yours!

Have considered Mini Bolbitis as a replacement, but it will be 5-7 cm high and 5-10 + wide.

https://www.wasserflora.de/p/mini-b...difformis-t220910an-a7759.htm?slpos=a7-765672

Maybe it might look good to keep a single bush or two of the AR right up front, and then moss bushes (which can stay way smaller) further inside the tank.
Unfortunately I do not have much experience with all these plants, as this is my first high energy tank...
Good ideas for AR alternatives and other plants and moss choices?
Back to research. I'm on my knees, begging!!


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## Andrew T (5 Feb 2020)

If it was my tank I’d try hydrocotyle verticillata . You don’t need much, just a pot or two max and plant individual or couple at a time randomly .
It grows in a tree like fashion that will give you the look you’re after.
Try to create layers, like moss on top or sides of those mountains; some hairgrass at the base of the rock structure, anubias or bucephalandra in the shaded spots and all those crevices...
You can even get creative with a sand path running from the front and dividing into two smaller narrower paths with one going over the hill to the right behind the big mountain and one towards the left behind the other big rock. Throw some rock chips to roughen up the sand path as to not look too perfect and you’re good to go. Carpeting plants will grow over and give it a natural look .
Just some ideas...


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## Conort2 (5 Feb 2020)

Basviola said:


> I really been looking at plants and plants and plants... So many, so nice, and jet I agree the AR is really big, especially the lump right in the middle, maybe even more or all of them!
> 
> Have also considered low small bushes, of stones or very small piles of branches with moss in it.
> Or some trees, a big one to the front, and then some smaller ones to the middle ground and some extremely small ones on the mountain range in the background.
> ...


Hi

I believe in its emmersed form AR mini doesn’t become so mini and reverts back to the height of normal alternanthera. However it’s submersed form it’s should stay pretty small.

cheers

conor


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## Basviola (5 Feb 2020)

Andrew T said:


> ...
> Just some ideas...



Thank you very much... Thouse are really inspiring, hydrocotyle verticillata was among my 'need to have' plant list, but as I had to do something to cut down the amount of different plants. I decided to delete all the plants that requires soft water.

But it is so... what to say cute/nice and different. would it be waste of time and money try growing it in my hard to very hard water. Think I have read a water report on 20-22 dh. (Gh or something!)

thanks again.


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## Keetchy (5 Feb 2020)

Wow great effort. Tank looks amazing. Very jealous.
Can i ask, how have you got the cloud effect at the backing?


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## Basviola (5 Feb 2020)

Conort2 said:


> I believe in its emmersed form AR mini doesn’t become so mini and reverts back to the height of normal alternanthera. However it’s submersed form it’s should stay pretty small.



Thanks that is good to know. I Will leave a bush or to, but eventually I will clear the in the middle.


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## Basviola (5 Feb 2020)

Mark Keetch said:


> Wow great effort. Tank looks amazing. Very jealous.
> Can i ask, how have you got the cloud effect at the backing?



Ofcourse you can ask! It is simply wallpaper...  like this:


 Just a left over from that project!


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## Keetchy (5 Feb 2020)

Basviola said:


> Ofcourse you can ask! It is simply wallpaper...  like this:View attachment 131282 Just a left over from that project!


Goes very nicely with the tank


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## Basviola (9 Feb 2020)

Conort2 said:


> I believe in its emmersed form AR mini doesn’t become so mini and reverts back to the height of normal alternanthera. However it’s submersed form it’s should stay pretty small.



Well this is so true... its going to reach the blue sky soon! Its Tropica's AR mini.


 
Easy to see what stems that was not cut after their last pruning!
I think I will try to cut them down close to substrate level when I flood the tank.


It's been a long dry start now... could I f... something up not hurrying up ordering more plants and get some water in?
the last trimmings from the AR mini, I planted in my low light, but co2 injected tank... they drop the leaves and their is almost only the stem left now. Is this because of lack of light or will they eventually start growing. they have been there for 30+ days now?
looking forward sharing some real progress for this tank with you guys... soon hopefully.


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## Basviola (26 Feb 2020)

About "layers" front to back to achieve a sense of depth. Do you guys think it would work to remove the carpet close to the front, and just have "normal" black or mabe white substrate here?


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## Basviola (26 Mar 2020)

Finally i filled the tank with water!

I just ordered a DIY set to make ferts from dry salts... will be interesting, I cross my fingers!!

CO2 is running very high... foamy bubbles on the surface!
Hmmm. Can I inject to much now that I dont have any inhabitants yet?

After 3 days i think some of the christmas moss that looked all dead/white/brownish/yellow and dried out is looking to become green again. If it is not just turned into algae...

I decided to try and to remove the front of the carpet, to create an "extra" layer and cut out a pathway, or atleast the beginning of one. This is best to see in this picture below. Sorry for all the fog.


 
I might need to remove some more of the MC to make the path start more to the left... and become wider at the beginning. Also some small pieces of rock along the path.


The next picture is 3 days in submerged state...


 
I dont really know where to place the plants not plantet yet.
Well I did plant some tissue culture Rotala H'ra behind the LH mountain. And some Bacopa compact in front of the LH mountain.

Should i put the slow growing plants (Anubias petite and Buce) in my mature tank, to avoid them getting cover in algae, and the Buce melting. Read that Buce is vulnerable to new uncycled tanks?

I have some flame moss, I am trying to find out if I should glue it to the bigger mountains or to some small pieces of rock I eventually can move around.

I also have some weeping moss i consider gluing to the top of the RH mountain and the LH mountain.

Should i trim all the stem plants in my other tank and plant temporary to help fight algae? 


All kinds of feedback and ideas are VERY welcome!

Thanks for reading.


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## Simon Cole (26 Mar 2020)

I only add bucephalandra and anubias when the tank is stable and algae free - having said that, a healthy nerite snail population seems to do the trick too. 
Some aquascapers are moving towards the idea of using large leaved plants in the front. Personally I find foregrounds incredibly difficult.


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## Andrew T (26 Mar 2020)

I add all plants at the beginning no matter if it’s anubias or stems.
I see your diffuser all the way in the back there with most of the co2 mist going straight up to the surface.
You need to address flow to disperse all that co2 in the water column and down to your plants.
Other thing I was thinking...install a surface skimmer like the Eheim to pull in all that surface scum for better gas exchange. You might think that it’s good to keep all that co2 in the tank but in fact saturating the water with oxygen will allow you to drive the co2 levels higher without stressing your inhabitants like you would with lower oxygen levels.
Hope that made sense...
If I can say one thing about your scape, would be to keep the stems for the time being to help with the initial step but dump them after that. They really don’t go with what you’re trying to create IMO.
The path I think is a good idea just experiment see what you like . La Plata sand or similar will go nice with your gray rocks...
Keep the photoperiod short like 6 hours for the first couple weeks and do lots of water changes. Like every day or every other day.
Light intensity should be lower as well.
Gradually increase as plants grow and scape matures...
Good luck!
Edit: I should mention that some plants melting is just normal at this stage with the transition so don’t stress too much.
Crank up the co2 as much as you want now to minimize melting and gradually reduce when introducing livestock.


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## Basviola (26 Mar 2020)

Simon Cole said:


> I only add bucephalandra and anubias when the tank is stable and algae free - having said that, a healthy nerite snail population seems to do the trick too.
> Some aquascapers are moving towards the idea of using large leaved plants in the front. Personally I find foregrounds incredibly difficult.


I read that nerite snail is sensative to cupper, and my DIY ferts will contain trace elements of cupper since i will be adding rexolin to the mix...



Andrew T said:


> I add all plants at the beginning no matter if it’s anubias or stems.



So I think I will drop the anubias and Buce in my mature tank for now... just to be on the safe side, as I had some problems earlier with BBA and GSA on the leaves.



Andrew T said:


> You need to address flow to disperse all that co2 in the water column and down to your plants.
> Other thing I was thinking...install a surface skimmer like the Eheim to pull in all that surface scum for better gas exchange. You might think that it’s good to keep all that co2 in the tank but in fact saturating the water with oxygen will allow you to drive the co2 levels higher without stressing your inhabitants like you would with lower oxygen levels.
> Hope that made sense...



Thanks I did not know that! First of all I have no intention of cranking CO2 to the limit of fish just to survive, but I must say that I am more fascinated about plants than fish these days.
I know plants take in oxygen when lights of, but for now I can buy any more gear for the tanks... if I would like to stay alive myself!!! I hope and think their will be enogh oxygen for the plants at night.



Andrew T said:


> If I can say one thing about your scape, would be to keep the stems for the time being to help with the initial step but dump them after that. They really don’t go with what you’re trying to create IMO.


Thank you, this kind of straight forward feedback makes me think about thing! I like that, and I think you might be right. I was kind of fall in love with stem plants when I found aquascaping, and made that "hanging" substrate area behind the left rock for to grow som kind of stems, and fish to swim through... At least stems are easy to pull out!
What do you think about cryptocoryne albida brown in front? To big?



Andrew T said:


> The path I think is a good idea just experiment see what you like . La Plata sand or similar will go nice with your gray rocks...


Thanks, I will take a look at that La Plata sand...



Andrew T said:


> Keep the photoperiod short like 6 hours for the first couple weeks and do lots of water changes. Like every day or every other day.
> Light intensity should be lower as well.
> Gradually increase as plants grow and scape matures...


Thanks, it was running in sync with my mature tank, just reduced light to 6h, still 50% on the Chihiros VIVID.

Thanks for all the feedback, all other kind of changes for hardscape, plants or what ever I would love to hear

Take care out there!


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## Basviola (3 Apr 2020)

CO2 diffuser is now moved... the flow from the HMF filter hit the opposite end and gets pushed down and around.

I have existing but weak flow front middle to front right... a spray bar creating flow over the mountain might be a be option.

Brown algae is moving in... really fast! As from what I can read I think it is diatoms. But if it continues like this I think it will choke everything!

Not sure what to do... plz share your advise.

I change 50% water every 2-3 days, I use 100% tap water, as hard as It gets. No water treatments.

No frets first two days, then 3-4 days with a all in one mix, now I stopped as I read nitrates will fuel diatoms.

6 h light from the vivid at 50%... tank is close to a window but not directly in sunlight, and most natural light appear when the lamp is on.

I introduced around 20 RCS some days back. I have 5-6 Amazon shrimp but am afraid to move them over as the tank is still cycling...

Theise pictures is 7 days in after the flooding:


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## Basviola (3 Apr 2020)

Theise pictures is from today (two days later!)



 


 


 

Should I try to remove it with a cleaning sponge before doing a waterchange?


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## Jayefc1 (3 Apr 2020)

A tooth brush is a good way to clean the rocks and up the amount of water your changing try to.do 80% if you can keep.cleaning it off it will calm.down and disappear


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## Andrew T (4 Apr 2020)

Please have a read:
https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/diatom-dilemma.27208/


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## Basviola (4 Apr 2020)

Andrew T said:


> Please have a read:
> https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/diatom-dilemma.27208/



OMG, that was really good reading! I feel so stupid 
But well is actually nice to know there is so much more to learn...

Thank you very much for linking to that tread, I will read again tomorrow when I am not to sleepy. Obviously also a BIG thanks to ceg4048 for the well written explanations.


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## Basviola (5 Apr 2020)

Today I brushed a lot of teeth on the aquarium.. nice how easy this stuff comes off. But still challenging to reach the many narrow cracks and hideout's.

But the result was satisfying!

Allso gently rubbed the most affected leaves and pruned the ARM.

The VIVID is now running 7h with a ramp up on 3h to 20% ramp down is now 1,5h.

I will continue to add fertilizer.

Rounded of with a 80% water change.

I think I need to do a good carpet trim with next water change to keep it healthy, if it not to late!
How much green should be left after a deep trim?

This pictures was taken just after the cleanup, thanks for helping me out.


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## Andrew T (5 Apr 2020)

Looks much better. Wait on the trim until you see the MC really take off. Turkey baster it gently to lift off any diatoms that might have settled in between them .
Run some carbon/purigen if you can . They will both remove organic compounds and help out with water clarity.


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## Basviola (8 Apr 2020)

Thanks... I will wait trimming the carpet a few weeks.

I promised not to spend more money on my two tanks for a while, so the tank must run on 100% and hard tap water.
Well there is a good amount of sphagnum and res clay granulated below the substrate.

About the explosion of diatoms, as described in the tread linkes to above, light is definitely the key factor. The diatoms should have been back at the same brown level by now and tank still looks like my previous picture.

Thanks again.


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## Basviola (27 Apr 2020)

So time for an update... tank is going/growing diatoms! Also begin to see some staghorn or maybe BBA as I have in my other tank.

I added more stems to help fight the algea.

Still the only cirkulation and filtration is the corner HMF with a Eheim compact 600 l/h, but the position of hardscape and co2 diffuser now really forced the co2 mist down and i see small bubbles all over the tank.

I have a bit of foam on the surface, look like... hmmm small soap bubbles?

I fight a bit with ambient light, tank is next to a window and I have a wall lamp just above the tank. Can not blame my kids from turning on the lamp, and the sun just have no on off, so I am considering to create something to block the light when lamp is not on.

Lamp is still goes on at 12:00, with a ramp up from 1% to 15% over 3 hours, then it increase to hit 20% at 16:00. Then at 18:00 it starts to ramp down over 1 hour to be off at 19:00

*So is on for 7 hours... is this too long?*

CO2 starts a 8.00, I have 6m tubing, hard water, and need to feed my other tank with light on at 11:00 from the same system.

Water change I have been lazy, maybe because the reduces light worked or lets say at least slowed down the diatoms. But *1 water change 80%. per week last 2 weeks.*

I dose a homemade all in one fertiliser daily 5 ml. It should be a good recipe, but when I find the time I will read/research more and seek expert advice on this forum posting the recipie.

*Anyway, does it sound reasonable to dose 10 ml. after a 50-80% water change?*


Some pictures... nothing to be proud off !!


 

 

 

 

 

Thanks!


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## Basviola (2 May 2020)

Well I keep cleaning as often as i can...

This is what it looks like right now. Last clean 4-5 days ago.


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## Angelfishguy99 (2 May 2020)

Looking great


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## Basviola (3 May 2020)

Angelfishguy99 said:


> Looking great



Thanks, not quite the look I am going for long term... but the stems here and there has inspired me quite a bit. Well now they are pretty much just all over to help stabilize the tank.

But with they could look,like small single "trees" for the background, with the smaller ones like R. Indica and R. H'ra... then some a bigger stem for the midground like I have in the middle now, R. Macrandra and in front mabe a single bigger tree made by wood and anubias petite or moss.

but thanks for your comment anyways, those diatoms is a real pain in the ass, but with the VIVID running only at 20% for a few hours I am glad all the HC have not died off yet.

*Pretty sure all the carpeting plants is about to lift them self off the substrate, because they need a serius trim. Can I do that, and will they grow back with so little light?*


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## frederick thompson (5 May 2020)

Looking great mate

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk


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## Basviola (16 Jun 2020)

lack of maintenance and lots of ambient light:


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## Basviola (7 Jul 2020)

Today I did a big water change after what I would guess was 6-8 weeks without one.

After all I was happy to see that the diatoms have forgot about the rocks and was mostly sitting intense on the glass.
Allways forget before maintanance pictures, but imagine 3 weeks after pics in my last post!!

A good population of RCS have grownup in there. I still keep some stems, and 'guppygrass' to help stabilize the tank. Planning to pull that out some day.
Allso added an African floating plant for the same purpose.

Think some kind of DIY  backlight could be a great addon for the tank. Can't wait to play with that now.

Critical feedback/suggestions allways very welcome.

Here are some pictures:


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## Basviola (14 Aug 2020)

Update...

I still don't change water as often as I should. Mabe every 3 weeks in average. Anyway tank is getting more and more stable. Or at least not so many cyanobacteria now, as the most part only sits on the left side glass.

The front glass is now gets completely covered in green algae after 5 weaks of no maintanance.
Anyway plants looks pretty good.

Some BBA I guess in the weeping moss and on the rock where flow is strongest.

Removed a lot of a crazy growing african floating plant giving light to the rest of the plants.

Still planning to ad some backlight, that hopefully can light up my 'bluesy and clouds' wallpaper that have lost a lot of detail after I filled the tank with water.

That's it for now.


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## Wolf6 (14 Aug 2020)

I like the look of your rockwork  you ever planning on adding more livestock, or is it mostly about the hardscape and plants for you?


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## Basviola (14 Aug 2020)

Thanks you.
It's been a lot of fun with the hard scape, and yes I will add more livestock.
But can't really choose... my main plan is some really small fish like rasbora galaxy's, but their are a lot of caves here and there, many not visible, and could allso be fun with some, not to big fish, who would enjoy theise.

Suggestions are very welcome!


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