# Two Rocks Balanced - 64L - Low tech



## TallDragon (10 Feb 2015)

This will be my very first planted aquarium. I have been reading UKAPS for a long long time. Now, I finally have the chance to start a tank. I did not start from scratch, I bought a complete 1 year old aquarium, took it apart, moved it, then rebuilt it in my own style. (read more here)

Start (rebuild): 2015, Feb 7.

Aquarium: 60x30x36cm, 64l, Opti-white
Filter: Eheim 3071, with Seachem Matrix in bottom tray, and Eheim Substrat Pro above
Lights: 2x24W T5 (Plant + 6500 K Tube) -> disconnected Plant tube on day 2.
Timing of lights: 8am-10am, 4h pause (siesta), then 2pm-8:30pm

Substrate:
1 year old JBL Aquabasis Plus + ADA Amazonia

Flora:
Ceratopteris thalictroides
Cryptocoryne beckettii (?)
Bacopa caroliniana
Limnophila sessiliflora
Eleocharis acicularis

Fauna:
15 red cherries
21 Neon tetras
3 Otocinclus affinis
1 Botia lohachata

Stones: 2 stones pulled from the frozen ground of my back garden. Initially to keep the wood down, since I did not soak it, but over past few days A) I have grown fond of the stones B) It provides a superb hiding place during the day to the Otocinclus.

Heater: need to get one (tank is presently at 21.5-22 Celsius

The tank did have BBA, and still does, but I am trying to get it under control, with 1.2 ml of Easy Carbo every morning.






old tank


----------



## TallDragon (12 Feb 2015)

Day 5.
I managed to get a glass tube cleaner scrub, so now my inflow is near sparkling clean. No more black gunk, just the green algae deposits.
Did a water change, added some ferts, and turned the yellow stone a bit. Things seem to be running OK.


----------



## Ryan Thang To (13 Feb 2015)

look nice and tidy. add more plants or crypts would be cool.

cheers
ryan


----------



## TallDragon (13 Feb 2015)

legytt said:


> look nice and tidy. add more plants or crypts would be cool.
> cheers
> ryan



Thanks Ryan for stopping by. I do plan to add more plants, just need to find a bit of time to figure out what I want


----------



## TallDragon (14 Feb 2015)

legytt said:


> look nice and tidy. add more plants or crypts would be cool.
> 
> cheers
> ryan


Hi ryan, added a small portion of Cryptocoryne axelrodi today. I am really an amateur at planting.


----------



## TallDragon (15 Feb 2015)

Here were are, exactly a week after day 1. This being a weekend, I had time for a more involved maintenance:

- Cleaned all glassware that came with tank. Now both inflow and outflow are crystal clean
- Also changed the filter tubing totally. I regret not bying transparent tubes. 
(Is there a pro/con of green vs. tranparent tubing?) Now the tubes from filter are longer, allowing me to place both the inflow and outflow on the right. I am now learning that the scape needs to take into account the flow.
- Changed the 1 year old Sylvania T5 24W tube to a Giesemann Midday tube
- Baught a small batch of Cryptocoryne axelrodi and planted some near the inflow at the back-right and a very small chunk to the left of the wood.
- Cleaned prefilter -- Lesson learned: wash sponge in bucket, not in sink -- two (or more?) of my RCS are on their way to the shrimp heaven.


----------



## Chris Jackson (15 Feb 2015)

Looking good

I'd caution that 2 x T5's is almost certainly too much lighting for a non CO2 tank. i suggest you only use one tube while things settle and you decide whether to go full high tech with co2.

Pros of clear tube, looks great when clean...less great dirty
Pros of green tube, looks similar either clean or dirty...


----------



## Chris Jackson (15 Feb 2015)

Oh...down to one tube from day 2... excuse me


----------



## TallDragon (15 Feb 2015)

Chris Jackson said:


> Oh...down to one tube from day 2... excuse me


Thanks Chris for stopping by.


----------



## alto (16 Feb 2015)

> Lesson learned: wash sponge in bucket, not in sink -- two (or more?) of my RCS are on their way to the shrimp heaven.


Its too bad shrimp don't come with better guides ... just when I think I've got it sorted, I find a new way to torture them ... last was rinsing the net that had been "catching" surface flotsam, rinsed in sink with rather warm water, look & see slightly boiled looking sad yellow shrimp  - luckily he seemed to recover as I see him about the tank again after a few days absence.

Tank is looking good, you might toss in some fast growing stems while you're deciding on plants (I quite like this Ludwigia )


----------



## TallDragon (16 Feb 2015)

alto said:


> Its too bad shrimp don't come with better guides ... just when I think I've got it sorted, I find a new way to torture them ... last was rinsing the net that had been "catching" surface flotsam, rinsed in sink with rather warm water, look & see slightly boiled looking sad yellow shrimp  - luckily he seemed to recover as I see him about the tank again after a few days absence.
> 
> Tank is looking good, you might toss in some fast growing stems while you're deciding on plants (I quite like this Ludwigia )


Thanks alto for the recommendation. Red... And only needs low light and low CO2! Adding it to my shopping cart ASAP.
What other stems do you think would look good?
Also, this Cryptocoryne beckettii 'Petchii' looks good.


----------



## Ryan Thang To (16 Feb 2015)

TallDragon said:


> Hi ryan, added a small portion of Cryptocoryne axelrodi today. I am really an amateur at planting.


looking good so far


----------



## alto (16 Feb 2015)

I like Petchii but find it always goes a rather dark bronze in my tanks
(low tech & very soft water, GH & KH run 0-1 depending, pH 6 - 6.5 ie whatever variations in tap, presently tank is running ~pH 6 despite adding some Ocean Direct "original" mixed in with "Sunset Gold" - the SG on it's own packs very dense so this has a nice texture & I thought some KH would not go amiss, though I've yet to measure)

In contrast I find that C willisii  & C wendtii "Green" & C parva remain green.

Rotala rotundifolia grows faster than the Ludwigia.
I've been trying to get this Lindernia as I prefer the color & leaf shape - apparently it's finally cleared for import!!!

The Staurogyne didn't melt (1-2 grow pot) but it was being eaten so I pulled the last couple of stems - I've not grown this before so no idea how it might fare in a low tech setup.

Note that Tropica always suggests more light/litre than is recommended on this forum: tank  60 x 45 x 55, lighting 2 Giesemann HO T5's, Eheim 2071, Tropica PF & SF, Tropica Substrate,  Flourish Excel, twice weekly 60-70% water change (daily for the first week, plant load was much lower & reduced water column fertilizers) ... I suppose I might as well list the rest of the plants

E parvula - slow growth after 2 months
Eleocharis acicularis 'mini' (1-2 grow) - mostly disappeared, some may return (2 months)
E montevidensis - arrived melting & has virtually disappeared, waiting to see if it re-emerges (3 weeks)
E tenellus (1-2 grow) - slowly establishing (2 months & 2 weeks replacing the vanished "min")
C wendtii "green" - 2 months, doubled, I'm hoping for smaller leaf as it settles in 
C beckettii "petchii" - 2 months, more melt than "green" & slower growth
Cyperus helferi - 2 weeks, plants arrived with considerable algae & brown tips, just added it as I cant seem to find any V nana
Bacopa "compact" - 4 weeks, plant arrived as a rather tall stem, slow compact growth now (I left the height)

Cardamine lyrata - 4 weeks, removed the remnants after 2 weeks - old & new growth leaves were being damaged/eaten until what I removed was mostly stem (plant was very well grown upon arrival), oddly the C Sterbai seemed stressed while this was going on, removed the plant, large water change & they returned to their normal "happy" activity level.
I've read accounts of fish stressed by this plant but have kept it in the past without issue, but Sterbai would "re-activate" with every large water change, then return to "inactive" by the next day, with the C lyrata gone, Sterbai re-activated & remained active. (Note they are also more confident with a dither shoal)

These are just a few stems (for this list) added as overflow from another tank:
C undulata "broad"  - 2 weeks, couple leafs melted, new leafs emerging
Hygrophila corymbosa 'Siamensis 53B' - 2 weeks, arrived with leaf damage which was eaten/melted, looks good now with some new growth
Ludwigia palustris (which arrives as L "sp") - 2 weeks, no melt, slow growth
Rotala rotundifolia - 2 weeks, no melt, 2-3" growth
Bacopa australis - 4 weeks, slow growth

Yes it's now "chaos" tank though the fish & shrimp seem "happier" with the increased foliage.
Tank was planted (quickly) 2 months ago, it had been running with no substrate as a quarantine tank (that I decided needed to look somewhat decent for a party). Sterbai were already in for Q & have just remained - sand substrate was for them.


----------



## TallDragon (17 Feb 2015)

This evening, I stopped by a fellow planted tank enthusiast, who is a few weeks away from tearing down his tank, and got my hands on some plants. He has a high-tech tank with lots of light, so the plants are coming over to my low-tech tank in their full red colored glory. Very curious to see how they change under my single T5 light.

Hygrophila polysperma rosanervig
Ludwigia palustris
Blyxa Japonica
Pogostemon helferi
Ludwigia repens

Also noticed, that my Botia has created a tunnel under the wood. I took these pics before I started planting. Check back for new photos soon, when the plants have recovered, are upright, and worth taking pictures of.


----------



## TallDragon (18 Feb 2015)

New photo, after additions


----------



## TallDragon (20 Feb 2015)

Added 10 amano shrimp today. They are quite small, and hiding.
Also bought an external Hydor 200W heater. Plan to install during the weekend, to crank up the heat from the current 22C to ~24C.


----------



## TallDragon (21 Feb 2015)

Photo update on Day 14


----------



## TallDragon (28 Feb 2015)

Update on Day 21.
All is going OK. I even have a 3-4 mm small Red Cherry baby alive. The inlet is getting a bit dirty.


----------



## kirk (28 Feb 2015)

I like this because it is different. In the distance shot that stone looks like a huge snail.


----------



## TallDragon (28 Feb 2015)

kirk said:


> I like this because it is different. In the distance shot that stone looks like a huge snail.


Hi kirk.
One of my friends said the same thing about the photo from Day 14 (post #17). I too see it, like it, and will stop turning the yellow stone. Keep checking back


----------



## TallDragon (28 Feb 2015)

More baby shrimp pictures. Just me playing with my camera -without a decent macro lens-
on manual focus.









This was pretty cool. Photo taken from 'under the water level'. Shrimp was 'walking on water' upside down.
The real shrimp is the one upside down, and the reflection is right side up.


----------



## alto (28 Feb 2015)

Tank is looking awesome!

I too thought that was a massive snail (shell) ...
 -  need to retitle this

*Snail Rock   Balanced*


----------



## alto (28 Feb 2015)

TallDragon said:


> Shrimp was 'walking on water' upside down.


I cannot believe one of the neon horde has not snapped up that wee shrimp!
They must be docile compared to their wild brethren


----------



## TallDragon (28 Feb 2015)

alto said:


> I cannot believe one of the neon horde has not snapped up that wee shrimp!
> They must be docile compared to their wild brethren


I counted 5 wee shrimp during the evening and they do a good job of hanging on the Ceratopteris. The one in the Eleocharis is a loner, while the other 4 were hanging out on the plants.
The neon horde is pretty well fed though.


----------



## kirk (28 Feb 2015)

Yes that's the pic mate. I will keep an eye on this too.   i think what you have done is working well. Once it's all weather aged it will be even better.


----------



## TallDragon (28 Feb 2015)

alto said:


> Tank is looking awesome!
> I too thought that was a massive snail (shell) ...
> -  need to retitle this
> *Snail Rock   Balanced*



Well that would start a new trend... after all the fancy rocks and fancy woods, aquascapers would start hunting for massive snail shells.


----------



## alto (1 Mar 2015)

I did Tanganyikans when my tap was hard & alkaline, snail shells are much sought after (with attention to size, shape & channel dimensions/curves)


----------



## TallDragon (1 Mar 2015)

From the side:


----------



## kirk (1 Mar 2015)

Sorry to drag thus snail thing on. Arnt they having major problems somewhere in the USA because of African land snail? People kept them as pets and they are now everywhere. No I'm not on about spongebobs Gary.


----------



## TallDragon (7 Mar 2015)

Day 28
Water change with the assistance of 3 kids. Fun saturday morning.
I cut back some of the plants that had BBA. I am considering getting a siamese algea eater. Outflow is getting dirty, but did not have time for it before breakfast. The green filter tubes seem to have a lot of tiny algea spots on the inside. Is this common?


----------



## alto (7 Mar 2015)

Algae or grunge/slime  (in the filter tubing)

For BBA, Amano shrimp or long nose shrimp - I'd not add SAE in a small tank (unless you can buy tiny guys & return to the lfs: warning they can be a bit tricky to catch) as they mature to 14 - 15 cm, further they are quite social so should be kept in groups.
(of course shrimp also do best in groups as well)


----------



## TallDragon (7 Mar 2015)

alto said:


> Algae or grunge/slime  (in the filter tubing)
> 
> For BBA, Amano shrimp or long nose shrimp - I'd not add SAE in a small tank (unless you can buy tiny guys & return to the lfs: warning they can be a bit tricky to catch) as they mature to 14 - 15 cm, further they are quite social so should be kept in groups.
> (of course shrimp also do best in groups as well)


Alto, I do have 10 amanos. I guess they have too much cleaning to do.
Adding the inline filter was good to keep temp at 24C, and keep equipment out of tank, but my motivation to keep tubing clean is at rock bottom.


----------



## alto (7 Mar 2015)

TallDragon said:


> I guess they have too much cleaning to do.


 or too much tastier food dropping from the sky  - try feeding less if possible


----------



## TallDragon (12 Mar 2015)

Just a plain mid-week photo update. What you may be able to spot, is that I trimmed the Hygrophila polysperma rosanervig in the back, and started to replant the cuttings to make the back/left a bit more dense. The nice red ludwigia palustris has reached the water level. I am considering some method of putting O2 into the tank at night, because some mornings the fish are gasping, but not at the top surface. Probably I will get an air pump to run a few hours during the night.





for comparison, this is what it looked like on Feb 18, when I added the 'red' plants


----------



## TallDragon (15 Mar 2015)

Day 36:

Additions this weekend:

Eleocharis parvula - to fill in some gaps on left
Echinodorus tenellus - also on the left
Staurogyne repens - on the left side of the wood, at the base
Blyxa japonica - to the right of the wood and behind the rocks

Other tending:
- Cut back the ludwigia palustris to make it a bit bushier
- Cleaned tubing and filter pad

Also baught an air pump - and plan to pump in some air bubbles for app. 3 hours at night, so the plants can take up some O2 and also to stop the fish from gasping. Hopefully the air tube will eventually get hidden by the plants.









Result:


----------



## TallDragon (28 Mar 2015)

Day 49

Our beloved pakistani loach (Botia Almorhae) decided to look around in the world outside the aquarium, and jumped out one evening. We loved his quirky demeanour and will miss him.




We welcomed 2 new additions today: 
Ram Cichlids: Mikrogeophagus ramirezi - 1 male, 1 female (pictured on left)
Ranunculus inundatus - planted on the right

Also massive filter cleaning (6 Red cherries saved), changed prefilter and fine filter pad, and rinsed the bio media. Water was near black. Also cleaned inflow glass, as it had BBA deposits.


----------



## alto (28 Mar 2015)

Tank is looking better every update!
The rams are a nice choice for this set up.

Commiserations on the silly loach foray into the greater universe.
Loaches are generally very social fishes so you if you decide to add more, look for a "dwarf" variety so you can do a group of 4-5

Are you still adding the liquid CO2 & running a single T5? fertilizers? same lighting schedule?

You can also raise the lily outflow after lights are out to increase night time oxygen levels.


----------



## TallDragon (28 Mar 2015)

alto said:


> Tank is looking better every update!
> The rams are a nice choice for this set up.
> 
> Commiserations on the silly loach foray into the greater universe.
> ...



Hi alto,
Thank for stopping by.
Yep, Still running with same setup: every morning adding 1.5 ml of Easy Carbo, single Giesemann 1x24W, split lighting schedule - with 'siesta' 7:30am-10am then 3pm to 9pm.
Night time oxygen is raised with air pump running also with a 'siesta' from 10pm-midnight then again 4am-6:30am.
Adding fertilizers once a week, but there are also JBL fertilizer balls in the substrate.

I am really waiting for the background plants to get a bit denser.


----------



## TallDragon (28 Mar 2015)

A few more pictures


----------



## alto (28 Mar 2015)

Plants look very healthy & algae looks to be minimal, so really a nice low tech (slow growth ) set up.

If you feel you want to tinker, you might
1) add another dose of liquid CO2 at the start of the evening light cycle - calculate the maximum that you want to add to a tank of your size, then split this into the morning & afternoon doses
re if it does have a half-life of ~12 hours, then the amount of available "carbon" will already be significantly lower at the start of the second light cycle,
(I've never seen the research data on this so I've no idea how this time was calculated or what effects light, temperature & water chemistry may play - it seems to be bandied about the net as if it is FACT & not CONJECTURE ...)     
 - also is the "carbon" most available in the initial compounds added to the tank, or does the "carbon" actually become more available as those initial compounds interact/react with tank ecology ...

2) if you're at an excess of "carbon", consider adding slightly more light, eg, turn on that 2nd T5 for 1hour in the middle of your evening light cycle

3) change your weekly fertilizer dose into a daily or alternate- day dosing scheme
You can go back to the Tropica site & read what they recommend on their fertilizer system ... many of the videos seem to use daily or alternate-day dosing with the fertilizers rather than adding a single large weekly (water change day) dose.

When you trim the stem plants, are you seeing good growth from the trimmed base & the replanted top?

When doing these changes/any changes, be very conservative & wait couple of weeks for response ie don't actually increase your total amount of weekly fertilizer until you see a need (eg, pale leaves on new growth), if you add  that extra T5 light for 1 hour & see not much happening after a few days, don't add another 30 or 60 min to that light effect, wait the couple of weeks, make sure that the minimal response you're seeing is not growth limitation due to insufficient "carbon" or other nutrients (usually it's CO2 that limits plant growth).

I think you've got a good creature population re CO2 production so I wouldn't add much in that area (if you only had 10 fish, I'd suggest increasing fish #'s as a potential CO2 source)

I find it notable that your fish were gasping when you're not adding CO2 gas to the tank nor is the tank "heavily" planted (there is loads of swimming room - I very much like this layout for the fish), this seems to be a function of the lily pipe system (I use those ugly green spray bars  as I already break enough wine glasses )


----------



## TallDragon (29 Mar 2015)

alto said:


> Plants look very healthy & algae looks to be minimal, so really a nice low tech (slow growth ) set up.
> If you feel you want to tinker, you might
> 1) add another dose of liquid CO2 at the start of the evening light cycle ...
> 2) if you're at an excess of "carbon", consider adding slightly more light, eg, turn on that 2nd T5 for 1hour in the middle of your evening light cycle
> ...



1. Not an option, as I am at work during the day, so I would not be able to add the second dose.
2. Not an option, as I cannot control the T5 tubes separately - not worth the investment of 1 hour.
3. I was also thinking about that. I do plan to experiment with adding some more fertilizers mid-week.

Stem plents are getting very good growth, they take root pretty quickly.


----------



## Greenfinger2 (31 Mar 2015)

Hi TallDragon  Sorry to hear about the Loach  Wonderful Scape Healthy plants too


----------



## TallDragon (12 Apr 2015)

Greenfinger2 said:


> Hi TallDragon  Sorry to hear about the Loach  Wonderful Scape Healthy plants too


Hi Greenfinger, thanks for stopping by.

Here is an update.

The loach has been replaced by 2 ram cichlids, (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi) who turned out to be both males. They were chasing each other all the time and all the other tank inhabitants were feeling stressed. All my Amano shrimp and Red Cherries disappeared into the small tunnel under the wood. I did not see them for a whole week. 





This weekend I got the more agressive male replaced.... hopefully this time it is a female. The two do not appear to be fighting or chasing each other. The red cherries have also come out of hiding.

Also, while I was in the shop I picked up a very rare little plant (also quite pricy) : Bucephalandra cf. motleyana "Melawi" . It is a very gorgeous, deep green plant.



from the side:


----------



## Greenfinger2 (12 Apr 2015)

Hi TallDragon, Great news Fab looking Ram  Nice looking Buce too  And yes there a bit pricey  But as more people buy them the price will come down


----------



## Chrisvx220 (14 Apr 2015)

Stunning!


----------



## alto (15 Apr 2015)

Tank seems to be filling in nicely ... interesting how little algae is on those fabulous stones 

The Buce is interesting though I'm not sure about the placement - seems a bit busy where it is


----------



## stefanprisacariu (15 Apr 2015)

The tank is growing quite well, I like it!


----------



## TallDragon (9 May 2015)

A few photos taken today.
One of the ciclids died. Appears to have choked on a baby Red Cherry shrimp.
I also donated 9 of the neons to a friend, to decrease the load.
Around 1,5 weeks ago, I totally cut the lighting before the siesta for 2 reasons, we went away for 4 days, so I could not add the Easy Carbo every morning. Also BBA was starting to appear.
 Lighting is now only 3pm-9pm.





closeups:


----------



## Ryan Thang To (10 May 2015)

This has really come to live now. Im loving the mix colour. Great tank. The rock still looks like a big snail though lol 

Cheers
ryan


----------



## TallDragon (10 May 2015)

Day 92 - flowering

Today I played around with the white balance on my camera, to get the colors more accurate under the 6000K tube.
Also took some more pics of the Bucephalandra cf. motleyana "Melawi"  in flower, playing with my 55mm fixed lens.


----------



## TallDragon (10 May 2015)

legytt said:


> This has really come to live now. Im loving the mix colour. Great tank. The rock still looks like a big snail though lol
> 
> Cheers
> ryan


Thanks Ryan. Check out today's pictures.


----------



## TallDragon (11 May 2015)

The flowering - day 2


----------



## TallDragon (12 May 2015)

Flowering - Day 3


----------



## TallDragon (21 May 2015)

The female ram, felt like chomping on a red cherry. Circle of life.


----------



## TallDragon (21 May 2015)

Chrisvx220 said:


> Stunning!


Thanks Chris for stopping by. Hope you enjoy the pictures since.


----------



## TallDragon (25 May 2015)

Just a quick photo update - nothing major to report, except that there are visibly many many Red Cherries coming out and 2 of the Amanos are carrying many little berries.


----------



## Greenfinger2 (27 May 2015)

Hi TallDragon, Love the Scape Wonderful photos too


----------



## Nick_V (28 May 2015)

Nice tank! But you know that eggs of the amano shrim don't hatch, righ?


----------



## TallDragon (29 May 2015)

Greenfinger2 said:


> Hi TallDragon, Love the Scape Wonderful photos too


Thanks for the compliments.


----------



## TallDragon (29 May 2015)

Nick_V said:


> Nice tank! But you know that eggs of the amano shrim don't hatch, righ?


Yeah. I know.


----------



## Sk3lly (29 May 2015)

Nick_V said:


> Nice tank! But you know that eggs of the amano shrim don't hatch, righ?


You can hatch them in brackish water though i believe? I may be wrong though


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Nick_V (29 May 2015)

Yeah, but even then it is still very hard to get them grown


----------



## Sk3lly (29 May 2015)

Nick_V said:


> Yeah, but even then it is still very hard to get them grown


Yea ive got no experience in it. Probably well worth trying. Amanos seem to be getting more expensive in my area


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Nick_V (29 May 2015)

an other option is the 'mini amano'. I have these shrimps.They are as big as a Cherry shrimp but breed twice as fast


----------



## TallDragon (18 Jun 2015)

Day 131 update

Not much going on. Tank is cranking away nicely. Still BBA troubles, as usual, on the fringes of leaves.
During last week's water change I cut things back a bit.
Exciting news is that the Bucephalandra appears to like it in the tank, as it now has 3 flowers, almost a mere 5 weeks after the very first flowering.
I highly recommend this plant to those who want this periodic 'high' from seeing new flowers blooming in their tank.





from the side



from the front (white 6000K white balance)



(with auto white balance)


----------



## TallDragon (6 Jul 2015)

Fresh pictures from this evening. I removed the stones for a thorough cleaning. Two weeks ago I added Seachem Purigen to the filter.


----------



## Ryan Thang To (6 Jul 2015)

amazing. nice colours

cheers
ryan


----------



## Greenfinger2 (10 Jul 2015)

Wonderful scape


----------



## TallDragon (15 Jul 2015)

I have put on some Christmas Moss (Vesicularia montagnei) - there is no turning back now!
I hope it improves the scape.


----------



## TallDragon (21 Jul 2015)

Day 164 (app. 5.5 months)
A bit of cleanup: Cutting back, rearranging, tidying


----------



## Alexander Belchenko (21 Jul 2015)

Very nice top view! Now your plants are filling the scape nicely.


----------



## TallDragon (21 Jul 2015)

Alexander Belchenko said:


> Very nice top view! Now your plants are filling the scape nicely.


Thanks Alexander.
I decided to take more photos from above -- this the viewpoint from which I enjoy my aquarium most of the time. Less so from a straight facing 'aquascape' view. It is a planted 3D tank after all!
It is a low-tech tank, so it does take a while for it to fill in.


----------



## Alexander Belchenko (21 Jul 2015)

Yeah, I'm big fan of top views too, from the height of standing man.


----------



## Jaydip (21 Jul 2015)

Simple and Nice.Love this tank.


----------



## TallDragon (21 Jul 2015)

Jaydip said:


> Simple and Nice.Love this tank.


Thanks Jaydip for stopping by and for the positive words.


----------



## Greenfinger2 (21 Jul 2015)

Hi Talldragon, The Scape is looking great. Fab plant health too  I also love the shot


----------



## zozo (21 Jul 2015)

I thought the same Christmas Moss hopfully it improves my scape.. it didnt, it grows so fast it ruined my scape took almost all out again. And once it is in there your stuck with it till the last day.. So be carefull with that stuff, whit how much of it and where you put it. It grows like hell...
If you plan to grow large clumps of it, regularly inspect the inside, since you have BBA.. I once found a large nest of it inside a rather latge patch of moss.. It collects all kinds of stuff floating around..  Would be a pitty for such i nice scape you got there..


----------



## TallDragon (22 Jul 2015)

zozo said:


> I thought the same Christmas Moss hopfully it improves my scape.. it didnt, it grows so fast it ruined my scape took almost all out again. And once it is in there your stuck with it till the last day.. So be carefull with that stuff, whit how much of it and where you put it. It grows like hell...
> If you plan to grow large clumps of it, regularly inspect the inside, since you have BBA.. I once found a large nest of it inside a rather latge patch of moss.. It collects all kinds of stuff floating around..  Would be a pitty for such i nice scape you got there..


Hi zozo, thanks for the comments. 
I only put moss on 3 branches of the wood, where it will be hopefully easy to maintain.
As this is my very first scape, I took my time in deciding on getting the moss on it. I consider it an evolution / experiment of what I had over the past months. 
Mine is a low-tech tank (no Easy Carbo anymore and only 6 hours of light/day) , so I hope the moss does not grow like hell, but slowly and 'elegantly'. Luckily not much stuff floats around. I try to keep feedings to a minimum.


----------



## zozo (22 Jul 2015)

Yes, i see the picture it looks very nice, like the canopy of a tree.. I can compare your scape a bit with mine, many  plants, like a jungle style in a small inveronment. HAd the same idea with the moss. I don't know how it grows in low tech, but i'm about to find out, i'll give it a go. In high tech it was a menace in my case and totaly grows out of proportion. Chrismas moss doesn't realy creep, it more likes to branch out (Hence the name - christmas tree) with is brush like strings and hook togheter, it becomes a large filter sponshe like that over time catching a lot of debris (You'll will notice a color change when it gets dirty)  and of course it catches also the BBA floating around. If you want to keep that in check it needs a lot of trimming and inspection. Than you'll have tiny pieces of moss floating around and spreading if you don't pick it all up again.

I've seen many very beautifull scapes whit lots of Christmas moss, my respect to those aquascapers, it must be a meticulous job to maintain in shape.. I'll never use it again in a jungle style, there are other more suitable and even as beautiful mosses for that.

I'd love to see how it works out for you..  Succes!!


----------



## TallDragon (26 Sep 2015)

Hi everyone. I am now back online. The summer was busy. But the fall season is here and it is once again time to start doing some indoor gardening.
The tank has been ticking along nicely, with basic maintenance.
Most of the plants have been developing nicely. Only the Ranunculus inundatus melted away over the months.
I also added some Cryptocoryne spec. Flamingo in the empty spot in the front right corner.
Pictures via mobile - as my trusty Sony ILCE-5000's memory card is packed:


----------



## Marius_20 (26 Sep 2015)

The tank is looking good, clean and healthy. I like it.

That flamingo crypto. is so nice. I think i will buy some of them also.


----------



## TallDragon (27 Sep 2015)

Here is a picture with a proper 50mm lens


----------



## Ady34 (6 Oct 2015)

Your moss and that crypt in particular are lush, two of my favourtie plants and the contrasts look great together


----------



## TallDragon (15 Oct 2015)

Some fresh pics, from different angles


----------



## Alexander Belchenko (15 Oct 2015)

Looks very good and fresh.


----------



## TallDragon (2 Nov 2015)

Flamingo crypto developing nicely.




old picture after planting


----------



## Manu (2 Nov 2015)

Beautiful tank and great looking plants!!


----------



## TallDragon (3 Nov 2015)

Manu said:


> Beautiful tank and great looking plants!!


Many thanks Manu for the compliments. Your tank is very lovely too.


----------



## Greenfinger2 (6 Nov 2015)

Hi Talldragon,Congratulations on a stunning scape and wonderful plant health


----------



## TallDragon (23 Nov 2015)

Day 289 (9months 16days)
Nothing special going on. Plants are growing. I cut back the moss a bit. Not a championship photo, just a work in progress status picture.
It is worth checking out progress/changes since Post #70. I miss those glory days a bit, but it is evolving, and the tank will hopefully have another peak.


----------



## banthaman.jm (23 Nov 2015)

Great tank TallDragon and good photos.
Jim


----------



## TallDragon (25 Nov 2015)

A picture from the side


----------



## tim (25 Nov 2015)

Lovely


----------



## TallDragon (16 Jan 2016)

Well. After Christmas and into the new year I did a significant pruning this morning. The tank is not in it's best shape, but it is work in progress. It will be 1 year old in 3 weeks.


----------



## Greenfinger2 (16 Jan 2016)

Hi TallDragon, Still looking great


----------



## rebel (17 Jan 2016)

Wow, just read this journal. Thanks for all the ongoing updates.. Nice to learn how a tank can evolve.


----------



## Manu (17 Jan 2016)

Well done Talldragon, it looks great! Beautiful colours 

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk


----------



## TallDragon (23 Jan 2016)

rebel said:


> Wow, just read this journal. Thanks for all the ongoing updates.. Nice to learn how a tank can evolve.


Thanks rebel for checking in an browsing the journal.



Greenfinger2 said:


> Hi TallDragon, Still looking great


Thanks Greenfinger2 for the kind compliment.



Manu said:


> Well done Talldragon, it looks great! Beautiful colours


Thanks Manu. I am definitely going for a high contrast high colour world in a low tech. Unfortunately some plants just melt away, or do not turn red, due to the low light levels.

Keep Checking Back! (it also motivates me to be more active)


----------



## TallDragon (5 Feb 2016)

Hi everyone, I am happy to report that my very first planted aquarium will become a 1 year old tank this weekend.
I do not know if I will have time to take pictures exactly this Sunday (after a hopefully thorough cleanup), but here are some shots from tonight.


----------



## Greenfinger2 (5 Feb 2016)

Hi TallDragon, Happy birthday to your tank  Scape is Looking great


----------



## alto (6 Feb 2016)

Well done!


----------



## faizal (6 Feb 2016)

This is an amazing tank Congratulations on such an amazing perseverance...You are very patient indeed. Truly lovely mate


----------



## TallDragon (7 Feb 2016)

Happy birthday to my tank. Here are some pictures, after a major cleanup this weekend. Enjoy.


----------



## Alexander Belchenko (7 Feb 2016)

Is it crypt flamingo on 4th photo?


----------



## TallDragon (7 Feb 2016)

Alexander Belchenko said:


> Is it crypt flamingo on 4th photo?


Yes. I added it last September. See this post.


----------



## Alexander Belchenko (8 Feb 2016)

Try to add some crypto tabs to its roots zone, it helps to get more colors.


----------



## TallDragon (8 Feb 2016)

Alexander Belchenko said:


> Try to add some crypto tabs to its roots zone, it helps to get more colors.


Thanks for the advice. I did a major cleanup this weekend and added some Tropica nutrition capsules. Is there something specific you recommend for crypts?
Otherwise the lack of color might just be due to the 'low-light' setup and the shade that the bigger crypt makes from behind.


----------



## Alexander Belchenko (8 Feb 2016)

Yes, flamingo looks quite pale in low-tech, but adding crypto tabs helps anyway. It also need a lot of light, because of lack of hlorophyll in their leaves.
In the past I've used Tetra CryptoTabs, today I'm using local brand tabs (and they work better), but I doubt you can get it outside my country, so I don't bother you with its name.
Have no experience with Tropica's capsules, but judjing from description - that should be great.


----------



## Konrad Michalski (8 Feb 2016)

Good looking tank. What sort of lily outlet do you use? Mine look the same but don't even go below the water level even though the tank is nearly full. Cheers


----------



## TallDragon (9 Feb 2016)

Konrad Michalski said:


> Good looking tank. What sort of lily outlet do you use? Mine look the same but don't even go below the water level even though the tank is nearly full. Cheers


Sorry Konrad, I baught the entire aquarium kit second hand, so I have no clue about the lily outlet brand. It is some no-name pipe.


----------



## TallDragon (21 Feb 2016)

Hi everyone. I did a bit of tidying up and added some Rotala indica (Dennerle R40) here and there. I am sure you can spot where.









And a picture taken exactly a year ago:


----------



## TallDragon (14 Mar 2016)

Added a batch of Limnophila hippuridoides to the back.
Also turned back the 'plant' tube in the light, that was disconnected on day 2. So running at 2x24W, as a trial. I am adding 2ml EasyCarbo daily too. If something goes bad, I will disconnect the tube again. I just wanted the new arrival to get some good light and turn pinkish. Enjoy the shots.


----------



## alto (14 Mar 2016)

I think this should be in the Featured Journals section!


----------



## TallDragon (15 Mar 2016)

alto said:


> I think this should be in the Featured Journals section!


Thank you for the kind compliment.


----------



## TallDragon (20 Mar 2016)

The  Limnophila hippuridoides is developing nicely


----------



## BexHaystack (20 Mar 2016)

Hi TallDragon, what a wonderful tank! I'm hoping to set up a low tech tank in a month or so and was wondering if I could pick your brain? Are you still running the light(s) for a 6hr period? How has your Rotala/Ammania indica performed in this low-tech setup? Any plants that really didn't work/have melted away? I think your foreground is a mix of Blyxa and Eleocharis no? How have they performed? And lastly, are you fertilising at all?

A bit of a barrage of questions...Thanks in advance! There are many (amazing) high-tech setups on here but it's lovely to see the slower approach, it's no less pleasing


----------



## TallDragon (20 Mar 2016)

BexHaystack said:


> Hi TallDragon, what a wonderful tank! I'm hoping to set up a low tech tank in a month or so and was wondering if I could pick your brain? Are you still running the light(s) for a 6hr period? How has your Rotala/Ammania indica performed in this low-tech setup? Any plants that really didn't work/have melted away? I think your foreground is a mix of Blyxa and Eleocharis no? How have they performed? And lastly, are you fertilising at all?
> 
> A bit of a barrage of questions...Thanks in advance! There are many (amazing) high-tech setups on here but it's lovely to see the slower approach, it's no less pleasing



Hi BexHaystack,
Thanks for your your kind words. Here are the answers:
I am running a single 24w light now for two periods of the day: 7am-10am (This is so that I enjoy the tank in the morning), then 4pm-9pm to enjoy the afternoons and nights.
I dose 1,5ml of Easycarbo, but the tank was doing ok, when I wasn't doing any liquid carbon during fall and winter months. I do a regular waterchange: app. 40% (a bucket's worth) weekly. I have used JBL's fertilizer balls, but recently I tried the little Tropica pills and they are working nicely, especially on the new growth on the Hygrophila polysperma rosanervig at the back, on the left. Also, I have an air pump running during the night for 4 hours. I cannot confirm that it does much, but I doubt it hurts. I also use a mix of Micro and Macro element fertilizer mix, 2ml of each, per week after water change.

I think the Rotala indica is doing ok, in the spots where it has taken root and gets plenty of light. Some parts have just floated up after their stems sort of rotted away. But keep checking back.

Foreground is partly Eleocharis acicularis - which I would not recommend it is pretty pointless. The really dominating plant in the foreground is not Blyxa, but Echinodorus tenellus 'Green' which I added a year ago in post #35. It has crept forward and is moving rightwards.
Plants that have not worked: pretty long list, read the journal! . But seriously, most things have survived and have grown slowly but surely. The Ranunculus inundatus did melt away fully. That is the one I miss the most, as it had lovely texture and color. Also the Ludwigia palustris disappeared. 
My favorite plants is the Ludwigia repens, front and center.


----------



## BexHaystack (22 Mar 2016)

Hey TallDragon, thanks for the tips and thanks for taking the time to reply! I look forward to more updates on your tank and hope that it continues to flourish


----------



## TallDragon (28 Mar 2016)

Some pictures to get the mood of the tank. Progress is visible here and there.


----------



## TallDragon (9 Apr 2016)

My Ludwigia Repens has grown above water level. At the same time it has started to branch off. I will cut it back, but before I do, here are some status pics:

April 4th:




Who can spot the red cherry in the back?




Then 5 days later



and just because it is pretty (Hygrophila polysperma rosanervig):


----------



## alto (9 Apr 2016)

In your Mar 28 post, _L hippuridoides_ is looking a bit pale, possibly adjust nutrients/ferts ... overall tank looks very fine!


----------



## TallDragon (10 Apr 2016)

alto said:


> In your Mar 28 post, _L hippuridoides_ is looking a bit pale, possibly adjust nutrients/ferts ... overall tank looks very fine!



Thanks for the comment @alto . Does it look pale considering that it is a low-light setup?


----------



## alto (12 Apr 2016)

Sorry for the delay 
- I'm thinking that leafs look pale even for low light etc, you might try squirting some dilute fert (sorry can't recall what you're using) in the region of _L hip, _you might also add root tabs, but I feel water column nutrition is more relevant to this plant than some others (I could be wrong )


----------



## TallDragon (13 Apr 2016)

alto said:


> Sorry for the delay
> - I'm thinking that leafs look pale even for low light etc, you might try squirting some dilute fert (sorry can't recall what you're using) in the region of _L hip, _you might also add root tabs, but I feel water column nutrition is more relevant to this plant than some others (I could be wrong )


Thanks for the tips.
I'll add some ferts during the week, and see if they have some effect.


----------



## TallDragon (28 Apr 2016)

As promised in the April 9 post the Ludwigia Repens needed to be cut back. Here is how that cutting evolved. 
On April 12-th it was chopped in half, with the top section planted on the left side. Then, 2 days later two new side shoots appeared. 
Now 2 weeks later the two side shoots have reached the water level, and so has the nearby former-top-section too... nearly. Enjoy the pictures.
I think the diligent dosing of 2ml EasyCarbo is behind it, plus adding some macro fertilizer (2-3 times, the former amount) as @alto noted that my _L hippuridoides _looked somewhat pale

Apr 12:








Apr 14:




Apr 26:




I still love taking shots of the top of this nice plant


----------



## BexHaystack (28 Apr 2016)

It's a super happy tank, well done


----------



## TallDragon (14 May 2016)

After a bit of gardening.


----------



## BexHaystack (14 May 2016)

Still looking great! And you're making good use of the L.repens


----------



## TallDragon (16 Jul 2016)

Hi all, Just a quick summer update.
Tank is ticking away nicely.
2 fauna additions:
6 Forktail rainbowfish (Popondetta Furcata)
1 Stiphodon


----------



## Alexander Belchenko (17 Jul 2016)

Your sp. Flamingo looks good. I like this plant though it's tricky.


----------



## TallDragon (17 Jul 2016)

Shots with my 50mm F1.8 lens hopefully the sharpness is better.


----------



## TallDragon (17 Jul 2016)

Alexander Belchenko said:


> Your sp. Flamingo looks good. I like this plant though it's tricky.


Alex, thanks for the compliment. Why do you find it tricky? I have absolutely no problems with it, and it gets no special treatment.


----------



## Alexander Belchenko (18 Jul 2016)

TallDragon said:


> Alex, thanks for the compliment. Why do you find it tricky? I have absolutely no problems with it, and it gets no special treatment.



Well, yes, it is quite hardy plant, it can tolerate low light, as I see in your case it's in shade, but you won't get the best color. To get the best from it - you need strong light and preferably some root tabs ferts, so this crypt will start to develop bright red color on new leaves. But in the same time it tends to loose older leaves very quickly, it does not like mechanical damage on leaves. And I found that mother plant I've got couple of years ago (original sp. Flamingo in-vitro culture from Dennerle) the mother plant grows great all this time. But daugther plants are quite weak in my case, have no clear idea what's wrong, they grow much slower and quicker lose leaves, some of daughter plants can't develop full mature form after year of growing alone. I suspect one should not detach plantlets until they mature, which is not true for other types of crypts.

So, in general - original in-vitro plants are quite hardy, but next generation is quite tricky (for me). That could be very good plant for Dennerle - to sell more in-vitro plants if there are problems to get proper descendants.


----------



## BexHaystack (18 Jul 2016)

Still looking great! What is your fert regime nowadays?


----------



## alto (18 Jul 2016)

Tank is looking great  

I agree with above, it's be great to see present tank detail re photoperiod & water changes etc


Is there a ram duo or just the girl?


----------



## alto (18 Jul 2016)

Alexander Belchenko said:


> So, in general - original in-vitro plants are quite hardy, but next generation is quite tricky (for me). That could be very good plant for Dennerle - to sell more in-vitro plants if there are problems to get proper descendants.


this isn't Dennerle ... it's quite typical for some plant lines to be less stable than others


----------



## Alexander Belchenko (19 Jul 2016)

@alto, I'm not quite get your comment. I know for sure that my sp. flamingo is dennerle branded. Like this:

http://greenaqua2.greenaquallc.netd...945-cryptocoryne-spec-flamingo-in-vitro-2.jpg


----------



## alto (19 Jul 2016)

for my lack of clarity - I don't mean that your plant is not from Dennerle
but that Dennerle has likely not "planned" for the plant species to not be a stable mutation or cross (I've no idea on the details of C sp. Flamingo)


----------



## TallDragon (19 Jul 2016)

alto said:


> Tank is looking great
> I agree with above, it's be great to see present tank detail re photoperiod & water changes etc
> Is there a ram duo or just the girl?



Hi Alto,

Photoperiod is: 1 single Giesemann 24W T5 Powerchrome Midday 6000K  at 2 intervals during the day: 7am-10am,  4pm -9pm   (using a 'siesta')
Water changes: sometime between 1 or 2 weeks, as I have time. About a 20 litre bucket's worth of water changed, using about a 1/4 cap of Seachem Prime
I also use an air pump (Tetra Tec APS 100) - this really helps break up the scum on the water surface overnight, so I wake up to a clean tank in the morning - 3 hours from 10pm, then 2,5 hours from 3am
The ram is a alone in the tank. The other one jumped out.



BexHaystack said:


> Still looking great! What is your fert regime nowadays?


Fert regime is a locally sold 'Micro' and 'Macro' local fertilizer. I use 2ml of each right after the water change ... and maybe 1ml after 1 week if I am late with my water change regime.

@Alexander Belchenko My Flamingo is a Dennerle I think. I planted it last September (journal entry here).


----------



## BexHaystack (20 Jul 2016)

Thanks for the details  are you still adding liquid carbon?


Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk


----------



## TallDragon (21 Jul 2016)

BexHaystack said:


> Thanks for the details  are you still adding liquid carbon?


Hi, I have not added liquid carbon for a while prior to this past week. When I went to the store to pick up the new fish last Saturday I picked up some Seachem Excel, and I have been giving the tank 2ml each morning. 
Holidays are challenging, since I cannot dose every day.


----------



## BexHaystack (21 Jul 2016)

Do you notice much difference when not using it?


Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk


----------



## TallDragon (22 Jul 2016)

BexHaystack said:


> Do you notice much difference when not using it?



Yes, the BBA seems be be more under control and after a couple of weeks the plants do seem lively in their growth. Assuming I add the fertilizers too, but do not alter lighting levels.


----------



## TallDragon (5 Oct 2016)

Apologies for the extended silence during the summer. 
Here is the current situation. Unfortunately there is a bit of BBA on the Bucephalandra.


----------



## alto (6 Oct 2016)

Still looks good 

That ram seems as if she's been eating for two  (or perhaps it's just the camera adding 10!) .... though there is that (slightly?) damning photo of _Her + the Cherry Shrimp_
Is she the only ram?




TallDragon said:


> there is a bit of BBA on the Bucephalandra.


you might return to dosing with liquid carbon - it's definitely active against BBA ... try adding daily for a couple weeks; you can syringe dose in the area of the Buce but that can also affect plant leafs


----------



## TallDragon (29 Oct 2016)

New update, after additions and a bit of rearrangement.
4 ruby tetras
4 endler guppies
2 Otocinclus affinis
and a Valisneria americana var. asiatica  (presently just dropped in, until I decide where to put it. - Ideas welcome!)


----------



## johnmescal (29 Oct 2016)

lovely Tank and a great journal....... thinking of doing a low tech and this is very encouraging and inspiring...... I also admire your patience! well done


----------



## TallDragon (29 Oct 2016)

Two shots from different angles


----------



## Greenfinger2 (29 Oct 2016)

Hi TallDragon Just catching up  Wonderful journal and superb photos 

Love the scape and planting 

Great angel shot photo


----------



## alto (30 Oct 2016)

TallDragon said:


> Valisneria americana var. asiatica


this particular plant doesn't look in the best of condition so I'd expect it to melt - possibly completely ... but it should come back given enough patience
so plant it in an area where you won't mind it disappearing & then reappearing, while Tropica lists it as "low light" I've found it to prefer clear access to that light, so don't hide it too completely behind other stuff. Once established it's much more capable of growing anywhere/everywhere 
(just trim back the runners as you like)



Greenfinger2 said:


> Great angel shot photo


I went back looking for the angel
- stunning P manacapuru in this thread


----------



## Greenfinger2 (30 Oct 2016)

alto said:


> this particular plant doesn't look in the best of condition so I'd expect it to melt - possibly completely ... but it should come back given enough patience
> so plant it in an area where you won't mind it disappearing & then reappearing, while Tropica lists it as "low light" I've found it to prefer clear access to that light, so don't hide it too completely behind other stuff. Once established it's much more capable of growing anywhere/everywhere
> (just trim back the runners as you like)
> 
> ...




Hi Alto,  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camera_angle


----------



## TallDragon (5 Nov 2016)

alto said:


> this particular plant doesn't look in the best of condition so I'd expect it to melt - possibly completely ... but it should come back given enough patience
> so plant it in an area where you won't mind it disappearing & then reappearing, while Tropica lists it as "low light" I've found it to prefer clear access to that light, so don't hide it too completely behind other stuff. Once established it's much more capable of growing anywhere/everywhere
> (just trim back the runners as you like.



Alto was correct, the Valisneria did start to melt away, but there appear to be new leaves coming up. Keeping my fingers crossed that it comes back. I'll take photos when the aquarium is presentable again.


----------



## TallDragon (11 Nov 2016)

Two pics from above


----------



## Greenfinger2 (11 Nov 2016)

Hi TallDragon. Wonderful plants and fab photos too congratulations


----------



## TallDragon (29 Jan 2017)

Tank is almost 2 years old now.


----------



## dw1305 (29 Jan 2017)

Hi all,





TallDragon said:


> Tank is almost 2 years old now.


That is a very chubby Ram.

cheers Darrel


----------



## TallDragon (11 Mar 2017)

Fresh pictures


----------

