# The Green Machine - New display tank pics as requested



## The Green Machine (16 Jul 2008)

Here are some diary style shots of our newest display tank being planted. Note the clarity of the opti-white glass and the minimal silicone work. You can get these tanks custom built from us! We will post again in a few weeks when its full of algae! We hope you like it, we are pleased so far.































Please note- our new range of stands will be flush with the glass.


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## Mark Evans (16 Jul 2008)

cant see the images fellas.


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## Garuf (16 Jul 2008)

The images aren't online that's why, I opened the links and all I got was 404 error.


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## The Green Machine (16 Jul 2008)

Were in the process of changing our web hosting so the main site (and tank photos) might not be accessible until tomorrow morning. With a bit of luck it should be sorted tonight though.


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## REDSTEVEO (16 Jul 2008)

Hi Jim, Mark, TGM,

Its just gone 9pm and I can see the images no problem. Looks good so far. I will be in to see you in a week or two to start picking out my Chrizzy prezzy list 

Cheers,

Steve.


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## Mark Evans (16 Jul 2008)

REDSTEVEO said:
			
		

> Its just gone 9pm and I can see the images no problem. Looks good so far



how come? i still cant see them


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## Themuleous (16 Jul 2008)

Tank looks proper sweet guys, scape aint to bad either 

Cant wait to get my new tank now!!!

Sam


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## Garuf (16 Jul 2008)

WOW! I love the scape. Really impressive. The tank looks the bee's knees too.


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## John Starkey (16 Jul 2008)

Hi Jim/Mark,looking forward to seeing this on sat 19th,i am bringing wayne (cichlidsrgr8)with me,regards john


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## LondonDragon (16 Jul 2008)

scape looks great  and the tank looks amazing, where is that silicone??? wow great work! I want one!!!


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## Steve Smith (16 Jul 2008)

Lovely   I'd love an opti white some day


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## George Farmer (17 Jul 2008)

Classic ADA-style with a UK-twist.  

Looks nice now, will look great when mature - I can visualise it already.

Thanks for sharing.


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## PM (17 Jul 2008)

Looking good, though I must say that I think that glass looks *awful* that thick on such a small tank, what's the point of having lovely clear glass with big lumps (the edges) on the sides.  I know that you can get thinner and I would definitely go thinner than that. 

Just my opinion (please take no offense) but I do feel very strongly about glass thickness, after all, I am a designer


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## Garuf (17 Jul 2008)

Any chance of getting tech specs guys? Tank dimensions, lighting, filtration etc.?


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## TDI-line (17 Jul 2008)

Looks great TGM.

What is the rock work in there?


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## The Green Machine (17 Jul 2008)

Firstly, we are glad the pics are working and looking pretty good. We will post again with all the technical specs of the setup soon.



			
				PM said:
			
		

> Looking good, though I must say that I think that glass looks *awful* that thick on such a small tank, what's the point of having lovely clear glass with big lumps (the edges) on the sides.  I know that you can get thinner and I would definitely go thinner than that.
> 
> Just my opinion (please take no offense) but I do feel very strongly about glass thickness, after all, I am a designer



Look guys, if you want 5mm glass we can give you it. We ourselves like the sturdier 10mm, however, everything on a personal level is subjective, and at the end of the day your wish is our command!


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## Dan Crawford (17 Jul 2008)

Nice one fellas, so you finally decided to put water in it hey? LOL

It looks real smart, i'd be chuffed to have that full setup, tank, stand and all taking pride of place in my living room.
Loving the petrified wood, what a piece of hardscape, well worth the money.


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## Themuleous (17 Jul 2008)

What kind of hose are you using bewteen the filter and intake?

Cheers

Sam


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## The Green Machine (17 Jul 2008)

Sam,

The hose is ADA 17mm clear

Other specs are as follows-

Size 65x45x45.

Plants, Echinodorus Tennellus,Cyperus Helferi, Hemianthus Callitrichoides "Cuba" Flame Moss, Mini Java moss.

Glassware, Cal Aqua inlet/outlet, ADA drop checker,Pollen beetle style glass diffuser,Glass drop checker and non return set.

ADA Amazonia aqua soil,Bright sand and,Power sand special S.

ADA 150W Solar1 metal halide,(very pretty)

Eheim 2026 Pro 2 filter filled with Sera Siporax.

3kg co2 bottle with solenoid and pressure regulator.

Hydor 300w inline heater stat

Oh the rockwork is fossilised wood of which we are glad to say we have two tons! (we kid you not)


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## Mark Evans (17 Jul 2008)

looks great guys,

just to confirm, ive seen this tank in real life and the 10mm glass is awsome! it has to be said....quality stuff.


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## planter (17 Jul 2008)

I had my 20 " cube made in 10mm opti white due to the tank size (rimless braceless is going to need 10 mm to hold it together i would have thought) however Ive just ordered 60cm x 30cm x 30cm in 6mm. Guess it just depends on the size of the tank.


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## tko187 (17 Jul 2008)

More pics please


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## Graeme Edwards (17 Jul 2008)

Sweet post guys, glad to see it finaly planted. 

Whats it called guys??? Something showers on an upturned.....whats it again, haha, perhaps not!   

Really nice use of the best quality brands around.


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## The Green Machine (18 Jul 2008)

Thanks Graeme,

Funny-we were thinking of something along those lines however,

"In my dreams" is as good as anything so that will do.

"There is no past, there is no future, there is only now"


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## Graeme Edwards (18 Jul 2008)

A name clearly influanced by the great Buddah....... now your talking.
I look forward to seeing it progress.


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## elanmak (18 Jul 2008)

The scaping is looking good Jimmy. 
It'll be nice watching it mature and seeing what the plant growth from the ADA products will do.
Also I like the diffuser ~ looks very futuristic.
See you Saturday x


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## Garuf (18 Jul 2008)

Are you sure you mean the diffuser and not the drop checker? The diffuser looks very much like the one's almost everyone on here uses, except ADA and not Rhinnox.


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## elanmak (18 Jul 2008)

Whatever!!...good pic...good work Ewan


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## John Starkey (19 Jul 2008)

PM said:
			
		

> Looking good, though I must say that I think that glass looks *awful* that thick on such a small tank, what's the point of having lovely clear glass with big lumps (the edges) on the sides.  I know that you can get thinner and I would definitely go thinner than that.
> 
> Just my opinion (please take no offense) but I do feel very strongly about glass thickness, after all, I am a
> designer



Hi Pm,i have just returned from TGM and i must say i have to totally disagree with your "awful" opinion on the thickness of the 10mm opti-white tank,I think the 10mm glass gives a sense of security against being accidentally knocked by over zealous house wives doing the hoovering (you wont my wife hoovering round your setup i can tell you   )and i think the whole setup just looked absolutley georgeous and i cant wait to order my set up soon yes in 10MM glass,Also by design the bespoke cabinets should complement the opti-white tanks beautifully, The whole range of wood finishes look really nice and is huge, chooseing will be fun on its own,see you soon Jim/mark thanks for all the brews, regards john


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## PM (19 Jul 2008)

Absolutely, of course it is stronger, but that tank is 65x45x45 and 8mm glass would suffice and shaving a nice 2mm off of those edges would look much better - more minimalist and un-obstructive in my view.  If it was 60x30x36  would say 5mm glass.  For a 60x60x60 then yes, you would new the extra thickness of the 10mm, but with that greater volume it would appear less clunky. It's just a matter of taste, I argue with people all day long about these kinds of things, believe me.  

So to sum up, I think if I was to spend that much on a minimalist tank, I'd be making sure it was as damn minimalist as possible!  Less is more sometimes...


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## The Green Machine (20 Jul 2008)

This is not even a real issue that we are talking about here.

These tanks are bespoke and as such YOU get to choose the thickness of glass that YOU like.

We with our own experience In the fields of both photography and aquatics happen to like the 10mm better;as interestingly enough does John Starkey.

The only difference here is that both John and ourselves have actually SEEN the product.

If you are really interested in developing a true idea on 10mm then a visit to the shop might not be a bad idea  you might enjoy our "purist" approach to the hobby and its always good to meet new faces.

We do believe that on the "nano" size tanks that 5 or 6mm glass is more in keeping with scale and would agree here.There is also a fragility and with children particularly a safety issue which should be carefully considered.

Anyway the final choice of glass thickness is ultimately in your own hands.

Oh all of our tanks whether 6mm 10mm or 15mm come finished in "Tankguard" on the inner surfaces,its a bit like "Teflon" for glass and makes cleaning a doddle.Also it doesn't add any extra thickness to the glass lol


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## Themuleous (20 Jul 2008)

Ok stop it now guys, its making me wish Id ordered my new tank weeks ago then Id not be waiting for it now!!!  Cant wait!


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## Wayney (20 Jul 2008)

I can vouch for everything that TGM are saying because I too was there yesterday with John and can honestly say that the glass being 10mm is definitely NOT an issue. When i first saw the tank i was absolutely speechless, the quality of the tank is far,far beyond anything i've ever seen before, and seeing it dressed in ADA's finest bling was the icing on the cake for me. I definitely want one in the near future.

TGM 15/10 for this tank 8)  8) Wonderful scape aswell.

Regards
Wayne


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## pompeyfan (22 Jul 2008)

Very nice setup guys, i can't wait to up come and have a browse.

 How are you finding the aquasoil in regards of ammonia leaching and water changing so far?

 Cheers, Pete.


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## The Green Machine (22 Jul 2008)

Pretty prolific but we are carrying out 1/2 tank water change daily and throwing in an internal each evening with about 1lb of fresh carbon in it.

By the way the external that we used for this tank was established for a year already but was not even near to coping with the spike.


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## sanj (22 Jul 2008)

I saw the aquarium on sunday and opti-white is really quite somthing. I was not going to take somone elses word for it. I dont think 10mm vs 8mm is that big an issue for many people, the 10mm looked VERY nice and the tank isnt exactly tiny. However envious I am, I dont think i could have justified optiwhite for the size aquarium i am now setting up...although it would have looked amazing!

I would definately consider it for a smaller aquarium...in the future.


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## pompeyfan (28 Jul 2008)

Visited TGM for the first time on sunday and was very impressed with this tank, growing in very nicely. Decided on a future Opti White 10mm glass over 20mm Acrylic on seeing the quality of Jim's setup. 400+ mile round trip wasn't cheap on fuel but, meeting mark and jim, seeing the shop display tanks, ADA goods and the obvious passion for what they are doing made for a worthwhile trip. From Amano to Wabi-Kusa, this shop is a must visit!

 Cheers, pete


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## The Green Machine (1 Aug 2008)

Here is a small update on how the scape is doing (2 weeks after being planted).


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## aaronnorth (1 Aug 2008)

Beautiful


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## Mark Evans (1 Aug 2008)

mmm... the zen's not right. the sand should of been in the right corner   

looks good chaps


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## PM (1 Aug 2008)

Looking good, what kinda fish are they - they are tiny!


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## The Green Machine (1 Aug 2008)

The fish are Aplocheilichthys Normani ( Normans Lampeye).

They will grow to about 4cm, we will reduce the numbers as they gain in size.

We added some Limnobium Laevigatum as the little fellows seem to enjoy the security it affords.


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## Steve Smith (1 Aug 2008)

Looks lovely   I am so in love with that petrified wood!


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## Themuleous (1 Aug 2008)

Coming along nicely  looking forward to seeing this in the flesh next week 

Sam


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## Steve Smith (1 Aug 2008)

Themuleous said:
			
		

> Coming along nicely  looking forward to seeing this in the flesh next week
> 
> Sam



Damn you sir!


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## George Farmer (2 Aug 2008)

Tank looks great, guys.





			
				The-Green-Machine said:
			
		

> Pretty prolific but we are carrying out 1/2 tank water change daily and throwing in an internal each evening with about 1lb of fresh carbon in it.



Have you considered zeolite?  It's more effective at ammonia removal than carbon.  Could save you some Â£Â£.


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## The Green Machine (2 Aug 2008)

Thanks for the input George-Zeolite here we come!


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## The Green Machine (25 Sep 2008)

Here is a photo of the aquascape as it stands today (25/09/2008)

The Hemianthus is gradually taking a real grip on the substrate but another 6-7 weeks should see a total carpet. So far we are extremely pleased with the performance of all the ADA products used in this scape, this being our first scape that solely uses ADA products (where available).







p.s. Stand by for posts of our fresh re-scape of our 10x2x2 foot acrylic in store display tank.


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## aaronnorth (25 Sep 2008)

loks great, that stump in the foreground is to upright IMO.


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## Mark Evans (25 Sep 2008)

quality growth on the hc. nice, low and compact.


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## John Starkey (25 Sep 2008)

Hi Jim/mark/ewan,the setup looks good now its filling in nicely,how long did it take for the ada soil to finally settle down?regards john.


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## keymaker (25 Sep 2008)

This tank has a unique impact. Not so much the aquascape itself but the overall clearness to it. The glassware, the water... It surely sells itself...  Should I ever visit the UK, you guys gonna be on my list. How far is the shop from Heathrow?


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## Superman (25 Sep 2008)

The photos don't so this tank justice IMHO.
Looking fantastic fellas, hope it keeps progressing.

Whats the best thing you've found to get the HC to carpet? I've just got some HC and am interested in getting the best out of it.


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## The Green Machine (25 Sep 2008)

John, the aqua soil took eight  days to settle but notwithstanding that we have found it a fantastic product.

Keymaker, we are about three hours drive from Heathrow and one from Manchester and you will always be welcome.

Superman, we believe that the key to good,compact carpeting on the HC is strong , unobstructed  lighting, (1x 150w MH in this case.)

Thanks to everyone else for the feedback it is a real privilege to be sponsor to such a great bunch of people as passionate as yourselves.


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## sari (26 Sep 2008)

Hi guys,

I'm new to this site and recently returned to the hobby. I am really getting into planting with all the frills and your tank is absolutely gorgeous! It is so nice to see that smaller tanks can be extraordinary too!


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## alexandre (26 Sep 2008)

Very nice, aren't you tempted to add few cryps ?
I wish I could walk in a shop tomorrow who have display tank like this.


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## The Green Machine (4 Dec 2008)

The finished aquascape as it stands today in our shop. Click on it to see the higher resolution version.


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## aaronnorth (4 Dec 2008)

Fantastic guys, you have trimmed the HC beautifully


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## Thomas McMillan (4 Dec 2008)

Nice! What fish are they?


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## Garuf (4 Dec 2008)

Lamp eye killifish

Really nice guys, another stunning scape.


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## TDI-line (4 Dec 2008)

Stunning tank TGM.


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## Superman (4 Dec 2008)

Just changed my desktop background to that photo!
Looks great, can't wait to see it next week.


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## Themuleous (4 Dec 2008)

proper quality, looking forward to seeing this in the flesh in a week 

Sam


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## The Green Machine (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: The Green Machine Display Tank*

Here is a shot from another angle.


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## Themuleous (14 Dec 2008)

This tank looked quality in the flesh.

Sam


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## Steve Smith (15 Dec 2008)

It's amazing to see in the flesh!  The lampeyes really make the scape for me


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## GreenNeedle (15 Dec 2008)

I notice in the high res pic previous that you changed the diffuser.  Was there a reason?

Also are you going the diffuser bubbles into filter intake route?

Ac


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## Steve Smith (15 Dec 2008)

Not sure about the replacement diffuser Andy, but it is situated next to the intake for the filter so that some of the CO2 is sucked into it.


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## GreenNeedle (15 Dec 2008)

The diffuser from page 1 to 5 is the simple ADA beetle one (like the Rhinox in shape) whereas on page 6 the diffuser is a flower top one.

AC


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## Graeme Edwards (15 Dec 2008)

The ADA beetle was being cleaned on the day this photograph was taken. We often swap with clean diffusers so the tank does not suffer from unstable Co2 due to dirty diffusers. Its always worth buying two, or a cheap spare diffuser for such situations.


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## GreenNeedle (15 Dec 2008)

That explains it. lol

AC


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