# George's 120cm - Nature's Reflection v2



## George Farmer (22 Mar 2010)

Iâ€™m really pleased to be able to share with you all my latest aquascape.  Unfortunately I didnâ€™t have my camera during the setting up stage so these are the first photos I could get.

The aquascape is just 7 days old in these shots and itâ€™s progressing nicely.  Hairgrass and glosso sending out runners, and crypts adapting nicely.  Vallis is another story, but more on that later.

I know the fish selection may not be to everyoneâ€™s taste, but Iâ€™ve always liked Angelfish and perhaps more importantly, my wife loves them!  

The tank is a 120x45x45cm (240 litres) with black ADA-style cabinet.  Supplied by Aquarium Ltd, it was used for the Festival of Fishkeeping 2008, and ever since has been with Dan Crawford.

Dan was happy to loan the tank to me (thanks pal!), so after some hard work stripping down the existing set-up and moving it down a flight of particularly steep stairs, and a thorough cleaning, here we are.

Iâ€™ve used only plants leftover from a TV aquascaping feature, after Dan and James Starr-Marshall took their share.  Considering by this point, the plants had been in a box for around 4 weeks, they were in good condition â€“ testament to the quality of Tropica.

However, the vallis was in very poor condition (a 100% aquatic plant, it does not fair well out of water) and Iâ€™ve planted the healthiest bits.  Theyâ€™re still struggling with most of the leaves going transparent, but Iâ€™m hopeful that there will be enough new growth to eventually form a nice curtain-background.

Hardscape consists of Sumatra wood and Seiryu Stone.  Nothing groundbreaking and itâ€™s stuff I had spare in the garage.  Depending how I get on with the Java moss I have already, I would like to cover a lot of the exposed branches in the center of the layout, to soften the appearance.

Iâ€™m happy with the design and over the months think it will mature into a nice aquascape.  Itâ€™s been a long time since I had my own decent sized planted tank and Iâ€™m really enjoying realising a renewed passion for the hobby.

Eventually I will stock a large shoal of Rummynose tetra and probably tinker about with more plants, as I see fit.

I am considering swapping the black plastic piping for 17mm glassware, but I do like the indestructible and lower maintenance aspects to the plasticâ€¦  Your thoughts most welcome!

I look forward to sharing the journey with you all and will try to update with new photos every week or so.

*Tank specifications*

*Aquarium* â€“ 120x45x45cm (240 litres), opti-white with gloss black ADA-style cabinet

*Lighting* â€“ Arcadia OT2 luminaire, 4 x 54w HO T5.  JBL Natur (9000K) and Arcadia Plant-Pro lamps.  Two lamps for 8 hours.

*Filtration and heating *â€“ 2 x JBL 1200lph externals with black plastic piping.  10x turnover.  Hydor 300w in-line heater.

*CO2* â€“ 2 x 2Kg pressurised systems with glass/ceramic diffuser under each filter inlet.  Both with solenoids set to come on 1 hour before lighting, and off 1 hour before lights off.

*Substrate* â€“ From bottom-up, 5 litres Tropica Plant Substrate, Unipac Black, Seachem Flourite Black, Caribsea EcoComplete

*Fertilisers* â€“Tropica Plant Nutrition+ (5ml per day), Easy-Life Profito (5ml per day),

*Water* â€“ NO3 and PO4 relatively high from tap.  50% water change every week.

*Hardscape *â€“ Sumatra wood and Seiryu stone

*Plants â€“*
_Vallisneria spiralis â€˜Tigerâ€™
Vallisneria nana
Microsorium pteropus
Cryptocoryne wendtii â€˜Greenâ€™
Cryptocoryne wendtii â€˜Tropicaâ€™
Eleocharis parvula
Glossostigma elatinoides
Taxiphyllum barberei_


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## Mark Evans (22 Mar 2010)

looking good mate! 

I'm actually a fan of angels, so these, to me, look very pleasant indeed.


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## Steve Smith (22 Mar 2010)

Nice!  When the vallis catches up it'll all tie together obviously   I'm still on the fence regarding the angels, but if the wife likes them then they're perfect   My LFS has some lovely looking angels in at the moment.  They look a little like false altums.  If I were to have angels, I'd go for them (or altums!)

That seems like a high tech setup considering most of your recent scapes!  Great stuff


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## keymaker (22 Mar 2010)

I like your this tank a lot (fish selection too!  :silent: ). There has been quite a time since somebody had a good glosso FG around. I am interested to see how this develops.

- Your water looks really clear. What kind of filter material do you use in your JBLs?
- Are the bubbles from your diffusers actually being sucked into both filters? I guess that is on purpose.  How do you think the filter performance (nitrification effectiveness and noise) are being affected by that?


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## Mawgan (22 Mar 2010)

Congratulations, George, and thanks for the excellent photos.  

Do I detect the angels are regarded as being a little old-school or a bit of a clichÃ©?  Personally, I think those Koi angels are beautifully coloured and very graceful.

On a technical point, as one about to buy a luminaire with 24w , could I ask about your choice of lamps, and how easy it is to specify your requirement when buying?  Every online source that I have seen quotes the same Plant Pro.  I quite accept that these may be the best, but I can't find their output spec.  Could you explain your selection, please?

Looking forward to more piccies..

David


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## JamesM (22 Mar 2010)

Nice to see an unfinished scape from you George. Looking pretty good too


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## Dan Crawford (22 Mar 2010)

Looking good George! It's nice to see one of your journals again  

Cracking photography as always.

Try and let them rocks get a bit dirty, no tooth brush action


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## hydrophyte (22 Mar 2010)

That looks lovely George. And I like those fish. It will be great to see it grow in.


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## George Farmer (22 Mar 2010)

Thanks for all the lovely comments, all!  It feels great to get stuck into aquascaping journalism again!  



			
				saintly said:
			
		

> looking good mate!
> 
> I'm actually a fan of angels, so these, to me, look very pleasant indeed.


Thank mate!  I like the angels, but they would look better in a 60+cm tall tank.  I think a nice big shoal of Rummynose tetra will balance them out nicely though.



			
				SteveUK said:
			
		

> Nice! When the vallis catches up it'll all tie together obviously  I'm still on the fence regarding the angels, but if the wife likes them then they're perfect  My LFS has some lovely looking angels in at the moment. They look a little like false altums. If I were to have angels, I'd go for them (or altums!)
> 
> That seems like a high tech setup considering most of your recent scapes! Great stuff


Thanks mate!

When you're married, compromising is a constant process!  I do prefer the more wild-looking strains of angel, but I knew the wife would like these.

Hi-tech?  I guess so, going back to my roots! 



			
				keymaker said:
			
		

> I like your this tank a lot (fish selection too! :silent: ). There has been quite a time since somebody had a good glosso FG around. I am interested to see how this develops.
> 
> - Your water looks really clear. What kind of filter material do you use in your JBLs?
> - Are the bubbles from your diffusers actually being sucked into both filters? I guess that is on purpose.  How do you think the filter performance (nitrification effectiveness and noise) are being affected by that?


Thanks!  Glosso is still one of my favourite carpeting plants.  So lush and tight if you can get it right.

Nothing special in the filters.  The usual sponges and ceramic media, no chemical media.

I'm not sure how CO2 can potentially affect the filter.  I've done it in various set-ups for years with no apparent adverse effects.  I have heard about it affecting the rubber seals, but these filters are about 4 years old now and have seen a lot of CO2!  Noise isn't an issue.  Towards the end of the photoperiod I do get occasional CO2 'burps' but it's very infrequent.  



			
				Mawgan said:
			
		

> Congratulations, George, and thanks for the excellent photos.
> 
> Do I detect the angels are regarded as being a little old-school or a bit of a clichÃ©? Personally, I think those Koi angels are beautifully coloured and very graceful.
> 
> ...


Thanks, David!

Not sure why some folk don't like angels - a member on here called these specimens 'minging', which I thought was a little harsh, but each to their own! 

Regarding lamps, I think new OT2 units by default is supplied with a combination of Plant Pro and the even pinker Original Tropical T5.  The overall rendition is far too pink for my taste.  I like the balance out the pinkness of the Plant Pro with the green/blue rendition of the JBL Natur, but the JBL need to be purchased seperately.  

To be honest, if I had to buy new lamps, I would get the cheap 4000K, 6500K or 8000K from Lamp Specs.  I bought 6 x 39w 6500K T5 recently for around 20 quid total inc. P&P; they look great and grow plants just as well.



			
				JamesM said:
			
		

> Nice to see an unfinished scape from you George. Looking pretty good too


Thanks, James!    



			
				Dan Crawford said:
			
		

> Looking good George! It's nice to see one of your journals again
> 
> Cracking photography as always.
> 
> Try and let them rocks get a bit dirty, no tooth brush action


Thanks pal!

Dirty rocks?!  Never!!   



			
				hydrophyte said:
			
		

> That looks lovely George. And I like those fish. It will be great to see it grow in.


Thanks, Devin!


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## Jase (22 Mar 2010)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> Not sure why some folk don't like angels - a member on here called these specimens 'minging', which I thought was a little harsh, but each to their own!



Whoops, that was me     There was no offence meant, of course - I just find them very artificial looking.

I think the tank looks great and I'm sure it'll look immense once grown in, especially if your 'Mother Microsorum' is anything to go by. 

Your photos are sublime also, yours always seem so clean.


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## George Farmer (22 Mar 2010)

Jase said:
			
		

> George Farmer said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks, Jase.    

And no offence taken mate. One man's artifice is another man's beauty...


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## Celestial (22 Mar 2010)

Love it! Looks great   I have the same problem with my Twisted Vallis, but I have seen good news as there are some shoots coming up next to it. Wish I had a tank like this!   


Thanks, Celestial.


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## LondonDragon (22 Mar 2010)

Looking great George  also not a fan of those Angels, but then again if they are not Altums I don't like them haha  
Looking forward to seeing how this grown in


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## George Farmer (22 Mar 2010)

Thanks, Celestial and Paulo! 

Here's a few more photos.


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## tel (22 Mar 2010)

Looks great George,   

Can I ask you why two Co2 bottles though?

Also your lighting is that two tubes only for 8 hours?

With the moss and future plans, possibly just small patches here and there to break up the wood, or some hanging/draping moss, kind of idyllic willow-esque feel, . . maybe  :silent:


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## George Farmer (22 Mar 2010)

tel said:
			
		

> Looks great George,
> 
> Can I ask you why two Co2 bottles though?
> 
> ...


Thanks, Tel! 

I've used two seperate CO2 systems so I can have better CO2 distribution and so the CO2 lasts longer between me having to change bottles (4Kg should last a few months, especially with solenoids).

I figured that one system on each filter (using the filter as a giant CO2 reactor) would work well, especially the way I've set up the inlets and outlets to promote a nice circular flow pattern around the tank.

Yes - just the two tubes for 8 hrs.  The 'tester' plant is glosso.  If that remains low then there's no need for more light.  I like to use as little light as possible really. Less energy consumption, less algae, less nutrient and CO2 requirement, slower growth and less maintenance.  It's a no-brainer for me.

I like your thinking with the moss.  Thanks for the feedback!


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## Mark Evans (22 Mar 2010)

i used 2 co2 systems on my last 120cm for the same reason.

the next tank shall be 1 x inline and 1 x diffuser.

great pics!


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## CeeJay (22 Mar 2010)

Hi all

Stunning tank George.
Your photography is quite exceptional.
Great job.


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## George Farmer (23 Mar 2010)

saintly said:
			
		

> great pics!


Thanks, Mark.  That's especially nice feedback from the UKAPS no.1 shutterbug!  



			
				CeeJay said:
			
		

> Hi all
> 
> Stunning tank George.
> Your photography is quite exceptional.
> Great job.


Thank you, Chris!


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## Tony Swinney (23 Mar 2010)

Lovely setup George, and I like your 2 CO2 tank method too.  I'll be interested to see how it works out, as I've just changed my inlet and outlets to the same positions you have yours, for that circular flow around the tank.  

Great pics as always   

Tony


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## tel (23 Mar 2010)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> I've used two seperate CO2 systems so I can have better CO2 distribution and so the CO2 lasts longer between me having to change bottles (4Kg should last a few months, especially with solenoids).





			
				saintly said:
			
		

> i used 2 co2 systems on my last 120cm for the same reason.
> the next tank shall be 1 x inline and 1 x diffuser.


Well that all makes sense, it was just something I didn't recall reading before.



			
				George Farmer said:
			
		

> I figured that one system on each filter (using the filter as a giant CO2 reactor) would work well, especially the way I've set up the inlets and outlets to promote a nice circular flow pattern around the tank.



I did notice the inlets/outlets, wondering though George, whether you think there would be any merit in extending the outlet so it goes further down into the tank finishing about the same height as your diffuser. My thinking being C02 dispersion/ contact with water longer 



			
				George Farmer said:
			
		

> Yes - just the two tubes for 8 hrs.  The 'tester' plant is glosso.  If that remains low then there's no need for more light.  I like to use as little light as possible really. Less energy consumption, less algae, less nutrient and CO2 requirement, slower growth and less maintenance.  It's a no-brainer for me.


Got it, if it starts heading up add more light,    ta

Each time I look at the pics I marvel how gin clear that water is, brilliant


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## George Farmer (23 Mar 2010)

tel said:
			
		

> I did notice the inlets/outlets, wondering though George, whether you think there would be any merit in extending the outlet so it goes further down into the tank finishing about the same height as your diffuser. My thinking being C02 dispersion/ contact with water longer


Hi Tel,

You could have the outlets further down into the water column but I like to keep them high enough to give a decent amount of surface agitation.  This ensures good O2, especially at night, and prevents any surface scum (a pet hate of mine).  

However, even though the outlets are relatively high, the lowest plants are still physically moving in the flow, albeit gently.  This tells me that the CO2-enriched water from the filters is providing ample circulation right down there.

Time will tell if it's an effective method, and some re-adjustments may need to be made accordingly.  Hopefully my moderate lighting will ensure that the nutrient demands are met sufficiently using the current methods of CO2 injection and circulation technique.


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## Dave Spencer (23 Mar 2010)

It`s interesting for me to see how your Glosso is behaving at an early stage, George. I thought mine was getting a bit leggy, but seems to look like yours at the moment. Does a trim after a settling in stage lower it, or will stay at the height yours is now, but just fill out? I always got the impression Glosso sticks to the substrate, rather than fill out upwards like HC.

I have a few scraggy bits that were a freebie from TGM under 2 x 54W T5 HO compacts with pressurised CO2 in a 120l Juwel Lido. Fingers crossed mine works, or it is a case of using _Marsilea sp_ in its place, which won`t quite be the look I am after.

Your pics are starting to kick some _Gluteus maximus_, too.  

Dave.


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## George Farmer (23 Mar 2010)

Tonser said:
			
		

> Lovely setup George, and I like your 2 CO2 tank method too.  I'll be interested to see how it works out, as I've just changed my inlet and outlets to the same positions you have yours, for that circular flow around the tank.
> 
> Great pics as always
> 
> Tony


Thanks mate!  I try my best! 

My eldest daughter phoned me last night because the angels have spawned.  Happy days, although the eggs will likely be eaten before anything can happen.  Angels make rubbish parents!


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## George Farmer (23 Mar 2010)

Dave Spencer said:
			
		

> I always got the impression Glosso sticks to the substrate, rather than fill out upwards like HC.
> 
> Your pics are starting to kick some _Gluteus maximus_, too.


Thanks mate! 

My experience has been the same with glosso, but previously I have always planted it stem-by-stem (small part of stem with a pair of leaves either side) which helps with the immediate horizontal growth.

This time I was much lazier...  I just ripped portions from the pots and planted quite brutally with tweezers.

Any new  leggy growth I will prune off and re-plant, that will hopefull encourage a tight and low carpet.  I do this with HC and it works very well.

I'm away from the tank midweek so I'm filled with anticipation to how the plants have developed in my absence!


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## rawr (23 Mar 2010)

I actually don't mind the Angelfish too much, if anything I think they look a bit too big for the aquascape and it takes away from the scale o things. 

Your photography definately has it's own style, I could probably chose your photo out of a line up. It should look good once grown in a bit more, nice one! I look forward to seeing it progress.


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## FishBeast (25 Mar 2010)

I look forward to seeing what you do with the moss. I have never liked Java moss ever since I bought 1 square cm of "phoenix moss" just to find that I recieved 1 square cm of java moss for $20 US


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## George Farmer (25 Mar 2010)

rawr said:
			
		

> I actually don't mind the Angelfish too much, if anything I think they look a bit too big for the aquascape and it takes away from the scale o things.
> 
> Your photography definately has it's own style, I could probably chose your photo out of a line up. It should look good once grown in a bit more, nice one! I look forward to seeing it progress.


Thanks, Thomas.  

I see what you mean about the scale of the large fish.  I'm looking forward to adding a shoal of smaller fish to help balance it out.  

Everyone says it about their own tanks, but this does look better in the flesh and the fish are very graceful, if a little gawdy for some tastes.

My photography 'style' has been mentioned a few times.  Not sure if that's a good thing or not!    



			
				FishBeast said:
			
		

> I look forward to seeing what you do with the moss. I have never liked Java moss ever since I bought 1 square cm of "phoenix moss" just to find that I recieved 1 square cm of java moss for $20 US


Sorry to hear about your experience with Java moss.

I've never really succeeded with a decent qty. of moss before, so I'm going to give this a really good shot, and not give up on it so easily... 

I've still three large portions in the original packing from Tropica - it's over 5 weeks old now but still looks incredibly healthy.  I intend to attach a lot of it over some of the bare branches in the center of the layout, so hopefully that will soften the look and add to a further sense of naturalistic maturity.

Java moss is still one of favourite mosses.  Amano uses it to great effect in particular, of course!

One thing this tank has made me realise; out of all the aquariums and aquascapes I've set up and created, from fancy goldfish, to cichlid, to reef; my undeniable passion still lies with planted aquaria, and Nature Aquarium style aquascaping.  

It's been worth setting up such a wide variety of aquascapes to truly realise this.  An epiphany.   :idea:


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## John Starkey (25 Mar 2010)

Hi George,loving it mate ,I've always liked the simplicity in your aquascaping style,you say your self it's nothing but I find your scapes alwYs start simple and turn out really nice with the plants taking centre stage,I personally am not sure about your angel choice (I do like angels) but we have to keep the wife happy hey,you always seemto get nice fish pics, I struggle with this area of photography, do have any sort of setup for it?
Thanks for the phone call today it meant alot,
regards john.


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## George Farmer (25 Mar 2010)

Thanks, John.  Nice to hear from you mate.

Clean and simple - just like me eh?!

Nothing special with the photography.  I'm too lazy to get the studio lights out!

Tank lights, fairly wide apertures to get fast enough shutter speed to avoid camera shake and to capture the fish nice and sharp.  ISO typically around 800 to get decent shutter speeds too.  Auto white balance, and I shoot jpeg...   

Canon 100mm f2.8 macro for close-ups.  Sigma 17-70mm for general shots.  Canon 50mm f1.8 for full-tank shots.  No fancy L-series like you mate!!    

Minor post-processing in CS3; Exposure, Curves and maybe some Unsharp Mask, if required.  Then re-size to around 800 pixels along the longest edge for publishing on the web.

I try to keep the workflow simple, just like my style!


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## TBRO (25 Mar 2010)

I like the angels and my wife has taken a look and says why don't I get such nice fish! Don't think my cardinals would like the company of the angels having said that Amano and TGM keep cardinals with their altum angels. Looking foreward to the update, wish I could get glosso to behave - T


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## Arte Et Labore 1875 (26 Mar 2010)

Thanks for answering my previous question George. I love the tank by the way and the opti-white and quality photography make such a massive difference!!

Did your in-line heater fit straight into the JBL filter tubes or did you have to replace them with vinyl tubing? I'm wondering if you know of any filters that require no hose changes to be able to use these heaters - i'm not even going to attemp to use them on my fluvals, the abcense of a in-tank heater makes a huge difference in my opinion.

Also is there any filters i should avoid feeding the co2 through like you'v done with your JBL's, I've heard some can cause airlock?


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## jfravn (26 Mar 2010)

Thank you for commenting on my flickr-photo. 

Your aquascape here is absolutely magnificent. Lean and simple, not unlike an earlier scape of yours (a small british pond scape). The clarity of your water is enviable. How do you do that only 7 days into the scape.

I'm still struggling with greenish water after one month (maybe due to a combination of ADA aquasoil amazonia and alkaline water (GH 19, ph 7,3 (tap)). I added Seachem Purigen 3 days ago, and it helps, but its not there yet.


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## Mark Evans (27 Mar 2010)

It's great to see George posting a journal. This can only help but give more knowledge to the forum members. 

It's apparent to me, that even in a short space of time, it's already ignited the 'journal' section of the forum.

good to see you back George


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## George Farmer (2 Apr 2010)

Arte Et Labore 1875 said:
			
		

> Thanks for answering my previous question George. I love the tank by the way and the opti-white and quality photography make such a massive difference!!
> 
> Did your in-line heater fit straight into the JBL filter tubes or did you have to replace them with vinyl tubing? I'm wondering if you know of any filters that require no hose changes to be able to use these heaters - i'm not even going to attemp to use them on my fluvals, the abcense of a in-tank heater makes a huge difference in my opinion.
> 
> Also is there any filters i should avoid feeding the co2 through like you'v done with your JBL's, I've heard some can cause airlock?


Thank you, Arte...

I honestly cannot remember the hose that was supplied with the JBL filters, but think they would be fine with the Hydor 300w in-line heater.

In my experience all filters are ok with CO2 injection.   "Airlock" may occur if the CO2 injection rate exceeds the filter capacity.  By using two decent size filters I have minimised this.



			
				jfravn said:
			
		

> Thank you for commenting on my flickr-photo.
> 
> Your aquascape here is absolutely magnificent. Lean and simple, not unlike an earlier scape of yours (a small british pond scape). The clarity of your water is enviable. How do you do that only 7 days into the scape.
> 
> I'm still struggling with greenish water after one month (maybe due to a combination of ADA aquasoil amazonia and alkaline water (GH 19, ph 7,3 (tap)). I added Seachem Purigen 3 days ago, and it helps, but its not there yet.


You are welcome, and thank you!

I have no idea about water clarity.  My water is medium hard; KH 7, GH 14.  When the lights are out I do notice a brown/green tinge when looking end-on through the water column.



			
				saintly said:
			
		

> It's great to see George posting a journal. This can only help but give more knowledge to the forum members.
> 
> It's apparent to me, that even in a short space of time, it's already ignited the 'journal' section of the forum.
> 
> good to see you back George


Thanks, Mark.

Sharing the journey is just as rewarding as experiencing it first-hand. 

As for how this tank is progressing...

1.  Glosso going leggy - so I boosted lighting to a 4 hour midday burst of 4 x T5 54w and increased CO2/nutrients accordingly.

2.  Vallis slowly recovering.  Old plants dying off but sending out new runners.

3.  Crypts doing well.  No 'melt' and lots of new leaves.

4.  Moss is still a challenge!  Some new growth but it's very slow.  Some algae amongst moss remedied via 30x Amano shrimp.

5.  Some soft brown algae amongst the rock and crypt leaves.  Remedied via 6 _Otocinclus sp._

Photos to follow once I get back to work and access my iMac/card reader.


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## Dave Spencer (2 Apr 2010)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> 4.  Moss is still a challenge!  Some new growth but it's very slow.  Some algae amongst moss remedied via 30x Amano shrimp.



Moss is a real crud magnet in my experience, resulting in algae. I always use a pasting brush to constantly fluff it up and keep it pristine. I find it a high maintenance plant, especially after cutting it back and trying to retrieve all the off cuts that sink.

How have done yours, George? I prefer the look it gives when attached to more vertical branches. It seems to align itself much more neatly. Put a vertical branch with moss next to a horizontal one and it looks like two different types of moss to my eye, just due to the way it behaves when taken from the horizontal.

Another look I like is to attach the moss behind the wood, out of eye sight. As it grows it pokes out from the sides of the wood, giving it a nice, fringed look. 

Mosses become more maintenance as they fill in, and almost feel like a fast growing plant, but they are mostly worth the effort.

Sorry to ramble on, but once your Glosso kicks in it will have taken over the substrate before the moss has barely started. Do you periodically strip out major clumps of the Glosso, letting it back fill the gaps again? I ask because I have Glosso in a tank with moss, too, and I am not too sure on how to pace the whole set up with such a fast growing carpetting plant. Having said that, it is the _Eleocharis parvula _that is out growing everything at the moment.

Dave.


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## Mark Evans (2 Apr 2010)

Dave Spencer said:
			
		

> Sorry to ramble on, but once your Glosso kicks in it will have taken over the substrate before the moss has barely started. Do you periodically strip out major clumps of the Glosso, letting it back fill the gaps again? I ask because I have Glosso in a tank with moss, too, and I am not too sure on how to pace the whole set up with such a fast growing carpetting plant. Having said that, it is the Eleocharis parvula that is out growing everything at the moment.



Amano also suffered this in 1 particular tank (aquajournal interview) he had to replace the glosso for acicularis, as the glosso run him ragged before the tank could mature. 

George is the man for glosso, so it's not out his reach i reckon  

As you know George, trim moss damn hard, waft it, like Dave says and you'll be fine. Once established on the wood, it becomes easier to handle, and more 'natural' looking. i've got some that's grown 3 inches up the wood and out the water. looks so nice.


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## George Farmer (3 Apr 2010)

Thanks, guys.

Dave - Please feel to ramble on anytime.  It's what journals are for!

As for the glosso, once it's established fully, I will simply prune it back with curved scissors every 2 weeks or so, to keep a constant layer.  At the moment I am seeing better compact growth towards the centre of the tank, where light intensity is highest.  Longer-term I may end up removing the glosso from the ends of the tank and replacing with another species.

The hairgrass is already starting to creep forward into the glosso.  I anticipate the mixed effect will look good for up to 10 weeks, before the hairgrass takes over completely.  Then it will be time to re-consider planting; either 100% hairgrass (I quite like this after seeing an awesome lawn at the Tropica nurseries).  Here's a pic.  Note the lush hairgrass (_E. parvula)_ lawn that's around 18 months old - 





Thanks for the tips on the moss, Dave and Mark.  

I'm just about to do my weekly Saturday morning maintenance routine.  I enjoy this part almost as much as looking at the tank when relaxing in the evening.

1. Prop up light unit to access tank.
2. Remove CO2 diffusers and soak in bleach solution.
3. Drop water level by 5cm to ensure water doesn't spill over sided whilst working in there.  Turn filters' flow rate right down.
4. Prune any unhealthy leaves, moss, leggy glosso etc.  Net off floates and use fingers to prevent moss from sinking when pruning.  Remove any debris from bottom of tank.  Gently disturb all plants to remove any trapped debris.
5. Wipe all glass thoroughly with algae magnet, scraper and tooth brush (near substrate line).
6. Clean one external filter and hosing if required.
7. 50% water change syphoning debris from bottom of tank by waving hand just above substrate.
8. Re-fit CO2 diffusers after de-chlorinating and syringing out liquid from underneath ceramic plate.
9. Re-install filter.
10. Wipe down glass exterior with window cleaner and cabinet with damp cloth.

Whole process typically takes 2 hours per week.  Will take longer as it matures, as the plants grow and I add more fish.

I'm looking forward to being able to update with some photos soon in a few days! 

Happy Easter, all!


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## Mark Evans (3 Apr 2010)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> Wipe down glass exterior with window cleaner and cabinet with damp cloth.



mothers recipe...vinegar and washing up liquid, a tad water, no smear, clean glass.

some good info there George.

That tropica tank is a beauty!


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## MarcoB (3 Apr 2010)

Gee, it's always the brits who are able to keep their lawn straight, even and green!
Amazing growth. 
Still looking for 90 degrees scissors to mowe my lawn and bacopa. How curved is your scissor?


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## George Farmer (4 Apr 2010)

Well, just experienced my first major cock-up with this tank!  

I manually set the lights to come 'on' earlier than the timer yesterday, as we had guests.

And you guessed it - I forget to set the timer back to automatic before I went to bed.  I came downstairs with my youngest daughter this morning to see if the Easter Bunny had visited, only be greeted by my tank lighting up the living room!

So the lights have been on for a whopping 18 hours!  10 hours with no CO2...  Thankfully only half the potential lighting (2 x 54w T5).

50% water change here we go!

Moss has visibly grown...


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## Always Broke (4 Apr 2010)

How easy it to do that.
Could you explain why you would now do the water change.
Simon


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## George Farmer (4 Apr 2010)

Always Broke said:
			
		

> How easy it to do that.
> Could you explain why you would now do the water change.
> Simon


Sure.  The plants will have likely released organic compounds into the water, such as ammonia/ammonium.  Without CO2 injection to enable the plants to effectively use up these nutrients, it leaves the door wide open for algae.

A 50% water change will hopefully dilute these organic compounds, and combined with a sufficient dark period, algae may hopefully be prevented...

Interestingly, even without CO2 injection throughout the night, the plants were pearling like mad.  I wonder if CO2 lasts longer in the water column than I assumed, even with the considerable surface agitation.

If in doubt - I always do a water change.


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## Mark Evans (4 Apr 2010)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> If in doubt - I always do a water change.



me too. the' reset button' almost.


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## Always Broke (4 Apr 2010)

Thanks for the reply. 
That makes sense. I can see how easy it could be to get an Algae problem now you have pointed that out.
How long a dark period are you going to do. Is that totally dark as in covered up or just not lights on.
So much to learn. 

Simon


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## George Farmer (5 Apr 2010)

Always Broke said:
			
		

> How long a dark period are you going to do. Is that totally dark as in covered up or just not lights on.
> So much to learn.
> 
> Simon


I just left the lights off as normal, set to come on at usual time (3pm to 11pm).

24hrs later all is well, so far...

Glosso is doing much better now, as it has adjusted to the 4hr midday burst of 4 x 54w T5.  Much more compact, and horizontal carpeting.  Another 2 weeks and it will be a solid carpet.

Vallis is sending out lots of new runners, but as the new plants are heavily shaded by old, their growth is very slow.  Once the new plantets have established I may remove the oldest.

Moss is looking ok too.

I've upped dosing to 12ml TPN+ per day.

I should be able to get some photos up tomorrow evening.

Happy Easter!


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## George Farmer (6 Apr 2010)

Some recent photos, as promised.

*Full-tank shot - Day 21*





I'm starting to think the solid carpet of glosso running the length of the tank limits the perspective of depth.  Something for me to mull over and consider over the coming weeks.  I think as the crypts and moss mature and the vallis forms a solid curtain, the balance will look better.  It's very tempting to add a dash of red in there actually...









You can see the intense pearling!  Remember that all of the CO2 microbubbles are going into the filters, so the white spots are oxygen!









I'm happy with the progress, in terms of how the plants are growing and how the 'scape is developing.  Visitors to the house say it's the best tank they've seen me do (and they've seen plenty!)  I'm not sure, but it does have the potential I think.





I've gone back to just 8 hrs of 2 x T5 whilst I'm away from this tank midweek. It will be interesting to see how the glosso performs with the reduction in light.


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## nry (6 Apr 2010)

I agree on the full depth carpet George - when I stripped my HC back ages back it opened the depth and perspective of the tank up amazingly.  It was also nice to see the substrate, especially given the cost of the darn stuff


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## George Farmer (6 Apr 2010)

nry said:
			
		

> I agree on the full depth carpet George - when I stripped my HC back ages back it opened the depth and perspective of the tank up amazingly.  It was also nice to see the substrate, especially given the cost of the darn stuff



Thanks for the feedback, Chris. 

I think I'll give it a few weeks to see how the other plants mature and affect the layout.

The glosso is the fastest grower, so is dominating the layout somewhat at this early stage (it's only 3 weeks old). 

As the aquascape fills with more green from the crypts, vallis and moss, it should look a lot better.  

Another trick to add a sense of depth is to prune the glosso so it's very shallow at the front of the glass, then getting deeper as it goes into the rear of the tank.  Imagine the carpet so it's not even growing against the glass at the front.

Of course, the ferns are very dominating too, but these will also become more blended as the crypts mature, especially as they share a similar leaf form.

Ultimately time will tell if my foresight is any good!  I'm quite excited about the future of this layout, if I'm honest.


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## keymaker (6 Apr 2010)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> It's very tempting to add a dash of red in there actually...


I wouldn't do that... The color of your fish contrasts well with the green of the plants and the brown wood... Adding red would only "dissolve" this concise and decisive choice. Like a "spoiler".


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## George Farmer (6 Apr 2010)

keymaker said:
			
		

> George Farmer said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Good point, thanks!


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## flygja (7 Apr 2010)

Truly stunning! I find that glosso needs a lot of maintenance in order to create depth. In my experience, even if the soil at the back is say 1 inch taller than the soil in the front, somehow it will still naturally form a level carpet. The soil needs to be really steep, like 3-5 inches different to create proper depth.

Also, in my humble opinion, a tank like this doesn't need to have depth, because I view it as literally a slice of a pond or river somewhere


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## NA-Fan (7 Apr 2010)

Wow!  What an incredible journal already after only 3 weeks! 

It's really nice to see you doing a 'proper' journal again.  The technical details and aquascaping tips are invaluable to newbies like me!    

I love this shot especially.





Also amazing to see that you used only plants that have been in a box for a month, after being used for the TV show (which I've set my Sky+ to record!!)

By the way, where you in Maidenhead Aquatics in Crowland last week?  I think I saw you chatting to the staff but wasn't brave enough to approach you!  I was tempted to ask for your autograph, but wasn't sure if it would embarrass you!!   

I read that you are away from this tank during the week.  Who does the maintenance (ferts etc.) when you are away?  Do you worry about it?   :? 

I am really looking forward to seeing this grow-in.  I expect you are a very busy person so I for one really appreciate you creating a journal like this to show people like me how it's done.  I dare say that some experienced members will also benefit from it to.


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## George Farmer (7 Apr 2010)

Thanks, flygja and Laura!  



			
				NA-Fan said:
			
		

> By the way, where you in Maidenhead Aquatics in Crowland last week? I think I saw you chatting to the staff but wasn't brave enough to approach you! I was tempted to ask for your autograph, but wasn't sure if it would embarrass you!!


Yes, I was in MA @ Crowland last week.  I bought a load of Amano shrimp and Otocinclus for this tank.  It would have been nice to have been introduced; it's always great to meet fellow UKAPS members.  Not sure who would have been more embarrassed if you asked me for an autograph though!  



			
				NA-Fan said:
			
		

> I read that you are away from this tank during the week. Who does the maintenance (ferts etc.) when you are away? Do you worry about it?


My eldest daughter fertilises the tank in my absence.  I have TPN+ in an old 500ml ADA pump-dispensing bottle, so it's just 12 pumps every day (12ml).  The fish are fed twice a day and she checks there's CO2 coming out of the diffusers.  All other maintenance is performed by me on a weekend, usually first thing Saturday mornings.  I do think about the tank but don't worry about it.  I resist the temptation to ask about it when I'm phoning home. If there were any issues my wife or daughters would be sure to tell me.



			
				NA-Fan said:
			
		

> I expect you are a very busy person so I for one really appreciate you creating a journal like this to show people like me how it's done. I dare say that some experienced members will also benefit from it to.


I am busy but now I do have time to enjoy my own hobby more, and better still get to share it with you guys through journals like this.  It's still very much a learning process for me too.  It's a real win-win scenario!

Thanks for the lovely feedback.


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## Themuleous (7 Apr 2010)

Nice George, not your best scape for me, looks like its missing something on the far left too?  Prob just me 

Sam

PS - marines doing well, keep finding all sorts of new life in there!


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## George Farmer (7 Apr 2010)

Thanks, Sam.

Not my favourite 'scape for me either - yet...

The left will fill in nicely in the next few weeks.  Patience is a virtue.

Glad the marine is doing well for you.


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## John Starkey (8 Apr 2010)

Well George,i for one like it very much,i have enjoyed the journal very much so far,its all looking very healthy fish and plants look very happy,its funny how we all have our own way of doing tank maintenance but we can all have very similar results with plant growth,keep the photos coming,
regards,
john.


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## Themuleous (8 Apr 2010)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> The left will fill in nicely in the next few weeks.



Trouble with photos I guess, you cant really have a good look around the tank  

Sam


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## andyh (11 Apr 2010)

George

Just read this journal from start to finish, its great keep up the good work! Your tank looks very nice indeed (Great photos, what about a video?) , i really like the layout, cant wait to see the java fern fill out a little more!

Andyh


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## Becca (11 Apr 2010)

Well I love the fish, they're very pretty! 
Everyone needs something pretty to look at. Like it! Nice one   

Becca

PS: Hope ur not overwhelmed by my overly technical post, I will try be more light-hearted in future!


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## George Farmer (12 Apr 2010)

andyh said:
			
		

> Just read this journal from start to finish, its great keep up the good work! Your tank looks very nice indeed (Great photos, what about a video?) , i really like the layout, cant wait to see the java fern fill out a little more!


Thanks, Andy.

I was giving the aquascape some 'deep analysis' last night.  I'm not happy about a couple of aspects - nothing too serious but expect some changes soon perhaps...

I'll try to get a video next weekend.  No HD from me though, I'm afraid.



			
				Becca said:
			
		

> Well I love the fish, they're very pretty!
> Everyone needs something pretty to look at. Like it! Nice one
> 
> Becca
> ...


Thanks, Becs!  

Great to see you on here!


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## George Farmer (21 Apr 2010)

Just over 1 month on now.  At last I am having some success with moss!  

Not much else to report.  I've made a few minor adjustments, probably only noticeable by me!

To keep the plants well-fed, I've started adding more NPK via a DIY mix, using dry salts from our sponsor - Fluid Sensor Online.  Great service, by the way.

I'm seriously tempted to replace the plastic filter inlets and outlets with two sets of 17mm glassware, and I'm also thinking about an 'Up' inline diffuser to hide equipment further still.

Overall I'm happy with the progress so far.  It's relatively trouble-free which is a good thing as I only get to work on the tank at weekends!

I thought I'd take some shots during a water change to show off my new found moss-growing skill!    






















And finally, me playing with some moss!





I took some video footage with my compact camera so will get around to uploading that soon.  Don't expect the 'saintly standard' though!


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## George Farmer (21 Apr 2010)

20 second video clip -


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## Krishs Bettas (21 Apr 2010)

The thanks looks so good    How do you keep your moss clean?
Nice glosso carpet I wish I could get my HC like that   
Good vid btw


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## George Farmer (22 Apr 2010)

Krish's Bettas said:
			
		

> The thanks looks so good    How do you keep your moss clean?
> Nice glosso carpet I wish I could get my HC like that
> Good vid btw


Thanks! 

I trim the moss regularly which I think helps.


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## LondonDragon (22 Apr 2010)

Looking good George  Congrats on the moss  keeping it in check does help or plenty of shrimp, but those Angels would make a meal of them heheh


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## George Farmer (22 Apr 2010)

LondonDragon said:
			
		

> ... or plenty of shrimp, but those Angels would make a meal of them heheh


Thanks mate.

Learnt the hard way on that one.  Bought a load of Amano shrimp - don't see any now!  I figured there was plenty of hiding places, but I guess not.  Very expensive live food.


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## LondonDragon (22 Apr 2010)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> Learnt the hard way on that one.  Bought a load of Amano shrimp - don't see any now!  I figured there was plenty of hiding places, but I guess not.  Very expensive live food.


Yeah I lost 20 amanos in about 5 minutes to two Bosemani Rainbows  :?  :?


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## George Farmer (22 Apr 2010)

LondonDragon said:
			
		

> George Farmer said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I feel your pain mate.  Ah well, we learn from our mistakes, and hopefully others will too!


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## tel (22 Apr 2010)

The tanks looks great and the vid was cool George. 
Some good information too on your cleaning regime, it is interesting to hear what others do. It would be nice to one day achieve similar results in such a time frame.

I have a question about water and clarity, how much of the "gin clear" aspect is related to the type of glass the the tank is?

Also I am going to be very bold and offer a suggestion as you made mention of the left side. 
Wonder what you think of maybe combining Echinodorus Tenellus and Staurogyne sp for the left hand side. My thinking is that it would add a different element of shape/volume and a little height without overwhelming the rock layout and it may help with the depth perception as it leads you back in under "wood arch".... maybe...  :silent: 


cheers, tel


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## George Farmer (22 Apr 2010)

Thanks, Tel! 

To be honest I'm not even sure if the tank is opti-white or not!  When you look through the glass end-on it's certainly bluer and more transparent than regular float glass (which is green), but it's not as clear as some opti-whites I have seen.  It's safe to say in low-res photos like these the type of glass won't have much impact.  The clarity is more down to keeping the glass clean and having decent filtration, I think.

Thanks very much for the planting suggestions!  I am considering adding more plants at some point, but am waiting to see how things fill out for now, to see if the layout fulfills my vision.


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## Dan Crawford (22 Apr 2010)

The tank is looking great George  It's not optiwhite but i thought it was for ages! It seems better than "normal" glass somehow?


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## George Farmer (22 Apr 2010)

Dan Crawford said:
			
		

> It seems better than "normal" glass somehow?


Thanks mate. 

I think that too.   I wonder if there's different grades of float glass?


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## John Starkey (25 Apr 2010)

George WOW you got moss    ,hope it goes well for you mate,
regards 
john.


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## George Farmer (26 Apr 2010)

john starkey said:
			
		

> George WOW you got moss    ,hope it goes well for you mate,
> regards
> john.


I know mate!  Moss is a big deal for me - my nemesis up 'til now.  I think I was too impatient before and didn't give it time to adjust.  I've always found it get covered in algae too, but pruning it regularly helps a great deal.


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## George Farmer (26 Apr 2010)

Around 6 weeks since set up now.

I'm considering some E. tenellus between the glosso and crypts to soften the transition.


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## tel (26 Apr 2010)

Tank looks amazing George, and  that is a crackin' image  
cheers tel


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## Mark Evans (26 Apr 2010)

looking nice mate. The more I see these angels, the more I like them.


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## George Farmer (5 May 2010)

Thanks, guys.

Bad news on this tank...  

One of the two CO2 cylinders I'm running ran out while I was away from home for a few days and consequently the fluctuation in CO2 levels has induced a surprisingly large amount of BBA and staghorn algae.

I'll try to get some photos this weekend when I'll have my camera to hand.

The staghorn is mainly limited to the older Java fern leaves, and the BBA is forming on the wood.

Also a lot of the crypts have gone into meltdown, which was rather upsetting to see... 

The glosso is also looking a bit ropey and I'm considering re-planting it from scratch, or even creating a different style of foreground entirely.  Either using different plants, or sand and graded gravels, thus transforming the tank into something far lower maintenance.  

I'll be hard-pushed to get this looking good in time for the IAPLC 2010, especially as I only see the tank at weekends, but never one to give up, I will do my best.

So one big lesson learnt here.   Keep a close eye on your CO2!  If you're not about to do it, train-up someone to do it for you!


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## paul.in.kendal (5 May 2010)

Aah George - what a shame!  Do you not have any pictures of it you can use for IAPLC?  I guess not, knowing the amount of prep you'd probably do before taking competition pics.  What a brilliant set-up though - for me, seeing 'big' fish looking so lovely in a planted set-up was/is a real eye-opener.


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## Bobtastic (5 May 2010)

Just a quick question, how have you attached the moss to the wood? I can't see any thread... Have you used glue?


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## George Farmer (5 May 2010)

paul.in.kendal said:
			
		

> Aah George - what a shame!  Do you not have any pictures of it you can use for IAPLC?  I guess not, knowing the amount of prep you'd probably do before taking competition pics.  What a brilliant set-up though - for me, seeing 'big' fish looking so lovely in a planted set-up was/is a real eye-opener.


Thanks, Paul!

The tank is not grown in enough to enter yet, so I've not done any photos with equipment removed etc.  It will be a very close call on the 31st May, even if the algae and crypt melt issues get sorted in time.  There's always the AGA later this year.

I like the fish too!  Not my usual taste but it's good to step out of our comfort zones sometimes.



			
				Bobtastic said:
			
		

> Just a quick question, how have you attached the moss to the wood? I can't see any thread... Have you used glue?


Superglue.  Much quicker and easier than thread!


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## bigmatt (5 May 2010)

What superglue do you use?  Knowing my luck i'd poison my fish!
Love the Angels - bit of Amano inspiration?  Seen some BEAUTIFUL leopard angels in my local MA but hte budget won't quite run to them yet!
Cheers!
Matt


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## Kosh42-EFG (6 May 2010)

I always used Loctite Superglue Gel in my reef tank... Less runny so easier to handle...

Reefers also use it in-situ in the tank, as in dip your arm in the tank, apply the glue under water, hold the things together for 30 seconds, job done... Never had any ill effects to my fish and corals... Would imagine the same would be OK in a planted tank...


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## George Farmer (6 May 2010)

I use regular superglue (Cyanoacrylate), made by Loctite.  I have a 'big' bottle that contains 100ml so will last a long time.

I've used it for ferns and Anubias too.


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## George Farmer (6 May 2010)

bigmatt said:
			
		

> Love the Angels - bit of Amano inspiration?


Thanks, Matt.

Amano is a huge inspiration, of course, but not for my fish selection here.  The fish were 'spare' from the TV show I recently helped out with, where I wanted instant impact crowd-pleasers.

The family love them, and I'm rather fond of them too.  They have more character than the regular tetras etc. that we usually see in planted aquascapes.


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## Aeropars (6 May 2010)

Will superglue actually set underwater then?

george, whats the plant on the rear right hand side. Is it Vallis?


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## George Farmer (6 May 2010)

Aeropars said:
			
		

> george, whats the plant on the rear right hand side. Is it Vallis?


Yes.  Mixture of _V. nana _and _spiralis 'Tiger'_.  The mixture works well and makes the curtain look less uniform.


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## Kosh42-EFG (6 May 2010)

Aeropars said:
			
		

> Will superglue actually set underwater then?



Certainly does... Very quickly too...


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## George Farmer (27 May 2010)

Well, what can I say? 

Even after showing good signs of recovery after fixing the CO2 issues etc. I returned home after a few days at work and I've never experienced such rampant staghorn algae.

As I only get to work on this tank at weekends I decided it was best to call it a day and strip it down.  It's now in the garage.

Maintaining a hi-tech planted tank when you're not available daily to perform preventative or immediate corrective maintenance is too much, for me at least.  

It was good while it lasted, and it's taught me some valuable lessons, so overall it's been a worthwhile experience.

I will post some nice algae photos this evening, to go along with my Nano Sanzonia algae photos!  Brilliant!


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## Bobtastic (27 May 2010)

Very sorry to heard that George!! Makes me wonder if I should stop and star again with my tank, if a professional of u're caliber packs up a tank. Good luck with u're not project!


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## George Farmer (27 May 2010)

Bobtastic said:
			
		

> Very sorry to heard that George!! Makes me wonder if I should stop and star again with my tank, if a professional of u're caliber packs up a tank. Good luck with u're not project!


Thanks, Bob.

If you like your current aquascape then I would personally stick at it mate.  Sometimes more can be learnt by addressing current issues rather than starting from scratch.

The biggest contributing factor for 'giving up' on this was me not being there enough to work on the tank and keep it to the high standard I like.  Also not being there daily to spot potential issues and being able to address them before they get out of hand.

As some of you may know, I work away from home midweek so only got to work on this tank at weekends.  And because family-time (I have a wife and two kids) is so precious at weekends, I cannot really justify spending so much time working on an aquarium that needs a lot of attention.

But I still have my long-term nano at home, and a new 60cm low-maint layout (a weird Iwagumi jungle).  Then there's my acrylic nano in my accomodation at work.  So I can't complain really - three planted tanks is enough for me.


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## Bobtastic (28 May 2010)

Ahhh, I understand. I'll keep at it then! Never quit! never surrender!


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## Mark Evans (28 May 2010)

sorry to hear this mate. I fully understand where your coming from though. One of the reasons I stopped doing display tanks. I had numerous offers but declined for these reasons. 

the ones I did do, I fell lucky I think. 

we all know your the master, and shall bounce back like a cheque from RBS


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## B7fec (28 May 2010)

Oh NO!!!   Sorry to hear about the tank George! such a shame as it was developing so well! However I agree with your reasons for breaking it down........

I propbably don't speak alone when I say that your the man when it comes to scaping and if you cant do it no one can!


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## George Farmer (28 May 2010)

Thanks for the kind words.


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## Dave Spencer (28 May 2010)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> Even after showing good signs of recovery after fixing the CO2 issues etc. I returned home after a few days at work and I've never experienced such rampant staghorn algae.



This a big shame, George. I think it goes to show how much maintenance we put in to our tanks day after day, even though we are not aware we are doing it. Although water changes with a little trim are all that register in my head, the constant little five minutes of faffing around here and there probably add up to quite a bit of time in total for the week.

Algae in moss is very difficult to shift IME. My GH deficient tank has moss, and is taking some serious work to get it back. I don`t think I could get close to recovering this tank if I were away five days a week, and would probably have to call it a day as you have.

Ah well, onward and upward to the next scape.  

Dave.


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## Cyworld (21 Jun 2010)

Wow.
I never knew these type of angelfish looked so nice!
Now I dont know if I should get the normal one or the ones like yours!


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