# Jay's New Re-scape



## jay (10 Sep 2008)

Well last night I finally felt like I had everything I needed to start up my new tank.
Its a Seabray custom tank which I managed to get from a local little pet shop.The silicone is rank! but I can't complain for just Â£100.  Its 48x15x18in Just over 200 ltr I think.
Put it on a Black Fluval Roma stand, nice, neat, conspicuous.
Finished off with Fluval 405 external filter and 48in Arcadia luminaire(in the big time now)     





So here it all started, building the back up using old (good)bacteria riddled substrate from an old tank.




Started playing about with a couple of ideas mainly with just wood. Got some good pieces from MA@Morden, nice and branch like.
Didn't like this too much but could see potential, as I'm mostly using ferns and mosses etc..
Although my girlfriend said they look like a pair of spiders  
Really liked the form on the left though.




So I kept the left the same and tried out turning the other side in the same direction(took a while to come up with that one  )





Update soon....
Need to find the USB lead to my phone


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## Thomas McMillan (10 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

Great pieces of wood! The left is spot on but I preferred the first attempt with the right. Just keep working on it until you find something you're happy with!


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## jay (10 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

Thats the aim of the game I suppose  
Just trying something a little different, keep seeing ADA tanks with branchy wood jutting out everywhere like a death pit  

Really happy with the wood though. Reminds me of Old Black Wood... without the price tag.


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## aaronnorth (10 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

looking forward for the next update


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## joyous214 (10 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

oohhh how exciting. looks good cant wait to see what else you do.


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## jay (11 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

Well I just can't find my charger to my camera and I cant find the usb lead to my phone so.... no pics!   
The scaping is done and I've done something a little different to the right side and added some mini landscape rocks. Really happy with it, I'll show you soon honest.

I've almost finished decorating the wood with anubias nana, java fern 'narrow' although I'm sure one of them is 'Philippine' judging by the well stamped leaves. Bolbitis heudelotii (need a bit more) I love this stuff so much, and some java moss.
Would've love something more compact like Taiwan but can only use what I can get I suppose.
I've got a mass of space behind the wood thats crying out for stems but I won't be getting them till tomorrow.

I'm thinking, Rotala sp... maybe rotundifolia. But I may go for a whole green scape.
Hemianthus micranthemoides is a favourite of mine so I think thats got to be somewhere.
Vallis nana for the rear left corner also.

I did save all my plants from my old scape but most of the foreground plants died. All my HC Cuba gone   and most of the Downoi and tenellus turned to mush.
Managed to plant out some tenellus, downoi and eleocharis accicularis. Don't think the downoi will stay as it doesn't fit into my idea for this tank. The middle will be a high meadow at the back with hairgras, leading down to a mix of tenellus and HC with tufts of hairgrass leading to the sand front.
Very low plant mass at the minute so I've got a clump of bacopa floating at the moment and also some Amazon frogbit.

Anyway, I'll get some pics up soon and stop with all the long winded posts


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## jay (13 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully(update pics13:9:08)*

Well I changed up the wood on the right so its facing the left side and.... ah whatever, heres a pic



The AS Amazonia is leaching out ammonia like a gud'n but no real signs of algae. Got ammonia remover AND carbon in the filter with mature media. Just need a few good water changes I guess.


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## aaronnorth (13 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully(update pics13:9:08)*

loking good, i love the left peice of wood.


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## jay (13 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully(update pics13:9:08)*

Got a few pots yesterday (12 tropica) of mostly foreground plants.
Got the usual, HC Cuba, Glosso and eleocharis parvula for the hills either side and the middle.
Got a couple pots of Hemianthus micranthemoides to see how they would fair in here. Put them at the back so won't really see them for a while. 
Got a couple of odd pots too, of Didiplis Diandra?? Liked the look of the needle type leaves in the Tropica book, thought it may suite the primevil forest (Nods to Ray  ) look I'm going for. Its suppose to be a tough one so see how it fairs :? 




Bit of Vallis 'nana' at the back mixed with crypt balansae.




Another one I got was a pot of Hydrocotyle verticillata which I've stuck in the low areas, hopefully end up poking out of the glosso/HC carpets.



You can see the yellowing of the old hairgrass and tenellus   A real mess, but they had good roots so should be fine.
Decided to keep the Downoi in there as I think it will go with the style of this set up.

Anyway, critics and comments more than welcome guys. I'm keeping this for a while so want it looking good.


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## joyous214 (15 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully(update pics13:9:08)*

ooooohhhhhhh    nice


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## LondonDragon (15 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully(update pics13:9:08)*

Looking pretty good, when it fills in I am sure it will look great 
I would just place that heater at the back by the inflow, so when the stems grow it would be hidden 
keep us posted


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## jay (15 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully(update pics13:9:08)*

Thanks guys.
Can just imagine how the middle is going to be (hopefully), but know its going to be a while to fill up nicely.

The heater? Its such an eyesore!! Going to invest in a Hydor external soon, would have one now but I've spent so much already this month, I can't reeaallly justify anymore spending to my lady  
Next month!!
Anyway, I've started dosing. More guess work from me as I've no idea what I should be dosing with AS.
I'm pretty much doing EI with the Tropica+ doing around 8ml a day, with 5ml Excel. I've got ADA Brighty K... but I lost the instructions!!!! So not sure what I should be dosing so I'm just doing 5ml a day. I'm getting pearling so It seems ok.
50% WC a week, straight from the tap. Shut off and seal the filter to protect the bacteria and de-chlorinate, then turn the filter back on.


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## jay (16 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully(update pics13:9:08)*

Well I've done 2 water changes over the last week since filling up and the ammonia levels are around 2mg/L.
This normal? I've got carbon AND Fluval ammonia remover bags in the filter.


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## Ray (17 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully(update pics13:9:08)*

Hi Jay,

So wrapped up in my own worries I only just found this.  I really really like this - I like what you did with the wood and the choice of plants is quite superb, love the sand foreground, the landscape rocks, its very very cool.  Makes me want to tear down my primevil swamp and start again   



			
				jay said:
			
		

> Well I've done 2 water changes over the last week since filling up and the ammonia levels are around 2mg/L.
> This normal? I've got carbon AND Fluval ammonia remover bags in the filter.



Yes.  Its normal.  I had purigen and Zeolite and it was the same thing, masses of ammonia and later nitrites - you go through a full blown cycling like you are chucking neat ammonia in the tank, you come out of the woods on day 21.  Is your filter media mature?  Keep your lighting short, your flow, CO2 and dosing high.  Watch your ferts don't fall too low with the water changes.  Don't be complacent, I went through a phase first 2 weeks when the water was crystal clear and plants pearling then I started to increase lighting and it was too soon.

Your dosing is identical to mine - you might want to get dry salts, the TPN+ goes very fast....  You should do better than me - you have more plants, no crypts and a more mature substrate and filter.


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## jay (18 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully(update pics13:9:08)*



			
				Ray said:
			
		

> Hi Jay,
> 
> So wrapped up in my own worries I only just found this.  I really really like this - I like what you did with the wood and the choice of plants is quite superb, love the sand foreground, the landscape rocks, its very very cool.  Makes me want to tear down my primevil swamp and start again



That is awesome to read Ray, cheers very much. You know you ain't touching your scape mate, too much potential 8) 



			
				Ray said:
			
		

> Yes.  Its normal.  I had purigen and Zeolite and it was the same thing, masses of ammonia and later nitrites - you go through a full blown cycling like you are chucking neat ammonia in the tank, you come out of the woods on day 21.  Is your filter media mature?  Keep your lighting short, your flow, CO2 and dosing high.  Watch your ferts don't fall too low with the water changes.  Don't be complacent, I went through a phase first 2 weeks when the water was crystal clear and plants pearling then I started to increase lighting and it was too soon.
> 
> Your dosing is identical to mine - you might want to get dry salts, the TPN+ goes very fast....  You should do better than me - you have more plants, no crypts and a more mature substrate and filter.



Brought some Purigen today, feel like the Fluval ammonia remover wasn't too good. Co2 @ about 2 bubbles per second, drop checker almost yellow. My filter media is very mature, I was worried about the ammonia remover starving the bacteria but its obviously getting through... Nitrite test is showing too.
You're spot on with the lighting mate, decided to up it yesterday as all was well.... ALGAE!! hehe lowered it back down to 6 hours.
My TPN+ is near gone already so definitely need dry salts.
Thanks for the encouragement though, already een thinking of a 'slight' re-scape after seeing the ADA finalists  

Going to keep at it though.


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## jay (18 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

Almost forgot! I added some Utricularia graminifolia today to some little areas... Know the 'meadow' areas are getting a bit crowded but just have to see what  can grow in hi-tech environment. I'm still learning  Got flame moss in some nooks and crannys too. would've loved this for the branching wood but don't  want to start pulling stuff about now.


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## jay (20 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

Did yet another large water change yesterday, tested the water about 10 minutes ago.

ammonia barely detectable almost at 0.25mg/L
Nitrite is off the chart at over 5.0mg/L
and nitrate is around 15mg/L But I am adding that daily with TPN+

So when should the nitrite subside and when should I be taking out the Purigen packet?

Also, should I only add my clean up crew when the nitrite is totally dispersed or could they handle a small amount?
Guessing no way for the ottos but not sure with the shrimp... don't want to put them under any unnecessary stress.


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## aaronnorth (20 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

take out the purigen after a few days once all planting is done, it will make sure tha no NH3 is releaesed while the substrate is being disturbed.

dont add add anything while NO2 is detectable.


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## Ray (20 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*



			
				jay said:
			
		

> Did yet another large water change yesterday, tested the water about 10 minutes ago.
> 
> ammonia barely detectable almost at 0.25mg/L
> Nitrite is off the chart at over 5.0mg/L
> ...


That's a normal cycling - I hit 20mg/l nitrogen 3 days after a 90% water change!  Basically your bacteria that break NH3 into NO2 bread exponentially.  Now the bacteria that convert NO2 to NO3 have to catch up with them.  Its interesting you still get this with a mature filter, for me the process took 21 days which is about standard for a new filter.

Nitrites are as bad as ammonia and will kill shrimps and Otto's - you have to wait for it all to subside.  I think 3 weeks is the minimum.  Ed added Ottos to his after that long.

Why remove the purigen?  Why not run with it for good?


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## jay (21 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

Yeah I'll do that... bit of a "n00b" question now I think about ti   
Leave it empty until its well cycled.
Don't think you can keep Purigen in permanently as it exhausts and even if if didn't, it still strips other elements good for plants I think. Like leaving carbon in. Just isn't needed for a good planted tank, the plants purify the water.


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## Ray (22 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*



			
				jay said:
			
		

> Don't think you can keep Purigen in permanently as it exhausts and even if if didn't, it still strips other elements good for plants I think. Like leaving carbon in. Just isn't needed for a good planted tank, the plants purify the water.


See this old thread on Purigen: http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=69&p=257&hilit=purigen#p257
From this I understand you can keep it in permanently, it gives crystal clear water, doesn't take ferts and can be recharged by an overnight soak in household bleach followed by de-chlorification with Seachem Prime.
But let us know if you've seen something otherwise elsewhere because my Purigen is still in


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## jay (23 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

Sweet!! Reckon I'll keep mine in too then.

Anywhooo, did some tests yesterday and ammonia is gone, as is nitrite. Algae was getting out of hand so added 16 Amano shrimp and 6 ottos... had 10 but god knows where the all gone over the last few months between tank changes

They settled in instantly and by this morning my plants are clean as a whistle!!!

Reckon I'll be adding fish in a couple of days. Putting in filter start to keep the bacteria going while the load is so low.

What I'm wondering is... I've read before that acclimatizing new fish to hi-tech planted set ups is quite hard and you need to take time with it, almost like an hour or more with a drip method???
I usually just bung them in after about 10 minutes, like my discus days  
Heard this is bad for planted tank because of the gas differences.


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## aaronnorth (23 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

well i have never heard of that, i always do mine like this:

float for 5mins
pour cup of tank water in evry 5minutes until bag is full
release fish.


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## jay (25 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

Well guess I'll just do the old fashion method then.
Took this picture yesterday, think its grown pretty well over the couple weeks since planting.




Noticed the glosso has been growing upwards in some places, but also starting to carpet, guessing this is from the short photoperiod. Can up it now the ammonia has gone.

Realized I HATE sand fronts.


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## jay (27 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

Not a lot of comments... Guess no news is good news  
Anyway, added 6 rummynose and 10 cardinals yesterday, they seem to love it so far.
The cardinals seemed to be suffering from lack of oxygen so I did a good WC and all was well.
Thinking of going old school Amano and adding maybe a couple more species of tetra... Bleeding hearts?

Just don't want this to be a one shoal tank, just know I'll get bored.


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## sari (27 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

Wow, I think that's looking good! I know that one shoal set ups are in at the mo, but I prefer a few species in the tank to keep the interest factor up.

Good luck!


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## alexandre (27 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

Hi Jay,

This is a very nice scape, well done.
I had the same problem with glosso, growing upward and forming big leaves as well in my case. 
2W/l HQL and 1W/l T5 with the CO2 full blast, same result  :?:


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## jay (27 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*



			
				alexandre said:
			
		

> Hi Jay,
> 
> This is a very nice scape, well done.
> I had the same problem with glosso, growing upward and forming big leaves as well in my case.
> 2W/l HQL and 1W/l T5 with the CO2 full blast, same result  :?:



Think the glosso is making it look messy really, just wanted to grow it to see if I could.
My HC Cuba is growing very compact, very nice. Think I'm going to rip out the glosso and add more HC with hairgass and hydrocoytle in and around it.


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## jay (29 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

ALGAE!! Got what looks like hair and maybe 'staghorn'? growing on vallis nana, balansae and especially on bolbitis and java ferns  

Think its because I let off on the dosing.
Still doing large WC every week, stopped dosing Excel though, think maybe this was holding the algae at bay?

What should I be doing to get rid of it?


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## ceg4048 (29 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

Hi Jay,
        Here are a few known correlations:
1) Carpet Plants strung out and/or upright = Poor CO2/flow
2) Staghorn Algae = Poor CO2/flow
3) Hair Algae = Poor CO2/flow

Instead of adding more fish it would be a better idea to add more CO2 or increase flow/distribution. If this level is problematic for the fish then implement the Excel or Easycarbo (whichever is cheaper).

Cheers,


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## jay (29 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

Wow, I really thought their was some nice flow in the tank :?  All the plants wave nicely. Thinking maybe its poor Co2.. by poor do you mean fluctuating levels?
Now you mention it, This did start after my regulator dial has been acting funny, constantly having to adjust it to get 3 bubbles per second. and I increased surface agitation.
Drop checker has been every shade of green going lately.


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## ceg4048 (30 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

Yes, you can have nice flow but poor diffusion or poor injection rates, or ill timed injection sequence, or fluctuating injection (instability). CO2 is different that the other nutrients because of the mechanism of how it is assimilated. That's what makes it so maddening. It has a lock and key relationship with a specific and very important enzyme. Check these two threads for further info:

Stable CO2 - What does it mean exactly?

Suitable CO2 Level

Cheers,


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## jay (30 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

Intriguing stuff. Really need to stabilize my Co2 then. Keep it at 30ppm, I have it going 24/7 with good surface movement.
I reduced my lighting, should I have bothered?
Just got 2 bulbs working at the moment for 8 hours, it was 10 hours with all for on for 4 hours in the middle for a quick burst of light. I'm still dosing 10ml TPN+ and 4 squirts of Brighty K. Should I keep this up or increase?

Just think if my lights and dosing is on point, then once I've kept the co2 consistent then the algae should go. (Along with using my toothbrush  )


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## Mark Evans (30 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

jay, love the set up mate.looks great even in its infancy stages. nicely done.


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## John Starkey (30 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

Hi Jay,i think you have done a really nice job with this setup,i love the right hand side it looks really natural in my opinion,Well done,regards john


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## jay (30 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

Thanks fellas.
I'm actually really happy with it at the moment, except for the algae but I've had it before and its gone, even though this is on a larger technical spec and layout than before, I'm sure I'll get through it.

Do really regret the sand front, getting algae on it aswell now


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## ceg4048 (30 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*



			
				jay said:
			
		

> Intriguing stuff. Really need to stabilize my Co2 then. Keep it at 30ppm, I have it going 24/7 with good surface movement.
> I reduced my lighting, should I have bothered?
> Just got 2 bulbs working at the moment for 8 hours, it was 10 hours with all for on for 4 hours in the middle for a quick burst of light. I'm still dosing 10ml TPN+ and 4 squirts of Brighty K. Should I keep this up or increase?
> 
> Just think if my lights and dosing is on point, then once I've kept the co2 consistent then the algae should go. (Along with using my toothbrush  )



30ppm CO2 has become a Holy Grail of sorts. Very few actually have it despite their dropchecker readings. Reducing the lighting always helps since it lowers nutrient uptake demand. Stability could be an issue in which case as you say, you'd just have to maintain consistent CO2 levels for a few weeks and the algae would fade away.

There are other possibilities however. The burst of light could actually be where the problem occurs. A lot of people have difficulty with the relationship between light and CO2. Both are inextricably linked because photosynthesis fundamentally involves the use of light energy to separate carbon from CO2. The amount of available CO2 must therefore match or exceed the available light energy. If this equation is balanced with 2 bulbs and then, when you double the light energy by illuminating 2 additional, bulbs then you also must provide more CO2 for the duration that the 4 bulbs are burning.

It is extremely doubtful that you can double the CO2 concentration at the time the burst starts. In all likelihood the CO2 level drops as the plants attempt to uptake more as a result of the extra brightness. The only possibility would be if you were for example supplying an excess of CO2, i.e. more than the plants could use, prior to the burst. This would then build up a "reserve" in the water column with which the plants could then use when the demand increase via the burst. The fact that you have CO2 related algae is a strong indication that this is not happening.

So if you assume that your flow is good and your distribution patterns are adequate, and if you assume that the injection rate is steady then there are only two remaining possibilities:

1) The basic injection rate is too low to supply sufficient concentration levels even with the reduced lighting and therefore Carbon fixation failure is occurring throughout the photoperiod.

2) The basic injection rate is adequate for the basic level of lighting offered but insufficient for the burst level of lighting. Carbon fixation failure is occurring primarily during the burst period.

If you are suffering possibility number 1) then you need to increase the injection rate to high enough levels to sustain carbon fixation not only during the basic light period but as well as during the burst.

If you are suffering possibility number 2) then the issue is most easily resolved by eliminating the burst, but if you wish to keep the burst then the rate has to be increase.

You might also wish to consider adding the Excel in conjunction with (or in lieu of) injection rate increase. This gives you more CO2 as well as algecidal properties. The bottom line is that you need to get higher CO2 concentration levels in the tank by hook or by crook. As the plant biomass increases your problem will only become more acute.

With increased CO2 come the demand for more nutrients so the dosing adjustment will depend on which solution is applicable. If you choose the merely delete the burst then no adjustment to the dosing scheme is necessary as the nutrient uptake demand will actually fall. You have not reported any other type of algae therefore there are no other obvious nutritional deficiencies other than carbon.

If you do increase the CO2 levels either via Excel or injection rate or both then there is a possibility that you will require more nutrients since more CO2 drives more nutrient uptake. However it is not clear at this point since we cannot really tell exactly what your uptake rates are or even reliably tell what the nutrient levels in the tank are. Algae due to nutrient deficiencies are easy to fix since all you do is add more, so I wouldn't necessarily change the dosing yet. Fix your CO2 problem first and any additional deficiencies will then be revealed.

You may be interested to know that Brighty K, whose active ingredient is essentially KCl (Potassium Chloride) and basically duplicates what already is available in TPN+. It's up to you what you choose to dose but it is clearly redundant. You may wish to consider deleting it due to cost.

Hope this clarifies.

Cheers,


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## jay (30 Sep 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

Clarified well. Thank you good Sir  
I've stopped the burst lights and just running two 54W tubes.
Stop the Brighty K once its gone, At least I'll have a new spare bottle.
Get the Co2 running to a constant and stock up on Excel.

I'm assuming I should carry on with 30-50% water changes each week with my dosing, shouldn't affect Co2 levels much?


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## jay (13 Oct 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

Well the staghorn algae started to go, until a couple of days ago when my C02 went a bit mad. Has fish gasping, so did a little water change and upped surface movement. Then yesterday my FE ran out  

More algae around the tank.
Just have to persevere I suppose. i much more should I dose excel for a 200ltr tank until I get a filled FE?

Also, I'm sick to death with glosso... its a maniac!   I'm planning to pull it all up and I'm thinking either a mass of HC (got a few nice clumps growing but its getting choked by the glosso.

Or I was thinking a well pruned carpet of moss, with tenellus and hairgrass sprouting from it maybe.
Just not sure what moss sp. would be good for a carpet?
I'm thinking taiwan?


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## jay (23 Oct 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. (Nearly) Low maintanance.(Update 23:10:08)*

Here it is as of yesterday evening.



Glosso is covering everything up and killing off HC and hydrocotyle.
So....



Re-planted HC so hopefully get a nice low compact carpet meadow.
Feel like lower carpet will give a more dramatic look adding height.
I like the way the Bolbitis on the left and Hemmianthus on the right are beginning to arch over the meadow area.

Oh yeah!
Got a pair of these beauties last week



Laetacara dorsigera(sp?) pair. spotted them in LFS with breeding colours and snapped them up.
I love 'em!! Really peaceful even when breeding.


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## Garuf (23 Oct 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

WOW, this tanks turning into a right stunner!


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## Thomas McMillan (23 Oct 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance. Hopefully*

^ definately! I have to admit, I didn't expect it to turn out as good as it has done! Well done.


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## Themuleous (23 Oct 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance.(update 23:10:08)*

Yep yep, lovely scape, I'd be well chuffed with that 

Sam


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## jay (24 Oct 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance.(update 23:10:08)*



			
				Garuf said:
			
		

> WOW, this tanks turning into a right stunner!





			
				Themuleous said:
			
		

> Yep yep, lovely scape, I'd be well chuffed with that


Thanks very much guys. There's something odd about the right side to me though. Seems like its becoming a bit.... Dutch?
Added some rotala rotundefolia at the back too so it will be even more demanding with the pruning :? 
Probably end up planting more valis nana that side also.



			
				Thomas McMillan said:
			
		

> ^ definately! I have to admit, I didn't expect it to turn out as good as it has done! Well done.



Errr... thanks.... I think


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## beeky (24 Oct 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance.(update 23:10:08)*

Yep, have to agree, it does look good.

What sand are you using? Is it just play sand or have you got something a bit more "exotic" in there? In one of the close up pics it looks like you've AS in there as well?


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## jay (24 Oct 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance.(update 23:10:08)*

Amazonia at the back and Bright Sand foreground.
Was a nice clean cut line until the shrimps got at it  
I will neaten it up once the HC has grown over AS in a few weeks.


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## Ray (3 Nov 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance.(update 23:10:08)*

Love the way this is looking - the two hills look is superb.  Nice choice of fish, are you rummies and neons schooling together nicely?  Is that a German Ram?

Are you still just running on half lighting and was that your first CO2 cylinder that just ran out?


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## jay (4 Nov 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance.(update 23:10:08)*

Hi Ray, cheers.
Yeah the rummies and cardinals school beautifully, rummies darting along and cardinals slowing just behind.
All really graceful like  Really need more in there though.
Tis a Czech Ram I think, he's a big old boy, but he's in a another tank now with the female.
I've got an apistogramma trifasciatum pair and laetacara dorsigera pair. " species of dwarf cichlid, very peaceful but make the tetras shoal even better.
It was my 1st cylinder that I started using about a year ago on my first tank, so it did me well.
Back on full lighting now 4 hours a day (2 tubes for 9 hours) now my C02 has stabilized again. All traces of staghorn gone (Thank you Clive).
Only upped the light again to grow out my new HC Cuba carpet, then I'll lower it again.


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## jay (26 Nov 2008)

*Re: New 4FT. Low maintanance.(update 23:10:08)*






The sand is a mess from the shrimps moving the small gravel I added around the rocks.
I'll add some more closer pics of the detail around the hardscape.

Used Photoshop as an homage to Mr Crawford  
Sorry about the poor quality pictures.
Anyway, comments and suggestions welcome.

Thanks.


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## Garuf (26 Nov 2008)

*Re: New 120cm, Forest Clearing.(update 26:11:08)*

It's beautiful, really really beautiful. 
Can I have it?   

Well done, mate. easily one of the nicest scapes on here.


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## deMastro (27 Nov 2008)

*Re: New 120cm, Forest Clearing.(update 26:11:08)*

Nice!

Looks very natural to me!

Keep the good work!


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## aaronnorth (27 Nov 2008)

*Re: New 120cm, Forest Clearing.(update 26:11:08)*

the tank is looking great


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## LondonDragon (27 Nov 2008)

*Re: New 120cm, Forest Clearing.(update 26:11:08)*

Tank is looking great  good job on that, just not too keen on the vallis but other than that is spot on.

Congrats and keep us posted


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## Dan Crawford (27 Nov 2008)

*Re: New 120cm, Forest Clearing.(update 26:11:08)*

Looking quality! great work.


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## TDI-line (27 Nov 2008)

*Re: New 120cm, Forest Clearing.(update 26:11:08)*

Brilliant tank, keep up the good work.


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## jay (27 Nov 2008)

*Re: New 120cm, Forest Clearing.(update 26:11:08)*

Damn!! Thanks very much to everyone for the kind comments.



			
				Garuf said:
			
		

> Well done, mate. easily one of the nicest scapes on here.



I'm fairly stunned at that. Not too sure about it but cheers very much for the confidence boost.
Just wanna get my hands in there and clean it up now  



			
				LondonDragon said:
			
		

> Tank is looking great  good job on that, just not too keen on the vallis but other than that is spot on.
> 
> Congrats and keep us posted



totally understand your feelings on the vallis mate. It was much denser on both sides and arching over the meadow in the middle but I hacked at it recently. Was thinking of swapping it round for some Eleocharis Vivipara, but I think that it can be pretty high maintenance. 
Was thinking of Isoetes Japonica or Giant Hairgrass ( Eleocharis montevidensis? ) But I'm not sure as I can't seem to find much info on either species.


Anyway, he's a quick shot of some new residents.



8 Diamond tetras!! They're young but starting to get a beautiful iridescent colouring to them... kinda like a diamond


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## Themuleous (27 Nov 2008)

*Re: New 120cm, Forest Clearing.(update 26:11:08)*

Cracking scape 

Sam


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## jay (12 Dec 2008)

Well, Jamie got bored. "Forest Clearing" (sure I've heard that somewhere before) is dead. What with all the new 'scapes coming on here, I wanted to try something I wanted for a while.
Its an island 'scape, but I've kinda ripped through the middle of it to create a sort of pathway...
This is the right side




Here's the centre, with the path I tried using a mat of HC "Cuba" rather than the usual sand.




The left side.




No stems at all in this layout. Just mosses, ferns and anubias "nana", which I may change to "petite".
Each side will have HC "cuba" and haigrass, and I'm going to attempt utricularia graminifolia.

I've changes the path to sand... so much better, it really adds depth to my relatively shallow tank.
Come up with some new pics soon.


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## Themuleous (14 Dec 2008)

Looking great 

Sam


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## TBRO (4 Apr 2009)

I love your HC medow with the light green clover type things poking through, what plant is that, I'd love to recreate that effect in the foregroung of my tank. Looks straight out of Amano museum


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## jay (5 Apr 2009)

TBRO said:
			
		

> I love your HC medow with the light green clover type things poking through, what plant is that, I'd love to recreate that effect in the foregroung of my tank. Looks straight out of Amano museum



Thanks.
This 'scape is no more now, but the meadow you're talking about was a favourite of mine.
The plant you mean is Hydrocotyle verticillata, a slow grower at first but can start spreading at a good pace. Not too demanding either... needs Co2 though.


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