# The Good Side



## alex08 (1 Jun 2014)

Hello guys,

Let me show you my fifth tank, i called it The Good Side.
A few details about it :

-50L Aquael Econoline
-Home made lamp with 36w T8 lighting
-CO2 - 1 bps
-JBL Manado as substrate
-Plants : Anubias petite, Microsorum Needle leaf, Hygrophila polysperma rosanervig, Fissidens fontanus, Staurogyne repens, Cryptocoryne wendtii brown, Eleocharis parvula, Hemianthus glomeratus, Polygonum sp. 'Kawagoeanum'
-Fishes and shrimp : Boraras maculatus, Caridina babaulti var green.

Here is a look at the setup :

[url=http://img.plici.ro/image/WFg][/URL]


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## sciencefiction (1 Jun 2014)

Very nice. I love the contrast with the "orange" background.


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## Randall Postlethwait (1 Jun 2014)

nice background lighting


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## tim (1 Jun 2014)

Another beauty Alex.


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## Maple (2 Jun 2014)

Looks great! Just looked at your other tanks, and they are all beautiful


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## alex08 (2 Jun 2014)

Thank you all for the kind words.


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## kirk (3 Jun 2014)

That's one dense green carpet. I'm sure your all using AstroTurf when it looks that green


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## alex08 (4 Jun 2014)

_Polygonum sp. 'Kawagoeanum'_



_Proserpinaca palustris 'Cuba' , out of the water_


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## Greenfinger2 (4 Jun 2014)

Hi Alex, Superb Photos Great little Scape


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## alex08 (7 Jun 2014)

Thanks a lot, Roy.


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## alex08 (12 Jun 2014)




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## Greenfinger2 (12 Jun 2014)

Hi Alex, Looking great


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## EdwinK (13 Jun 2014)

Good job. Love that minimal and simple approach.


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## aliclarke86 (15 Jun 2014)

What wood is it Alex? The twigs look fantastic

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## alex08 (20 Jun 2014)

Hello guys, sorry for the late response. Not sure about that wood, i thought it was oak.
Anyway, i made some changes, looking for a better hardscape. The one you see above didn't get me the results i wanted. I couldn't get in the top 10 at Dennerle Scaper's Tank. 

New hardscape :




More pics to come.


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## Greenfinger2 (20 Jun 2014)

Hi Alex, Nice change of DW Scape is looking fantastic   Sorry to hear you did not get in the top ten  
Have you taken the pics above off only there gone


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## alex08 (22 Jun 2014)

What do you guys think of these 3 versions ?





1. No back light.
2. Cool Back Light.
3. Warm Back light.


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## parotet (22 Jun 2014)

Number 2!


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## Vinkenoog1977 (22 Jun 2014)

Number 2, definitely!


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## Greenfinger2 (23 Jun 2014)

Number 3 for me


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## sciencefiction (23 Jun 2014)

Number 3 for me too.


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## aliclarke86 (23 Jun 2014)

I like 3. Always enjoy a sunset backdrop

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## alex08 (25 Jun 2014)

Ok guys, thanks for the feedback. 

Here is the one with the cool back light :



 
I think i'll do another photoshoot in the weekend and use more lighting. I think i can fix some things.


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## aliclarke86 (25 Jun 2014)

It looks stunning with or without a backlight mate 

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## X3NiTH (25 Jun 2014)

Number 3 but the plants the same colour cast as 2


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## alex08 (5 Jul 2014)

A few pics with the "wild life"  :

_Boraras maculatus_



_Neocaridina davidi var. Orange_



_Chrossocheilus siamensis_


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## alex08 (7 Jul 2014)

Past weekend pic :


 
_Caridina babaulti var. Green, a camouflage artist


 _


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## EnderUK (7 Jul 2014)

I'll throw in number 1 just to be difficult, they all look stunning.


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## Crossocheilus (10 Jul 2014)

That Caridina babaulti var. green looks  awesome, I've never seen them before. Where did you get them? I've recently started thinking a few camouflaged fish and shrimp would look great, something like these and some microdevario kubotai perhaps. Great pics btw.


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## alex08 (12 Jul 2014)

Crossocheilus, i believe they are an import from Asia. I bought them from an aquarist in my country.

Here are some more pics with the Orange ones :









Close up :


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## alex08 (13 Jul 2014)




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## Crossocheilus (14 Jul 2014)

Those orange shrimp are great! I still can't decide what shrimp I wanna get but seeing these pictures, which btw are amazing  I am really considering some of these. Thanks for sharing Alex!


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## alex08 (14 Jul 2014)

Weekend pic, warm and cool light : 





Crossocheilus, i'm glad you like them. I'm a big fan of Neocaridinas, i even wrote an article in Romanian, about the popular species and their needs, you can have a look if you want :
http://acvablog.ro/ro/indrumar-crev...na-davidi-si-neocaridina-cf-palmata/#more-462 (use Google Translate, hope it dose the job  )


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (14 Jul 2014)

Im a massive fan of both your scape and inhabitants Alex. Your photography is very nice too! 

Ps. If you download Google Chrome for ios devices, this automatically translates whole pages to your chosen language.
Cheers,
N


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## stefanprisacariu (14 Jul 2014)

alex08 said:


> i even wrote an article in Romanian, about the popular species and their needs, you can have a look if you want :
> http://acvablog.ro/ro/indrumar-crev...na-davidi-si-neocaridina-cf-palmata/#more-462 (use Google Translate, hope it dose the job  )



Sorry to intervene 
I am the administrator of the blog mentioned above. It has a google translate plugin integrated in the blog, so you can find in the lower right corner a "Translate" button. You can use it to translate in your language. Of course, it's not a perfect translation, but it works quite ok.

By the way, hi Alex!
And thanks for sharing the link.


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## Crossocheilus (14 Jul 2014)

Great article Alex! Very comprehensive and informative. I didn't even know half those colour varieties existed


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## Vinkenoog1977 (14 Jul 2014)

This tank is getting more lush and beautiful by the day, simply gorgeous! So warm and open, so much colour, and such healthy flora and fauna! Well done!


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## tim (14 Jul 2014)

Scape looks very natural with the cool light background, lovely images as always Alex.


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## Alexander Belchenko (17 Jul 2014)

number 2.[DOUBLEPOST=1405599344][/DOUBLEPOST]I like this wood and new version of your scape. I think it's great and 2nd light looks nice to my eyes.
Alex, if you have couple more twigs you might try to add them at left side to smooth transition to the grass. Just couple of branches sticking out of saurogyna and anubias. Just an idea.


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## alex08 (17 Jul 2014)

Thanks for the feedback, guys.
Alexander, i do have a few left, i'll give it a try when the weekend comes, great idea!




Close up :


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## alex08 (21 Jul 2014)




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## Michael W (21 Jul 2014)

lovely shot!


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## Vinkenoog1977 (21 Jul 2014)

Great photo, love it! He looks to be giving you the stink eye and all!


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## alex08 (24 Jul 2014)

Thank you all for the kind words.


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## Alexander Belchenko (24 Jul 2014)

Incredible how white and clean your wood is, while in the same time there are green dots on some leaves. You have very cool cleaning team, I guess


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## Vinkenoog1977 (24 Jul 2014)

Again with the perfection and the beautiful photos! Awesome!


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## parotet (24 Jul 2014)

It looks better and better!


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## alex08 (29 Jul 2014)

Before a new photo session with some new ideas, here's a small recap :


Click on it to see full size.


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## Alexander Belchenko (29 Jul 2014)

I like your collages. It's great idea to put pieces together!


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## alex08 (31 Jul 2014)

Thanks, Alexander. 

Some more pics with cool light :


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## alex08 (6 Aug 2014)

Update :













A few pics with the Orange Neocaridinas :









And the tank w/ equipement (lily pipes, mini CO2 reactor and small intern filter on the right, for more flow) :





From now on i'll tend to work more on the foreground and just trim in the middle/background.


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## Andy D (6 Aug 2014)

Looks great!


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## alex08 (7 Aug 2014)

Thank you, Andy.

Here are some close ups :


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## alex08 (11 Aug 2014)

Mirror, mirror...


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## Iain Sutherland (11 Aug 2014)

Fantastic Alex! 
How is your wood so white?!?!?


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## alex08 (12 Aug 2014)

Thanks, Iain. 
It could be from the low tech lighting, just 7 hours a day. Still, a few branches seem to get yellowish.

Let me show you guys another set of pics, this time with cool back lighting :

















Still going for that "Nature style" type of setup. 
From now on, my mind is set on growing back the Eleocharis in front. E. parvula had it's ups and downs due to the high temperature (27-29 degrees C) and being shadowed by the plants in middleground area.


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## ADA (12 Aug 2014)

Beautiful scape, love the Palustris.


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## alex08 (14 Aug 2014)

Thank you, ADA.
Here is another pic :


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## alex08 (19 Aug 2014)

Summer colors edition 

















Warm versus Cool light :


Click on it to see full size.


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## Alexander Belchenko (19 Aug 2014)

The picture in warm light reminds me about autumn. The cool light one looks like better detailed, I dunno why.


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## alex08 (23 Aug 2014)

A few more pics, to have a better look at it :






Better lighting to eliminate shadows :




Neocaridina davidi var. Orange




Physa snail


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## alex08 (27 Aug 2014)

The Good...News





It's an honour.

A few more pics from the last photo session :


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## Alexander Belchenko (27 Aug 2014)

Is this result for old wood version or new wood one?

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## alex08 (27 Aug 2014)

Alexander, it's for the old wood version (the first one  ). Don't know if i'm allowed to post it (IAPLC rules, i think).
With this version i competed in a national contest, the Romanian Aquascaping Contest and i've got 3rd place (out of 29) :



I also won the prize for Best aquarium photo submitted :


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## Alexander Belchenko (27 Aug 2014)

Very nice, congratulations.

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## alex08 (27 Aug 2014)

Thank you so much. 
It's been a fine week so far.


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## Greenfinger2 (28 Aug 2014)

Hi Alex, Congratulation On your Ranking In IAPLC And 3rd in the Romanian National Plus best photo Wow you must be over the moon


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## alex08 (3 Sep 2014)

The Good Side, beginning of September, to be ... trimmed.


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## Greenfinger2 (4 Sep 2014)

Hi Alex, Bravo bravo


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## alex08 (5 Sep 2014)

Thank you, Roy. Here are the rest of the pics from that session :


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## alex08 (8 Sep 2014)

Future mom :


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## Vinkenoog1977 (9 Sep 2014)

Congrats!


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## alex08 (13 Sep 2014)

Thank you.

More pics :





I think i'll add some more branches, to improve the hardscape. I'll keep you guys posted.


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## Crossocheilus (13 Sep 2014)

Great idea Alex, the wood is somewhat swamped by that huge, lush plant mass . 
The foreground is looking a bit thin, could do with thickening up into a dense lawn.
As always great pictures, keep it up


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## alex08 (14 Sep 2014)

Got the wood in place today. New pics soon.
Crossocheilus, you're right, i need to give a little more space for the foreground to get back on track.


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## Crossocheilus (14 Sep 2014)

Ooh sounds good, I look forward to seeing pics!

I notice your wood is very white, any reason for this?


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## alex08 (16 Sep 2014)

_Closer to nature


 
_
Crossocheilus, branches are made from cleaned up plum tree roots. I think the short period of lighting keeps them like that.


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## Crossocheilus (16 Sep 2014)

That's an interesting effect with the whitish wood, like bones. The lack of algae is a tribute to your skill and understanding of planted tanks.
So keep those pics coming


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## alex08 (17 Sep 2014)

Peace corner


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## alex08 (23 Sep 2014)

Under the burning Sun


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