# The Lonely mountain -Final photo before taking it down



## Antoni

Hi everybody,

it has been awhile since I have started this project, but as I have been away for more than a month and I have been quite busy lately, I didn't have time for it. 
The long story short: As I really liked the hardscape I have used in Aquatics Live, I wanted to create a long..or lets say longer term scape with it, where to play a bit more with plants and arrangements. 

So at the beginning of December I have decided to give it a go. As I was planning a long Christmas holiday, I decided to go the DSM way. 

I have used some Tesco cat litter for substrate - really love the color blending of the stones and the cat litter. Under the cat litter I used some fertilizer to provide nutrients for the plants, during the "dry season"






The tank has been left on its own, with no heating and occasional spraying for around 2 and a half months. The plants used are Tropica's:  HC, 1-2 Grow Eleocharis mini, Hottonia palustris, Riccardia Chamedryfolia. Fisidens fontanus and some Althernatera for a splash of red. 

The outcome after such a prolong absence and negligence..... Well the plants were fine, but didn't really spread a lot, since the planting. I suppose this is because of the low nutrient load of the substrate, low temperature during my absence and not enough light. I left the timer set on 8 hours per day, when I left, but the main electric switch has defected, so it has been dark for some time... 
On my arrival, I have increased the lighting period to 12 hours.

The Riccardia, has developed very interesting form emmersed:




It is huge, compared to its underwater form. You can see it compared the other plants here:




The Fissidens is not doing very well, but has some new green shootings, so I hope it will be ok, after the flooding. 




Shortly will post a picture of the tank after the flood. It has been 3 days now, since the big flood.


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## Ian Holdich

Looks excellent antoni! Is that the actual hardscape from aquatics live? You've done a real good job replicating it! 

It won third prize didn't it? What did you spend you £4000 on? 

Just one more thing...more pictures.


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## LondonDragon

Looks great Antoni  my fave scape at AL, only let down for me was the piece of wood on top of the largest rock which I see you removed here  love it


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## jack-rythm

I really do love the rock!

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2


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## somethingfishy

Ian Holdich said:


> Looks excellent antoni! Is that the actual hardscape from aquatics live? You've done a real good job replicating it!
> 
> It won third prize didn't it? What did you spend you £4000 on?
> 
> Just one more thing...more pictures.



Do you want more pics of the scape or antoni ? 

I liked version one alot but version two is def looking even better.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2


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## Ian Holdich

Hahahaha! You have to admit, dave, he's a good looking bloke! He's like the Gary Barlow of ukaps!


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## Alastair

Ian Holdich said:


> Hahahaha! You have to admit, dave, he's a good looking bloke! He's like the Gary Barlow of ukaps!


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## somethingfishy

Ian Holdich said:


> Hahahaha! You have to admit, dave, he's a good looking bloke! He's like the Gary Barlow of ukaps!


 Its true lol .. a good looking bloke and a good looking scape


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## Antoni

Ian Holdich said:


> Looks excellent antoni! Is that the actual hardscape from aquatics live? You've done a real good job replicating it!
> 
> It won third prize didn't it? What did you spend you £4000 on?
> 
> Just one more thing...more pictures.


 
Yes, Ian, that is the hardscape from Aquatics live, I took it back home....about 30 kg of stones in the suitcase 

I got the third place and the £4000 ......went for ....couple of nights out... oh and a drop checker from China 

Pictures of the flooded scape will follow shortly.



LondonDragon said:


> Looks great Antoni  my fave scape at AL, only let down for me was the piece of wood on top of the largest rock which I see you removed here  love it


 
Thanks mate! Yes I must agree that it looks better this way, but I will try the bonsai style scape soon again, with different hardscape. 



jack-rythm said:


> I really do love the rock!


 
Thanks! Those stones are absolutely stunning. Actually I thing it is petrified wood... from Unipac.




somethingfishy said:


> I liked version one alot but version two is def looking even better.


 
Thanks mate. I felt that this hardscape has some potential, so I decided to give it a try again.


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## Antoni

Good morning everybody!

Last few days, have been hectic, I have run out of CO2 and I didn't have time to go and buy one and have left the tank with no CO2 for more than 24 hours. Got a full bottle now already connected and hope that there will be no major issues....  At rate of 4bps the there must have been quite a swing in the amount of CO2 in the tank.... To battle this effect, I have started adding liquid carbon and will keep adding it for few days. 

Today I will make a large water change /about 75% /, which will be the 4-th for the first week. My plan is to reduce the water changes to 2 per week from Monday and to change only 50%

Here is a picture of the scape 3 days after the flood. Sorry for the equipment inside!


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## Ian Holdich

Looking great antoni! 

Just one minor thing...the red lud in the back, is it staying there or are you going to go for more smaller leaved stems?


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## Antoni

Hi Ian,

you are right, the leaves of this one are quite large... it supposed to stay a bit more compact, but.... maybe this is because it is in emmersed form still. I will wait to see if it is going to transform. If not I will change it with althernatera mini. I have some 1-2 Grow


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## Ian Holdich

Is it the new ludwegia sp1?


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## Antoni

Yep!


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## jack-rythm

I remember this!! looks great  it will of course be better as you have more time so looking forward to it.


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## Antoni

Thanks Jack! Yes I hope now things will get better and the tank will evolve nicely. Already have few things in mind, that can be improved, but will give it some time first


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## Antoni

Hi everybody,

not much has happened in the last week or so.

The HC is struggling to make it and I have an algae taking advantage of the damaged and struggling plants. 





On this pic you can see the dying plants. I suppose this is kind of normal for some of the plants, during the transition period from emmersed to submersed form...  even though I have been pumping a lot of CO2 in - for the first 10 days at rate of 4 bps, currently at 2 bps.

I'm not quite worried about the algae, as with the help of some liquid carbo, I think I will sort them out, but might need to replant some of the HC...

The hottonia is trying to take over the tank and will need a trim soon. 









Even though it is such a beautiful plant, I'm not quite sure it will be the plant of a choice for the background...

A different angle shot:





Couple of close up shots of the hardscape:




Hope the HC will recover and will make a nice dense carpet here...

One of my selection RCS  on a rock face!


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## Antoni

I will appreciate some advice regarding the fish choice 

I was wondering among the following species:

Sundadanio Axelrody http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/sundadanio-axelrodi/ The Sundadanio was my first choice, I can get from my local shop the blue/red form, but after seeing the Norman Lampeyes I'm now lost

Boraras Brigittae   Boraras brigittae – Mosquito Rasbora — Seriously Fish  I love the Boraras Brigittae it is lovely little fish, quite bright red, when fully grown. My only concern is that it will get blended with the rocks...

Nanostomus Espei   Nannostomus espei – Barred Pencilfish (Poeciliobrycon espei ) — Seriously Fish that is fish I have seen in the Amano's tank. It is not very colorful but striking

Norman's Lampeye Norman's Lampeye – Aplocheilichthys Normani I like the green bluish appearance. I think it will contrast well with the scape..

Any advice?


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## tim

Nice scape antoni, if its any help the lampeyes will jump and if the pencils are of the same nature as beckfordi they will probably take a dive out of the tank as well, I'm keeping boraras species in an open top and as of yet no jumpers


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## Ian Holdich

The s. alxelrodi would look ace in this scape.
Can you manage to get hold of all these fish?


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## Antoni

tim said:


> Nice scape antoni, if its any help the lampeyes will jump and if the pencils are of the same nature as beckfordi they will probably take a dive out of the tank as well, I'm keeping boraras species in an open top and as of yet no jumpers


Thanks Tim! This will then take off the lampeyes and nanostomus out of the equation...
The Boraras are nice, one of my all time favorite, but the rock is quite redish as well and they might blend in with it...



Ian Holdich said:


> The s. alxelrodi would look ace in this scape.
> Can you manage to get hold of all these fish?



Thanks Ian, yes the S. Axelrodi were the first choice... but now the duel is between the Boraras and the Axelrodi... 

MY LFS have the both species in stock and can deliver the other 2.


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## gmartins

My experience with Borara is that they are beautiful but very shy. So they tend to hidden out of sight most of the time. What about the Paracheirodon simulans?


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## Antoni

gmartins said:


> My experience with Borara is that they are beautiful but very shy. So they tend to hidden out of sight most of the time. What about the Paracheirodon simulans?


 
The simulans are nice too, the problem is that I can find only big ones in my LFS. All the fish are above 2 cm....


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## Antoni

Just a quick update! I'm still battling with diatoms and had to remove half of the HC. I have chosen to use weeping moss for the carpet...Hope it will work well....


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## Antoni

Hi guys, 

just thought that will do a little update on this one:

The scape is still going, this is probably my longest lasting scape so far it is almost 9 months old  
After lots of neglect, many problems with diatoms, BBA and numerous change of plants composition, I have finally achieved a look I am happy with. 
The hardscape is almost untouched but the planting is completely different. I have learned a lot along this long and sometimes frustrating transformation.

The plants used at the moment are:

Cladophora
Monte carlo
Bacopa compacta, 
Fissidens fontanus
Glossostigma elatinoides
Amania Bonsai
Penthorum Sedoides 
Aponogeton Reflexa - it is temporary there but is an interesting addition 
Marsilea Hirsuta

The monte carlo still needs to grow a bit more, to cover the area, but we are almost there  

Be ready for some pictures tomorrow


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## Antoni

Hi guys,

here is a shot of the tank I did today. As I mentioned yesterday, the monte carlo needs a bit more time to create a nice dense carpet and also the aponogeton will be removed for the final shot. It creates a bit of surreal appeal of the tank at the moment... maybe volcano.... anyway it was placed there initially, as I didn't have where to store it and it has grown beautifully.


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## Antoni

Here is a bit better picture with better white balance


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## Antoni

Some more pics from today:
Top view:




Sneaky peak through the bush:








From the other side:




Bacopa Compacta:





View towards the summit:




The Penthorum growing beautifully:





Partial view:


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## Antoni

Here is a final shot of the tank. Today I am taking it down and start scaping again  with some great wood and stones from Ed!!!


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## Andy D

Nice!


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