# Cryptic Haven Low-energy Update Pics



## Tim Harrison (7 Aug 2013)

Finally got round to stripping down my existing low-energy scape and starting a new one...Scape-Horn; so called 'cause of the pointy rocks...did you see what I did there?
I'm using my usual mix of 1:1 moss peat and aquatic compost. Its 60mm at its deepest and the sand cap is a similar depth at the back, so I'm pushing the boundaries of what's often considered sensible.
The cap is Unipac sand - Limpopo Black, and the rocks are exotic Coniston Slate - most have a vein or three of quartzite running through them which adds to their aesthetic appeal.
I've set it up for my eldest son in his bedroom, and it has to work from two angles. I've got as far as the hardscape below...


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## Alastair (7 Aug 2013)

Looks great mate. Whats the plans for planting

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## Tim Harrison (7 Aug 2013)

Thanks Alastair...I'm gona keep the planting simple and not so dense this time, with more open space and sandy areas - so probably some cryps, and vallis, or hygro and Ludwigia, maybe some ferns - plants that have been tried and tested in my low-energy scapes over the last 2 years or so. I also need to source a good carpet plant for some of the foreground...know of any? I'll have a play tomorrow and see how it goes.


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## Ady34 (7 Aug 2013)

Hi Troi,
really like that slate, normally it looks a little uninteresting, but that has plenty of texture and like you say, the veining adds to the aesthetic.
Would look really nice with just different grass like plants, eleocharis parvula, eleocharis ecicularis, e. sp. mini, tenellus, dwarf saggitaria etc...or even just one species of grass, bit like Georges Project scree?
Be interested to follow what you do with this.
Cheerio,
Ady.


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## Tim Harrison (8 Aug 2013)

Hi Ady, thanks. The slate ain't bad at all is it - I was surprised when I saw it, and only £1.00 a chuck from Frosts, slightly cheaper than the Gucci stuff...so I couldn't resist. And you're absolutely right about the planting...but I'm a bit wary of trying an igwami style layout in a low-energy tank, and I've kinda got igwami plans for a high-energy shallow anyway - but that could change...Either way I still plan to use tenellus or saggitaria for the foreground. And who knows what it'll metamorphosize in to over time...


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## Tim Harrison (9 Aug 2013)

Below is a closer image of the hardscape and then the scape planted but not quite finished. I decided to go with the Cryps and ferns, and I've just got to sort out some Bolbitis for the right hand side to balance the scape and give it that triangular perspective. At some point I want to replace the Vallis with Cryptocoryne retrospiralis, and then maybe I'll think of doing something more with the foreground. The water is still quite cloudy so perhaps not the best time to take photos.

Plant list so far:
_Aponogeton natans_
_Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Green'_
_Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Tropica'_
_Cryptocoryne becketti "petchii"_
_Cryptocoryne nevillii_
_Microsorum pteropus 'Narrow'_
_Vallisneria spiralis_

To come
Cryptocoryne retorspiralis
Bolbitis heudelotii
and maybe something else for the foreground?


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## tim (9 Aug 2013)

Really well planted troi, love the textures of the slate, good job


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## Tim Harrison (10 Aug 2013)

Thanks Tim you've obviously got great vision It looks a bit unbalanced at the moment but once the planting is complete and the Cryp Tropica grows between the rock valleys it should look a bit better, at least. I'm still not sure what to do with the foreground though, but I'll ponder it a little while longer and hopefully come up with something inspirational.


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## Spartacus (10 Aug 2013)

Hi Trio,

The tank is looking very nice - Thats some really good looking slate you have there! I really like the layout of it!

Will be nice to se how it spreads out 

Thanks for sharing.


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## Tim Harrison (10 Aug 2013)

Thanks, that's very nice of you to say so. I brought some more crypts today and ordered some others so hopefully it'll start looking a bit more filled out sooner than later. I've put some bolbitis in and taken some more quick snaps with the compact.


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## flygja (13 Aug 2013)

That looks good, nice selection of fish to go with the plants as well. How's your back? Hope its getting better.


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## Tim Harrison (14 Aug 2013)

Finally the plants I ordered arrived and I've finish the planting...for the time being at least...

_Cryptocoryne becketti "petchii"_
_Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae_
_Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Green'_
_Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Tropica'_
_Cryptocoryne willisii/nevillii_
_Cryptocoryne parva_
_Anubias barteri 'Nana'_
_Bolbitis heudelotii_
_Microsorum pteropus 'Narrow'_

Still looking unbalanced but hopefully when the new plants start to fill out, the scape will achieve some sort of harmony. I've planted _C. crispatula var. balansae_ in the back right hand corner - you can see it just peaking over the rocks in the image below. It should eventually obscure the heater etc, grow along the surface to provide some shade, as well as giving that densely planted NA look. I'm not sure how well the _C. parva_ (light green, foreground) will do low-energy but I thought I'd give it a go anyway, I can always replace it with _C. Willisi_i if it doesn't work out.


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## Tim Harrison (14 Aug 2013)

flygja said:


> That looks good, nice selection of fish to go with the plants as well. How's your back? Hope its getting better.


 

Thanks flygja, almost missed your post. It's all good, thanks for asking...I'm getting there.


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## Tim Harrison (23 Dec 2013)

It's been a while (over 4 months) so I thought an update of my low-energy effort would be in order. Gone is the C. parva...it didn't look right. It's been sort of replaced with Alastair's magic carpet plant Ranalisma sp. 'mini' (well that's what I'm calling it anyway). It seems to have settled in and I'm hoping that it'll cover the foreground...given time.

I've also been meaning to get some more C. willisii/nevillii for the bottom right hand corner/side - it's a bit dark there, and the plants haven't done as well as I'd hoped. I think that'd finish the scape off nicely...especially when the _Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae _fills the upper right corner/side.


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## OllieNZ (23 Dec 2013)

Looking very nice Troi


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## sa80mark (23 Dec 2013)

Dont know how I missed this one, it looks fantastic and gives me some idea of the crypts im thinking of


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## tim (23 Dec 2013)

Looks lovely troi, I took some that ranilisma of al doesn't like my hard water so much but it's just throwing up some new leaves now longer in my high tech than my low tech so very interested to see how yours behaves. I gotta to do a crypt based scape I love em.


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## Tim Harrison (24 Dec 2013)

Hi Guys...thanks Ollie, and glad to be of help Mark.
I know what you mean about the Ranalisma sp. 'mini' Tim...my water is hard and I think it's had a hard time adjusting, but what's left is well rooted and throwing out new leaves too, so I'm hoping it's turned a corner.

Crypts are great plants, most do extremely well in my uber hard water maybe something to do with similarities with their natural limestone habitat (they are complete thugs with CO2). Although mine are healthy it's not all been plain sailing. I occasionally loose some leaves to crypt melt, but the plants are always quick to recover...so far.

Similar angle showing the (low-energy) growth in 4 months. Although there has been some additional planting, it's pretty clear the growth rate has been amazing...


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## foxfish (24 Dec 2013)

My Ranalisma sp. 'mini' did not like my water conditions much either as most died!
I put about 10 plants in an immersed tank, they all died but, the other plants I put into my Co2 tank - only half died!
However now, after several weeks of looking a bit grim.... I have positive growth from the few left & they are stomping out plantlets left & right. 

Edit I have just checked & in fact, it seems that at least one, is still alive in my immersed tank.


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## Rob P (24 Dec 2013)

I've also had similar experience with the Ranalisma (hard water/hi tech), did nothing and looked sorry for a few weeks, but lots of new green growth emerging now 

Great looking tank Troi, love it


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## Tim Harrison (24 Dec 2013)

Interesting observations, I think we're building up a picture of its growth habit...so thanks for sharing Tim, foxfish and Rob, there maybe hope for mine yet, I'll keep an eye out for runners...I hope...


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## AverageWhiteBloke (24 Dec 2013)

Very nice tank troi and just shows what can be achieved with low energy.  A lesson to us all while fighting with gas and algae while forgetting to enjoy the hobby.  Out of curiosity, what is the name of the tallest of the plants on the back right side,looks a bit like sea weed texture?


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## Tim Harrison (25 Dec 2013)

Thanks AWB, that's very kind of you to say so. There are some very good low-energy tanks out there, not least are Tom's and Alastair's. But I still think folk totally underestimate what can be achieved in a relatively short time. The sea weed plant is_ Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae._


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## AverageWhiteBloke (25 Dec 2013)

Thanks for the plant i.d I have a place where they would fit just nice to replace some vallis that's getting out of hand. Yes, I also follow Alistair stuff with interest. 
Here's my theory on it fwiw, apologies for going off topic slightly. People have a dabble with plants which doesn't go well because they know nothing about plants. They often find themselves at this forum and see people's co2 setups, fancy lighting and any problems usually get greeted with get loads of Fert in there and a yellow drop checker, which, probably is the cure as well as good flow to be fair. I think though at this point another set of problems come into play and before you know where you're at your hobby becomes a full time job!

Maybe wouldn't do any harm for people to understand plants and nature first before getting right into the supporting equipment.


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## Tim Harrison (26 Dec 2013)

It is a bit off topic but an interesting philosophical observation nonetheless. Technology is great fun...but you don't need any of it to produce healthy plant growth and fantastic scapes. Twinstar, £1000.00 lighting arrays, and even gas and glute can help achieve great things but they can become a means in themselves rather than a means to an end.

Unfortunately, this can spell disaster and many leave the hobby totally disillusioned. Going back to basics - low-energy - is growing in popularity probably for this very reason...you only have to look at how many daily hits my tutorial The Soil Substrate Planted Tank - A How to Guide | UK Aquatic Plant Society gets to realise this (not that I'm blowing my own trumpet...well ok, maybe just a little).


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## foxfish (26 Dec 2013)

How about an even more basic approach using only indigenous plants natural light & a brownie camera?


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## Tim Harrison (26 Dec 2013)

foxfish said:


> How about an even more basic approach using only indigenous plants natural light & a brownie camera?


 
I could go for that too...even the Box Brownie - probably more advanced than the camera I own at the moment


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## AverageWhiteBloke (27 Dec 2013)

foxfish said:


> How about an even more basic approach using only indigenous plants natural light & a brownie camera?



I don't have a problem with using all the equipment, I do myself, a lot. But using the equipment itself is problematic if not used properly. Starting low energy would be a better start for most then adding in the tech once the fundamental principles were sorted. 
I wish I had went down this route instead of complicating my life with tech early on. 
Anyway, I guess that's for another thread. Looking forward to seeing more pictures of the tank troi


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## aliclarke86 (23 Jan 2014)

Now you mentioned this on your other thread you need to update 

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## Tim Harrison (24 Jan 2014)

Oh alas...the pace of life in a low-energy tank is sooo slow that there really isn't that much more to report since last time...Although, I maybe adding some more small crypts to the foreground soon; if I do I'll post a pic.


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## AverageWhiteBloke (24 Jan 2014)

If it's any consolation the crypts I got because I saw the ones you had and liked are flying along. I could take some pictures of them and you could see what would have happened if you got some energy in there  
Only joking mate, I look forward to the pictures. In my low energy set up the plants always seem to look more well rounded for the want of a better phrase. They just look healthier and looking at it is more relaxing. In my high energy at home I'm always fussing and tinkering.


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## faizal (27 Jan 2014)

I don't know how i missed this one,....It's looking amazing especially in the last 2 pictures.


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## daizeUK (27 Jan 2014)

I really like this tank.  Sorry for asking a newb question but is the peat really the only source of carbon to produce all that growth?

Also how hard is your water exactly?  I'm interested to see bolbitis growing in hard water, always been too scared to try it in mine


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## darren636 (27 Jan 2014)

Bolbitis thrives in hard water


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## Tim Harrison (27 Jan 2014)

daizeUK said:


> I really like this tank. Sorry for asking a newb question but is the peat really the only source of carbon to produce all that growth?
> Also how hard is your water exactly? I'm interested to see bolbitis growing in hard water, always been too scared to try it in mine


 
Thanks, that's really nice of you to say so.
Peat...well mostly...but perhaps not entirely, it's also mixed with loam; so there is other organic material in there too.

Not only but also, apparently around about half the aquatic plants that have been tested can utilise bicarbonates in alkaline water too...although I'm not entirely sure if that's relevant to any of those in my tank. Perhaps someone, like Clive or Darrell could post a list, it'd be interesting if nothing else; could be a good subject for another post, so it gets the attention it deserves.

I don't know how hard my water is exactly - been a while since I tested it - but last time I tried I remember almost giving up adding reagent it took so long for the colour to change. I live in the south east chalk aquifer region, so it is safe to say it's rock 'ard...

Yep, darren is right Bolbitis H. does great in low-energy hard water tanks, well at least it does in mine...and it's a complete thug if you add CO2. And finally don't be scared to experiment or ask questions, it's how we continue to learn


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## daizeUK (27 Jan 2014)

Thanks for your reply!
I had heard that bolbities is an acid-loving plant - I tend to associate acid with soft water so that's probably where I'm getting confused!
Anyway great tank, makes me want to learn more about carbon-rich substrates!


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## Tim Harrison (27 Jan 2014)

Generally speaking I don't think it matters too much...there are other factors such as nutrients, flow and distribution, and getting the lighting right that are more important.


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## Greenfinger2 (28 Jan 2014)

Hi Troi, Very nice Love the planting


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## Richardbunting (31 Mar 2014)

Love this scape troi, switched my co2 off today.

Fish are sprightlier and the algae issue is starting to subside already.

I have one t5 tube reflector removed over 260 litres. So low watts per gallon in old money and low - medium with respect to par.

The chalk downs in the area where i reside are famous for watercress so there must be a connection with bicarbonates and hard water.


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## Tim Harrison (1 Apr 2014)

Thanks Richard...good luck with doing things the low-energy way.


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## Tim Harrison (6 Apr 2014)

Well I guess this scapes days are numbered...my son has decorated and moved his room around...teenagers. So now the tank has to be visual from 3 sides...I feel an island scape coming on...Oh what a chore...another opportunity to rescape and be creative I'm not sure whether it merits a completely new journal or whether to make it a continuation of the existing; after all I'll be using the same plants, and probably rocks as well...although maybe I'll be using manzi too...what'd think?


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## stu_ (6 Apr 2014)

I think that at twenty to one in the morning,you shouldn't be worrying about it
FWIW ,keep this thread going.An evolution of a work in progress...


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## Rob P (6 Apr 2014)

Agree lol


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## Tim Harrison (6 Apr 2014)

Insomnia...
...OK same journal different chapter...


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## tim (6 Apr 2014)

stu_ said:


> I think that at twenty to one in the morning,you shouldn't be worrying about it
> FWIW ,keep this thread going.An evolution of a work in progress...


I disagree, I'm glad it's not only me  looking forward to the next chapter troi.


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## Greenfinger2 (6 Apr 2014)

I agree keep this thread going


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