# low light, low maint, long-term - Juwel Rio 125



## George Farmer

Here's a recent photo of my low-maint, low light, long-term layout.  It's been establishing for around 12 months now.







*Tank*

Juwel Rio 125 - 125 l. / 33 gal.

*Plants*

Microsorium pteropus 
Anubias barteri var. nana 
C. balansae
C. parva
C. wendtii 'green' and 'brown'
C. amicorum
C. undulata

*Fauna*

10 pentazona barbs
12 glowlight danios
10 Amano shrimp

*Lighting*

2 x 18w T8 - 9 hours.

*Filter*

Juwel internal filter (600lph)

*Fertilisation*

2ml Tropica+ liquid per day, 1/3 water change per week. Hard tap water loaded with NO3 and PO4.

CO2 mist via 2Kg pressurized system and Rhinox 2000 diffuser.

Tropica Plant Substrate and capsules.

Easy life!


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## GreenNeedle

Still in love with your C Balansae George.

Mine is only just now starting to grow tall (after 3 months in the tank) but it does look nice,  Just jealous of the amount of leaves yours has and how lush it is growing.

Any spare    

Andy


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## Dan Crawford

That is stunning, everytime i see any of your tanks it make me want to rip mine down and start again.
I have almost all the same plants in mine except the large what apere to be very large java ferns in the mid background? what are they, i noticed you used them on you rold scape of this tank and i think they are fantastic and just what i'm looking for.


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## Ed Seeley

Looking very good George.  Pristine condition!

BTW, which Crypt is C.amicorum?  Doesn't that have very bullate spade-shaped leaves?


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## Matt Holbrook-Bull

Thats lovely mate 

I like how youve really banked up the substrate at the back to get the depth of field. Lovely


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## George Farmer

Thanks guys,

Andy - Sorry, no spare balansae yet....

Dan - There's two Java ferns (Microsorium pteropus) in there, they're the main component to the midground either side of the center "path".  It's taken around 12 months for them to reach that size.  In high-light you could get the same in 3 months or so, depending on start size.

You may like to try out the 'narrow' variety, that is common in ADA 'scapes.  A beautiful plant.

Ed - The amicorum is mixed up with the undulata on the left.  It's quite similar in leaf shape but remains a bright green without crinkles.

Matt - The substrate is actually flat, the angle of the photo causes the impression, with my cropping technique...  Clever aren't I!? lol

Thanks again.

Neil Hepworth, the PFK photographer is coming over soon for a pro-shoot, so I'm looking forward to that.  You may even be able to see some fish then...


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## Dan Crawford

good stuff mate, i thought it was a java fern but i never saw one quite as nice and thought it must have been a different species  
lookin forward to the pro photos.
Lovely.


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## George Farmer

Thanks mate.

Well, you'll see it in the flesh soon enough.  That beats most photos...


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## zig

Agree condition looks tip top, I would say this tank will get  better looking, tons better than last time posted, only noticing the internal filter now, I'd say this would look good with a very white background.


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## George Farmer

Here's a full working shot.  There's everything I need in there until the next water change.


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## oldwhitewood

I love this tank.  8)


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## CJ Castle

Beautiful tank, George...


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## George Farmer

Thanks, Corin.

Here's a pic I took the other day.






I'm considering swapping the Crypt balanse for Cyperus helferi.

The balansae is well over 3 foot long now and blocking a lot of light (it's only 1wpg to start with), and the lower crypts are showing signs of light deprivation.

I've always like Cyperus, but I may have to add some more light to have success.

I'll see if I can blag some anyway.  Worth a try...


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## Ed Seeley

You could always try giving the crypt a trim, with a difference.  I've done it in the past to a few rosette forming plants with mixed success.  What I do is take off all, or almost all, of the leaves and the new ones that grow back in are smaller for a while.  It's worked for me with C.becketii 'Petchii' and Echinodorus cordifolius, but some plants just grow back in as large, or larger, so it might not work!

The tank does look gorgeous George and if you do decide to get rid of some of the balanse I know where some would get a good home....


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## Dave Spencer

I like the way the C. balansae frames the picture, but it probably is getting a bit too much. Cyperus helferi should work a treat.

The small clearing at the front also works pretty well, but the foreground on either side would look better if the growth was denser. More leaves low down in this area would give it a busier look and give something to draw the eye to. 

Once my gaze has moved away from the negative space in the centre, it is drawn around the frame of the tank by the C. balansae, and a nice, busier, small leafed foreground would cap off a great journey for the MKI eyeball perfectly. Well, IMO anyway.  

Dave.


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## oldwhitewood

George, could I have some of the c balansae if you're getting rid of it?


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## George Farmer

oldwhitewood said:
			
		

> George, could I have some of the c balansae if you're getting rid of it?



You're the 3rd person to ask that, Neil...


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## Maximumbob

i could be the fourth... i love the stuff!


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## oldwhitewood

George Farmer said:
			
		

> oldwhitewood said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> George, could I have some of the c balansae if you're getting rid of it?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You're the 3rd person to ask that, Neil...
Click to expand...


.... and the most important ....


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