# Dan's 80cm ADA/PFK shoot



## George Farmer (29 May 2008)

We spent hours prepping and photographing Dan's tank last night.

Make no mistake, this is a serious aquascape that will very likely position far higher than mine in the ADA contest.  It was a pleasure and an honour to photograph this masterpiece, amongst the great company of close friends.

It will also feature in the Aug issue of PFK, as part of the prestigious Great Planted Tank series.

Here's a teaser shot to start (pre-Vallis trim and backlighting - it gets better...!)

Cheers.


----------



## Steve Smith (29 May 2008)

I almost had a chance to see this myself at the weekend.  Shame I didn't 

Great shot George, and great scape Dan!  Hope you do well in the contest!  Are you entering it into the AGA contest too?


----------



## Dan Crawford (29 May 2008)

Thanks for the kind words Pal   

This was a fantastic experience for me, I've wanted to get my name in PFK for as long as i can remember but getting my tank featured is beyond what i ever thought could happen to the once young guy keeping goldfish in a bowl   

The evening was awesome, George turned up with beer, camera and more lighting than you could shake a stick at. Shortly after Jeremy Gay turned up and we got to it, i use the term "WE got to it" loosely as Jeremy did the obvious and sat and watched the football!    The tank was pretty much prepped but obviously when a fellow aquascaper comes round there is plenty to be trimming and moving etc   We played around with backgrounds and the back lighting until we were all happy with it then George got the bad boy out and started snapping lol   Here is the man with the tools of the trade ie. Cannon and Carlin'!



We got some great photos and it looks set to follow the high standard of the series so far (i hope!)

Evenings like this are always the business, having your best friends so heavily involved and passionate about the same hobby is priceless. I dread to think how many nights we've drunk away chatting aquascaping and staring down a view finder. Awesome!


----------



## Dan Crawford (29 May 2008)

SteveUK said:
			
		

> Hope you do well in the contest!  Are you entering it into the AGA contest too?


Thanks mate, i'll be selling the setup to make way for a new Optiwhite and running a new 'scape, if it doesn't work out then yeh i suppose i can submit the same entry, although saying that i remember someone mentioning that you automatically get entered into the AGA if you enter the ADA?


----------



## Joecoral (29 May 2008)

im sure this has been explained somewhere and i've missed it, or may be common knowledge to the rest of you, but why is no one allowed to display entries to the ADA competition until after the deadline?


----------



## beeky (29 May 2008)

Yeah, this was talked about a little while ago, although I can't remember much of the outcome!   

I suppose, just thinking about it again now, that it protects the entrants as well as anything else, as people can't steal ideas of others and enter them as their own.


----------



## zig (29 May 2008)

Intriguing!! snapshot looks great I'm sure the rest will stand up as well, well done mate first ADA entry and all.

If you enter this into AGA they will ask you  on the entry form, tick a box style, if you want it entered into next years ADA 2009 competition. I would personally never tick that box because its way to early and you may always come up with something better in the meantime.

Might have to put up my own snapshot of my entry, now that all the pros around here are doing it


----------



## Dan Crawford (29 May 2008)

Joecoral said:
			
		

> why is no one allowed to display entries to the ADA competition until after the deadline?


Dunno, they're just "the rules" lol


----------



## Dan Crawford (29 May 2008)

Cheers Zig, bring on the snap!


----------



## Graeme Edwards (29 May 2008)

Being in a privelaged position that im in, im lucky enough to have seen the full tank shot!
Ding dong Dan, its the shizzal and indeed the dizzle. The snap shot looks top quality, worthy to woop our far eastern competitors, of which i have no dout.
Im a tad worried, your ganna rip my scape apart at the weekend, Dam you Crawford!  

Lets hope we are going to have a real UK presance in this years comp, get in UKaps!

Boh!


----------



## Dan Crawford (29 May 2008)

UKaps BABY!

Cheers for the comments pal!



> Im a tad worried, your ganna rip my scape apart at the weekend,


The last time i saw it it was the shizzle and i have no doubt that it's even shizzler now 8)


----------



## JamesM (29 May 2008)

So... the ukaps logo. Is that suspended by cotton from the top? Its gonna look grand when the moss covers all the letters


----------



## Dan Crawford (29 May 2008)

it's a sticker lol.


----------



## LondonDragon (29 May 2008)

Looking forward to seeing this tank  
Good luck in the competition


----------



## Dan Crawford (29 May 2008)

Thanks pal!


----------



## George Farmer (29 May 2008)

This was a tricky capture that took some patience.  But I don't mind waiting in front of something like this...


----------



## Arana (29 May 2008)

Simply stunning


----------



## Garuf (29 May 2008)

What's the moss on the right hand side? It looks beautiful. 
The whole tank looks beautiful, makes me wish I'd got a hairgrass foreground rather than sand.


----------



## Dan Crawford (29 May 2008)

Nice one George! You make it look better than it actually is!  8) 



> What's the moss on the right hand side?


Its fissidens mate, my favorite plant at the minute, I got it from Aquatic Magic. It grows really well once it's got a hols and it stays so compact.


----------



## John Starkey (29 May 2008)

Hi Dan, i am sure it looks superb and i wish you all the very best of luck in tha Ada contest,regards john.


----------



## Dan Crawford (29 May 2008)

Thanks John, ive just filled in and sent it off so it's up to the judges now, i can sit back and relax.
I'm actually going to sell the tank and it's contents as it is if anyone is interested? I was thinking of autioning it off on ebay preferably to UKaps members if there is enough interest. I can appreciate that no-one has seen it though lol.


----------



## planter (29 May 2008)

Tank looks great Dan ! and the feather fin rainbows are a nice touch


----------



## Graeme Edwards (29 May 2008)

I had some Fissidins in my nano, if the ever was a sexy moss, this is it! Love it.

Nice shot of the thread fins, worth waiting for!!


----------



## John Starkey (29 May 2008)

Dan Crawford said:
			
		

> Thanks John, ive just filled in and sent it off so it's up to the judges now, i can sit back and relax.
> I'm actually going to sell the tank and it's contents as it is if anyone is interested? I was thinking of autioning it off on ebay preferably to UKaps members if there is enough interest. I can appreciate that no-one has seen it though lol.



Hi Dan,if you are planning on selling it as whole setup anychance of having some fissidens moss for my new setup, i will make a generous donation to UKAPs,pm me if its ok cheers john


----------



## Dan Crawford (29 May 2008)

john starkey said:
			
		

> Hi Dan,if you are planning on selling it as whole setup anychance of having some fissidens moss for my new setup, i will make a generous donation to UKAPs,pm me if its ok cheers john


Anything for you me old fruit!


----------



## John Starkey (29 May 2008)

Hi Dan,cheers mate i am in the process of getting it all together at the moment,i have just the opti-white tank and cabinet to get then all systems go,regards john


----------



## ulster exile (29 May 2008)

Well the glimpses you've given are really tantalising - looks gorgeous.  Love those threadfins too, perfect shot.  Thank you.


----------



## Dan Crawford (29 May 2008)

ulster exile said:
			
		

> Well the glimpses you've given are really tantalising


Thanks for your kind words but i have to let George take credit for the awesome photos


----------



## johnny70 (29 May 2008)

can't wait to see a full shot, what I can see looks pretty stunning

JOHNNY


----------



## George Farmer (31 May 2008)

Dan Crawford said:
			
		

> ulster exile said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thanks mate!  A good subject helps though!


----------



## TDI-line (1 Jun 2008)

Great tank Dan, and excellent photos from George.

I also like the way George is watching the tank with a beer, and not watching the footy on the plasma, classic farmer.


----------



## aaronnorth (1 Jun 2008)

TDI-line said:
			
		

> I also like the way George is watching the tank with a beer, and not watching the footy on the plasma, classic farmer.



lol  

Great tank Dan, good luck with the competition and some great shots George


----------



## George Farmer (3 Jun 2008)

Keep your eye out for the August issue of PFK.  I've just submitted the final write-up and photos of Dan's aquascape.  

It's the best yet in the PFK Great Plant Tank series.

Steven Chong is next...


----------



## Tom (4 Jun 2008)

Got to see this tank a couple weeks back, and I have to say Dan you've done a proper job on it. Good luck! 

Tom


----------



## Themuleous (23 Jun 2008)

Just a shame we have to wait until the Aug issue to see it in full!

Sam


----------



## George Farmer (23 Jun 2008)

Themuleous said:
			
		

> Just a shame we have to wait until the Aug issue to see it in full!
> 
> Sam


All good things...


----------



## Dan Crawford (23 Jun 2008)

Happy times fellas. I'll be flogging the tank and it's contents in the "for sale" section after it goes in the mag. I'm leaving it to grow at the minute to allow the buyer more scope and good god it's gone jungle LOL


----------



## Themuleous (24 Jun 2008)

How come you're selling?


----------



## Dan Crawford (24 Jun 2008)

Optiwhite on it's way!


----------



## George Farmer (24 Jun 2008)

So you're selling the tank, complete with aquascape, Dan?   Worth a few bob that mate, like any decent work of art...


----------



## Dan Crawford (24 Jun 2008)

Cheers mate   i'll sell the tank it's self and the scape thats in it.


----------

