# Mikes tank



## mikecloud (6 Feb 2009)

Hi,

Im Mike (obviously) from Newcastle.

I have never posted on here, so hello. But I have been admiring the spectacular tanks that you guys all have for a while now. It s got me more and more inspired and interested in the planted side of aquaria, I've recently bought two pressurised CO2 systems for two of my tanks and really seen massive boost in plant growth and health. 

Anyway, here's a pic of my largest Africany tank, a 300l. I have to say I feel a bit embarassed compared to some of the scapes on here, but here goes...








Cheers, Mike


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## Dave Spencer (6 Feb 2009)

You have certainly got the growing healthy plants side of things sorted out.

Take a look at some of the tanks on here and see how they are structured in terms of hardscape and keeping plants grouped together. You have a wide variety of leaf shapes and sizes that don`t necessarily compliment each other, so you may want to look at plant selection too.

Anyway, it`s a good start Mike.

Dave.


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## Dan Crawford (6 Feb 2009)

Nice work mate, that looks lovely. It's not all about scaping on here, just being able to grow plants successfully is an acheivement. Being able to scape isn't enough, you need to be able to grow the plants to go in your scape


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## LondonDragon (6 Feb 2009)

Looking good Mike, like previously said its all about the plants, learn that first then you can concentrate on the scaping 
Welcome to UKAPS and keep us posted on your progress


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## GreenNeedle (6 Feb 2009)

I totally agree with the above Mike.  Many who first come onto an aquascaping site come on fresh and can't do the growing/healthy bit yet so you have a head start here 

Looks lush and as Dave says.  The growing part out of the way you can set about planning a structure for your scape and make it tidier 

Well done and welcome

AC


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## mikecloud (6 Feb 2009)

Hi guys thanks for the welcome and the advice, I really appreciate it. 

The plants do indeed grow very well, and seem to be very healthy. I have always kept plants in my aquaria but only recently got so interested in their upkeep. 

I agree the tank looks very 'busy', but I do like the jungle look, this tank started out with more of an emphasis on the live stock but has developed to be more and more planty. I have another few tanks and one inparticular that I bought a CO2 system for, I may well rescape that one in the style more similar to the tanks on here. It is alos very jungly at the moment and hosusing some very special fish growing on, sio once I have moved them on I may gut the tank and start from scratch making a journal and seeking the wisdom of all you plant boffs! 

Thanks again,

Mike


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## GreenNeedle (6 Feb 2009)

There is nothing wrong with Jungle Mike   Some of us are well into jungle style.

AC


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## John Starkey (6 Feb 2009)

Hi Mike,jungle is good,i use my 5x2x2 setup just to learn how to grow algae free plants and i can tell you it looks really good (very overgrown)and algae free ask Dan crawford,my first attempt at a proper scape will be in my 60cm optie-white, regards john.


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## Dan Crawford (6 Feb 2009)

john starkey said:
			
		

> and algae free


Lies, all lies i tells ya


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## George Farmer (6 Feb 2009)

I like it!

Respect for the African flavours too.


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## Superman (6 Feb 2009)

Good stuff, like everyone above, step1 complete with regards to growing healthy plants. I think this is where a few people fall over as they jump in at the deep end.


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## mikecloud (6 Feb 2009)

Thanks a lot everyone. You gotta love the jungles.

I originally tried to keep to a soley W.African, Congo River basin theme, but a lack of available endemic plants lead me astray and I bought a few 'alien' plant species. 

I love the Anubius genus, I think they are fantastic plants. 

The stocking if anyone is interested is Congo tetras, Ctenopoma acutirostre, Synodontis spp and a small Polypterus delhezi. I also have some African leaf-fish, Polycentropsis abbreviata growing on to eventually go in there.

On another note: I can't grow moss... All the moss I have bought never seems to take to immersed growth. I have tried Java, Weeping, Christmas etc with no luck. 
Maybe someone can spot a problem? I have:
108W of T5HO over a rio300 (day and plant gro tubes)
Ex1200 and Ex700 tetratec externals
2x Koralia 1
20-30mg/l CO2 (lightish green in dc)
pH 7.0
KH 5 
GH 7
NO3 10-20
PO4 0.5-1.0
Fe (chelated) 0.25
I dose with JBL ferro and ferro drops (came with CO2 set) and leave the macros to the fish

Is there anything im doing wrong moss wise or am I just buying duff moss? I see the moss in some of the tanks on here and im so envious! I want moss covered wood! Oh also I have some Fissidens fontanus which is growing better than anyof the others...

Cheers,

Mike


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## Thomas McMillan (6 Feb 2009)

Jungle is my favourite style by far, so I love this tank. It has a great feel to it.

Whats the stocking?


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## mikecloud (7 Feb 2009)

Thomas McMillan said:
			
		

> Jungle is my favourite style by far, so I love this tank. It has a great feel to it.
> 
> Whats the stocking?



Hi Thomas, thanks dude. The stociking list is i my previous post, just above yours


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## sari (16 Feb 2009)

I love the jungle look of this tank! I'm currently on the lookout for new ideas since I will be relocating down south and will have to strip my rio 125 and my 60 litre set ups. Loving the aponogetons, have you found them difficult to grow?


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## mikecloud (20 Feb 2009)

sari said:
			
		

> I love the jungle look of this tank! I'm currently on the lookout for new ideas since I will be relocating down south and will have to strip my rio 125 and my 60 litre set ups. Loving the aponogetons, have you found them difficult to grow?



Hi Sari,

Thanks 

The A.crispus has grown exceptionally well, it also flowers all the time. It is getting too large for the tank though, it really gets to be a very large plant, too big for a 300L really. I will have to cut it back or take it out soon I think...


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## mikecloud (21 Feb 2009)

*More tanks...*

Well I thought and go mad and post some more of my tanks...

This is for hillstream loach:




This is for a few different leaf fish:




This is a little one on my desk with RCS:




Comments and criticisms welcome


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## aaronnorth (21 Feb 2009)

very nice, i like the middle tank 

photo are a little dark though.

Thanks.


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## JamesM (21 Feb 2009)

Nice, nice and nice!


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## TDI-line (21 Feb 2009)

Great tanks Mike.


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## Thomas McMillan (21 Feb 2009)

Nice tanks, I too like the middle one best.


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## Themuleous (22 Feb 2009)

Lots of healthy plants in those tanks  first one is my fav.

Sam


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## mikecloud (7 Aug 2010)

Hi everyone.

I haven't been on here for a long time. 

I have just this year finished my undergrad degree in marine biology so for the last few I've been really busy.

However degree over I have once again time to faff on with my aquariums. I still have all the same aquariums (and a few more...) but they have changed a lot since the previous photographs. Lack of dedicated maintenance durinf final year has led to pretty scruffy tanks with minor algae problems. I ran out of money during final year too, as a result CO2 has been off for over 10 months. I am now in the process of getting some new, larger CO2 cylinders.

So I thought I'd post a few pics of the tanks now, they are in need of some serious work though...!

the big 300L went to this:




and now this:




The one that had the leaf fish went to this:



and now this:




The hillstream loach tank went to this:



and now this:




and here are a couple small tanks for shrimp:







Mike


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## Cyworld (7 Aug 2010)

I really like the first tank on page 2. What fish are those?


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## mikecloud (7 Aug 2010)

Hi, if you mean the hillstream tank the fish you can see are white cloud mountain minnows (Tanichthys albonubes).

Thanks


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## Ste.Baker80 (16 Aug 2010)

I love the tanks - shame what happend to them, but these things happen.  I really like the way the tanks look now.


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