# 60cm optiwhite Nature Aquarium setup



## barturas (29 Mar 2011)

Hi,
I'd like to share with you guys the beginning story of my new aquarium.
I've recently moved to England and took my passion for the aquariums with me.
For the beginning I decided to set up a relatively small ( 60x36x30h cm) tank.
Short technical info:
Glass Optiwhite, brasless.
Lighting 4x24w ... full power will be used just for couple hours 'till HC carpet will be full grown.
Filter Eheim 2213 + Honk Kong made glass lily pipes.
Heating Hydor 200W External
Pressurized CO2
RO filter
Substrate ADA complete (AS, PS, B100, SC, T-BC)
Hardscape - wood.












As you can see this tank will be visible from three sides ... this will challenge my aquascaping abilities. I'll do my best. 
At the moment I live in Manchester. Is it true that Manchesters tap water has just 2dKH?
Also, I'm looking for following plants in Manchester:
Eleocharis sp. (E.parvula, E. acicularis etc.)
Echinodorus tenellus
Hemianthus callitrichoides (HC),
HM - under consideration
Hydrocotyle verticillata,
Didiplis diandra  - under consideration.

I'll be grateful to read your critics and suggestions indeed.


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## bigmatt (29 Mar 2011)

That wood looks stunning!  
Matt


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## Mrmikey (30 Mar 2011)

You've done really well to make it look good from 3 sides. Wood looks nice and whispy. Are you putting moss in it?


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## JohnC (30 Mar 2011)

Hiya,

Where did you get that wood? is it locally collected?

Re: KH2 tap water. Edinburgh is very soft water, I think last time i tested (alot time ago since i hate test kits) it was about KH2. I add 7 ppm magnesium during my water change as part of my dosing schedule to help the plants out.

The local water board will usually supply full tap water details on request for your pumping station. I really liked the read out for phosphate content over a 12 month period they emailed me.  8) 

I'm drooling over your optiwhite tank... 

Best Regards,
John


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## Anonymous (30 Mar 2011)

very nice indeed you obviously have a tallent and an eye for detail and the wood is sweet !


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## barturas (1 Apr 2011)

hijac said:
			
		

> Where did you get that wood? is it locally collected?
> Thank you for comment



I collected this wood on slopes of Peak District's hills... I think it's heather ... but I'm not sure ...



			
				Mrmikey said:
			
		

> You've done really well to make it look good from 3 sides. Wood looks nice and whispy. Are you putting moss in it?



Thanks  I'm not sure about moss ... Since I'm using ADA substrate I don't want to use EI fertilization hence decrease problems with algae ... I will rely on stem plats which will take most of nutrition from substrate .. But who knows ... maybe I'll change my mind ... It would really be interesting to combine Riccia (it's not actually a moss but belongs to same division as mosses) with HC as a carpet ...


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## alzak (1 Apr 2011)

Hi 

Welcome on forum nice scape 

how did you prepare locally collected wood ??


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## barturas (1 Apr 2011)

alzak said:
			
		

> Hi
> 
> Welcome on forum nice scape
> 
> how did you prepare locally collected wood ??



Hi alzak...
I think there's no need to prepare this wood ... if it would have been collected from swamp I'd boil it ...


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## Kazuya (1 Apr 2011)

Nice hardscape.

What kind of lighting is that? Brand?


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## Mrmikey (1 Apr 2011)

Ok that's intresting. I'm planning a moss tank next and was hoping to hardly dose at all! I want it full of shrimp so would be risky with my limited knowledge. So are you saying to grow moss you need to dose ferts? 
I wouldn't mind growing a bit of glosso or hc in the same tank but read the other day that hc takes more nutrients through it's leaves, rather than it's roots. Obviously good co2 and flow is a must


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## barturas (2 Apr 2011)

Mrmikey said:
			
		

> ... So are you saying to grow moss you need to dose ferts?
> I wouldn't mind growing a bit of glosso or hc in the same tank but read the other day that hc takes more nutrients through it's leaves, rather than it's roots. Obviously good co2 and flow is a must



hi Mrmikey 
Moss definitely takes nutrition from water ... My colleague  has done aquarium with DIY substrate ... Just after setup he didn't used any fertilization at all ... HC and other stem plants felt quit good but Java moss started to die ... I don't think I'll avoid fertilization at all ... but it will be limited ... and finally .. every tank is unique ... further actions will be based on observations. 

Glosso .. I had experience with it ... when it starts to grow nothing will stop it ... extremely expansive plant .. in my opinion ..


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## Mrmikey (2 Apr 2011)

Well I was planning on using a bit of ferts but may have to think a bit more about it. Does the moss need full el dosing or can you get by with minimal amounts with good co2 and flow. 
True what you say, every tank is different, I'm sure you will do well with ur hc, think I failed due to flow not being enough.


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## barturas (3 Apr 2011)

I've visited 5 aqua stores today with no success to find plants I need ...  Hey aquascapers please help ...
Eleocharis sp.
HC
Didiplis diandra
Proserpinaca palustris
Echinodorus tennellus
Utricularia graminifolia


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## Tom (3 Apr 2011)

Have a look at our sponsors' websites for their plant lists.


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## barturas (13 Apr 2011)

short update:

water RO + seachem equilibrium + ~3dGH
KH adjustment with K2CO3 + ~2dKH
NO3 not added yet
PO4 not added yet
micro: profito ... I've got it just today
Fe: easy life ... I've got it just today


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## George Farmer (13 Apr 2011)

Great looking hardscape.

I recommend splitting up your portions of plants to get more coverage.  

What's the plant in the rear left corner?


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## Garuf (13 Apr 2011)

I can tell George is sensing it might not be aquatic, it has me suspicious. Very nice start, welcome to the world of plants and not being able to get them easily.


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## barturas (13 Apr 2011)

Garuf said:
			
		

> I can tell George is sensing it might not be aquatic, it has me suspicious. Very nice start, welcome to the world of plants and not being able to get them easily.



Garuf ... You may be right ... I'll keep eye on it ...

George, thanks for good comment ... this setup is very fresh ... some more serious results will be in couple months ..


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## Anonymous (14 Apr 2011)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> What's the plant in the rear left corner?



Might be Ophiopogon japonicus, a larger photo with it could be helpful.

Cheers,


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## a1Matt (14 Apr 2011)

barturas said:
			
		

> Mrmikey said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I would say that the fert requirement of HC is higher than that of moss.


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## barturas (19 May 2011)

update:

I had some difficulties with water parameters ... My tap water is extremely soft ... But after hard efforts I eventually reached desired effect .... Actually I'm still on experiment phase ... I'm using glutaraldehyde twice a day 1ppm ... I love this smelly stuff .. It makes my aquarium shine ... But I noticed some effect on water pH ... Will use more K2CO3/NaHCO3 to buffer ...

I'm using James' re-mineralization recipe. Seachem Equilibrium gives way tooooo much of potassium ... I don't understand why they think it's necessary ..




Larger photo


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## nayr88 (20 May 2011)

Lovely tank, the twiggy wood look is really nice feature in a lot of the newer journals.

What's the problem with soft water? A lot of people try hard to get soft water!!


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## barturas (23 May 2011)

photo update:


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## flygja (24 May 2011)

I must say I had my doubts at the start of the journal but I'm glad to be proven wrong. It's looking quite good! Is that an extremely long Hydrocotyle verticiliatta (sp?) in the middle?


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## barturas (24 May 2011)

thanks ... 
i'm not sure whether this is H. verticillata .. it supposed to be ... I ordered it with hope that it will be small mushroom-like beautiful plant ... but when it came ... I was "what a hell??"... it was huge! when i thought that it was grown not in an aquarium ... and maybe it will become small when it's submersed ... Apparently I was not right ...  

by the way ... you won't believe ... my harlequin rasboras spawned again ...


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## LondonDragon (24 May 2011)

Looks great, 3 great scapes in one  not an easy thing to achieve, well done


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## sculligan (24 May 2011)

So true about 3 scapes, all aspects are great. Real beauty, the thin branches are great.


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## barturas (12 Jun 2011)

Blyxa japonica is growing like mad ... this week new plant should arrive ... will try to rescape a bit ...


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## gmartins (12 Jun 2011)

Hi Barturas,

you're tank looks really healthy and those Blyxa are mad in a good way.

Keep the pics coming.

cheers,

GM


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## greenink (12 Jun 2011)

This is seriously impressive. Really like how you've approached the 'having to see it from many sides' challenge - keeping it simple. Will take a few pointers from you I think...

Would be useful to know about your water changes, and your livestock.


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## orchid (13 Jun 2011)

Yep,

it's a long time I had not jumped over the sea to check what is going on in UK....  What a pleasure to see such simple and good scape


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## barturas (24 Nov 2011)

some photo update:


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## nayr88 (25 Nov 2011)

Looks tons better with less wood.
Congrats


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## Gary Nelson (25 Nov 2011)

Very nice indeed and looks very healthy - well done


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## Aquadream (25 Nov 2011)

barturas said:
			
		

> Blyxa japonica is growing like mad ... this week new plant should arrive ... will try to rescape a bit ...


This version of the scape looks so natural and peaceful. I wish it was still this way.


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## Dan Crawford (26 Nov 2011)

Lovely hardscape and great growth, fantastic stuff!


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## barturas (18 Dec 2011)

I've got some Staurogyne repens to sell for symbolical price ... Couldn't just ditch it .. If you interested check my ebay listing: {MOD EDIT}


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## Westyggx (18 Dec 2011)

Noticed your from Manc mate where abouts I am looking for some s repens


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## barturas (18 Dec 2011)

M11


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## barturas (31 Jan 2012)

Massive rescape. 









Inspired by George Farmer.


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## Antipofish (31 Jan 2012)

OMG you certainly like to change things around.  Massive rescape indeed, but looks exciting.  Will add this to my watchlist


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## greenink (31 Jan 2012)

you're not kidding


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## Westyggx (31 Jan 2012)

Wow that looks great!


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## barturas (30 May 2012)

Ages have passed since my last update ... I'm still with my hobby ... Take a glance at how my aquarium looks now. Hope you'll like it 







Some macro


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## Antipofish (30 May 2012)

That tank looks awesome !!! I hope you are entering IAPLC !!!  Would love to see more of it too, and maybe even details of how you achieved it  ?  Im now going to read through the thread and will probably realise that you have already covered that, lol.


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## barturas (30 May 2012)

I think I'm still too amateur for IAPLC ...  I would consider maybe AGA or other less prestige contest ...


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## Ady34 (31 May 2012)

barturas said:
			
		

> I think I'm still too amateur for IAPLC ...  I would consider maybe AGA or other less prestige contest ...


holy cr*p man, that tank is really crisp and anyone can enter iaplc, adding to the uk numbers would have been great.
I can see from the hardscape and use of sand where the G. Farmer 'scree evolution' inspiration was used, but its amazing how the plants have changed the look.
Very different to the last scape but equally eye catching   
Cheerio,
Ady.


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## toadass (31 May 2012)

Looking good mate, is that Bright Sand you're using??


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## bastian (10 Feb 2013)

Any new reports on this one? Your tank looks great. Like the courageous changes haha!


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## jack-rythm (10 Feb 2013)

Wow I have seen 3 tanks of yours and all are absolutely beautiful Mate.. Maybe I need to go down the gassed co2 route.. Your japonica blyxa I. The first few photos is outstanding  

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2


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## bape (18 Feb 2013)

more pictures on this please, more front shots? love this scape


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