# George's Hillside (new Signature layout)



## George Farmer

Hi all,

I've recently re-scaped my TMC Signature so I thought I'd start a new journal on here. 

Not really a groundbreaking aquascape - re-using the moss-covered Manzi from my previous two layouts that you can see here - George's TMC Signature | Page 38 | UK Aquatic Plant Society

*Specs* -

*Aquarium* - TMC Signature, 60 x 45 x 30cm
*Lighting* - 2 x TMC 1500 Ultima, 7hrs, 45cm above water
*Filtration* - Fluval G3 with gUSH nano glassware
*CO2* - 2Kg FE, Up Aqua inline diffuser, Fluval Bubble Counter (1 BPS), Dennerle reg and solenoid
*Substrate* - TMC NutraSoil (black), Unipac Fiji Sand
*Fertilisers* - Tropica Specialised, Aqua Rebel Spezial-N (3 pumps each per day)
*Hardscape* - Manzanita Wood, Mini Landscape Rock (Seiryu Stone)
*Plants* - Fissidens fontanus, Riccardia chamedryfolia, Eleocharis sp. 'mini', E. parvula, E. acicularis




 

 

 



More pics to follow soon.


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## Kelvine

Another great scape, from one off the best in the business 
The woods looking amazing, aged to perfection 

Looking forward to the rest of the journal George


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## Kelvine

P.s 
Loving the floral dress, really shows your feminine side  lol


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## Mr P

looks great George,do you have problems keeping  the sloping substrate in place? roy.


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## Ian Holdich

Nice mate, simple and for me simple scapes are often the ones that stand out. Really nice...


Ps, can I borrow your flowery dress in London?


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## zanguli-ya-zamba

Hi George,
nice scape, looking forward to see it flooded and planted 

thanks for sharing 
zanguli


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## Gary Nelson

I like it George, it's very clean looking... Are you adding more plants to it?


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## George Farmer

Thanks guys. 



Mr P said:


> looks great George,do you have problems keeping  the sloping substrate in place? roy.


Hi Roy,

The rocks are partially buried so this will help keep the substrate in position. Also once the root structure of all the hairgrasses are established (pics of planted hairgrasses to follow), this will also help.



Gary Nelson said:


> I like it George, it's very clean looking... Are you adding more plants to it?


Thanks, Gary. 

Yes, 3 Eleocharis species (see spec in first post).


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## Pedro Rosa

George, i suppose that sand is a must for IAPCL?  
(I don't even know of you'll use it next year)


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## George Farmer

Hi all,

Some updates pics, as promised.


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## ghostsword

Superb scape.. so clean and nice.. Really like it..


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## viktorlantos

hmm almost done 

Looks very clean. This is great how quickly you rearranged the layout. Cool!


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## Aron_Dip

Its like a master class... "250 ways to use the same wood" Awesome thought mate. you make it look so easy every time .......... One day i only hope to be half as good!


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## Gary Nelson

George, now that looks great! I can't believe it's only a day old, it looks really established already, I know your wood is from before... But the way you have added it to the new is brilliant! I'd be proud to have that in my room.


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## plantbrain

Looks more natural than the last one, and likely easier to keep and deal with.


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## Kelvine

Instant success, looks great


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## Deano3

looks great George love the rock and wood layout  inspiring

Thanks Dean


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## NeilW

I like the balance between rock, wood and moss - reminds me of a riverbank. I noticed you've been using the G3 over a few 'scapes, how's it working for you in the long run?


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## George Farmer

Hi Neil

Thanks.

I love the G filters. You hear mixed reviews but I've never had an issue.

Flow rate is great and it takes seconds to maintain. Best filter I've ever used.


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## Samjpikey

Hey , 
I really like this scape , you also make it look so easy to do . 
This is something you most certainly can't learn  
Have you trained those fish to pose for the camera shot . 
Cheers 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Andy D

Looking great as ever! 

One day I am going to be able to just throw a scape together to look that good. One day....


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## George Farmer

Hi all,

Thanks for the lovely feedback - it's really appreciated. 

One thing that's been really bothering about my set-up is the black cables running down from the lights.  






I've had a few ideas and suggestions from friends but I had my own brainwave today....  

White heatshink tubing.  

This simply shrouds the black cables. You heat up the heatshrink and it encloses around the black cables.  Obviously the white will hopefully blend in with my walls and be less of a distraction.


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## Samjpikey

You could always paint the cables white  


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Curvball

New 'scape looks great. Always a pleasure to browse through your journals.


Posted from the comfort of my iPhone...


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## George Farmer

Samjpikey said:


> You could always paint the cables white
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Indeed, I thought of that, thanks. 

I think the advantage with heatshrink is I won't need cable ties and the two cables will look like one - so a bit neater. Less hassle and potential mess too.


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## Andy Thurston

George Farmer said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Thanks for the lovely feedback - it's really appreciated.
> 
> One thing that's been really bothering about my set-up is the black cables running down from the lights.
> 
> View attachment 357
> 
> I've had a few ideas and suggestions from friends but I had my own brainwave today....
> 
> White heatshink tubing.
> 
> This simply shrouds the black cables. You heat up the heatshrink and it encloses around the black cables.  Obviously the white will hopefully blend in with my walls and be less of a distraction.



Sounds like a good plan to me you can get it from
12.7mm Diameter White Heat Shrink Tubing heatshrink sleeving - Heatshrink-Online


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## Brian Murphy

Looking superb as always, it's great to have the 'tried and tested' hardscape handy when starting a new scape.  Still takes a keen eye to create with it though.  Well done


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## Joel S

You can also get spiral cable tidy stuff in white I think. A little easier to put on in some ways, (i.e you wouldn't have to remove plugs etc) though the black might show through in places, and it's fiddly in its own way. I used a black version to cover the dodgy bend in my DIY light hanger.


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## Aron_Dip

Hey George, You can buy Curved trunking from B&Q (also comes in diff colors) witch works a treat.

hope this helps out pal.


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## Dan walton

Looks fantastic love the moss and wood


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## faizal

Wow George,... This is looking simply lovely. I think this is your best scape ever in my humble opinion. It's even better than "Scree" if you don't mind me saying.


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## George Farmer

Thanks guys. 

I fitted the white heat shrink yesterday to the black lighting cables. I will post a pic later.


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## flygja

If your tank is gonna be there for a while, you could consider adding some electrical wiring on the ceiling? Then the wires would snake down via the hanging kit. Not so sure about the controller though.


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## aliclarke86

flygja said:


> If your tank is gonna be there for a while, you could consider adding some electrical wiring on the ceiling? Then the wires would snake down via the hanging kit. Not so sure about the controller though.



I thought about this but it would surly limit the adjustment to the lighting. Ie distance from tank

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4


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## tim

Well gosh mr farmer even your lighting cables have started a heated discussion lol any pics yet George the heat shrink stuff looks very handy for hiding cables etc with the right coloured walls.


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## Iain Sutherland

that wood owes you nothing george!  
Another lovely scape executed perfectly.


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## George Farmer

Here's a quick snap of the tank in-situ with the white heat shrink.  I'm still not 100% happy but I think it's an improvement over the black cables.

Thanks for all of the other suggestions, feedback and interest.


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## TOO

Why not use one of these?

http://www.conradelektronik.dk/HAGER-LF1501509010-KABELKANALKABELKANAL,-KRIDHVID,-15X15-MM,-2-MKLAR-HVID.htm?websale7=conrad-dk&pi=612591&ci=SHOP_AREA_37400_0808720

They are adhesive on the back and can be glued to the wall behind the tank, allowing you to avoid the cable dangling on the side. I am using it. This is from a Danish website but I am guessing this is a universal product. Sorry if it has already been suggested earlier.

Thomas


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## Ady34

Will be another beauty George. 
The simplicity of the plant choice will enhance the natural feel I think. 
Really like the addition of the transitional stones to the right sand area too 
Cheerio,
Ady.


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## zanguli-ya-zamba

Hi George,
I just LOVE it !!!!
As Ady says the choice of plants make it feels more natural. 
I can't see very well, what is the plant (light one) behind the first line of stone ?

regards


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## Ian Holdich

Saw this scape on Sunday, it a very clean and tidy scape. It's very relaxed and serene scape. It's given me some inspiration for my next scape, thank you for that George!


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## aliclarke86

Wow that's a lot of "scape" in that comment 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4


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## George Farmer

zanguli-ya-zamba said:


> Hi George,
> I just LOVE it !!!!
> As Ady says the choice of plants make it feels more natural.
> I can't see very well, what is the plant (light one) behind the first line of stone ?
> 
> regards


Thanks. 

The light green plant is Eleocharis sp. 'mini' (1-2-Grow).


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## George Farmer

Hi all, 

Not much to report really.

The bad news is that there is persistent BBA on the open areas of the wood. I always seem to get this on Manzanita and think it is because it's constantly degrading and releasing organic matter that feeds the algae.

The hairgrasses are growing well. Soon I will prune them to the appropriate height to encourage more carpeting at the height I'm after.

I'm changing 60% of the water every 3 days a few hours before the photoperiod. Conductivity rises really quickly due to the limestone content of the rock. It's almost 200 by the time it's water change time, and I'm using 100% RO. Fish, shrimp and plants are all looking great though, so there's no worries.

I'll post some pics soon post haircut.

Cheers,
George


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## George Farmer

Hi all,

A few pics from today during and after a water change.

60% water change





Close-up of exposed mosses




Amano shrimp




Cherry shrimp




Crystal red shrimp




Black neon tetras




Left-hand side




Full-tank 




I'm happy with the progress so far - only 10 days since planting.  

Of course, the mature moss-covered wood helps with the illusion that it's a lot older than it is...


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## viktorlantos

Awesome George.  'Another almost a week old' complete aquascape. Like a signature


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## LondonDragon

Another great scape George  why not install some plugs in the ceiling? or at lights height?


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## Gary Nelson

Its looking great George and the shrimp photos are brilliant

I see on your first photo of the tank you have the glassware removed, how do you remove your pipework... do you heat the tubing up? I ask as I'm new to using glassware and don't want to break mine when I come to clean them - I was toying with the idea of ejecting the whole tap unit from the G6 and lifting the whole lot out, but it would be handy to be able to just remove the glassware like you have done.


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## George Farmer

Thanks guys. 

Gary - the glassware comes off really easily on here. I actually think my hose is a touch bigger than 12mm but there's no leaking so it's ok! I do have to really tighten up the clamps on the inline diffuser though...

If you are finding it tough to remove your glassware/hose then first try squeezing the hose near the glass and twist/bend gently to break the seal. If that doesn't work then a hairdryer might work.  

After breaking Dan Crawford's ADA inlet a few years ago I'm super careful now, but even so am on my second gUSH inlet!  But that was dropping it on my granite kitchen surface. 

Good luck. You'll soon find a reliable method that works for you. Glassware maintenance is all part of the fun of being an aquascaper!


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## Gary Nelson

George Farmer said:


> Thanks guys.
> 
> Gary - the glassware comes off really easily on here. I actually think my hose is a touch bigger than 12mm but there's no leaking so it's ok! I do have to really tighten up the clamps on the inline diffuser though...
> 
> If you are finding it tough to remove your glassware/hose then first try squeezing the hose near the glass and twist/bend gently to break the seal. If that doesn't work then a hairdryer might work.
> 
> After breaking Dan Crawford's ADA inlet a few years ago I'm super careful now, but even so am on my second gUSH inlet! But that was dropping it on my granite kitchen surface.
> 
> Good luck. You'll soon find a reliable method that works for you. Glassware maintenance is all part of the fun of being an aquascaper!


 

Cheers for the tips George... I only have some budget ones from HK at the moment, but still treating them like ADA ones lol - I would like some gUSH ones eventually, but I'll see how I go with these.... even though they are cheep ones id still not let Ian clean them though  well not unless I knew he was using a new brush at least.


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## George Farmer

Hi all,

It's been 2 weeks since planting and I'm really pleased with the progress so far.

The hairgrass is taking off, especially the parvula. I still get the occasion E. 'mini' floaters, due to the Amano shrimp, but it's not enough to impact on the overall effect.

The BBA is actually clearing up. I am witnessing the Amano shrimp eating it, along with chunks of the soft outer layer of Manzanita wood. They are really great little critters. They remind me of horses in a way, constantly eating and pooing. I try to siphon as much as their waste as possible during each water change, which I do every 3 days (60% using RO).

I've also spotted a big batch of cherry shrimp babies amongst the grasses, which is always nice to see. I wonder how long they'll last with the relatively big Amano shrimp though...

I'm going to try out a glass spraybar from APFUK soon.  This will replace my gUSH lily outlet.  It will be interesting to note the difference in circulation and consequent growth rates.

Some pics.


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## xtevo

George, this is stunning!  Personally "these kind" of scapes, are my favorites, some manzi wood/red moor + rocks and some clever plant selection, makes the whole thing a bit "minimal". I loved your previous layout also, but this is way more elegant! Like Scree. 
Anyway I just want to congrats for this beauty, and keep up good work!


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## George Farmer

Thanks, Stevo! 

I forgot to say - I've added a few more small pieces of Manzi too. You can probably tell because they're paler than the others.  Over the next few weeks they'll blend in better and maybe even get coated with some moss as it spreads.


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## Yo-han

George Farmer said:


> The bad news is that there is persistent BBA on the open areas of the wood. I always seem to get this on Manzanita and think it is because it's constantly degrading and releasing organic matter that feeds the algae.


 
Try adding a Panaqolus! Only one is enough. It will eat the old wood before it decays and this way BBA will not grow anymore. It really works, the only place I get BBA is where the Panaqolus can't get


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## Dave Pierce

Superb pictures once again George! The grass looks really healthy. I hope my Signature layout will look as good as any of yours!

Cheers
Dave


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## George Farmer

Yo-han said:


> Try adding a Panaqolus! Only one is enough. It will eat the old wood before it decays and this way BBA will not grow anymore. It really works, the only place I get BBA is where the Panaqolus can't get


Interesting idea, thanks.  Can you recommend a species that remains small and that won't touch the mosses?


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## George Farmer

Dave Pierce said:


> Superb pictures once again George! The grass looks really healthy. I hope my Signature layout will look as good as any of yours!
> 
> Cheers
> Dave


Thanks Dave. 

All the best with your set-up.  I'm still really happy with mine, although it is very tempting to upgrade to the 90x45x45 version!


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## Brian Murphy

Loving the established moss, hope mine turns out as good as yours ! Really well done 



Yo-han said:


> Try adding a Panaqolus! Only one is enough. It will eat the old wood before it decays and this way BBA will not grow anymore. It really works, the only place I get BBA is where the Panaqolus can't get


 
I would be worried about it uprooting plants as it looks too bulky to be able to swim through the plants, bit like a pleco would.


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## Yo-han

George Farmer said:


> Interesting idea, thanks. Can you recommend a species that remains small and that won't touch the mosses?


 
I've a Panaqolus maccus, this is the most common one and in the Netherlands it is always sold as Peckoltia vittata (clown algae eater, clown pleco or such). It gets 10 cm max, but I've never seen such a large one. Another one quite common is L169, this one stays even smaller (max 8 cm) but will probably be a little more expensive.



Murf said:


> I would be worried about it uprooting plants as it looks too bulky to be able to swim through the plants, bit like a pleco would.


 
Never had any problems with it. I do with my L270 sometimes. But the Panaqolus never leaves the wood.

Disclaimer: prices and availability may be different from the Netherlands


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## George Farmer

Thanks Yo-Han. I've just posted on PlanetCatfish to get a second opinion. I really like the look of the L169.


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## George Farmer

George Farmer said:


> Thanks Yo-Han. I've just posted on PlanetCatfish to get a second opinion. I really like the look of the L169.


So I had one reply on that forum.... Clearly not a active as UKAPS. 

Basically it sounds like L169 will drastically re-shape my wood.  I had no answers to my other questions about eating moss and use of CO2, which was a shame. :/

To be honest I can live with a little bit of background BBA.  The Amano shrimp are really doing a grand job of stopping it from progressing. 

In other news I'm considering some new fish.  Something different from the usual shoal of tetras/rasbora etc.  Possible even a big group of tank-bred Danio margatitatus. I can imagine these dashing in and out of the grasses. I adore the character of these little fish!   I'll just have to not expect to sustain huge shrimp populations! 

The moss is also thriving to the extent where I may be off-loading some Riccardia soon.  PM me if you're interested.

I'll get some mossy shots soon. 

Cheers,
George


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## George Farmer

Some mossy shots, as promised.  And a couple of shrimp. 














This was photographed from above the tank through the surface




Cherry shrimp




Amano shrimp nibbling on an exoskeleton


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## Antoni

Amazing George! 

I will need to practice a bit more to get that pristine look of the mosses...


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## Gary Nelson

It looks fantastic George and more great photos  the one of the moss from above is stunnning and looks an interesting plant, I'd be very gratefull if I could have a tiny amount of Riccardia to try when you do a trim


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## nybraby

George Farmer said:


> Thanks guys.
> 
> Gary - the glassware comes off really easily on here. I actually think my hose is a touch bigger than 12mm but there's no leaking so it's ok! I do have to really tighten up the clamps on the inline diffuser though...
> 
> If you are finding it tough to remove your glassware/hose then first try squeezing the hose near the glass and twist/bend gently to break the seal. If that doesn't work then a hairdryer might work.
> 
> After breaking Dan Crawford's ADA inlet a few years ago I'm super careful now, but even so am on my second gUSH inlet! But that was dropping it on my granite kitchen surface.
> 
> Good luck. You'll soon find a reliable method that works for you. Glassware maintenance is all part of the fun of being an aquascaper!


I broke my ADA glass, a visit to A&E, x ray for glass in the wound and a large number of stitches on the inside of my middle finger, not pleasant....


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## George Farmer

nybraby said:


> I broke my ADA glass, a visit to A&E, x ray for glass in the wound and a large number of stitches on the inside of my middle finger, not pleasant....


Ouch!  A double whammy - the cost and the injury.


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## Ady34

Hi George.
Tank coming along very nicely and the riccardia looks superb. Do you just trim it with scissors or remove clumps? If you trim does this encourage natural spread of the plant horizontally. I have some in the upper region of my tank on wood which is growing and spreading well, but the lower portions on rock are less inclined to spread and are growing outwards. It could be a distribution issue but just wondering if you have noted any difference in growth within your tank!
Also do you find the black neons to stay mid/upper water layers and do they eat shrimp/shrimplets?
Cheers
Ady.


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## George Farmer

Thanks guys. 

Ady - I just remove clumps of Riccardia with my fingers but if you want to control it better then pruning is probably better. I do find it goes more "leggy" in areas with less circulation and light.

Black neons do tend to shoal in the mid/upper levels. I've not seen them actively hunt shrimplets. I'm sure they're fine providing there's plenty of cover.


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## zanguli-ya-zamba

Hi George,
the tank looks fabulous !!! the more it grows the more I love it .
I think this tank will my inspiration for my scape in my new NA (if you don't mind of course ). inspiration will be for hardscpape not for the plants.
I like the stone arrangement, and how wood gives the effect of being stuck in these stone.
The mosses look so healthy. What is the main moss on the picture taken from above ? 

This tank is taking off like a F16 !!
congrats for your clean work

cheers 
Zanguli


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## George Farmer

Thanks Zanguli. 

I look forward to seeing what you create.

The moss you can see is Riccardia chamedryfolia.


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## TOO

Looks brilliant.

Only two things:

The stone barrier looks a bit too garden like, the division in a sense becomes too dominant.

The sloping angle more or less cuts the tank in two similar size parts, which I think was a comment I also had on your previous scape.

Thomas


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## zanguli-ya-zamba

George Farmer said:


> Thanks Zanguli.
> 
> I look forward to seeing what you create.
> 
> The moss you can see is Riccardia chamedryfolia.


 
It's a very nice moss !!!
This time I will ask help of the members and from you to create my hardscape. I think I will proceed the same way than you, take my time. I will play with hard scape and sand, doing different scape that i will take picture of and put on the journal to have feedback on the different scape. 

I think it a good way to proceed, you can have an outside look of your creation.

cheers and thanks


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## George Farmer

TOO said:


> Looks brilliant.
> 
> Only two things:
> 
> The stone barrier looks a bit too garden like, the division in a sense becomes too dominant.
> 
> The sloping angle more or less cuts the tank in two similar size parts, which I think was a comment I also had on your previous scape.
> 
> Thomas


Thanks for the critique. Always interesting to hear a different perspective.


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## abloomer

Love the new scape, and I'm a big fan of Danio margatitatus.

My uncle keeps them with shrimp, and they both breed with no problems.  I'm currently on the look out for some for one of my tanks!


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## George Farmer

abloomer said:


> Love the new scape, and I'm a big fan of Danio margatitatus.
> 
> My uncle keeps them with shrimp, and they both breed with no problems.  I'm currently on the look out for some for one of my tanks!


Cool!


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## leonroy

Definitely got your style down George. Stunning scape and unbelievable how quickly you go from day zero to something which looks so healthy, clean and established after less than a fortnight! (Some of us are struggling here ya know! 

I really wonder though what you'd do with a deep tank, a more vertical layout perhaps...

Either way, love the scape and the photography too, great eye for composition. Guessing you're loving that full frame camera and its razor thin depth of field


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## zanguli-ya-zamba

Hi George,
Is it possible to have a shot of the left side of the tank, I would like to see how steep the slop is please. 
Best regards


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## Alastair

Ive not been on properly for a while so ive missed this one. 
Its beautiful though mate I love the placement if the wood. It all complements itself perfectly.  Love it mate 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2


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## George Farmer

Thanks Leon and Alastair! 



zanguli-ya-zamba said:


> Hi George,
> Is it possible to have a shot of the left side of the tank, I would like to see how steep the slop is please.
> Best regards


Here you go mate.   (Please excuse the reflection of the adjacent white wall!)


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## George Farmer

Yummy! New glassware to try out from UKAPS sponsor, APFUK.


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## Brian Murphy

Thats some slope, and you say the rocks prevent landslides on their own without other supports?


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## Dave Pierce

That's a smart looking piece of glassware, should get you some nice even circulation


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## George Farmer

Murf said:


> Thats some slope, and you say the rocks prevent landslides on their own without other supports?


Yes. Similar slope to my "Rooted in Nature" scape. The rocks and plant roots stop "landslides".


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## Ian Holdich

Looks great mate! That spraybar look the bizzle, do you loose any pressure with them?


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## George Farmer

Thanks guys. 



Ian Holdich said:


> Looks great mate! That spraybar look the bizzle, do you loose any pressure with them?


It doesn't seem to lose any flow mate.

I think the improvement in all-over circulation is considerable though - every plant and piece of moss is subject to some movement and therefore is also being hit with CO2 mist from the inline diffuser. So I expect even more growth... 

I've also gave the filter a good clean (bio media, impellar, inner workings etc.) and there is better flow through doing that that too. 

I might also treat myself to some new fish this weekend.


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## George Farmer

A quick video - sorry it's only handheld (I left my tripod in a mate's van!)


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## Alastair

Thats some steady hands George ha ha. Looks great 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2


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## George Farmer

Alastair said:


> Thats some steady hands George ha ha. Looks great
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2


Not really mate - just a lens with image stabilisation...


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## Ian Holdich

There seems to be a noticeably better flow with the spraybar. It seems better that when I saw it.


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## George Farmer

Ian Holdich said:


> There seems to be a noticeably better flow with the spraybar. It seems better that when I saw it.


There is mate. More pearling than usual too.


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## viktorlantos

That Riccardia is a 5 star one 
This remind me of the topics when people thinks mosses are not demanding. This moss will never look that good if you do not support with high light, CO2, soft water.
Will grow, but the 2 appearance will never look the same. Go for high light guys! 

I was worried that you switch to the new glassware and will have problems with brush after the lily. But you placed on the other side above the sand so will not disturb the left hand side then. Anyway i look forward to your conclusion after a few weeks between the 2 glasses. Might need a little more CO2 this way?


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## Ganilhos

Wow lovely tank!
Ilove it simple and beautiful!


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## George Farmer

Thanks guys. 

The spray bar seems to be working out well.  Here you can see how effective the flow is after dropping the water level for a water change. It won't be as easy to clean as the lily but I guess it's a small price to pay for better performance.  I'll let you know after I've cleaned it for the first time...






A wide angle shot with the water level dropped.




And another in-situ shot.


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## Ian Holdich

That is certainly looking sweet! 

If you angle those jets right, you be able to hit the mrs in the kitchen.


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## Ady34

George Farmer said:


> View attachment 402


The last shot gives a real impression of a tree stump and roots enveloping the rocks. Really nice. 
The Amano shrimp in the wide angle shot look big enough to eat you 
Cheerio.


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## LondonDragon

Just keeps getting better George, I do like those glass spraybars, hope they are not too troublesome to clean!


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## Dave Pierce

Spray bar looks really effective from that shot. 

Tanks looking great, love the in situ shot.


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## George Farmer

I am considering going shrimp-only in here now. I have loads of CRS from my breeding tank. I think they'd look pretty cool on the "hillside".


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## Dave Pierce

Shrimp grazing on the hillside would be a good look  would perhaps suit the scape more than fish by complimenting further to the scale your trying to achieve?


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## George Farmer

Quick iPhone snap edited with PS Express (free app).


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## Gill

George Farmer said:


> I am considering going shrimp-only in here now. I have loads of CRS from my breeding tank. I think they'd look pretty cool on the "hillside".


 
I agree, though don't you feel the amano are a little too big for the scale of the scape.
Why not try some Cardinals, I think the contrast in color would work really well in here. And there are a few people now selling F1 uk bred shrimp.


----------



## Dave Pierce

Pretty good picture quality for a phone!

I might have to download that PS app too


----------



## flygja

Brilliant as usual George. Could you also tell me what is the white balance value you use for your photos? I just can't seem to get mine right, even with a white card inside the tank. I think its partly to do with lights I'm using and the fact that my tank is not an optiwhite. Optiwhite glass is limited to only 5mm thickness over here.


----------



## aliclarke86

Will your stone not effect the water for crs? Or will this be countered with you ro water? 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4


----------



## George Farmer

flygja said:


> Could you also tell me what is the white balance value you use for your photos?


5200K for this tank.  Auto white balance results in the images being too cold (blue).

If you shoot RAW you can adjust in post-processing, but I'm lazy and almost always shoot JPEG.  In fact I had some aquascaping friends make fun of me recently because of this! 



aliclarke86 said:


> Will your stone not effect the water for crs?


Yes, the stone does raise hardness considerably, but I change 60% of the water every 3 days.  This results in the conductivity of the water ranging from 100 to 200, which is fine for CRS.  They will not breed so prolifically, but they will be happy enough.  Water temp is now a steady 21C which is ideal.  CO2 about 20ppm.  For shrimp breeding I wouldn't inject CO2.


----------



## George Farmer

So I added some more CRS today - all from my office breeding tank (pictured below). 






Huge thanks to Dane Frampton from Hobby Shrimp for helping me out so much with these over the last few months.

And here they are acclimatising in my Signature tank using a "Fintro" from Maidenhead Aquatics.





Assuming they all do ok, which I'm sure they will as I've had a couple in there since I set it up, I'll add some more.

Once they've settled I'll get some close-up photos.


----------



## Gill

Finally Someone using one of the Fintro acclimators. They are a great gizmo for sensitive fish and shrimp aren't they. I have used them in many of my tanks and ponds with great success.


----------



## George Farmer

Shrimp seem settled already, a couple of hours after introduction.


----------



## flygja

George Farmer said:


> 5200K for this tank. Auto white balance results in the images being too cold (blue). If you shoot RAW you can adjust in post-processing, but I'm lazy and almost always shoot JPEG. In fact I had some aquascaping friends make fun of me recently because of this!


 
If you ask me, shooting in JPEG is a true reflection of your high level of skills. Because you know you'll get it right and don't need to have the backup of RAW. Not only in terms of WB, but also exposure, blowing out highlights or shadows that are too dark. Your WB is just perfect I think! Viktor likes it cool, Stu and Tony prefers it warm. Yours is just the right amount of cool and warm!


----------



## LondonDragon

Looking great George, love the shrimp, might have to try CRS at some stage once again, just the London hard water is complicated lol


----------



## George Farmer

Hi all,

Not too much to report.

All CRS seem to be happy, most out and about most of the time.

BBA is slowly but surely clearing up - and no liquid carbon being used at all.

I have noticed the pre-filter in my Fluval G is collecting a lot more detritus etc. presumably due to the better circulation created from the spray bar.  Growth rates seem to have improved too.  I've not cleaned the spray bar yet but will report back on how that goes.  I suspect it won't be easy as the radius on the bend going into the tank is very tight, followed by a right angle.


----------



## Dave Pierce

Some nice close ups there George. I do like those CRS very much in this scape. Thinking of getting some myself....just a question of where to get them.

Moss is looking very attractive and very healthy grass, spray bars must be doing there job.


----------



## George Farmer

Hi all,

The glassware cleaned up a treat.  I swapped the spray bar exit pipe from a right hand to left hand version, as this means the both inlet and outlet hoses are in the same corner and much neater.

I've also made a few minor changes to the hardscape - added another stone in place of some struggling hairgrass (in the shadows), added another piece of wood and made some alterations to the stone 'barrier' to make it look like less of a garden.


----------



## Gary Nelson

Looks great George, those rocks look mighty clean! Do you clean them when you do your maintenance? Or is it just shrimp doing the job?


----------



## George Farmer

Hi Gary

Thanks, I'm pleased to say the rocks have remained clean with no brushing.


----------



## viktorlantos

Brilliant shots George. This layout keep pushing me to the Yoghurt way. With all of these awesome Riccardia pieces. Too hard to resist 
Lovely details my friend


----------



## zanguli-ya-zamba




----------



## George Farmer

viktorlantos said:


> Brilliant shots George. This layout keep pushing me to the Yoghurt way. With all of these awesome Riccardia pieces. Too hard to resist
> Lovely details my friend


Thanks Viktor!


----------



## George Farmer

Just added some Bucephelandra from my shrimp tank...


----------



## Samjpikey

Hi George seeing that you have some fissidens fontanus in your current set up , do you know if this will grow in a non co2 tank, or even with just liquid carbon?
Thanks in advance . 
Cheers 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Michael W

Samjpikey said:


> Hi George seeing that you have some fissidens fontanus in your current set up , do you know if this will grow in a non co2 tank, or even with just liquid carbon? Thanks in advance . Cheers


 
Fissidens will grow in a non CO2 tank as I have been growing some for at least half a year now. Fissidens Fontanus is a slow growing plant and in my low tech tank it grows painfully slow but its not dying. Having CO2 will increase the growth rate as long as nutrient and light matches the CO2 going in. I'm not sure about liquid carbon as I don't use it.


----------



## George Farmer

Hi all,

Here's a video of me doing a typical maintenance session.  Best viewed in HD.



Filmed on my 6D by a friend who does wedding videos, and edited by me on Final Cut Pro 7 on my old iMac.


----------



## aliclarke86

Did tropica sponser this video? 

also the colander is genius! 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4


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## Ian Holdich

That's a very very professional video mate, send him round mine!


----------



## Alastair

George Farmer said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Here's a video of me doing a typical maintenance session.  Best viewed in HD.
> 
> 
> 
> Filmed on my 6D by a friend who does wedding videos, and edited by me on Final Cut Pro 7 on my old iMac.



Fantastic mate.  Was this what you tweeted about on twitter yesterday??? 

Love that song by the way


----------



## George Farmer

Yes mate.


----------



## Antoni

Beautiful video my friend! Just made me want to do maintenance of my tank now -23.32 h.... 

Lovely!


----------



## zanguli-ya-zamba

Nice video George, this is good to see how you work ! 
Thanks for sharing. 
Nice polo shirt


----------



## tiintinn

Thank you for the video! Finally can have a look at how maintenance of pristine tank goes about!


----------



## nanocube

Fantastic video and tank...Congrats


----------



## viktorlantos

Great education video George. I hope you do not mind that we shared it on FB


----------



## Nice

Great video, great scaper you are George.

cheers


----------



## Dave Pierce

Quality video, George.

The scape is really coming on and looking more natural with each post.

Cool soundtrack also 

Off to do some maintenance on my tank now!


----------



## George Farmer

Thanks guys. 

The missus is out tomorrow evening so I think I'll do some more video. The crazy Saturday nights us aquascapers lead...  

I'm taking this whole set up and 'scape to a trade show (Aqua 2013) next month, at which point it should be near its peak.  I may keep it going upon my return, or create something new.


----------



## George Farmer

Couldn't resist shooting another quick video this evening.  Check out the BBA! 



I was using a flimsy tripod and the macro lens is non-IS, so it's a bit jittery.


----------



## Dave Pierce

Tranquil 

Shrimp are enjoying all that food! 

I think all your updates should now be in video format


----------



## Ganilhos

Damn! Nice quality! Great Videos mate.


----------



## George Farmer

Hi all,

Did a big prune on all the hairgrass today.  Hopefully it will grow back nice and dense...

Sorry for the delay on supplying Riccardia to those that have asked.  I'm re-using off-cuts by putting them in-between the rockwork to help enhance the naturalistic feel.

Here's a couple of shots.









I also spent most of this evening shooting and editing video.  I'm uploading a 600Mb file as we speak (1 minute HD video) so it will probably be online in the morning.  I'm a bit too excited about it if I'm honest, and am trying not get too obsessed with this videography lark...


----------



## Aron_Dip

The stuff dreams are made of mate ... Stunning.

Sent from my HTC Desire C using Tapatalk 4


----------



## Ganilhos

Im waiting for this video mate


----------



## George Farmer

1 minute video. Best viewed in HD.


----------



## Tim Harrison

Splendid and...nice muzak too...


----------



## aliclarke86

Hi George I was wondering how you run the lighting at the moment, do you run both tiles at 100% at any point during the photo period?

Thanks
Ali

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4


----------



## George Farmer

Hi Ali

I run both units at 100% for 7hr. Just 10 mins ramp up/down.


----------



## aliclarke86

Wow after playing with my one tile on one of my tanks that seems like a lot of light, testimony to your meticulous maintenance right there. 

I read on another thread you are looking at an NA setup. Will you be retiring the tmc if (or when) this cones to fruition?

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4


----------



## George Farmer

The lights are suspended about 40cm above the tank so I'm not sure if it's much more light than one tile on the MounaRay bracket.

Yes, the NA set up will replace this one eventually. I'll be going slightly bigger, but not by much. I fancy more height as the last 5 scapes have been shallow.


----------



## Brian Murphy

Excellent videos George, nice choice of music aswell


----------



## George Farmer

Brian Murphy said:


> Excellent videos George, nice choice of music aswell


Thanks mate.  Going through a cerebral drum and bass phase at the moment.  Seems to go well with my two passions - aquascaping and running!

Not much new to report.  I moved the lighting closer to the tank to get some faster growth in time to take this whole set-up including the 'scape to a trade show in a couple of weeks. I notched up the CO2 and other nutrient dosing accordingly but I'm seeing algae forming amongst some of the hairgrass.  I dare not increase the CO2 any further so I've resumed previous lighting levels.

I'll get some new pics up this weekend.


----------



## Greenfinger2

Hi George, Love the Scape So simple but complex at the same time The moss on the DW And the hard scape


----------



## Curvball

Love the video - well done.


Posted from the comfort of my iPhone...


----------



## George Farmer

Hi all,

Long story short (I wrote an epic post but it got deleted in the forum crash  )....

Did a big maintenance session.
Nearly destroyed the scape by accident.
Nearly stripped it down due to frustration.
Did some press ups.
Decided to sleep on it and start afresh.
Made some changes to the wood layout.
Turned out OK.


----------



## Samjpikey

Hi Georgie amazing re-scape as always , but I think I preferred the full story in the last post involving the push-ups  


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free


----------



## Ian Holdich

I've added the press up part to George's post, I'm sure he won't mind. 

As said previously, it looks better mate, well destructed.


----------



## Ady34

You'd never tell that there had been a near disaster mate, still looking sweet .....did you smash the spraybar up in a fit of rage?


----------



## Samjpikey

Just realized I wrote Georgie ....... Sorry I do apologize George . 
Bloody predictive text on iPhone  


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free


----------



## George Farmer

Samjpikey said:


> Just realized I wrote Georgie ....... Sorry I do apologize George .
> Bloody predictive text on iPhone
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free


No problem, Sammie.


----------



## TOO

George Farmer said:


> Long story short (I wrote an epic post but it got deleted in the forum crash  )....


 
I was lucky enough to read the full story before the crash. Great entertainment. I only wish you had recorded it on video. Would have become an instant hit.

I think I have said this before: very nice, but I feel the planted section divides the scape too evenly into two similar size triangles.

Thomas


----------



## George Farmer

TOO said:


> I think I have said this before: very nice, but I feel the planted section divides the scape too evenly into two similar size triangles.
> 
> Thomas


Yes, you said it before. Thanks - again.


----------



## Alastair

Looks perfect to me  press ups paid off 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2


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## tim

Looks superb George, think I'll invest in a cheap external for moss trimming, must start doing push-ups before tank maintainence save a fortune on gym membership


----------



## TOO

George Farmer said:


> Yes, you said it before. Thanks - again.


​Then you should have done something about it when you went into destructive mode . Some people never listen .​​Thomas​


----------



## George Farmer

I listened to you, but didn't agree.


----------



## TOO

George Farmer said:


> I listened to you, but didn't agree.


 
I am insulted and now fear retribution  .

Thomas


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## Ian Holdich

To be fair, I can't see these triangles you speak of Thomas. I can see the one triangle, which makes the scape pleasing to the eye.


----------



## TOO

I didn't mean to hijack the thread with this and hope I don't come across as overly critical. 

But what I mean is that the slope creates an almost perfect 45 degrees angle that divides the scape in two triangles: the other one is the space to the right where there is no hardscape and plants. Makes sense?

Thomas


----------



## George Farmer

Hi Thomas

I value your comments and critique - thank you.

I like the two triangles - one full, one empty. I guess they're too symmetrical for you, which is fine. 

I don't want folk to think they can't post any constructive criticism on here. I post enough on others' journals, but I do make an effort to ensure the feedback is as constructive and comprehensive as possible. 

Cheers,
George


----------



## TOO

Good to hear. I usually mainly comment in threads when I have something to offer in terms of critique. This may of course create a certain "grumpy" bias . I can live with that . For me the whole purpose of a site such as this is to be a forum for learning (and it is excellent for that). Back patting is nice (we all need that), but critique is what pushes us ahead. I expect the same when I post something.

And, yes, it is the symmetry I am after. But, as you suggest, this is subjective.

Thomas


----------



## George Farmer

Hi all,

I was having a nightmare with algae... 

The algae was almost only amongst the moss, and is a green fluffy type, similar to really short blanket weed you find in ponds.  It's not obvious until closer inspection, but with this aquascape being shown off to the aquatic trade at Aqua Telford - it's not a good advert for an aquascaper's reputation! 

I think the big overhaul I gave the tank after my accidental wood moving etc. (see page 8) really messed up the balance.

So I gave it a 48hr blackout, which made no difference whatsoever.

With only 2 full days left until I move the entire tank complete with aquascape to Aqua 2013 (Telford), I resorted to emergency measures and added 8 juvenile Crossocheilus siamensis (Siamese algae eaters).  They're only a temporary measure as they'll soon outgrow the tank.  I have a colleague with a 180cm who's happy to re-home them afterwards.

They went in yesterday afternoon and right away went to work... 







And this morning the tank is already almost totally algae-free.  Thanks to Ian Holdich for the idea! 

I'm not normally a fan of using algae-eaters to solve algae issues in the longer term, but in this unique case of having a deadline to reach, it's been a great move.






I'll be doing 60% water change today and tomorrow.  Then on Tuesday 8th Oct I'll be preparing the tank for the 110 mile car journey.

It will be interesting to see how the tank looks at the other end...


----------



## Alastair

Great news george.... were a few stress relieving push ups involved during???? 
They're great little fish (when small) and always constantly munching away.  Shame they dont stay like that.  
Looking forward to seeing this in the flesh Tuesday


----------



## Pedro Rosa

George, regarding algae, what about an overdose of excel for 3 days? Wouldn't you consider it?

Pedro.


----------



## Michael W

I don't think ODing Excel might be a good idea as I believe George has added CRS and I'm not sure what effects high doses could be caused to them, probably negative ones.


----------



## Gary Nelson

Its good to hear that you have this about back under control George and that the SAE have done their work, they are great little workers! its a shame this is only a trade show as there are some big names their and not that far from me either  I'm sure come show day though that this tank will look fantastic and no one will be none the wiser.

If this would of been me and I'm sure allot of others on here too, it would of meant a total strip down and start again, great skill in being able to tweak it and pull the scape back to looking tip top.


----------



## Deano3

Rescape looks great George and glad algae nearly gone and really hope this scape makes the car journey intact as its a work of art 

Good luck mate 
Dean


----------



## Dave Pierce

How do you go about moving something like this in the car without damaging/disrupting any of the scape? let alone equipment!

Looking great now George


----------



## George Farmer

Thanks guys. 

I've spend literally the last 20 minutes just staring at the SAEs going about their business, and plucking away at algae buried amongst the moss. Thankfully the moss is staying in-tact! 

It's really therapeutic to watch. If I get time between the usual weekend chores I'll try to get a video.



pmgsr said:


> George, regarding algae, what about an overdose of excel for 3 days? Wouldn't you consider it?
> 
> Pedro.


Hi Pedro. I'm a bit fearful to overdose liquid carbon in any tank due to the toxic nature of the product. On the whole I try not to use it in any tanks now to be honest, but will spot dose BBA if required.



Gary Nelson said:


> its a shame this is only a trade show as there are some big names their and not that far from me either  I'm sure come show day though that this tank will look fantastic and no one will be none the wiser.
> 
> If this would of been me and I'm sure allot of others on here too, it would of meant a total strip down and start again, great skill in being able to tweak it and pull the scape back to looking tip top.


Thanks Gary. 

Although it's a trade show I'm sure there's a way to get in...  Alastair is going apparently - maybe try PMing him? It would be great to meet you. 



Dave Pierce said:


> How do you go about moving something like this in the car without damaging/disrupting any of the scape? let alone equipment!
> 
> Looking great now George


Thanks Dave, and good question! 

I've done this sort of thing a few times now but it's always a massive risk and a task that's not undertaking lightly - literally!

The in-tank equipment is disconnected and removed from the tank, then stowed neatly in the cabinet using bubble wrap around glassware. This is the really easy bit.

I siphon out as much water as possible and catch all of the livestock. This isn't so easy, especially with lots of shrimp. Thankfully the vast majority of fish and shrimp make their way to the open areas at the front and right to make netting relatively straightforward - hopefully.

Then it's a case of using polythene sheeting placed over the plants and hardscape, tucking it in strategically to help prevent any excess movement. Obviously the polythene also keeps the plants wet.

Then I move the tank to the car - carefully. The rear of the tank sits into the corner of the rear car seat to help prevent the substrate from sliding forward. The rocks and plant roots also help. The cabinet is obviously positioned separately to the tank; usually in the boot.

Smooth driving to the destination, then the process is reversed.

Fill the tank slowly, re-arrange the hardscape if needed, tinker with plants. Lots of water changes, add equipment, add livestock.

Easy as that!


----------



## Deano3

sounds like a long day and long process mate best of luck sure will arrive safe 

Dean


----------



## Dave Pierce

Doesn't sound like an easy operation... Take it easy going round roundabouts! I would be so afraid about damaging the tank without transporting it in it's box with polystyrene.

However, as you say you have done this before so must know what your doing, and if you didn't go for it then how would anybody get to see these established set-ups in person 

Will we get to see any pics of your tank at the trade show? Good luck, sure it will go swimmingly!


----------



## George Farmer

Dave Pierce said:


> Will we get to see any pics of your tank at the trade show? Good luck, sure it will go swimmingly!


I'll try my best.  They'll be other planted aquascapes on other stands too including Tropica, Fluval, Unipac and Aqua One, so I'll try to get some pics of them.


----------



## Ady34

Flamin typical these issues before a deadline, bet you havnt had algae like that in years! I'm sure the siamensis will have it sorted in time, that and your attention to detail.
Good luck with the move mate.


----------



## aliclarke86

Hi George

I am curious about your filter. Is this running full power or is it knocked down at all?

Ali

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4


----------



## George Farmer

aliclarke86 said:


> Hi George
> 
> I am curious about your filter. Is this running full power or is it knocked down at all?
> 
> Ali
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4


Hi Ali. It's full power on here. But I'm running 16-12mm reducers so that restricts flow.


----------



## George Farmer

I'll be doing a photo shoot on this tomorrow, just to ensure I get some decent photos before I move it...


----------



## aliclarke86

Thanks for the quick reply. I look forward to the photos  and good luck getting it ready and moved! 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4


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## Ian Holdich

Brilliant, I'm glad the Juvi SAE's are sorting it out. Good luck with the move, I wish I was at Telford! : (


----------



## George Farmer

All I can say is thank God for the therapeutic power of the press-up!






Just spent over 3hrs photographing this tank, only to find the memory card in my camera decided to corrupt itself, resulting in losing all images.  Total waste of time and effort.   I was so angry I even swore in front of my mother-in-law. It was the "F" too. I am not proud.

So I started all over, digging out - again - the extra lighting, tripod, hairdryer, a new memory card, and actually came out with some better shots than before.  Here's a couple of my favourites...

For the FTS I went as wide focal length as possible (24mm vs my usual 50-80mm), which exaggerated the sense of depth, brining into plant the upright piece of wood on the left as a focal point.

You can make out some algae amongst the moss but it's 90% improved over 48hrs ago.


----------



## Ian Holdich

Gorgeous shots mate! Thank god for press ups! 

Love the red eyes.


----------



## Gary Nelson

It looks the business mate and good to see that the SAE have worked their magic for you... but sorry to hear of the memory card problem! I think I would of done a bit more than swear though.   Your extra work has paid off.... Those photos are stunning! And the red eyes suit it well.  I'm now thinking that on my weekly maintenance this week I need to get one of me maybe going some sit ups as the water drains.... Although I will need to up my game on you and Ian and wear the full gear I think....tennis gear and headband springs to mind


----------



## TOO

The tank looks really great from this angle.

What camera do you use? You probably mentioned it somewhere. I would really love to able to take this quality photographs.

Thomas


----------



## Pedro Rosa

George, beautiful photos as usual.
You're not having the best of luck with this tank but your attitude before this setbacks are the best anyone could have.

BTW, You mention 24mm but what aperture have you used? The last photo have stunning fish photos while your moos looks incredible too.


----------



## tim

Your photography and scaping skill are sublime  the fitness regime seems to be working well, will it be iron man contests instead of iaplc next year ?


----------



## George Farmer

Thanks guys. 

I've just emptied the tank and caught all the livestock.  It's all in a 25 litre bucket with mature filter and some wood for cover. There's a few shrimp MIA, but I'm hopeful they'll survive in the little water that remains in the tank.



TOO said:


> What camera do you use?


Hi Thomas - It's a Canon 6D. Their cheapest full-frame offering but a very nice bit of kit nonetheless. Lenses I use are the 24-105 and 100mm macro.



pmgsr said:


> You mention 24mm but what aperture have you used? The last photo have stunning fish photos while your moss looks incredible too.


That last shot is f/7.1.  I usually shoot these kind of shots with a medium aperture (f/5.6 to f/11), as I like to get some depth of field, but maintain a little out of focus background. Shots are a little sharper at these apertures too. It also allows for some room for error when it comes to focusing on the fish.  It's worth mentioning that with this camera is that I can shoot high ISOs with very little noise, which is great for aquarium photography when you need fast shutter speeds to freeze fish movement or shoot macro handheld. 



tim said:


> ...the fitness regime seems to be working well, will it be iron man contests instead of iaplc next year ?


Who knows!?   I'd probably rank higher. lol


----------



## TOO

George Farmer said:


> Hi Thomas - It's a Canon 6D. Their cheapest full-frame offering but a very nice bit of kit nonetheless. Lenses I use are the 24-105 and 100mm macro.


 
Nice kit, unfortunately out of my range at the moment, but really makes a difference.

If you have 15 minutes on your next visit to Tropica (I am 5 minutes away) I would gladly offer you a nice selection of Danish beer for a couple of professional shots of the scape .

Thomas


----------



## flygja

I've gone AWOL from UKAPS for a few weeks and have just started catching up. Great videos George. Although the music selection on one of them made me think your tank was leaking and dripping on the floor! You'll never catch a video of me doing maintenance because its so hot here I usually do maintenance without a shirt on. And no, I don't do press ups at all so don't wanna post PG13 rated videos of myself LOL.

Would be nice if you caught some pics of the setup as you moved it. Don't think I'll ever do the same but would be nice to know.


----------



## George Farmer

Sorted.


----------



## Alastair

Saw George and this today. Awesome in the flesh. Youd never think you'd had the recent mishaps mate. Stunning!!


----------



## BigTom

Alastair said:


> Saw George and this today. Awesome in the flesh. Youd never think you'd had the recent mishaps mate. Stunning!!


 

And the tank was OK too. Boom boom!


----------



## Gary Nelson

Now that's some skill to transport that and it still look as good! Hats of to you George! Are those TMC lights?


----------



## George Farmer

Hi all,

So the tank and scape is safely back from AQUA Telford, and these are a couple of my favourite shots from the show.


AquaGro display by George Farmer, on Flickr





The set-up got a lot of interest from retailers, which gave me a great opportunity to engage and sell the whole aquascaping concept, how it should be used to set up decent display tanks in-store and help inspire the customers and new hobbyists.

I doubt I'll keep this running for much longer.  I've an overwhelming urge to set up an Iwagumi using Micranthemum sp. "Monte Carlo"....


----------



## Mark Evans

Hi mate.

This was the best tank on display at the show, followed by that pretty awesome reef in the VIP room!

Is the 'challenge' still on re IWAGUMI V's 1 pot?


----------



## George Farmer

Thanks Mark. 

Yep, very tempting to knock out a quick iwagumi. I have some new Seiryu pieces I'm looking forward to trying out. 

We shall see.


----------



## George Farmer

Gary Nelson said:


> Now that's some skill to transport that and it still look as good! Hats of to you George! Are those TMC lights?


Thanks mate. It's not hard with a small tank. Just need to be careful.

The new LEDs are TMC AquaBars. Details released from TMC soon. I like them but I'm sticking with my GroBeam 1500 Ultima tiles for now.


----------



## Lee Sweeting

I love this scape, it looks great George!! I think i may join the TMC club soon


----------



## Stormy

simplicity at its best!
exquisite creation George!


----------



## Orlando

Excellent tank works George.  Bravo UKAPS,George and all who make this place glow green with envy and inspiration. The quality on this board on every level is unmatched by any I have seen. First class everything!


----------



## George Farmer

Orlando said:


> Excellent tank works George.  Bravo UKAPS,George and all who make this place glow green with envy and inspiration. The quality on this board on every level is unmatched by any I have seen. First class everything!


Thanks buddy. And great to see you on here.


----------



## Orlando

Thanks George, UKAPS is a breath of fresh air for us.


----------



## George Farmer

Hi all,

So I stripped this down the other day.  Mixed emotions, as usual. Quite sad to see this go, but more excited about the next creation...

Here's an iPhone snap, mid-stripdown.  Makes an ok Iwagumi I guess. lol






Thanks so much to everyone that's viewed, "liked", and commented on this journal.  I've said it before but it really helps to keep me motivated when I know you guys are also helping to support something I'm so passionate about - aquascaping and growing aquarium plants. 

Look out for the next journal coming very soon. 

Cheers,
George


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## Michael W

Out with the old, in with the new!


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## tim

Seriously jealous, half stripped down and still looks better than anything I've put together over the 3 years I've been trying , looking forward to avidly following your next creation George.


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## Dave Pierce

Looking forward to your next journal  

Any clue's as to what you've got planned!? Or is it going to be a surprise?

It's always enjoyable following your journals mate, glad to hear your going straight into your next one.


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## George Farmer

Thanks guys. 

No secrets for the next one. A safe minimalist iwagumi using some new Seiryu. I give it 6 weeks!


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## Ady34

Boom, another one bites the dust......i think you and Ian are in a scape off to see who can produce the most aquascapes in a year 
As always, looking forward to the next masterpiece


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## George Farmer

Thanks guys!


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## viktorlantos

Cheers George, it was a beauty tank for sure. I just read the last few pages with the last minute algae invasion and SAE help. And the brilliant shot at the show. WOW!
The way what you did with this moss covered wood from your previous setup and this one is awesome really. Top qual mate!


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## Antoni

That was a great tank and a good lesson for all of us in fast and effective algae fighting. Just a quick question for you:

Did the SAE attack the BBA and did they eat the moss? Were they territorial- intimidating the tetras?


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## George Farmer

Hi mate - the SAEs didn't eat any moss, only algae. They didn't seem to bother the tetras. However, they are juveniles and may change their eating and other behaviour into adulthood...

Thanks!


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