# Grassy Cliffs - 2ft



## doylecolmdoyle (26 Jul 2016)

Hello all, today i flooded my 2ft "Grassy Cliffs" scape after about a 1 month dry start, I thought I would document it here to see if i can get some helpful tips from the many experienced aquascapers on this forum.

Specs
60cm x 30 x 30 random old tank
60cm Up Aqua LED (not sure of model, again pretty old)
Hardscape - Seiryu stone
ADA Aquasoil and ADA la plata sand
WYIN 'Compact' Twin Stage Regulator
ISTA mini canister filter

Plants - Monte Carlo, Fissidens, Mini Pellia and Subwassertang

Here is the tank as it sits today after a very slow fill via airline. I need to move the Co2 diffuser, its positioned here for best circulation, tho I will probably move it next to the filter inlet. Now to let it cycle and add some native Australian shrimp.






Some close up angles


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## doylecolmdoyle (26 Jul 2016)

Some older photos showing the evolution of the scape / drystart


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## Manisha (26 Jul 2016)

Stunning hardscape - will look fantastic when it grows in


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## Ryan Thang To (27 Jul 2016)

hi
nice rock layout pretty good so for. keep up the good work

cheers
ryan


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## doylecolmdoyle (27 Jul 2016)

Thanks guys, do you see any problems with no running a heater, the tank should stay around 18-20c perhaps higher as its gets warmer here in Australia.


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## doylecolmdoyle (30 Jul 2016)

Added some floaters, everything seems to be going well, lights on from 5pm until 10pm, Co2 on from 4pm - 9pm tho my Co2 solenoid is a bit noisey, like a buzzing noise which seems to go away the more it runs, anyone ever had this problem, thinking I should contact the supplier. 

Photos with a wider lens, not much has changed.


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## doylecolmdoyle (3 Aug 2016)

I added a in tank heater yesterday and have experienced some slight melt over two patches of MC, would this be do to the slight rise in water temp, pre heater it was sitting at about 18 - 20c and now ive got it set at a steady 23c... the melt doesn't look to bad, I am hoping it doesn't get any worse!


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## EdwinK (3 Aug 2016)

I have experienced MC melt in random areas especially after a trim but it always grows back. Would like to know the reasons as well.


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## Doubu (3 Aug 2016)

Looking great - but I feel like that one stone is sticking straight up too much. It's drawing my eyes away from everything else - perhaps you may want to angle it more or adjust the other stones a bit to match this one? Edited a photo to show you what I mean:


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## doylecolmdoyle (4 Aug 2016)

Thanks Doubu, yes its a bit distracting that big vertical stone, but its to late i cant move it as its sitting on volcano rock and the soil banks up behind it, the hill at the back would probably collapse if I try move it! 

Will keep a eye on the random melting patches of MC, they dont seem to bad... but was just fairly random apart from the addition of the heater.


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## doylecolmdoyle (7 Aug 2016)

Been flooded about 2 weeks now, still trying to dial the co2 in, I think ive got it close, drop checker is greeny lime at lights on and about 1 hr later is more of a yellow lime. Getting the usual start up diatoms / algae ... hopefully introduce a clean up crew soon! 

iPhone photo below


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## doylecolmdoyle (9 Aug 2016)

Blacked out the background with some black card, Im not sure but will run with it for awhile.


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## Alexander Belchenko (9 Aug 2016)

Wow. Completely different mood!


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## doylecolmdoyle (14 Aug 2016)

Added a few buce plants today and a little glosso. Need to take photos when the tank is not full of co2 / bubbles!


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## doylecolmdoyle (23 Aug 2016)

Got a new lens today, a 20mm canon pancake lens, more so for my trip to America later this year, its nice and compact and slightly wide, should be good for landscapes etc.

Snapped some test shots of this tank today at lunch time, does a ok job at focusing fairly close to the subject.


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## tim (23 Aug 2016)

very nice scape, black background has added more impact.


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## Aqua360 (24 Aug 2016)

I like the white background, my preference


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## Bolota (25 Aug 2016)

I would move the diffuser.... it splits the tank...


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## doylecolmdoyle (25 Aug 2016)

Yes the diffuser isnt in the ideal spot for photos but in the best position for distribution of the co2, updated FTS below (removed the diffuser for the snap)


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## doylecolmdoyle (1 Sep 2016)

Spotted a a leaf of MC with a big o2 pearl, tried to snap a close up... was tricky to focus


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## doylecolmdoyle (6 Sep 2016)

I have some very very slight green dust like algae on some rocks so ive started to dose Potassium Phosphate in for form of Seachem - Flourish Phosphorus (left over from a older setup)... kind of looking forward to going with dry ferts when all this stuff runs out, I am never to sure exactly what I am putting in with the premixed suff and most info on the forums seems to reference dry fert quantities... I have just started dosing 1.5ml of Flourish Phosphorus which seems to be the beginner dosage for this size tank...


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## Timon Vogelaar (6 Sep 2016)

I love this one! Keep it up. Not many plants tho. Thats iwagumi's weak spot there. Many plants keep a strong battle agianst algae. Are you planning to ditch the floaters? What are those? I got some duckweed now but i'm not sure if they are sufficient enough...


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## dw1305 (6 Sep 2016)

Hi all,
Nice tank, I'm not usually an iwagumi fan (if you keep fish in them), but the fish should be quite happy in there.





Timon Vogelaar said:


> Many plants keep a strong battle against algae.


<"Certainly do">.





Timon Vogelaar said:


> What are those?


_<"Limnobium laevigatum_">. They are my preferred option for the <"Duckweed Index">.

cheers Darrel


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## Timon Vogelaar (6 Sep 2016)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> Nice tank, I'm not usually an iwagumi fan (if you keep fish in them), but the fish should be quite happy in there.<"Certainly do">._<"Limnobium laevigatum_">. They are my preferred option for the <"Duckweed Index">.
> 
> cheers Darrel



Thanks agiain Darrel 
So, this is your best advise for a floater? I am looking for one as well since i am having some algae as well. 
http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/what-kind-of-algae-is-this.42751/#post-457879
Do you have other advice?


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## EdwinK (6 Sep 2016)

You could use Phyllanthus fluitans, Pistia stratiotes, Hygroryza aristata. Oh I'm sorry for not being Darrel.


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## Manisha (6 Sep 2016)

Beautiful tank & photography ☺


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## doylecolmdoyle (7 Sep 2016)

Thanks for the feedback guys, as someone said the floaters are "Frogbit" I will probably always keep some, I find they really help take up excess nutrients and probably balance the light a little, tho I should probably thin them out a bit.


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## dw1305 (7 Sep 2016)

Hi all,





EdwinK said:


> You could use Phyllanthus fluitans, Pistia stratiotes, Hygroryza aristata.


Like "EdwinK" says it is really any-one you like the look of. It is the access to aerial CO2 that is important, it is discussed in <"Diana Walstad's book"> as the "aerial advantage". 

I <"struggled with"> _Hygroryza aristata _and _Phyllanthus_ eventually went under in the scum of floating plants, but _Limnobium_, _<"Pistia">_ and _<"Salvinia_ auriculata group"> have all done well for me. _Lemna minor_ tends to decline over time, and my floating _Riccia _is slowly losing the fight with _Utricularia gibba_. Low tech I think _<"Azolla caroliniana">_ may be advantageous because of its <"nitrogen fixing symbionts">.  

I usually keep a mixture of floaters (below) because how they grow changes through the year with varying light levels etc.



 

cheers Darrel


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## zozo (7 Sep 2016)

Very nice scape.. . The whole setup realy contrasts in a nice mysterious way with the green and antracite colors in the rock, background and even the cabinet.


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## doylecolmdoyle (13 Sep 2016)

Uploaded full res photos to flickr I see lots of people linking to flickr on this fourm, thought I should join the club 

Grassy-Cliffs 2ft Aquascape by Colm Doyle, on Flickr


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## Alexander Belchenko (13 Sep 2016)

Black background really adds more depth and magic to the picture!


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## doylecolmdoyle (15 Sep 2016)

Growing well, getting a little GSA so I am tinkering with the level of Phosphate in my dosing, also need to give the glass a good clean, bit of brown diatoms around.

Grassy Cliffs - 2ft Aquascape by Colm Doyle, on Flickr


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## doylecolmdoyle (26 Sep 2016)

updated FTS, changed co2 to a inline atomizer and running 24/7 at a very slow bps

2ft Aquascape by Colm Doyle, on Flickr


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## Timon Vogelaar (26 Sep 2016)

doylecolmdoyle said:


> updated FTS, changed co2 to a inline atomizer and running 24/7 at a very slow bps
> 
> 2ft Aquascape by Colm Doyle, on Flickr


Love this one! 
Don't you think your short on co2 when lights are on? You dont have a magnetic valve? 

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## doylecolmdoyle (26 Sep 2016)

Timon Vogelaar said:


> Love this one!
> Don't you think your short on co2 when lights are on? You dont have a magnetic valve?



Thanks  I do have magnetic valves / solenoids but in my 10g bookshelf tank I run co2 the same way (24/7 very slow rate) and the growth in that tank is great with very little / no algae, originally I did this because I didnt have a reliable check valve to stop water running back to the solenoid / regulator when it wasn't running, things looked good so decided to run with it, I was running co2 on a timer in this tank and to get the 1 point pH drop / 30ppm of co2 I had to start the co2 3 hrs before lights on at closer to 3/4bps, growth was not as good compared to my other tank and algae (GSA) was starting to appear, so far I have found that constant co2 seems to keep things stable with less co2 and more growth and in the end I am probably using less co2 this way. Not to sure if the constant co2 will help with GSA.


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## Timon Vogelaar (26 Sep 2016)

doylecolmdoyle said:


> Thanks  I do have magnetic valves / solenoids but in my 10g bookshelf tank I run co2 the same way (24/7 very slow rate) and the growth in that tank is great with very little / no algae, originally I did this because I didnt have a reliable check valve to stop water running back to the solenoid / regulator when it wasn't running, things looked good so decided to run with it, I was running co2 on a timer in this tank and to get the 1 point pH drop / 30ppm of co2 I had to start the co2 3 hrs before lights on at closer to 3/4bps, growth was not as good compared to my other tank and algae (GSA) was starting to appear, so far I have found that constant co2 seems to keep things stable with less co2 and more growth and in the end I am probably using less co2 this way. Not to sure if the constant co2 will help with GSA.


Hhm, interesting...i know fluctuating co2 levels are atracting to algae but i wonder how i get 30bppm during light time when i dont turn my co2 off without killing my fish... 

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## doylecolmdoyle (26 Sep 2016)

Timon Vogelaar said:


> Hhm, interesting...i know fluctuating co2 levels are atracting to algae but i wonder how i get 30bppm during light time when i dont turn my co2 off without killing my fish...



I probably am not getting 30ppm of co2 with this 24/7 method but in my 3ft bookshelf tank (also using 24/7 cos at 1 bubble every 4 seconds) the MC carpet pearls like crazy after about 1 hr of lights. Here is a video of the other tank pearling away taken awhile ago before the carpet really filled in, probably pearls harder now - 

I am trying to match my drop checker and pH level with the bookshelf tank and with the slightly different water volumes and filters etc I have adjusted this tank to run at 1 bubble every 2 seconds. My shrimp seem very happy with the co2 levels, I will have to remove a cup of water, let it gas of and see what the ph difference is. Will report back!


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## Timon Vogelaar (26 Sep 2016)

doylecolmdoyle said:


> I probably am not getting 30ppm of co2 with this 24/7 method but in my 3ft bookshelf tank (also using 24/7 cos at 1 bubble every 4 seconds) the MC carpet pearls like crazy after about 1 hr of lights. Here is a video of the other tank pearling away taken awhile ago before the carpet really filled in, probably pearls harder now -
> 
> I am trying to match my drop checker and pH level with the bookshelf tank and with the slightly different water volumes and filters etc I have adjusted this tank to run at 1 bubble every 2 seconds. My shrimp seem very happy with the co2 levels, I will have to remove a cup of water, let it gas of and see what the ph difference is. Will report back!



Nice one! How do you clean your stones in that one? 

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## doylecolmdoyle (26 Sep 2016)

Timon Vogelaar said:


> Nice one! How do you clean your stones in that one?



They have never been cleaned, tho its only been wet for about 40 days, this tank has been wet for about 70 days and has some GSA on the stones closest to the light. I have tried to work out my Co2 levels, I have a KH of 9 and PH of about 7.1 but i need to confirm my PH pen is collaborated, need some collaboration powders. So I should have about 20 - 25 ppm of co2.


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## doylecolmdoyle (2 Oct 2016)

24/7 Co2 seems to be going well, have upped PO4 dosage and GSA seems to be declining on the rocks, tho today i lowered the light by 1 inch which may bring on some more GSA, will keep a eye on it, removed the black background for cleaning purposed and didnt put it back.

2ft Aquarium by Colm Doyle, on Flickr


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## Nuno M. (3 Oct 2016)

Beautiful layouts man 

Keep on the good work


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## Carpman (3 Oct 2016)

Looking great. I think its better with the background though so oi hope your putting it back.


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## doylecolmdoyle (4 Oct 2016)

Thanks for the nice comments guys, yes I will probably put the black background back or even try out some other colour card.


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## doylecolmdoyle (13 Oct 2016)

Been running 24/7 co2 for a few weeks now, things seem good, slight up-tick in growth as I also lowered the light a little, the hotter weather is just starting in Perth and my apartment really heats up, the tanks seem to sit at about 25 degrees already, not looking forward to the hotter months.

Here are some photos from today

_MG_5866 by Colm Doyle, on Flickr

_MG_5870 by Colm Doyle, on Flickr

_MG_5856 by Colm Doyle, on Flickr

_MG_5855 by Colm Doyle, on Flickr


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## Staticrzr (13 Oct 2016)

hey man,  great tank you've got there. 
How many KG of stone you have in your tank?


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## MrHidley (13 Oct 2016)

Really superb tank.


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## doylecolmdoyle (14 Oct 2016)

Staticrzr said:


> hey man,  great tank you've got there.
> How many KG of stone you have in your tank?



Gday Staticrzr, I am not to sure exactly how many Kgs of stone is in the tank but at a guess about 6 kg, most of the height comes from lava stone which is very light, then i just use the seiryu stone ontop of the mounds of lava stone.


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## Jack Reilly (14 Oct 2016)

love this. The tallest stone is striking.


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## Dantrasy (14 Oct 2016)

Looking great mate! MC growth is nuts (just like mine). If you need anymore I have heaps. Love how the hobby has taken off in Perth. 

Do you have a frosted background? If so, I'd double it up.


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## doylecolmdoyle (14 Oct 2016)

Dantrasy said:


> Looking great mate! MC growth is nuts (just like mine). If you need anymore I have heaps. Love how the hobby has taken off in Perth.
> 
> Do you have a frosted background? If so, I'd double it up.



Thanks Dan, yes the Perth Aquascaping scene seems to be getting bigger, Im looking out for AGP to hold another open day for planted stuff, I didnt make it down last time but will make sure I get down this time around (if they hold another event) 

I am sorted for MC, grows so fast under good conditions, no frosted background just  a white wall behind the glass, I will probably try another background colour soon, my black card got wet and is all warped.


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## doylecolmdoyle (13 Nov 2016)

Letting the MC go crazy, yet to take the scissors to this tank...

_MG_5972 by Colm Doyle, on Flickr


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## doylecolmdoyle (15 Nov 2016)

Updated FTS, my frogbit isnt doing well, real short roots and small in general, this would be the sign of some kind of fert deficiency, any ideas what? Perhaps Macros as NPK I am dosing to EI levels. I could just remove the frogbit as it was meant to be temporary while the tank established / grew in... can probably do with out it now.

_MG_5996 by Colm Doyle, on Flickr


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## dw1305 (15 Nov 2016)

Hi all,





doylecolmdoyle said:


> ...and small in general


What colour are the leaves? Are the newest leaves smaller and paler than the older leaves? If they are it may be high levels of PO4--- removing iron (Fe+++) ions from solution. 





doylecolmdoyle said:


> real short roots


In Duckweed (_Lemna_) short roots are usually a sign of nitrogen rich water, basically the plant can uptake all the ions it needs from a small section of root, allowing it to concentrate on producing more photosynthetic tissue. I'm not aware of any published work on _Limnobium_'s response to nitrogen, but I would be surprised if it was any different.

cheers Darrel


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## doylecolmdoyle (15 Nov 2016)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,What colour are the leaves? Are the newest leaves smaller and paler than the older leaves? If they are it may be high levels of PO4--- removing iron (Fe+++) ions from solution. In Duckweed (_Lemna_) short roots are usually a sign of nitrogen rich water, basically the plant can uptake all the ions it needs from a small section of root, allowing it to concentrate on producing more photosynthetic tissue. I'm not aware of any published work on _Limnobium_'s response to nitrogen, but I would be surprised if it was any different.
> 
> cheers Darrel



Thanks for the info Darrel, very helpful, I will have to check the frogbit again in the morning, from memory the new leaves are nice and dark, but seem very small, the older leaves are tatty / yellowing. Tho like I said I will double check tomorrow and try post some photos. Thanks again


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## dw1305 (15 Nov 2016)

Hi all, 





doylecolmdoyle said:


> , I will have to check the frogbit again in the morning, from memory the new leaves are nice and dark, but seem very small, the older leaves are tatty / yellowing.


That sounds like a plant mobile element. 

cheers Darrel


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## doylecolmdoyle (2 Dec 2016)

The frogbit bounced back with a change of ferts (now using a all in one macro / micro), still every short roots but it has now pretty much covered the surface, time for a big trim tomorrow then I have to leave the tank pretty much on its own for a month, It will get the odd top up and ferts.




_MG_6435 by Colm Doyle, on Flickr


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## Alexander Belchenko (2 Dec 2016)

doylecolmdoyle said:


> Updated FTS, ...
> 
> View attachment 94484_MG_5996 by Colm Doyle, on Flickr



Epic picture, it's matured nicely.


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## doylecolmdoyle (11 Jan 2017)

This tank needs a good clean but I am liking the overgrown look

_MG_7246 by Colm Doyle, on Flickr


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## dw1305 (11 Jan 2017)

Hi all,





doylecolmdoyle said:


> This tank needs a good clean but I am liking the overgrown look


The Frogbit has recovered well.

cheers Darrel


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## MrHidley (11 Jan 2017)

I love when monte carlo spills over the rocks like this, it adds a really natural look to the tank.


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## doylecolmdoyle (19 Jan 2017)

One of my buce plants is starting to flower! Here are some photos from today




_MG_7256 by Colm Doyle, on Flickr



_MG_7270 by Colm Doyle, on Flickr



_MG_7274 by Colm Doyle, on Flickr



_MG_7276 by Colm Doyle, on Flickr


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## doylecolmdoyle (1 Feb 2017)

Updated front on shot, not much to report, slow growth due the the cover of frogbit which I have started to thin out.



IMG_7811 by Colm Doyle, on Flickr


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## Alexander Belchenko (1 Feb 2017)

Fantastic cliff. Like how riccardia added some interesting accent and mood.


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## doylecolmdoyle (20 Mar 2017)

Pull this tank down today as I am going to create a 60p Nature scape in its place, I will be re-using the MC and moss for a 45p iwagumi.

The tank was super dirty because I used it to hold all the plants for my 60p nature scape, the MC suffered a bit due to lack of light, but I thought I should take a final photo before tearing it down.



IMG_8758 by Colm Doyle, on Flickr


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## MrHidley (20 Mar 2017)

Was an awesome scape, congrats.


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## Alexander Belchenko (20 Mar 2017)

Awesome scape, fantastic amount of Monte Carlo.


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