# 'Cozen' - Journey to IAPLC '22 (Next stop: Cenote Aktun Ha!)



## Courtneybst (3 Nov 2021)

I simply couldn't bare it anymore.

I'm currently working on my (first) IAPLC entry and it just felt totally wrong not sharing it with my UKAPS family. It's like having some kind of secret affair! I'm aware that there's some stuff I can't show you but I'll share what I can. Also I'm a total contest novice so I need the help haha. I'll do my best to condense the last 2 months of preparation in 2 minutes. 😬

This is my canvas...




It's an All Pond Solutions 60 x 40 x 40 that I picked up from a now friend who's lurking on here somewhere...

I couldn't face having another generic stand and being cooped up inside drove me to a bit of creative madness. So I decided to paint the stand again. Covered the whole thing in white paint and then acrylic pour on the front door. I did a practice run on a mini canvas (which I actually prefer) but it's much harder to control on a bigger scale! I'm quite happy with the outcome however. I also decided to spray paint the Chihiros WRGB2 I'm using to match the stand and the surrounding area. 








Sometime in September/October I made several trips to Riverwood Aquatics and once to Aquarium Gardens to source mainly hardscape but plants too. I chose Frodo stone for the rock and a mixture of Manzanita, Talawa and Spiderwood for the wood. It sounds like too much wood going on but when you see them together it makes much more sense. A friend and I took bets at Riverwood how much all the Frodo weighed in and I guessed 15KG literally on the money. It was 15.00KG so I'm hoping that's good luck (I'll need it).




I spent just shy of 2 months playing with hardscape, repositioning and experimenting and finally settled on a layout I am happy with. The theme is a creepy but mystical woodland inspired by Tulgey Woods in Alice and Wonderland. Pretty, but not everything is as it seems...This is probably the time to ask for layout feedback but I've already glued it all together. 😂 Dark start began yesterday!


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## Toby C (3 Nov 2021)

The doors to the tank look really cool! I’m thinking of making an ADA style cabinet and that acrylic pour on has settled it. How easy was it to do?

The IAPLC contest tanks are always such teases! The hardscape looks great in the out of focus shot - good sense of depth.


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## Karmicnull (3 Nov 2021)

Looks brillig!


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## Courtneybst (3 Nov 2021)

Toby C said:


> The doors to the tank look really cool! I’m thinking of making an ADA style cabinet and that acrylic pour on has settled it. How easy was it to do?
> 
> The IAPLC contest tanks are always such teases! The hardscape looks great in the out of focus shot - good sense of depth.


Thank you!

It wasn't too difficult but I'm extremely inexperienced with acrylic pour (AKA never done it before this 😅). It wasn't too difficult but some of the paints I mixed too thin and some too thick so it's a bit skewwiff in places. The most difficult part was waiting for it to dry! It was well over a week...


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## dw1305 (3 Nov 2021)

Hi all, 


Toby C said:


> The doors to the tank look really cool!


They certainly do.

cheers  Darrel


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## John q (3 Nov 2021)

Cabinet looks fantastic, very dreamy..  I'm sure the blured out tank shot and forest of mushrooms pic will leave folks feeling Curiouser and curiouser. Lol.


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## Courtneybst (3 Nov 2021)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> They certainly do.
> 
> cheers  Darrel


Thanks Darrel!


John q said:


> Cabinet looks fantastic, very dreamy..  I'm sure the blured out tank shot and forest of mushrooms pic will leave folks feeling Curiouser and curiouser. Lol.


 Love it haha


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## GTomas (3 Nov 2021)

I love the cabinet door. I can’t wait to see your entry next year. I have also started planting my contest scape last week. Planting is also usually the longest stage for me as I constantly plant and replant until I am happy with the result. Good luck 🤞 Cheers!


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## Courtneybst (3 Nov 2021)

GTomas said:


> I love the cabinet door. I can’t wait to see your entry next year. I have also started planting my contest scape last week. Planting is also usually the longest stage for me as I constantly plant and replant until I am happy with the result. Good luck 🤞 Cheers!


Thanks mate! I think it'll be a long journey.

When you say plant and re-plant do you mean before or after you've flooded the tank?


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## GTomas (3 Nov 2021)

@Courtneybst I always flood the tank first as flooded scape looks different with all the reflections, then work out where what plants go. Once I have decided plants positions I drain water, plant, refill and repeat with every water change until I am completely satisfied.


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## MrClockOff (3 Nov 2021)

Hey just wanted to pop in and wish you good luck with contest. I’m sure your work will inspire many of us. Looking forward to contest shots 🤪


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## Courtneybst (3 Nov 2021)

MrClockOff said:


> Hey just wanted to pop in and wish you good luck with contest. I’m sure your work will inspire many of us. Looking forward to contest shots 🤪


Thanks buddy!


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## GTomas (3 Nov 2021)

MrClockOff said:


> Hey just wanted to pop in and wish you good luck with contest. I’m sure your work will inspire many of us. Looking forward to contest shots 🤪


Thank you mate!


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## Courtneybst (4 Nov 2021)

Early days haziness creating the right vibes...


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## Deano3 (4 Nov 2021)

Love the cabinet very different, also scape looks very interesting cant wait to see it properly thanks for sharing, keep us up-to-date best you can 😁


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## Courtneybst (20 Nov 2021)

My plants arrived yesterday and so I planted up the scape a tiny bit earlier than planned. There's a few more arriving today I think but I wanted to get the bulk of it done. I was nudging the process along in my head because I have a holding tank that's irritating me and was very happy at the thought of dismantling it.

I acquired some new equipment from IKEA, suggested by @CooKieS and my God are they useful! They're essentially bathroom trays but they're being used to prepare plants on and as a waste bin. Definitely changed the game.

I got mostly in-vitro plants for this with the exception of some of the rare plants I added. The reason behind that was to minimise the introduction of pests and to start with healthy plants. No matter how many times I do this I always seem to forget just how much you get in the cups and pots and so it's densely planted for sure!

The whole process took around 5 hours. Things I learnt in the time; my plant glueing technique needs work lol and bloody hell I just need some ADA tools. I recently bought some angled tweezers from a brand I won't mention and they probably pull up plants worse than any other tool I've used. Luckily this didn't happen much, it was just at the end when I tried to readjust some things after flooding.

Also what's exciting is this is the first time I've been able to grow emersed plants in a scape because of the wood. I know they don't count on the competition but it's just for my pleasure. I've attached some Aridarum Caulescens with some strange moss that came attached to it that grew quite well in the buce box. I think I'll add some buce there too so I can get some flowering action, although it may be too close to the light.

So now we wait! I've got my lights on 40% and it seems plenty bright, CO2 is pumping and the filter is raging. Take on me!


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## Hufsa (20 Nov 2021)

Courtneybst said:


> I acquired some new equipment from IKEA, suggested by @CooKieS and my God are they useful! They're essentially bathroom trays but they're being used to prepare plants on and as a waste bin. Definitely changed the game.


Ooh, can you provide us with a link to this tray, they sound very useful


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## shangman (20 Nov 2021)

Everything looks and sounds so good already Courtney, can't wait to see it when it's grown in! 😍


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## Karmicnull (20 Nov 2021)

Courtneybst said:


> this is the first time I've been able to grow emersed plants in a scape because of the wood


Lovely! I've got a bit of 'tidal' wood that starts the week submerged and ends about a centimeter proud of the waterline. It's been colonised by moss but until I read your post it hadn't occurred to me that I could do something more adventurous.


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## Courtneybst (20 Nov 2021)

Hufsa said:


> Ooh, can you provide us with a link to this tray, they sound very useful


Yeah sure! The top link is for the tray and the bottom link is for the waste bin. Both clip on really well to the side of the tank (even my rimmed tank) and it's soooo useful.








						SUNNERSTA Shelf, 25 cm - IKEA
					

SUNNERSTA Shelf, 25 cm When every little centimetre counts SUNNERSTA accessories come to the rescue with storage possibilities that keep things close at hand and your worktop free from clutter. Saves space on the worktop. Easy to attach to SUNNERSTA adjustable rack, rail or mini kitchen.




					is.gd
				











						SUNNERSTA white, Container - IKEA
					

SUNNERSTA white, Container. When every little centimetre counts SUNNERSTA accessories come to the rescue with storage possibilities that keep things close at hand and your worktop free from clutter.




					is.gd
				





shangman said:


> Everything looks and sounds so good already Courtney, can't wait to see it when it's grown in! 😍


Thank you Rose! The emersed section is only small but I'm going to try as much as possible 😅


Karmicnull said:


> Lovely! I've got a bit of 'tidal' wood that starts the week submerged and ends about a centimeter proud of the waterline. It's been colonised by moss but until I read your post it hadn't occurred to me that I could do something more adventurous.


 Absolutely! I originally bought the Aridarum thinking it would go in the scape but when it arrived it was quite obvious that it is more of a terrestrial plant. Nevertheless, it has a home now! You could try all sorts of plants, I just added some Terra tape on the sections where the wood doesn't wick up enough water.


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## PARAGUAY (20 Nov 2021)

Missed all this but thought you mentioned with George Farmer .Catchin up🙂


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## Aqua360 (20 Nov 2021)

The doors look super, as well as the hardscape!

Watching


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## Courtneybst (20 Nov 2021)

PARAGUAY said:


> Missed all this but thought you mentioned with George Farmer .Catchin up🙂





Aqua360 said:


> The doors look super, as well as the hardscape!
> 
> Watching


Thank you! 💚


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## Courtneybst (22 Nov 2021)

I came home this afternoon to less of a scape, more of a jacuzzi!

The skimmer is very fiddly to adjust and was producing a lot of bubbles through drawing in too much air. Apparently though excess organics can cause the bubbles to stick around and cause this foaming. I've adjusted the skimmer again and the foam has cleared. Whether or not the organics caused the foam I don't know but a water change is due.





Also thanks to @shangman I've managed to track down my centrepiece fish, and MY GOD are they beautiful and I'm very grateful! Dicrossus Filamentosus. Will hopefully be picking them up this weekend. This is the closest image I could get to what the ones I'm getting look like. Disclaimer: not my image.


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## Courtneybst (26 Nov 2021)

There's something really nice about a crystal clear surface...

Thinking to get some more emersed plants that can withstand the proximity to intense lighting as well as the Aridarum can. Any suggestions? Preferably something that flowers but that's not essential.


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## Courtneybst (29 Nov 2021)

The trend with this journey so far is that many things haven't been going to plan, but for the better!

On Saturday I was able to pick up a real gem of a fish (Dicrossus Filamentosus) from my new friend Paul. It wasn't without a fight though...I first had to do some work admin in the morning before visiting my grandparents in the afternoon for my Grandad's birthday. I then drove from there to work until 11pm and from work to Paul's place to get the fish, before heading home. All in, it was about 2.5 hours of driving and I ended up acclimating this fish at 1am in the morning! Props to Paul for even allowing me to pick up the fish that late at night and he gave me some live food cultures. Top man!

I have to say though, it was the most relaxed acclimation I've ever done. The fish was not panicked at all and seems to be settling in really well and is already eating. Once I saw it in person, I realised how small its mouth is so I was thinking to try adding neocaridina. I know some babies might get pinched but I think the adults might be OK. I have one adult cherry shrimp in there now and they occupy completely different parts of the scape - I guess that's the advantage of having a high-sloped tiered design. The dicrossus has also definitely seen the cherry shrimp flailing around (as they do) and has not attempted to go after it.

I wanted to get some early days photos, and the Dicrossus still has a little bit of growing/colour development to take place but judging by Paul's photos they grow extremely quick. I'm now on the hunt for some females to keep him company! I've decided that I won't decide on dither fish until I take a trip to Tropco. He also seems to be a bit of an aquascaper himself, attempting to move my detail stones around to his liking. 

NB; excuse my awful glueing skills!


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## Fred13 (30 Nov 2021)

The fish is absolutely amazing!
Is it tank bred or wild caught ? I know it is a little bit difficult to find that fish in LFS.
By the way I have done a quick research for this fish and it seems that charem 3:1 works great.

Wish you the best of luck


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## CJM70 (30 Nov 2021)

Fantastic start. I’m so impressed with the cabinet door.  Your choice of stone in conjunction with the mixed wood you have mentioned, and especially taking into account the theme you have alluded to, has definitely peaked my interest. Definitely one to follow. You certainly have the knack of teasing us with the blurred photos and partial images.
I would be interested to know how many pots of plants you expect to use. When they first came out I thought the in vitro pots were somewhat overpriced, but I have realised from the success everyone seems to have with them that in fact you get more for your money at the end of the day. When they first came out I thought the in vitro pots was somewhat overpriced, but I have realised from the success everyone seems to have with them that in fact you get more for your money at the end of the day.

enjoy your journey and the very best of luck in the contest.


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## Courtneybst (30 Nov 2021)

Fred13 said:


> The fish is absolutely amazing!
> Is it tank bred or wild caught ? I know it is a little bit difficult to find that fish in LFS.
> By the way I have done a quick research for this fish and it seems that charem 3:1 works great.
> 
> Wish you the best of luck


Thank you! I'm not sure if the fish's origin, I could ask Paul and see if he knows.

Yeah I'm thinking 2 females would be good. The scape is laid out in a way that there are many broken lines of sight.

It would be amazing if they bred too like my Apistogramma. The original consensus was that they will spawn but the eggs won't hatch, and even if by some miracle they hatch, they won't survive in a community tank. But they did exactly that! So I think it's not impossible.


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## Courtneybst (30 Nov 2021)

CJM70 said:


> Fantastic start. I’m so impressed with the cabinet door.  Your choice of stone in conjunction with the mixed wood you have mentioned, and especially taking into account the theme you have alluded to, has definitely peaked my interest. Definitely one to follow. You certainly have the knack of teasing us with the blurred photos and partial images.
> I would be interested to know how many pots of plants you expect to use. When they first came out I thought the in vitro pots were somewhat overpriced, but I have realised from the success everyone seems to have with them that in fact you get more for your money at the end of the day. When they first came out I thought the in vitro pots was somewhat overpriced, but I have realised from the success everyone seems to have with them that in fact you get more for your money at the end of the day.
> 
> enjoy your journey and the very best of luck in the contest.


Thank you! I really wish I could show you the whole thing but I guess there is something fun about finding ways to show it without spoiling it. I'm trying to do small things whenever possible to reaffirm the theme and I think the Dicrossus does that perfectly (I hope).

The mixed stone and rock did worry me initially, as there's 3 different types of wood and 2/3 different types of rock but when they're all together it feels very seamless. There's a natural patina that's been formed too so now the rocks really do look very similar.

I know what you mean about the in vitro pots, I was a bit skeptical when I first heard of them but you most definitely do get a lot for your money compared to regular pots. I ordered 9 in vitro pots but only ended up using 8, and Monte Carlo was the only one I needed 2 of. I used 5 regular pots (Cryptocorynes) and no matter how many times I do this, I *always* forget that you get multiple plantlets in a regular pot too. But at least the scape was as densely planted as possible from day 1.


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## Courtneybst (16 Dec 2021)

These little islands are developing nicely, and I'm trying to curb a slight stall in some growth down below. I can't work out whether it's CO2, light or nutrients. It's also not happening to every plant, some are doing great whereas some are not. My thoughts are always to increase CO2 and nutrients, with light being the last resort. I think the distribution is as good as it's gonna get.

I've now fitted an Intaqo Controller to the tank which auto-doses the CO2 based on the pH, auto-doses APT Complete and monitors the temperature. I can't tell you how nice it is not to have to dose nutrients every morning! I still wake up thinking I need to go and do it and then remember it's all being taken care of. It also means there are more opportunities during the photoperiod where there isn't any CO2 bubbles so there's more time to take photos and videos.

Additionally, I've noticed an oil slick keeps developing on the surface in the last 2 days and I'm not sure why. I keep doing impromptu water changes and trying to remove detritus so hopefully it goes away.

The Dicrossus also still doesn't have any company other than a few Amano shrimp and a group of black Neocaridina from @shangman . Luckily the Dicrossus shows absolutey no interest in shrimp!


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## Courtneybst (4 Jan 2022)

I thought I could deal with the light sitting on the rim of the tank, but in all honestly it's bloody annoying! It's a pain for maintenance and meant that I kept touching the light making it dirty (it's painted white).

So I got myself a LitiAquaria light stand so I could suspend it. It's made a helluva difference in terms of accessing the tank and it's so nice to see the whole top in all its glory. 

Whilst setting it up I actually dropped one of the grub screws in the scape and can't find it lol. Luckily it wasn't an important one. I definitely recommend this stand to anyone that is thinking of doing something similar, and it couldn't have come from a nicer guy (Jacky, the owner). I'm thinking of getting another one for the next scape I'm planning.

The light is double the height it was before so I've doubled the light intensity, it's now 100% instead of 50%. I'll keep my eye out in case any algae breaks out, but it's been a few days and so far so good.


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## Courtneybst (8 Jan 2022)

It took a few days but the scape was giving me indication that the 100% light intensity was too much through some staghorn growth, despite doubling the height of the unit. I've reduced the lighting to 80% and increased the CO2 and there's been no new growth, in fact the staghorn looks a little diminished. I think this is also because of the shrimps in there (I don't feed them at the moment).

Currently the plant growth is steady but quite slow and I'm wondering what the crux is? CO2 seems to be at good levels based on the pH and also a bright green drop checker in the furthest and lowest flow point of the tank. I'm double dosing APT Complete too so could it be a lighting thing? As frustrating as it is, I guess it's nicer to have slow but healthy growth rather than rapid but algae-ridden. There's just some plants i.e. Monte Carlo that I expected to grow a lot quicker.

Interestingly, my Oase Biomaster 850 seems to be experiencing diminished flow. I'm not sure why as the pipework has recently been cleaned and even when the pipework was filthy it was was pumping water out almost over the edge of the glass. Around 5 days after cleaning the pipes the flow just became more gentle for no apparent reason. Anybody experienced this before?

I also finally found a suitable hanging pot so I could grow a trailing plant up the light stand. I'm not sure what it's called but I _think_ it's a philodendron of some kind. It was pretty bulletproof in it's last location so I'm hoping it'll do well and maybe even flower!


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## CooKieS (9 Jan 2022)

Beautiful evolution and shots Courtney, can’t wait to see more of this. 

The light stand looks on point too! Very nice and cleverly done.


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## Wookii (9 Jan 2022)

Tank is looking great @Courtneybst - great idea to add the trailing plant to soften the light frame - where did you source the hanging pot?

You did the right thing dialling the light back down - inverse square law is a relative relationship between the light source and the measurement point. So whilst your thinking was right in that doubling the light height from the surface, halves the light intensity at the surface, and doubling the light output then restored the light intensity at the surface, that relationship doesn’t hold for the rest of the aquarium. When you moved the light you didn’t double the distance to the substrate for example, so doubling the light output increased the light intensity hitting everything below the surface by a greater amount than that lost by increasing the light height.

The fact that it induced Staghorn algae so quickly though might suggest the increased light induced a deficiency of one of the other inputs in the tank, and that may give you some clues as to what is limiting growth rates in the tank (if that is something you want to address - though I’d personally prefer the slower growth rate), as it might mean one of your inputs is fairly close to the deficiency knife edge.

Your tank is 100L, so I assume you’re dosing 40ml+ of APT complete a week if you’re double dosing? Whilst that may well be plenty it is also only 15ppm of NO3, and 3.2ppm of Mg, so there is also a chance either could be running at low levels or bottoming out during the week and slowing growth.

You could try adding some extra MgSO4 for a couple of weeks to see if that changes things, and if not, then try some additional KNO3 for a couple of weeks as a test too?

Also Monte Carlo can be a bit of a CO2 hog, so though you’ve obviously tested various drop checker placements, it may be worth double checking you have sufficient CO2 enriched flow hitting the substrate where the MC is planted?


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## Courtneybst (9 Jan 2022)

CooKieS said:


> Beautiful evolution and shots Courtney, can’t wait to see more of this.
> 
> The light stand looks on point too! Very nice and cleverly done.


Thanks mate! I want to find a flowering vine to go with it as I think that'll just be the cherry on top.

I can't wait until I don't have to hide the photos anymore.


Wookii said:


> great idea to add the trailing plant to soften the light frame - where did you source the hanging pot?


Cheers! I can post the link if you're interested? It was from Amazon and they only had one left but I think they had some in other colours.


Wookii said:


> When you moved the light you didn’t double the distance to the substrate for example, so doubling the light output increased the light intensity hitting everything below the surface by a greater amount than that lost by increasing the light height.


Oh right of course! That makes so much sense. I didn't think of that.


Wookii said:


> I assume you’re dosing 40ml+ of APT complete a week if you’re double dosing?


Actually I realised I'm not double dosing but just a bit extra. For a 95L the 2hr aquarist recommends 3ml per week and I'm dosing 4ml. So it's getting 28ml a week. Do you think it's worth bringing it up to 6ml?

Edit: Weirdly though on the dosage guide it said 5ml for 100L.


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## Wookii (9 Jan 2022)

Courtneybst said:


> Actually I realised I'm not double dosing but just a bit extra. For a 95L the 2hr aquarist recommends 3ml per week and I'm dosing 4ml. So it's getting 28ml a week. Do you think it's worth bringing it up to 6ml?
> 
> Edit: Weirdly though on the dosage guide it said 5ml for 100L.



You could try upping the dose to see if it increases your growth rate - if that’s what you want to achieve - though as I say it looks like the leanest nutrients are NO3 and Mg.


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## dw1305 (10 Jan 2022)

Hi all,


Courtneybst said:


> I also finally found a suitable hanging pot so I could grow a trailing plant up the light stand. I'm not sure what it's called but I _think_ it's a philodendron of some kind.


It is a <"_Tradescantia__"> _of some type. If it has a white flower it will be _Tradescantia_ sp., if it is blue it is a _Commelina_ sp.

They all look pretty similar, but if I was a betting man I'd go for <"_Commelina benghalensis_"> or <"_Tradescantia fluminensis_">_._

cheers Darrel


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## Courtneybst (10 Jan 2022)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> It is a <"_Tradescantia__"> _of some type. If it has a white flower it will be _Tradescantia_ sp., if it is blue it is a _Commelina_ sp.
> 
> ...


Thanks Darrel! 

I hope it does flower, it would look so nice.


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## LondonDragon (10 Jan 2022)

One thing to note, if you want to share your journey on UKAPS and get guidance on the scapes, before you are ready to take the final photo you can ask an admin to move the Journal offline until the competition results are announced then we can make it visible again upon your request


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## Aqua360 (10 Jan 2022)

LondonDragon said:


> One thing to note, if you want to share your journey on UKAPS and get guidance on the scapes, before you are ready to take the final photo you can ask an admin to move the Journal offline until the competition results are announced then we can make it visible again upon your request



Curious about this, can normal members see it then or just admins?


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## LondonDragon (10 Jan 2022)

Aqua360 said:


> Curious about this, can normal members see it then or just admins?


We can move it to a section that is not visible to the public! until the results are announced and then we move it back to journals.


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## Courtneybst (10 Jan 2022)

LondonDragon said:


> One thing to note, if you want to share your journey on UKAPS and get guidance on the scapes, before you are ready to take the final photo you can ask an admin to move the Journal offline until the competition results are announced then we can make it visible again upon your request


Thanks Paulo!


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## Aqua360 (10 Jan 2022)

Courtneybst said:


> Thanks Paulo!



Now you have no excuse for a full tank shot 😂


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## Wookii (10 Jan 2022)

Courtneybst said:


> Cheers! I can post the link if you're interested?



Yes please mate


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## Courtneybst (10 Jan 2022)

Wookii said:


> Yes please mate


https://is.gd/coOAi7

It does appear that I bought the last one but it seems like they'll have more in stock.


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## Courtneybst (18 Jan 2022)

Yesterday I woke up and I looked at my mini pond next to my bed, and I looked at the blue sky and just felt good. It was like spring had sprung and so I decided to take a spontaneous trip to Wildwoods World of Water with @shangman . Pre-Covid this was my vibe, wake up and go somewhere! I was hardly ever still.

As to be expected, it was a great visit and we came away with some really beautiful plants and fish.

The day before I actually discovered some Golden Ricefish being sold in my local Maidenhead Aquatics and so obviously I copped it! @Alex Papp  told me Wildwoods had some Platinum ones so I went the next day and sure enough they were there. They are incredibly beautiful and iridescent in real life, and videos don't do it justice. They seem to be comfortable already and took a feeding on the day of arrival which is always a good sign. I'll keep them in this contest tank until spring when I'll put them in an outdoor pond. But to be honest, they look great in here.






In terms of plants, it was a real treat! I picked up some 1-2 grow Eleocharis Mini and Eriocaulon Cinerum for the contest tank. The eleocharis fits better than the gratiola I had previously and I'm hoping will grow better too. The eriocaulon is an experiment and if it doesn't grow I'll just put some stem plants there and be done with it. I also got some Rotala Mini Butterfly from Dan which is a great hot pink colour. I doubt it'll stay that colour in my water but we'll see. Additionally, some really nice Cameroon moss which I've tucked into crevices and they look like mini ferns which really emphasises the diorama scale.





Dan mentioned that last time I bought blyxa it was actually japonica rather than aubertii and that they had true aubertii in stock currently. You can tell the difference straight away in terms of size and leaf growth. Hopefully it does as well as the japonica has, it'll go into the Tidy Jungle. Also picked up some Water Mimosa and an interesting floating Ludwigia with white sacs on it, never seen it before but it looks good and I can't remember the name of it. 





The show stopper was an Echinodorus Regine Hildebrandt that has some of the best colour I've ever seen on an Echinodorus. That will also go into the Tidy Jungle and I've put it front and centre!



The day didn't end when we left though. On our way out Dan told me about 2 more fish shops (dangerous) and that's where I found some gorgeous Gold Tetras. The pictures and videos don't do them justice, they are much more pretty and iridescent in person and a very cute size. They'll be my fish of choice for the contest tank. It's also ironic that they like to hang around in the exact places I'd be interested in photographing for the final shot.









Definitely pay a visit to Wildwoods if you can, easily my favourite shop so far for fish and plants.


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## heliophyte (18 Jan 2022)

Courtneybst said:


> The show stopper was an Echinodorus Regine Hildebrandt that has some of the best colour I've ever seen on an Echinodorus.


No kidding, what a beauty. I gotta have it! My name is actually very close to Hildebrandt so that makes it even cooler to have. I'll just pretend it's named after me. 

That cameroon moss looks great as well!
Gratz on your haul.


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## dw1305 (18 Jan 2022)

Hi all,


Courtneybst said:


> an interesting floating Ludwigia with white sacs on it, never seen it before but it looks good and I can't remember the name of it.


<"_Ludwigia helminthorrhiza_">. We <"have a thread">.

cheers Darrel


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## Courtneybst (18 Jan 2022)

heliophyte said:


> No kidding, what a beauty. I gotta have it! My name is actually very close to Hildebrandt so that makes it even cooler to have. I'll just pretend it's named after me.
> 
> That cameroon moss looks great as well!
> Gratz on your haul.


That's cool! Take that association and run with it haha.
I realised I actually didn't upload the shot with the Cameroon moss but you can see it in the photo with the single Gold Tetra. If you look closely in the background on right side it's a long thin piece of moss. 


dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> <"_Ludwigia helminthorrhiza_">. We <"have a thread">.
> 
> cheers Darrel


Thanks Darrel! I had a feeling you would know. 😁


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## bazz (19 Jan 2022)

Courtneybst said:


> Dan told me about 2 more fish shops (dangerous)


Hi Courtney,
Were these two other shops worth a visit? Just thinking if I was to take a trip to Wildwoods it would be good to make a day of it being 130 miles from home.
I've visited the WOW near Nottingham but it was pretty basic.
Thanks!


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## Courtneybst (19 Jan 2022)

bazz said:


> Hi Courtney,
> Were these two other shops worth a visit? Just thinking if I was to take a trip to Wildwoods it would be good to make a day of it being 130 miles from home.
> I've visited the WOW near Nottingham but it was pretty basic.
> Thanks!


Hey Bazz,
The second shop is a Maidenhead Aquatics which is fairly similar across the board but they did have the Gold Tetras that I've never seen so it was worth it for me, for that reason alone. Worth just having a peek I guess.

The third shop is called Marine something and is much more focused on marine than freshwater but the marine tanks were pretty interesting. If you're looking for freshwater stuff it's fairly basic.

We brought our own lunch but there were a few pubs and cafès if you want a bite.


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## KirstyF (20 Jan 2022)

I think you and @shangman should have asked for a little commission 😂 I suspect that, following your posts, these stores will be getting a number of UKAPS visits in the near future. 

I’m generally working in London at least 3 days per week so ‘tootling off’ for an afternoon is definitely on the agenda! 👍


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## Courtneybst (20 Jan 2022)

KirstyF said:


> I think you and @shangman should have asked for a little commission 😂 I suspect that, following your posts, these stores will be getting a number of UKAPS visits in the near future.
> 
> I’m generally working in London at least 3 days per week so ‘tootling off’ for an afternoon is definitely on the agenda! 👍


Haha well you know, Dan always treats us very well so I have no qualms. It does seem like we've convinced several people though! 

You won't be disappointed!


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## shangman (20 Jan 2022)

bazz said:


> Hi Courtney,
> Were these two other shops worth a visit?


Definitely worth a visit, I think to get the most out of it is best to call up and ask if Dan who orders the plants is in, he always chats to us and highlights the best plants he has and knows all about them, cos some aren't labelled.

I also might ring up and check if certain plants I wanted are there, if there's a UKAPS run on things in the short term! 😂 There's a good variety but there's not loads of loads of everything, some plants there was just 2-5, but there has always been be things in so I think it gets restocked regularly.



KirstyF said:


> I think you and @shangman should have asked for a little commission 😂 I suspect that, following your posts, these stores will be getting a number of UKAPS visits in the near future.
> 
> I’m generally working in London at least 3 days per week so ‘tootling off’ for an afternoon is definitely on the agenda! 👍


Does that make us UKAPS influencers? 😂 This is what UKAPS is for! 😀 Hobbyists sharing what we discover with others who love it too. World of Water is a shop with a real plant lover and expert managing the plants and I think that work deserves to be appreciated!! It isn't a massive section of the shop, but they pack in a lot. I want them to do well and hopefully that encourages even more fabulous plants, let's be honest we can't get them anywhere else easily any more! World of Water is in my regular rotation now and I think just should be one everyone knows and uses, my big tank is much nicer with these plants in it. 

It's similar to be that I go to Riverwood Aquatics for beautiful hardscape because Pete has a great aesthetic eye, and to the Fish Barn for unusual quality fish from Elliot and Alan. Along with Dan at WoW, all three are clearly hobbyists themselves who sell lovely things I want with great quality, great prices and great service and banter too. 

Interestingly my dad and his gardener friends have gone to WoW for their pond plants for over 30 years, I wonder what other great shops are hidden away cos they don't have a big online presence.


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## Courtneybst (27 Jan 2022)

I went on a big cleaning spree last week which somehow coincided with me adding a background to the scape. I'm not sure how they're even linked but I guess it was just a general feeling of productivity so I rode the wave! 

I've wanted to add a background since the beginning but I was debating buying an expensive ADA one, one from the several other companies that offer them (also expensive) or just making one. I decided to go for the latter, and in fact didn't order any new materials at all. I used some window privacy film that I have in my bedroom. Since the scape is already in place, I didn't even bother to apply it properly, I just taped the sides so it's tort. Then I taped on an old, slightly modular LED stick I bought from IKEA years ago that was originally for my desk, and faced it away from the tank.

I tried the several different colour options and I think I like orange the most. It's not the brightest and doesn't illuminate the whole background but I think in this scape that actually works to my advantage. The concentrated light creates a really obvious sunset effect which I think adds to the depth even more. You also get an amazing effect when the overhead lights turn off that looks like a roaring sunset and orange sky. For the final photo I may invest in a brighter light so it's more visible in photos but that's a future-me problem.

Would recommend! What do you think?


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## shangman (27 Jan 2022)

Oooooh, it looks super pretty! I usually am not a fan of the weirder coloured backgrounds but this one looks really natural and dramatic.


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## Courtneybst (27 Jan 2022)

shangman said:


> Oooooh, it looks super pretty! I usually am not a fan of the weirder coloured backgrounds but this one looks really natural and dramatic.


Thank you! This scape is all about the drama. 😅

But yeah, normally I think either a white, black or blue works best but for this scenario orange kind of works. I think if the whole background was illuminated orange it might look weird and more artificial.


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## Deano3 (27 Jan 2022)

The orange really does look good, i may get a light screen in future but looking excellent mate


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## John q (27 Jan 2022)

Courtneybst said:


> I think adds to the depth


Depth, drama, mystery, tension... Its got it all, love it. 
I've genuinely spent the last 10 mins fixated on that picture "drifting out towards the horizon" I swear I could hear the waves lapping at my feet 😆


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## Courtneybst (27 Jan 2022)

Deano3 said:


> The orange really does look good, i may get a light screen in future but looking excellent mate


Thanks Deano! They really do make a difference. Despite being expensive, if I did ever buy one I'd be very tempted to go ADA for the reliability. I've heard some...things about the competition.


John q said:


> Depth, drama, mystery, tension... Its got it all, love it.
> I've genuinely spent the last 10 mins fixated on that picture "drifting out towards the horizon" I swear I could hear the waves lapping at my feet 😆


Thanks John! Then my work here is done. 😂


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## Courtneybst (8 Feb 2022)

Just some new photos of the plant progress. The thick forest vibes are really starting to develop.

I've decided that ludwigia super red just doesn't work in this scape, as much as I like it.  Instead, I've replaced almost all of the midground section with cryptocoryne (lucens, lutea hobbit and albida brown) to compliment the pink flamingo. I think it works so much better and will look even nicer when they've all grown in - you can just see the newly planted lucens behind the albida brown. Additionally, I don't have to worry about them in the same way I did with the stems.

A few plants are also being axed; hygrophila pinnatifida (grows iffy for me) and gratiola visicdula.


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## Garuf (8 Feb 2022)

I found gratiola to be a very sickly plant got me, never really got it to do much more than survive. I was later told it prefers softer water and is prone to deficiencies when grown in high light hard water.


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## Courtneybst (8 Feb 2022)

Garuf said:


> I found gratiola to be a very sickly plant got me, never really got it to do much more than survive. I was later told it prefers softer water and is prone to deficiencies when grown in high light hard water.


Yeah I found that the few bits that did grow well would only do so when higher up and it just ends up looking leggy and weird. Onto the next one!


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## CooKieS (8 Feb 2022)

Courtneybst said:


> Yeah I found that the few bits that did grow well would only do so when higher up and it just ends up looking leggy and weird. Onto the next one!


Interesting, I’m actually trying this plant in my contest tank too and it’s not growing very good for now….will probably replace it with hemianthus micranthemoides or similar.
Thanks for the info guys!


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## Eddie2006 (11 Feb 2022)

we're gonna need a date when we can see the entire tank  it already looks great on the blurred/cropped pictures so good job


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## pat1cp (11 Feb 2022)

Courtneybst said:


> A few plants are also being axed;_ hygrophila pinnatifida_ (grows iffy for me) and gratiola visicdula.


What is it with this bad boy, it's listed as a "medium" category plant. I know @Hufsa and @Karmicnull have been having an ongoing discussion on the perils of it. Gonna have to get me some and give it a go.


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## Garuf (11 Feb 2022)

pat1cp said:


> What is it with this bad boy, it's listed as a "medium" category plant. I know @Hufsa and @Karmicnull have been having an ongoing discussion on the perils of it. Gonna have to get me some and give it a go.


H. Pinnatifida? I’ve never had much issue with it even when grown in a low tech, the key seems to be good flow and to grow it from pots rather than in vitro, in vitro takes a long time to mature before it starts to go gang busters tending to get choked out by other plants.


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## pat1cp (11 Feb 2022)

Garuf said:


> H. Pinnatifida? I’ve never had much issue with it even when grown in a low tech, the key seems to be good flow and to grow it from pots rather than in vitro, in vitro takes a long time to mature before it starts to go gang busters tending to get choked out by other plants.


Darn, I've just ordered some 1 2 grow


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## Garuf (11 Feb 2022)

I wouldn’t panic yet, in vitro you just have to baby it for the first couple of months so it doesn’t get crowded out while settling.


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## pat1cp (11 Feb 2022)

Garuf said:


> I wouldn’t panic yet, in vitro you just have to baby it for the first couple of months so it doesn’t get crowded out while settling.


I'm planning on using it on hardscape in a high energy system.

Sorry for the hijack @Courtneybst  looking forward to seeing this tank in all its glory.


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## Courtneybst (11 Feb 2022)

Eddie2006 said:


> we're gonna need a date when we can see the entire tank  it already looks great on the blurred/cropped pictures so good job


Thanks Eddie! Unfortunately it's a long wait. Results don't come out until end of August. I will maintain the tease, however..


pat1cp said:


> What is it with this bad boy, it's listed as a "medium" category plant


Well I've recently discovered that my fertilising regime might have been lacking and I suspect that this could have contributed to its demise. However, I've had pinnatifida do well and then suddenly mope in several scenarios so who knows.

I've used Cryptocoryne Albida Brown in the places where I had pinnatifida to great affect, and I don't have to worry about giving it too much light or spontaneously melting! Hail the crypts!


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## Courtneybst (11 Feb 2022)

CooKieS said:


> Interesting, I’m actually trying this plant in my contest tank too and it’s not growing very good for now….will probably replace it with hemianthus micranthemoides or similar.
> Thanks for the info guys!


If in doubt, pearlweed it out.


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## Eddie2006 (7 Apr 2022)

any updates? Courtney


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## Courtneybst (7 Apr 2022)

Eddie2006 said:


> any updates? Courtney


Thanks for the nudge Eddie. I haven't been active on UKAPS in the past week as I've been really busy and I only like coming on when I'm relaxed. Haven't been doing much relaxing lately!





The scape is doing well! I'll take you through some updates...




Just about everything in this tank needs a trim! I'm getting fairly close to final picture time.

I pulled out 95% of the Rotala in the background as it just wasn't happening! I replaced it with pearlweed since it's easy, dense and small leaved and some Rotala 'Blood Red' SG variant courtesy of Dennis Wong. It really does stay red without nitrate limitation, mine is always fairly high. It must look amazing in leaner waters.





Lots of my epiphytic Monte Carlo came off in big clumps a few weeks ago as it was getting too dense. It was a bit stressful I can't lie. So I trimmed it right back to the attaching point so it can nicely fill in again for the photo. I think it actually looks better shorter and so I'll keep it short if I can help it. I guess it was supposed to happen.




Considering my Blyxa looked like it was on the edge of death when it first went in, it's now loving life. So much so that it decided to get high and float to the surface. 🙃 I need to thin it out so it's not blocking the hardscape I painstakingly constructed.




The moss is doing really well! It actually grows quite fast (too fast tbh). As beautiful as it is, I'm reluctant to use it again in my aquariums because of the upkeep. If it floated when trimmed I'd be all over it...





Unfortunately I'm down to 5 Golden Ricefish and 1 Platinum Ricefish from 6 and 5 respectively. One of the gold ones jumped in what is probably comically high flow at the front. I'm surprised more fish haven't jumped since I keep the water level right at the brim. The platinums I don't understand. 3 died and 1 vanished overnight. I suspect one gorged too many fruit flies though.

There's also shrimp EVERYWHERE. They've been breeding like it's an extinction regeneration project! 90% are black, with the odd brown, blue jelly and super red. The genetics have been very surprising at times.





I also replaced all of the midground plants with cryptocoryne and anubias since it's so shady. A mix of Cryptocoryne lucens, Lutea 'Hobbit' and Anubias congensis 'mini'. It's growing much better than whatever I had there before.

I recently vaporised a little BBA issue I had through some detritus cleaning and a single spot dosing of APT fix. At first I thought it hadn't worked because the algae looked the same after 3 days and then by day 5 the algae started to vanish. Now you can't even tell there was ever algae there after only one dose. It did however work a little too well...I was hoping to leave a green patina on my rocks to give them age and character but the APT fix polished the rocks clean! Quite a wide area too, so I guess I'm going to have to clean all of the rocks if the patina doesn't return by next month.


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## Courtneybst (8 Apr 2022)

Weirdly, I don't think it was ever mentioned why I now have the gold tetras.





Unfortunately the beautiful Dicrossus died, suffering from what looked like some kind of white head fungus. He may have been sick before I got him but come to think of it, this scape was probably a terrible environment for him. I wasn't able to source any females at the time so this social fish was incredibly lonely. Additionally, the water is on the cool side (23c/73F), the flow is high, lights are bright and CO2 is raging which all likely compounded the stress.

I've since acquired a group of dicrossus which are living in my Tidy Jungle and seem to be doing well after a couple of months now.

For the final photo I was thinking to remove the ricefish (they were for the pond anyway) and just keep the tetras in there. I think it's also about the time I need to start adding final details, refreshing the sand, doing last major trims etc. Daunting!


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## Courtneybst (26 May 2022)

The FINAL photo has been taken!




All that's left to do now is make the edits and submit. The whole journey has been quite a slog but overall it's gone quite quickly. I'm already feeling relinquished from the confines of this manicured beauty and have started experimenting with Chara sp. I got from @killi69 . As soon as I added it to the tank about 15 shrimp swarmed the area and area currently nibbling away (hopefully at biofilm and not the Chara!).




I'll be pinching the Cryptocoryne, Bucephalandra, Anubias and maybe moss from this tank to go in my 120cm rescape. In the meantime, do you thinki should let it grow wild and see what happens???


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## seedoubleyou (26 May 2022)

Courtneybst said:


> do you thinki should let it grow wild and see what happens???


No. I think you should use the tank to really push the boundaries beyond your comfort zone and see what you can achieve.


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## Courtneybst (26 May 2022)

seedoubleyou said:


> No. I think you should use the tank to really push the boundaries beyond your comfort zone and see what you can achieve.


In terms of different scapes?

I'm planning an interesting biotope in the next few weeks/months so that will test me in some ways!


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## seedoubleyou (26 May 2022)

Ue


Courtneybst said:


> In terms of different scapes?
> 
> I'm planning an interesting biotope in the next few weeks/months so that will test me in some ways!


Yeah mate, take the opportunity to try something new. Try something never done before. That’s as far as I can say as my imagination is rubbish hahah


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## Eddie2006 (15 Jun 2022)

how,s the tank looking? i know the iaplc deadline has ended and that the results will be revealed in 4 months but im curious


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## Courtneybst (15 Jun 2022)

Eddie2006 said:


> how,s the tank looking? i know the iaplc deadline has ended and that the results will be revealed in 4 months but im curious


Currently the tank is still trucking along and looking healthy but like all tanks I'm about to breakdown, I've turned it into a big holding tank to grow out some species I want for another scape!




The ferts are due to run out in a few weeks so at this point I'll turn off the CO2 as well until it gets a makeover.




*Ludwigia Ovalis being grown out for the rescape.*




*There's lots of Riccardia in various states and locations.



*
*Needle Leaf Bucephalandra has been growing well, almost completely covered by moss.



*
*Cryptocoryne Nurii 'Rosen Maiden' is producing babies.*

The final photos were a mission and I'm very glad it's done!

That's as far as it goes in terms of sneak peaks 😛


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## Eddie2006 (22 Jun 2022)

i saw on ur IG that you took down the tank


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## Courtneybst (22 Jun 2022)

Eddie2006 said:


> i saw on ur IG that you took down the tank


The rumours are true! 😅

I need a holding tank for my fish and a few plants whilst I rescape my big tank so I broke down the IAPLC tank.

When the 120P is scaped, this tank will become a biotope aquarium. 

It's weird because I feel like I just had a tank for the best part of a year that nobody saw! How strange, and definitely not my style...

I also took some pictures/videos as it was being broken down that I will share soon. It looked really cool!!


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## Courtneybst (13 Aug 2022)

*New Scape, who dis?*
I've been so busy with life and macroalgae that I forgot to share updates on the progress of this new scape. Rather than create a new journal, I thought I'd redirect this one since the scape is in the same housing and feels very much connected, although completey different. 

After seeing the Wildlife Photographer of the Year photograph of a turtle swimming amongst Nymphaea lotus, I knew I wanted to recreate this habitat, but I was mid-IAPLC grrrrr. 



(Owner and copyright: Henley Spiers)

You can see why it appealed to me! I'd done a couple of months of research about the cenotes in the Yucatán region in Mexico, following this inspiration. I read journals, blog posts, analysed photos and videos and reached out to some experts in the field. I created a moodboard to help me decide which angle to take, as the Aktun Ha has a few different looks depending on where you are.




*The Grit*
Just a "brief" bit of info: The Aktun Ha is commonly called 'Cenote Carwash' because people used to come here to wash taxis! People no longer do that, to the benefit of the local environment I'm sure. The cenotes are essentially old sinkholes that have filled with water to create these unique habitats. If I remember correctly, the bedrock is predominantly limestone based so the water is likely on the hard side (I wasn't able to find parameters). This assumption is also backed up by the fact that it is home to mollies, guppies, Jack Dempsey cichlids and Firemouths just to name a few, which are classically right at home in London tap water!



(Not my photo)

Up top, the terrestrial land is covered predominantly by red mangroves which has its roots protruding down into the water. They have been there since the beginning and form the frame of this picture.



(Not my photo)

On the water bed there are vast carpets of Chara or 'stonewort', which although looks like a plant is actually a freshwater macroalgae. It grows rampant in these areas, only really outshone by gangs of pink Nymphaea lotus. So that makes the plant choices very easy! There's a little bit of wood and rock but it's mostly open swimming space.



(Not my photo)

Down below there are vast cave systems where actual 'rooms' have been created over the years. I need to explore this part more but it's all very intriguing. Had I used my 120cm tank, I would have attempted to layer the scape and create all three environments in one... but that's for another time! 😅



(Not my photo)

One thing I couldn't understand is why I hadn't seen anyone recreate this habitat before? Upon starting it however, I realised that whilst you can artistically recreate it, it can be hard to authentically recreate it (at least it was for me). Chara is hard to find but not impossible, but shrimp devour it and it doesn't seem to care much for aquarium environments. Limestone is the base but my water is already rock hard. The Yucatán Tetra (Astyanax altior) is numerous in this cenote but is not available in the hobby.




So here's a few compensations I made. I used pearlweed to represent the chara fields. From a scale perspective it works very well and looks just like as if you were viewing chara from a distance, which is perfect. It's a solid performer and will help keep nutrient levels in check. I used WIO's new Druid stone as my bedrock as it's neutral and similar in colour to some of the photos I saw. I also used their Wetland Artist sand which is supposedly very nutrient rich and will last for a long time. I mixed it with sand to bulk it out and create a more natural colour. I used Talawa wood to represent the mangrove roots as I simply don't have a decade to wait for the real thing! 😅 Lastly, I added some botanical materials (Texas Live Oak and a mix of twigs) from Blackwater UK and Betta Botanicals.






The plants are just starting to get into gear now as they get closer to the light and have had a chance to build up some nutrient reserves. It'll be really interesting to see how it develops, especially if the lotus behaves or just doesn't play ball. I'll post updates here as they happen! My Maidenhair fern is not having a great time so *any similar alternative suggestions are welcome! *I'm to recreate the dense foliage of mangrove trees.


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## Wookii (13 Aug 2022)

Very nice! I’ve swam, snorkelled and dived in several of the cenotes in the Yucatan around Tulum and the Sain Ka’an Reserve , including some cave diving in a couple of them (a bit too scary for me, especially as Crocs occasionally like to take shelter in the caves!) - so I’m interested to see what you come up with here.

We swam in one tiny cenote near the coastal road where the bottom was covered in green plants, and must have been the Stonewort you mention - there must have been a million guppies in that pool that just swarmed around you like a cloud as you swam. 

There were several larger cenotes that we were just too scared to go in, as they were several acres in size and completely surrounded by mangroves other than one small access point - they just screamed croc territory! 

This was all some 20 years ago though, and that area has become much more built up and commercialised now I believe - by coincidence we’ll be taking the kids there next April, so it we be interesting to see if we can get back to revisit some of those cenotes.


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## Courtneybst (26 Aug 2022)

Wookii said:


> Very nice! I’ve swam, snorkelled and dived in several of the cenotes in the Yucatan around Tulum and the Sain Ka’an Reserve , including some cave diving in a couple of them (a bit too scary for me, especially as Crocs occasionally like to take shelter in the caves!) - so I’m interested to see what you come up with here.
> 
> We swam in one tiny cenote near the coastal road where the bottom was covered in green plants, and must have been the Stonewort you mention - there must have been a million guppies in that pool that just swarmed around you like a cloud as you swam.
> 
> ...


I'm not sure how I missed this! But this sounds so interesting. I'm really all ears for this experience. 

It's also really great to know about the guppies. I wanted to use Poecilia velifera in the scape but they get too big and I worried about them gobbling up my cherry shrimp. I also thought about Poecilia mexicana but they're very hard to get hold of here and it seems a waste to get a big shipment in for a couple of fish.

I had actually found in my research that guppies existed in these waters but could not find any pictures/videos or personal accounts to verify this. So thanks!! I think guppies will be my choice alongside the fish I added recently. This 'biotope inspired' after all so I might get fancy guppies 😬. What do you think?


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## Tim Harrison (27 Aug 2022)

Courtneybst said:


> *New Scape, who dis?*
> I've been so busy with life and macroalgae that I forgot to share updates on the progress of this new scape. Rather than create a new journal, I thought I'd redirect this one since the scape is in the same housing and feels very much connected, although completey different.
> 
> After seeing the Wildlife Photographer of the Year photograph of a turtle swimming amongst Nymphaea lotus, I knew I wanted to recreate this habitat, but I was mid-IAPLC grrrrr.
> ...


Nicely put together Courtney, and a very interesting read. Great to see this level of research and dedication 👍


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## Wookii (27 Aug 2022)

Courtneybst said:


> It's also really great to know about the guppies.



Don’t quote me on the ‘guppies’ comment - I was kinda using it as a generic term and working from a twenty year memory. Probably should have said ‘little livebearers’ - looking at some images they could equally have been the Poecilia Mexicana you mention, though they were small (about 50mm at a guess).



Courtneybst said:


> This 'biotope inspired' after all so I might get fancy guppies 😬. What do you think?



Hmmm, wouldn’t be my personal first choice. Whilst I have some fancy Endlers myself (inherited from my sons tank), they look a little ‘fake’ bless them! I suspect they might detract too much from the biotope ‘feel’ I think you are going for with this tank.

I think a plainer, more natural looking fish will work well, so if it were me, I’d stick with wild types.


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## Courtneybst (27 Aug 2022)

Tim Harrison said:


> Nicely put together Courtney, and a very interesting read. Great to see this level of research and dedication 👍


Thank you Tim!


Wookii said:


> Don’t quote me on the ‘guppies’ comment - I was kinda using it as a generic term and working from a twenty year memory. Probably should have said ‘little livebearers’ - looking at some images they could equally have been the Poecilia Mexicana you mention, though they were small (about 50mm at a guess).
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's fair enough, I'll see what I can find!

It's a shame the wild giant sailfin mollies get so big because they look beautiful and are native to the Yucatán region.


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## Wookii (27 Aug 2022)

Looking at some pictures they could actually have been Gambusia yucatana - a Mosquito Fish:


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## Courtneybst (27 Aug 2022)

A slight meander back to Cozen, following the announcement of the IAPLC results!





After months of hiding it, here it is! I ranked 1122 out of 2083.

I learned a lot during this process. Even once my hardscape was finished I thought 'I know how I would have done that better now'. You never stop learning! I took some big risks in this scape as well, going a little bit against the status quo somewhat in hopes of making a dramatic final scape. I think some paid off, some didn't.

I have been in two minds whether to enter again (before the results were even announced) but I can't deny, seeing all the works and knowing what I can do now makes me a bit geared up to try again next year haha.

 I learned how build semi-secure structures 😅 (bricks are great btw), how not to use superglue and placement of plants based on their scale and growth habits. I discovered the beauty of a dark start in helping to establish my tank's ecosystem and how to dial in CO2/lights/nutrients as the tank matures. Additionally, those little things I thought were critical to the scape were actually holding it back - so I learned to kill my darlings, even at the last minute!

Who knows what's next!


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## John q (27 Aug 2022)

Looks fantastic mate, well done.


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## Wookii (27 Aug 2022)

Nice one, well done @Courtneybst 👍🏻


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## Tim Harrison (27 Aug 2022)

Well done. Be good to see more of us following your lead and entering next time.


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## Hufsa (27 Aug 2022)

Courtneybst said:


> View attachment 193378
> After months of hiding it, here it is! I ranked 1122 out of 2083.


Beautiful! 😍 I would have placed it much higher
I love the cliffsides and what looks like a cave in the bottom near the fish, and those pieces of wood that stick out of the plants remind me a lot of old oak that has broken during a storm 🥰


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## Eddie2006 (27 Aug 2022)

congratulations!


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## Aqua360 (27 Aug 2022)

That's a really good result, nice Scape too!


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## PARAGUAY (28 Aug 2022)

Well done👍lovely aquascape


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## Courtneybst (28 Aug 2022)

Thank you everyone for your kind words!


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## Geoffrey Rea (28 Aug 2022)

Well done @Courtneybst  👏🏽 👏🏽 👏🏽 

Very cool 😎


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## Courtneybst (28 Aug 2022)

@Wookii  This video had me thinking about what we were discussing earlier. It's human induced of course, but there's still something beautiful about it.


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## Wookii (28 Aug 2022)

Courtneybst said:


> @Wookii  This video had me thinking about what we were discussing earlier. It's human induced of course, but there's still something beautiful about it.




To be fair a lot of those are much more subtly coloured than I was thinking, my Endlers are really brightly coloured. 

End of the day though mate, it’s your tank, and you’re a much better scaper than I’ll ever be, so probably better to go with your instincts for how you want the finished tank to look than my conjecture 👍🏻


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