# 60cm makes a comeback



## Dave Spencer (22 Nov 2008)

The aquascaping ball is well and truly rolling for me at the moment. Long may it continue.  

I have grown a little bored using my freebie rocks, so I had to bite the bullet and line Jim`s pockets again. Still, I get the last laugh as I nicked a piece of rock he was using as a paperweight.

This is still very much a work in progress, but the planting will be Marsilea _sp_ in amongst the rock strata, with HM around the base of the wood and something like Ludwigia arcuata at the back.

Fish will almost certainly be Dwarf Corys and Green Neons.






Dave.


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## planter (22 Nov 2008)

Very Nice Dave   the rocks look fantastic, I love the arrangement. IMO the wood arrangement needs a little attention, The centre peice looks a little top heavy to me and it might look better if you changed the angle on either the left or right peice perhaps directing one to the front of the scape to add more depth? I wouldnt move the rocks this arrangement is the nuts. Great start mate, Look forward to following this one!


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## aaronnorth (22 Nov 2008)

> Still, I get the last laugh as I nicked a piece of rock he was using as a paperweight.



 

Cant wait to see this progress 

going by the depth of the sand i presume you are just planting the middle?


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## Steve Smith (22 Nov 2008)

Stunning rock work Dave!  Love it!  What sand is that?


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## Graeme Edwards (22 Nov 2008)

Sweeeet...

Love the rocks Dave, youve done well there. I like the fanning of the rocks and the Marsilia will look great peeping out. Can i sugest Cyperus helferi, in between the two peices of wood on the right. Give it some hight and its a classy looking tank, i know classy and spencer are lke oil and water, haha. No Dave, looks really nice, and good use of space too

Good good  8)


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## Thomas McMillan (22 Nov 2008)

Wow, that's real unique! Nice one, can't wait to see it planted up.


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## Themuleous (23 Nov 2008)

Very nice Dave 

Sam


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## George Farmer (23 Nov 2008)

The rock positioning is spot on and looks natural with the strata all in-line.

I like the wood too.

And the fish choice.

I look forward to seeing it once planted.

Nice one, Dave.

PS That's one hell of a wide-angle lens... and corrected for barreling too.  Sweeet.


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## The Green Machine (23 Nov 2008)

Dave, fantastic rockwork but I've changed my mind about that "special" piece of rock.

So if you could get it back here as soon as possible we'll say no more! 

It will look even better when its grown in. Very nice indeed.


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## Dave Spencer (23 Nov 2008)

Cheers for the comments, guys. I have always wanted to grow Cyperus helferi Graeme. I always like to try some new plants with each scape, so you have me thinking now.

The lens is awesome, George. Well spotted, but you are not a judge for AGA for nowt. Barrel distortion at 14mm is virtually negligible, but it did come at a price!!!! The lens is virtually touching the front glass in order to fill the frame. Wide angle photography takes a little getting used to.

Jim, you can have your scabby piece of rock back. I`ll take my custom to Jaydee Aquatics down the road in future.  

I haven`t been able to do much to the scape this weekend, but I have added a little coarser sand in moderation to see how it looked. The tank has a very arrid desert look to it. Perhaps I should keep it for some small lizards...





Cheers, Dave.


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## jay (27 Nov 2008)

That rock positioning is superb fella!
The 'grain' of the rocks make them seem as though they are connected as one larger piece under the ground.


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## Behold (27 Nov 2008)

Im tempted to get a wide angle lens on my G9 i might have to put it higher on my list.....


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## Dave Spencer (4 Apr 2009)

I`ll have to change the name of this topic.  

Here are my HC, HM and Didiplis diandra dissolving away at an alarming rate. What you are seeing is the result of a five day fight back of huge water changes, with some new signs of growth.





This die off literally happened overnight, and half of the plants have dissolved in to nothing, leaving the scraggy mess shown above. Something had to be dumped in to the tank to cause such a rapid die off, but I have no idea what.

However, here is the smoking gun......  





I will have to replant again, and get the HC filling in the crevices all over again. This was a potential competition tank, but I will just be happy to retrieve it from the ashes, or should I say mush. Ah well, it can only get better.

Dave.

EDIT: I forgot to mention how unbelievably quickly varoius types of algae soon moved in, along with some BGA.


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## Graeme Edwards (4 Apr 2009)

Aww mate, punnished.

What on earth happend to it? What went it to dissolve it all so quick? 

The hardscape is unbeatable, so im sure it wont take long to whip it back into shape!!


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## Dave Spencer (5 Apr 2009)

I have no idea what went in there Graeme. There was no suspiscious smells or water discolouration, so I don`t think it was anything like fruit juice. No bubbles, so detergents are unlikely, but something fairly potent and quick acting went in there for sure.

I guess I`ll be paying you a visit soon for some more plants, as I think the HM is almost certainly never going to fully recover. Last time I was at TGM, I think I was discussing Green neons with you. I`m glad the CO2 was still high and the tank not yet ready, as I doubt they would have survived this excursion.

Still, it`s quite an interesting challenge to see what can be recovered from this. I just wish I had the time to give it full on care and attention.

Dave.


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## John Starkey (5 Apr 2009)

Hi Dave,
jeez dave you cant punish that little cutie  ,

Man thats a real shame cuz it was looking real good,but with your talents i am sure you will knock it into shape,

good luck mate,

regards john.


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## altaaffe (5 Apr 2009)

Always terrible to see that hard work being sent backwards.

Incidentally, I had a serious case of mush when a large extra dose of excel got into the tank.


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## Stu Worrall (5 Apr 2009)

you going to camera club tomorrow dave? should have some hm cuttings by then


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## Dave Spencer (7 Apr 2009)

Cheers guys, I am actually looking forward to the fight back. I can now turn out any old rubbish and people will be praising my efforts, as it can only look better.  



			
				john starkey said:
			
		

> jeez dave you cant punish that little cutie  ,
> regards john.



Sure John, butter wouldn`t melt and all that....   No, I can`t blame anyone or anything, I suppose.
 :? 

Dave.


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## aaronnorth (10 Apr 2009)

it was looking great too


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## Mark Evans (10 Apr 2009)

at the end of the day, the hardscape is king, so a comeback should be a doddle for dave.   it'd be a shame not to make the most of that layout


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## Dave Spencer (11 Apr 2009)

Cheers guys. The HM is being replaced as we speak (cheers Mr Worrall). The D. diandra coped fairly well, so I have left it in, but it now seems to be deteriorating after I gave it a trim to get some more stems out of it.

Yeah, I`m still happy with the look of the hardscape Mark, which is what is making me determined to get a scape out of all this (although my mind is already wandering on to the next one).

Dave.


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## TDI-line (11 Apr 2009)

Looks lovely Dave.


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## Mark Evans (11 Apr 2009)

Dave Spencer said:
			
		

> (although my mind is already wandering on to the next one).



i know that thought mate  :? i'm thinking already with my gumi   hopefully the MA tanks should distract me for a while.

would be a shame not to get the best out of the hardscape though.


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## Dave Spencer (17 Apr 2009)

After another week of slow decline, I have come to the conclusion that the CEC of the amazonia has resulted in it becoming tainted by the mysterious additive. I have planted some of Stu`s HM, which has slowly declined, yet the stems I left floating for the duration have remained healthy.

There is still some HC grimly hanging on, but that was planted in the Xingu Forest Sand. I`ve decided to suck out all the Amazonia and hope to find an opportunity to replant some time soon. I don`t think I`ll be adding any Didiplis diandra this time. Crikey, this thread is probably more appropriate to the journal section now :!: 

Dave.


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## aaronnorth (19 Apr 2009)

i thought it was a journal  lol

sorry to hear your woe's


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