# Roots of change



## alex08 (8 Apr 2017)

Hi guys,

I think it's time to show you my new nano aquarium setup, also a nature style one.
I find it challenging every time i set up a new aquarium, looking to have more details in the hardscape.

The meaning behind the title comes from all the ideas i had for the past few months about creating and giving an even more natural look, somehow surpassing Around the old tree and why not, Forest dreams.

We'll see how that goes in the months to follow.

*Aquarium and equipement :*

-Aquael Econoline 60x30x30
-Diversa Led 18w lighting
-Dennerle Scaper's Flow
-Twinstar M2

*Hardscape, sand and gravel :*

-Red moore, Twinty wood, Lava stone
-Dennerle Crystal Quartz Black, Dennerle Plantahunter Rio Xingu, JBL Sansibar White

*Fish and shrimps :*

Hyphessobrycon amandae, Neocaridina davidi var. Orange, Caridina cantonensis sp. Super Crystal Red.

*Plants : *

Bolbitis heudelotii, Crepidomanes cf. malabaricum, Anubias micro "Pangolino", Anubias barteri var. nana "petite", Microsorum needle leaf, Microsorum pteropus windelov, Echinodorus tennelus, Micranthemum sp. "Monte Carlo", Eleocharis pussila mini, Hemianthus cuba, Bucephalandra sp. mini needle leaf, Bucephalandra sp wavy leaf, Rotala sp. Goias.

*Fertilization with :*

-Dennerle, Easy Life, Masterline (Romanian line of fertilizers) - more details to give you about these.

Let's start from the beginning :

































I usually like to fill it in with all the plants i want to have from the beginning and maybe, if i find something that doesn't go along well, i'll just take it out afterwards.

I did add some small branches on each side of the trail, after a few days, trying to give it more depth.


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## alex08 (12 Apr 2017)

Some details :


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## Henrik J. (12 Apr 2017)

Very nice plant placement, Alex. You have definitely achieved a natural look. It's a very good idea to fill up with plants and judge the setup and planting thoroughly the before filling with water. I will remember that idea.


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## CooKieS (12 Apr 2017)

Hi,

Nice scape!

You could improve the path by making it less straight into the back glass and smaller on the back...that will give better depth and perspective


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## alex08 (12 Apr 2017)

Will do that, CooKieS. I might also add some plants here and there, we'll see how it goes.
The depth is deffinetly the key in setups like this one, the path does help a lot if you get it right.


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## alex08 (15 Apr 2017)

Some pics from day 14 :


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## alex08 (27 Apr 2017)

More pics from day 14 :














And some from day 29 :


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## CooKieS (27 Apr 2017)

Awesome cristal clear pics and tank...I Wish I had your photography skills! 

Got myself an olympus em10 mark II but I can't use it properly


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## alex08 (30 Apr 2017)

Thank you! 

Some more pics from day 29 :


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## Mannic05 (1 May 2017)

Great looking scape realy like the plant choise. The only minor thing i see is the branches over the sand path, the make it look like an tunnel, maybe you can give it a more natural look by puting some branches under different angles, but that is mine opinion. What did you put in the bags under the soil? realy like this idea


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## Dominik_K (3 May 2017)

Hi,

I need to stress this question once more 



Mannic05 said:


> What did you put in the bags under the soil? realy like this idea



I enjoy the hardscape layout and despite the arranged look of the path, I really like it over all.

Another question: What's your long term experience with_ Micranthemum sp. "Monte Carlo"_ in such shady places? Does it grow well or will it melt over time? The way it fits into your Layout is stunning.


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## alex08 (10 May 2017)

Mannic05 said:


> The only minor thing i see is the branches over the sand path, the make it look like an tunnel


I know and i'll be working on that also. Still want to give a lot more details to this setup. I'll keep you guys posted.



Mannic05 said:


> What did you put in the bags under the soil?


Just some JBL Manado i had left from my last setup in the big tank (Roots and Grit). Nothing special. 



Dominik_K said:


> despite the arranged look of the path, I really like it over all


It's going to change a lot when the plants grow in, might even put some smaller rocks here and there to give it a more "S" shape, going to the back.



Dominik_K said:


> What's your long term experience with_ Micranthemum sp. "Monte Carlo"_ in such shady places? Does it grow well or will it melt over time?


I think it won't depend only on the lighting. Mine is also influenced by the lack of CO2, but it seems to grow alright, slower, but definitely not dying.

Some more details from day 29 :


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## Mannic05 (10 May 2017)

Stunning photos you posted, really like the natural look of it. 

Verstuurd vanaf mijn Moto G (4) met Tapatalk


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## alex08 (11 May 2017)

Thank you! 

Here are some shrimp pics, Caridina cantonensis var. "Super Crystal Red" :


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## alex08 (13 May 2017)

Trying CSF Bee Fruit Mix :


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## Mannic05 (13 May 2017)

Very nice shrimp's also like the orange Sakura. 

Verstuurd vanaf mijn Moto G (4) met Tapatalk


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## Doubu (14 May 2017)

Beautiful caridina! There is nothing I love more than seeing shrimp in a planted tank =)


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## mohsen12251 (14 May 2017)

alex08 said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I think it's time to show you my new nano aquarium setup, also a nature style one.
> I find it challenging every time i set up a new aquarium, looking to have more details in the hardscape.
> ...



Hello
Very beautiful
one question :
Your goal of putting stones in the first place and then put the packet and pour the substrate what is it?
Because from the beginning poured the same substrate height is not correct?


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## alex08 (14 May 2017)

mohsen12251 said:


> Your goal of putting stones in the first place and then put the packet and pour the substrate what is it?


I used all i had to get the substrate as high as i wanted. The rooks were just fine for taking some more space, before adding the bags of substrate and gravel at the end.


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## alex08 (27 May 2017)

Some more shrimp pics :


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## alex08 (6 Jun 2017)

Day 43 :


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## alex08 (17 Jun 2017)

Some more shrimp pics :


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## Silviu Man (18 Jun 2017)

Hi Alex, 

Again, very good photo tehnique, in the line with your beautifull tank. Maybe you should add latest pictures, looks perfect too.
I intend to use your solution to get the heights in my next projects. Should Manado be OK?


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## doylecolmdoyle (18 Jun 2017)

Lovely photos, what is your camera / lens setup? Do you post to flickr ?


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## alex08 (18 Jun 2017)

Silviu Man said:


> I intend to use your solution to get the heights in my next projects. Should Manado be OK?


I only used Manado because i had some left from the previous setup, so i put it in the bags. You can use any type of gravel or substrate.
I do intend to try some bags with soil in the future, we'll see how it goes.



doylecolmdoyle said:


> Lovely photos, what is your camera / lens setup? Do you post to flickr ?


Thank you, Doyle.
I have a Canon 450D with a Phottix 3 Ring Auto-Focus AF set for macro.
I'm not posting on flickr but i think i should. Will share the link.


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## alex08 (10 Jul 2017)




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## alex08 (26 Jul 2017)

Some more shrimp pics :


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## alex08 (13 Aug 2017)

IAPLC 2017

#739





Much, much better than last year (#1184 with "Around the old tree").
Congrats to all the participants!


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## Tim Harrison (13 Aug 2017)

Very well done Alex


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## alex08 (13 Aug 2017)

Thank you very much, Tim!


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## alex08 (7 Sep 2017)

Day 100


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## Dantrasy (7 Sep 2017)

Beautiful NA

How many scapes do you have running at one time?


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## alex08 (8 Sep 2017)

Hope i'll have 3 again, in like a month or so. 
For now only two, Roots and Grit and Roots of change.


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## alex08 (10 Sep 2017)

One more view and an Ember tetra in focus :


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## alex08 (13 Sep 2017)

Day 141, a warmer light and no trimming for a couple of weeks :




And a young Orange shrimp female :


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## alex08 (16 Sep 2017)

_Day 147, with a few cuts here and there :_


 
_Front view :_


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## alex08 (19 Sep 2017)

Crowdy at lunch hour :


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## Fran (19 Sep 2017)

Stunning tank and great photos. Well done.


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## alex08 (27 Sep 2017)

Middleground details :


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## Silviu Man (27 Sep 2017)

Looks perfect! Just perfect!


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## alex08 (30 Sep 2017)

Day 154 :




And a close up :




Thanks, Silviu. Nice to see you here!


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## SeanOB (30 Sep 2017)

Incredible scape Alex! I would never get tired of looking at that tank


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## alex08 (1 Oct 2017)

A short clip from day 57, the setup was still fresh :



Thanks, Sean.


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## alex08 (5 Oct 2017)

More SCR shrimp pics :


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## alex08 (15 Oct 2017)

Day 169 :


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## alex08 (30 Oct 2017)

Some more shrimp pics :


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## alex08 (6 Nov 2017)

Day 203, into the wild :


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## alex08 (13 Nov 2017)

Some details :


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## Dantrasy (13 Nov 2017)

Great pics! Livestock everywhere. Do you find the shrimp mess up the sand? Mine pull up soil, which gets annoying.


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## alex08 (14 Nov 2017)

Yes, they do. I guess they can't help it.
Anyway, it's not that big of a deal, since i only do the cleaning on the day of the water change.


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## Shinobi (14 Nov 2017)

Amazing scape! Very natural feel to it, which isn't easily achieved. Photography is very well done as well


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## Silviu Man (14 Nov 2017)

Nice work, Alex! Very nice work! 
So ... you postpone the trimming!?


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## alex08 (2 Dec 2017)

Another front pic and some more details, also with my first Bucephalandra flower :


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## Matt Havens (7 Dec 2017)

Awesome pics

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk


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## alex08 (10 Dec 2017)

Some Orange shrimp pics for this weekend :


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## Kitalexander (10 Dec 2017)

It's amazing how the right choice of plants makes this tank look huge! Looks amazing


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## alex08 (16 Dec 2017)

Kitalexander said:


> It's amazing how the right choice of plants makes this tank look huge! Looks amazing


That's what i was looking for and i seem to have got it this time. 
I'll try to make the next setup even better.


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## alex08 (24 Dec 2017)

A mix of colors to go with the holidays and a Merry Christmas to you all!


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## Guiller (25 Dec 2017)

Great tank! just to confirm, you are not using CO2, right?


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## alex08 (26 Dec 2017)

Guiller said:


> Great tank! just to confirm, you are not using CO2, right?


Yes, without CO2 'till this day. Had some mixed feelings at the beginning but kept it with only liquid carbon from time to time.
Plants grow kind of slow but i don't mind as long as there aren't any algaes involved.


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## alex08 (20 Jan 2018)

Super Crystal Red pics :


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## alex08 (10 Mar 2018)

Day 246 :











And sorry for the delay, hope to post more often in the weeks to come.


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## Silviu Man (10 Mar 2018)

Nice work, Alex! It thrive ...


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## alex08 (7 Apr 2018)

Day 253 :



 


 

Thanks, Silviu.


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