# Jim's TMC Signature



## Jim.. (8 Oct 2016)

Hi Guys and Gals

Would love to share my progress with you.  This is my first planted tank so I'm sure there will be loads of mistakes and stupid questions.  It will be slow going, but stick with me..
*
Aquarium: TMC Signature*
-size : 600mm x 450mm x 300mm
-volume: 80 liters ish
_
*Stand: TMC Signature, gloss white.*_
-size : 600mm x 450mm x 750mm
*
Lighting:*
- Kessil A160WE Tuna Sun plus mounting arm

*Filtration:*
- Eheim Classic 600 2217

*Heating:*
- Fluval E100
- Additional 100w heater for heating new water, Aquavital.

*Cooling:*
- Hopefully not needed

*Substrate, sand, hardscape :*
- ADA Aqua Soil Amazonia
- ADA La Plata Sand
- ADA Power Sand Special S
- Dragon Stone
- Stick

*Flora:*
_- _Eleocharis Parvula
- Pogostemon Helferi
- Alternathera Reineckii Mini
- Limnophila Hippuridoides
- Hygrophila Siamensis 53B, found on AquaEssentails
- Heteranthera zosterifolia
- Vesicularia ferriei 'Weeping'

*Fishes:*
_- _Harlequin rasbora
- Ember tetra

*Ferts:*
_- _EI macro / micro fertiliser from Co2 Art

*CO2:*
- Starter kit from Co2 Art and 2kg fire extinguisher

Have some pictures, but my laptop, were they are stored has forced an update.  Gotta love Windows 10..hmmm.

Thanks for reading.

Jim

Edit - Adding stuff when I get it.


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## Jim.. (8 Oct 2016)

*The space* 
- my home office/man cave.  My old filing cabinet has been relegated to the cupboard under the stairs to make room. Back wall could use a coat of paint..




 

Wasn't expecting a delivery until Sunday but was pleasantly surprised to get a text message to say that my order was due on Saturday.  The excitement started to build.. 



 

hmmm.  Not quite what I expected.



 

Fingers crossed for Sunday, hopefully I'll have more to show


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## kadoxu (8 Oct 2016)

The pain... I can feel it!


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## GHNelson (9 Oct 2016)

............


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## Manisha (9 Oct 2016)

Very entertaining opening  look forward to updates!


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## Jim.. (10 Oct 2016)

Ok, Part 2.

Woke Sunday morning full of excitement, looking forward to a day building cabinets and tinkering with my new project.  A cup of tea is in order whilst I wait for the text message with my delivery slot.  The wait is short, beep beep, I rush to the phone like a kid on Christmas morning and check the delivery time... 15.00-16.00! 

Feeling a little deflated but with time to kill I set off to the local DIY shop for supplies.

Non slip mat and frosted backing.  Stop me if the pictures get too exciting! 



 

..and finally it arrives, that's more like it 



 



 

A few curse words, some spilt glue and a short time later I give to you.. Position 1. 



 

Position 2.  



 

Added the frosted backing and non slip matt.



 

Really impressed with the build quality of the tank and cabinet, nice work TMC 

Ok, now for lights.  T8, T5, LED, Metal Halide, Pendant, OTL, phew the list goes on.. I may be sometime, stay tuned.


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## BexHaystack (10 Oct 2016)

Keep the updates coming...are you going for position 2?

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## Jim.. (10 Oct 2016)

Yes, I think so.

My whole plan revolved around the 1st position as it gives a better viewing angle and easier access for maintenance.  Unfortunately I didn't like it 

Moved to 2nd position and voila.  The pics don't really show but it fits much better within the room.


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## kadoxu (12 Oct 2016)

I never thought about using grip mat beneath the aquarium... have been looking for a decent underlay mat for ages! Have you used it before?


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## imak (12 Oct 2016)

You can use yoga mats to?


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## Jim.. (12 Oct 2016)

kadoxu said:


> I never thought about using grip mat beneath the aquarium... have been looking for a decent underlay mat for ages! Have you used it before?



No, but I'm sure it will provide adequate support and only £6 from Halfords 



imak said:


> You can use yoga mats to?



Yes.  I used one for my old marine setup.


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## BexHaystack (12 Oct 2016)

I used this and am really happy with it, looks smart, nice finish when cut and has a good 'spring' to it https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B001N0X4B8/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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## Jim.. (19 Oct 2016)

Time for a update..

To be honest I was getting a bit bored looking at an empty class box, albeit a very nice class box!  So, with a few days off work, a credit card and the internet, some progress has been made 

It all started on the drive home from work when I decided to pop into a well known fish shop in Raleigh, Essex.  The plan was a bit of window shopping but after spotting some Dragon Stone at less than £3 a Kilo, I couldn't help myself.  I'll spare you the pictures 

That was it, the fire was lit.  The following day I went to my lfs, after an hour talking shop I decide to spend £40 of my hard earned on.. a stick! 



 

hmmm, ok.  If your like me, that wasn't satisfying either   Time to practice an aquascape..







 

Enough you say, we need dirt!  I'll let the following pictures speak for themselves..



 



 



 



 



 



 

and finally..  Still needs some tweaking, but i'll leave it few days.



 

Stay tuned for the next update.  It wont be long, I received two deliveries whilst writing this 

As always, thanks for reading


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## BexHaystack (19 Oct 2016)

Keep them coming!  What substrates are you using?

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## Jim.. (19 Oct 2016)

- ADA Aqua Soil Amazonia Powder
- ADA La Plata Sand
- ADA Power Sand Special S

Have edited the first post to show  



BexHaystack said:


> Keep them coming!  What substrates are you using?
> 
> Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk


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## Jim.. (19 Oct 2016)

Ok, as promised.. I know it's only a fire extinguisher and canister filter but I'm easily pleased 





New home.  I'll cut the pipework when happy with the final location but you get the idea.



 

In tank.


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## Jim.. (22 Oct 2016)

Small update for the weekend..

Removed the branch climbing over the tank, was concerned it may drip water directly onto the mains outlet below   Added some smaller rocks to break up the "shoreline" and some more soil to bed the larger stone.  Rigged up one of my old marine lights to see what it looked like.. too blue! 





Found an old holiday pic that has inspired the shoreline



 

Finish the canister pipework, fitted a plug-bar and timers





and my son insisted on a picture of the new tweezers, his new favourite tool 





Last on the list of equipment is the lighting and a heater.  Need to wait until the next pay cheque, forgot how expensive this hobby can get


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## AquamaniacUK (22 Oct 2016)

This reminds me of when i assembled my own TMC tank last year. 
I also had to keep waiting for the next paychek as it really adds up to get a decent system. 
I was unlucky though as i ordered a TMC tank like yours and was delivered the taller version with the black silicone.
Couldn't afford to take another day off work for replacement so ended keeping the larger one.
Your's is shaping up to be a good project, seems you got things well planned and the TMC's are good tanks, keep it up.
The fun is in the journey.

I really like the way you are scaping it and can see potential in the design, will come back for updates.


P.S where did you get your frosted background


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## Jim.. (22 Oct 2016)

Thanks for the comment AquamaniacUk 

Sorry you didn't get the tank you wanted but I'm sure you made the best of it.  Do you have a journal?

I love the design stage, probably more than when it's running  

The background was from B&Q, only £6.. http://www.diy.com/departments/d-c-fix-frosted-static-cling-window-film-l15m-w45cm/200336_BQ.prd



AquamaniacUK said:


> This reminds me of when i assembled my own TMC tank last year.
> I also had to keep waiting for the next paychek as it really adds up to get a decent system.
> I was unlucky though as i ordered a TMC tank like yours and was delivered the taller version with the black silicone.
> Couldn't afford to take another day off work for replacement so ended keeping the larger one.
> ...


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## AquamaniacUK (22 Oct 2016)

Jim.. said:


> Thanks for the comment AquamaniacUk
> 
> Sorry you didn't get the tank you wanted but I'm sure you made the best of it.  Do you have a journal?
> 
> ...



Thank you. I will definitely pop up in B&Q for one of these. 
I didn't do a journal for my TMC last year, i do have videos on youtube though.


This is a video of it being planted, there's a few more videos of the setup process and following in there if you want to check.
I am planning to do another scape on this tank soon which i will do a journal.


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## Jim.. (22 Oct 2016)

Thanks for the video, love the scape 

I think it's good to do a journal.  I never did a proper one for my marine tank and I regret not having anything to look back on.


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## Manisha (22 Oct 2016)

Wee cutie/rascal...  Your video of your last scape loooked well planned plant wise ☺ have you plans for the new project?


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## Jim.. (23 Oct 2016)

He certainly is 

The video is not my tank, unless you were speaking to AquamaniacUK 

When it comes to plants I'm really out of my comfort zone.  Have made a list of beginner plants using Aqua Essentials/Tropica, mostly stuff I like the look of, but any advice would be appreciated 

Limnophila hippuridoides
Hygrophila siamensis
Ludwigia palustris red
Ludwigia repens
Limnophila sessiliflora
Hydrorotyle tripartita
Bacopa monnieri compact
Micranthemun

I'm a few weeks from planting so have plenty of time to read up 



Manisha said:


> Wee cutie/rascal...  Your video of your last scape loooked well planned plant wise ☺ have you plans for the new project?


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## Greenfinger2 (23 Oct 2016)

Hi Jim Love the scape  One thing I would attach the Co2 bottle to the cupboard with the plate with the hole in that comes with the bottle.And hook the bottle on as it becomes unstable when the pressure gauge's are fitted and could fall over and smash the gauges


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## Manisha (23 Oct 2016)

Oops,my mistake Jim! If your are new to plants I agree beginner plants & ones you like is the best place to start ☺ nice list - I love the look of limnophilia hippuridoides when it shows its colour!


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## Jim.. (24 Oct 2016)

Hi Greenfinger

Thanks for the heads up  Unfortunately no bracket was supplied but the plan was to use some cable tie cradles and ties to hold it in place.


Greenfinger2 said:


> Hi Jim Love the scape  One thing I would attach the Co2 bottle to the cupboard with the plate with the hole in that comes with the bottle.And hook the bottle on as it becomes unstable when the pressure gauge's are fitted and could fall over and smash the gauges


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## Jim.. (24 Oct 2016)

Agreed, limnophilia hippuridoides is certainly one of my favorites 


Manisha said:


> Oops,my mistake Jim! If your are new to plants I agree beginner plants & ones you like is the best place to start ☺ nice list - I love the look of limnophilia hippuridoides when it shows its colour!


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## Courtneybst (24 Oct 2016)

Hey Jim, nice setup!

I'd like to see how your frosted window film holds out. I recently setup a tank and used a frosted film too. When I applied it, it looked perfect like this:





However since filling up the tank it has developed some weird bubbles out of nowhere which don't come out when scraped. Maybe I'm just unlucky :/ You can see the bubbles in the back.





It's either that or have no background and all the wires showing.


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## timofeje (25 Oct 2016)

How did You apply it. If using soapy water and a hairdryer it should never happen. This happens only when trying to apply it dry....
I have applied my black background (cheapest car window tint film) on my 200L tank with water already in it without any problems.


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## Jim.. (25 Oct 2016)

Hi Courtney

Thanks 

Mine does show some shadowing but it's barely noticeable.  I will probably reapply it using the method suggested by timofeje.



Courtneybst said:


> Hey Jim, nice setup!
> I'd like to see how your frosted window film holds out. I recently setup a tank and used a frosted film too. When I applied it, it looked perfect like this:
> However since filling up the tank it has developed some weird bubbles out of nowhere which don't come out when scraped. Maybe I'm just unlucky :/ You can see the bubbles in the back.
> It's either that or have no background and all the wires showing.





timofeje said:


> How did You apply it. If using soapy water and a hairdryer it should never happen. This happens only when trying to apply it dry....
> I have applied my black background (cheapest car window tint film) on my 200L tank with water already in it without any problems.


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## Courtneybst (25 Oct 2016)

timofeje said:


> How did You apply it. If using soapy water and a hairdryer it should never happen. This happens only when trying to apply it dry....
> I have applied my black background (cheapest car window tint film) on my 200L tank with water already in it without any problems.



I'm intrigued. The instructions just told me to use plain water. Also the hair dryer thing...how does this work?

I doubt I'll be about to do it again, the tank weighs nearly 90kg empty  I'll remember for next time.


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## Jim.. (26 Oct 2016)

I take it you can no longer access the back of your tank?  Perhaps you could try a piece of acrylic cut to size, glue some retainers to the pelmet / base and slide it in.

I have re-fixed mine looks ok, only time will tell..



Courtneybst said:


> I'm intrigued. The instructions just told me to use plain water. Also the hair dryer thing...how does this work?
> 
> I doubt I'll be about to do it again, the tank weighs nearly 90kg empty  I'll remember for next time.


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## Jim.. (27 Oct 2016)

Evening All

Ok, I have decided on some plants.  Will try these 5 to start with, adding more as needed.  As always, any advice on the plants would be appreciated.
_
- _Eleocharis Acicularis.  Foreground.
- Pogostemon Helferi.  Mid left, amongst rockwork.
- Alternathera Reineckii Mini.  Mid right, amongst rockwork.
- Limnophila Hippuridordes.  Background, left.
- Hygrophila Siamenssis 53B, found on AquaEssentails.  Background, right.

Installed my regulator, bubble counter, etc..



 

Final position, cable tied for safety.





Heater, barely noticeable


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## tim (27 Oct 2016)

Great start Jim, love the detail of your journal so far, as far as your plant list goes nice selection though you may find the E. Acicularis grows a little tall, E. Parvula may be a better option.


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## Jim.. (27 Oct 2016)

Hi tim

Glad you like it  Thank you for the plant info, I'll swap for the E.Parvula 


tim said:


> Great start Jim, love the detail of your journal so far, as far as your plant list goes nice selection though you may find the E. Acicularis grows a little tall, E. Parvula may be a better option.


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## Jim.. (4 Nov 2016)

Good morning everybody

Can't believe it's only been a week since my last update, seems longer..

So, last weekend I decided to fill the tank.  More to keep my son entertained than my own impatience  Everything went swimmingly!  I know, couldn't help myself  I did have one small teething problem with my regulators solenoid, but thanks to forum members and Co2Art, the problem was soon rectified 

Nothing interesting to report over the week, just have some fungus growing on my wood and substrate.  I guess it's eating up any organic matter?

Finally pushed the button and ordered my light, plus an Ehiem surface skimmer and it arrived this morning, yay 

Ok, time for some pics..

The plastic backing has suffered since adding the water.




What I woke to this morning.  Glad I ordered the skimmer.


 

We have light!  I'm really impressed with the Kessil, quality bracket and the light output seems really good 


 









Have added a fine filter pad to polish the water to try and capture the different colour range, stay tuned.

Thanks for reading


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## CooKieS (4 Nov 2016)

Nice scape but you should have add some plants before water, you'll have some bad algae outbreak otherwise...no?


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## Jim.. (4 Nov 2016)

I'm not sure tbh 

I'm doing 60% wc every other day and won't be using the light until planted.  Hopefully I'll start that next weekend.  I can't see much harm in giving the filter a head start?


CooKieS said:


> Nice scape but you should have add some plants before water, you'll have some bad algae outbreak otherwise...no?


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## AnhBui (4 Nov 2016)

Jim.. said:


> I'm not sure tbh
> 
> I'm doing 60% wc every other day and won't be using the light until planted.  Hopefully I'll start that next weekend.  I can't see much harm in giving the filter a head start?



No harm and it's a method to prevent algae before  


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## Greenfinger2 (4 Nov 2016)

Hi Jim, Looking forward to seeing this scape planted


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## CooKieS (4 Nov 2016)

Plants helps against ammonia leach and consume the nutrients of the soil...dont


AnhBui said:


> No harm and it's a method to prevent algae before
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk



Seems to be a strange method to me, as the pĺants help against ammonia and in doing that, help to cycle the tank faster.

Plus, plants will grow faster with fresh soil, with all that WC without plants, You're just releasing all the good nutrients from your soil...just my 2 cents.

But hey, if it works for some, should be fine anyway


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## AnhBui (4 Nov 2016)

CooKieS said:


> Plants helps against ammonia leach and consume the nutrients of the soil...dont
> 
> 
> Seems to be a strange method to me, as the pĺants help against ammonia and in doing that, help to cycle the tank faster.
> ...



Yeah, it worked for me  I flooded 125x45x55, did water change every other day in first two weeks with filter on and light off 


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## alto (4 Nov 2016)

Jim.. said:


> _- _Eleocharis Acicularis. Foreground.
> - Pogostemon Helferi. Mid left, amongst rockwork.
> - Alternathera Reineckii Mini. Mid right, amongst rockwork.
> - Limnophila Hippuridordes. Background, left.
> - Hygrophila Siamenssis 53B, found on AquaEssentails. Background, right.




Limnophila sessiliflora was also on your short list - it's an excellent "tank starter" plant as it seems to grow vigorously from the start - some of the other plants on your list can take a couple weeks to establish before showing much growth so it's always good to have some of these supporting or auxiliary plants in as well

Tank is looking very well 

Filling the tank & testing all the components & practising water changes is a good beginning 
It's much easier to plant in only slightly wet aquarium soil though, so I'd drain the tank in preparation, then have a spray bottle at hand to mist plants

Eleocharis sp "mini" Plant Handling Video 

Tropica did a fantastic job with their Plant Handling Series - well worth watching!


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## Jim.. (4 Nov 2016)

Thank you everybody for your advice and comments 

As promised earlier I tried to take some pictures to show the different colour levels..

6000k



 
9000k


 

Due to my fantastic photography skills I can't tell the difference either   In real life the difference is huge.. runs off to the photography forum for a crash course 

To compensate I took some more from different angles, quantity over quality right?


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## alto (4 Nov 2016)

Your camera may be automatically (white)balancing

Once you've plants in the tank, the change in light color may be more apparent (in photos) re impact on greens


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## Manisha (6 Nov 2016)

Really like your angled shots Jim, you probably wouldn't have got those with the tank in the first placement - looks super!


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## Jim.. (6 Nov 2016)

Thank you Manisha 

Your right, I'm really glad I stuck with this location.


Manisha said:


> Really like your angled shots Jim, you probably wouldn't have got those with the tank in the first placement - looks super!


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## Jim.. (6 Nov 2016)

I have added some additional dragon stone to the rear right and at the base of the tree to try and create more height and depth.  Only minor changes so I won't bore you with the pictures 

Plan is to start planting next weekend, so hopefully I'll have something more exciting to show


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## BexHaystack (6 Nov 2016)

Pictures aren't boring!

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## Jim.. (7 Nov 2016)

Alright then  But like I said, minor changes..

Before


 

After   Water is really cloudy today, I guess its due to the new rockwork..


 



 

I have also siphoned most of the fungi from the substrate and changed wc's to 30% daily.

Hopefully back on Saturday for planting


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## Jim.. (12 Nov 2016)

Evening All 

We have plants! Lots of plants!

When searching online it's hard to gauge how many plants might be needed.  My initial thought was not to order too many and add to the scape over time.  Fast forward to now and there's little room for planting in my tank 

But lets start at the beginning.  With my delivery due at lunchtime I had plenty time to get things ready, 1st I had to drain the tank..



Boom!




That only took 15 minutes, need to kill some time while I wait for my delivery 
..and, by the power of the internet.







Some random close ups.













Plant prep,  Eleocharis Parvula and Alternathera Reineckii Mini







Pogostemon Helferi







Limnophila Hippuridoides and Hygrophila Siamensis










Heteranthera zosterifolia







I'll leave you with a FTS.  Still need to attach some weeping moss to the branches 







The aftermath 




Thanks for reading.  Hope you enjoyed the pictures 

Hopefully back later.


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## Greenfinger2 (12 Nov 2016)

Hi Jim,  Simply stunning. Cannot wait to see the planting grow in


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## Jim.. (12 Nov 2016)

Thank you Greenfinger, I hope it lives up to expectations 


Greenfinger2 said:


> Hi Jim,  Simply stunning. Cannot wait to see the planting grow in


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## Jim.. (12 Nov 2016)

So the plan was to tie the moss to the branches.  Showing my inexperience here  








Plan B.  Hopefully that's safe?




Moss attached..  I had more but ran out of superglue 




Filter and skimmer switched on.  Was worried that i'd lose the lot but only had a few floaters, easy to deal with 












Co2 connected and timers sorted.  Glass could do with a clean but that's a job for tomorrow.  I'm off for a well deserved beer


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## Jim.. (14 Nov 2016)

Have done some tests this morning.  Not very exciting, more for my own records..

pH - 7-8
NH3 - 0
NO2 - 0.25
NO3 - 5
KH - 14
GH - 22

CO2 is running 24/7 although I'm not 100% this is working correctly   Continuing with daily wc's, approximately 35%

Would you guys add ferts yet or give it some time?


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## Greenfinger2 (14 Nov 2016)

Hi Jim, Why is your Co2 running 24/7. I would add ferts from the start


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## Jim.. (14 Nov 2016)

I think it's a faulty solenoid, see here.. http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/faulty-solenoid.43271/  Unfortunately it was only a temporary fix.  Thought it was better to leave it on than not at all?

I have emailed CO2Art for a contact number as I couldn't find one on their website, hopefully it's an easy fix.

Was also worried that I was getting very few bubbles at the atomizer.  Even with the needle valve fully open is was only getting 1 bubble every 4 seconds at the BC.


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## Manisha (14 Nov 2016)

Looks super ☺


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## Jim.. (15 Nov 2016)

Jim.. said:


> Edit.  Was also worried that I was getting very few bubbles at the atomizer.  Even with the needle valve fully open is was only getting 1 bubble every 4 seconds at the BC.



To add.. After checking out videos on youtube I realised that the bubbles from my atomizer was no were near what it should be.  I have removed the bubble counter and can now adjust the flow properly.  Unfortunately I now think there is a problem with the BC and Solenoid 

Edit.. have just got off the phone to Co2Art who have been a great help


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## Jim.. (18 Nov 2016)

Day 6.  Warts and all.

Evening All 

Co2Art have sent a replacement bubble counter and solenoid.  After installation every thing is working perfectly 

Unfortunately I am having a few problems with my plants, Pogostemon Helferi and Limnophila Hippuridoides are slowly melting away 







Heteranthera zosterifolia was showing a great improvement after planting but is now starting to yellow..




Alternathera Reineckii Mini looks ok but has lost some of it's colour




Eleocharis Parvula, agian was looking ok but starting to brown




Have asked for advice on the Plants section https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/new-tank-various-problems.47817/, hopefully I can sort it out and get things back on track


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## Jim.. (25 Nov 2016)

Good Morning All 

Time for an update..

After my initial panic things have settled down, patience weed hopper  

Unfortunately I did lose the Limnophila Hippuridoides and has since been replaced with Ludwigia palustris red.  This is growing like a weed and hit the surface within a few days of planting.  Not sure i'll keep this but it's certainly a confidence boost 

Also lost 80% of my helferi although a few are still holding on.  Bought some more from the LFS which appear to be doing much better, only time will tell.

Everything else is showing good signs of growth except the rineckii, but from what I have read it will take some time to settle 

It also appears I was getting my plants mixed up   Somehow I managed to confuse Hygrophila Siamensis 53B with Heteranthera zosterifolia, told you plants were not my strong point   Have edited the above posts to reflect the right names.






 



 





Now I'm happy with the way things are running the next phase of the project is to remove as much equipment from the tank  as possible..  

Inline heater.  Hydor or maybe a DIY project.

A reactor or inline diffuser for the CO2.  Have read pros and cons for both of these, Hydors sticking, noisy reactors and diffusers leaking.  I'm not 100% convinced just yet.

Lily pipes.  May include a surface skimmer, may not.

As always, thanks for reading


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## CooKieS (25 Nov 2016)

I like it!


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## Joe Turner (25 Nov 2016)

Scape looks great, and plants healthy too! Looking forward to seeing this in a couple of months! Best of luck with re-jigging hardware. I use a 200w Hydor external heater and its fantastic, flow reduction isn't terrible either. 

Joe


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## Jim.. (26 Nov 2016)

Thanks guys 

That's the thing with the Hydor Joe, from the reviews I've read, people either love it or hate it.  A bit like marmite


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## Manisha (27 Nov 2016)

Come along way from that teeny tiny box... I agree with Joe - I think this will be great to see grown in as well!


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## Greenfinger2 (10 Dec 2016)

Hi Jim, This will be a stunning scape when the plants grow in  I love the way your scape flows into the open space


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## Jim.. (17 Dec 2016)

Morning Guys 

Sorry for the lack of updates..

Still struggling with the helferi, it starts to grow new leaves then slowly melts away   All other plants are growing well, regular pruning is required to keep things in check 

Going through a slight algae bloom at the moment, so have added some dwarf catfish and shrimp to help.

Couple of phone pics pre bloom   These were taken on the 7th December, Day 25th.  Will get some more recent shots asap, thanks for looking


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## MrHidley (17 Dec 2016)

Jim.. said:


> Morning Guys
> 
> 
> 
> Still struggling with the helferi, it starts to grow new leaves then slowly melts away   All other plants are growing well, regular pruning is required to keep things in check



Do you have a par meter? I'd be tempted to check how much light is making it to the helfrei providing your Co2 and flow is all good in that area? What percentage are you running the Kessil at?


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## Jim.. (17 Dec 2016)

No unfortunately not.  Kessil is running at 100%, Helferi is just off centre, 50cm from light.  Flow could be an issue, I get some movement but not much, the diffuser spreads the water quite high.  Too much for higher plants at the back, not enough for the lower front imo.  Not sure about co2, drop checker always turns green. Running 6hrs, 2hrs before lights on/off, roughly 5/6 bps.  Distribution seems ok from using the dc, I move it to different locations.

Any advice would be appreciated


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## MrHidley (17 Dec 2016)

Being that they're shaded by a large rock you might have trouble getting flow to them. I think you'd have better distribution if you had a spray bar across the back of the tank.


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## Jim.. (17 Dec 2016)

I will try to adjust the flow. Unfortunately the way I cut the return I can no longer add the spray bar.

Thanks 

Edit.. Just checked my return flow and it feels pretty poor.  Gonna give the filter a clean and remove the fine floss, hopefully that will create more flow.


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## nduli (18 Dec 2016)

Jim.. said:


> I will try to adjust the flow. Unfortunately the way I cut the return I can no longer add the spray bar.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Edit.. Just checked my return flow and it feels pretty poor.  Gonna give the filter a clean and remove the fine floss, hopefully that will create more flow.



Dropping the floss will help significantly with the flow. If you want to continue to polish the water then a small bag of Purigen may help.


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## Jim.. (22 Dec 2016)

Ok, I cleaned the filter and removed the fine floss.  Unfortunately it didn't make a huge difference, but every little helps..

As part of the ongoing plan the feed and return have been moved to the left side of the tank and the stock parts are being replaced with lily pipes.  The heater has been removed and replaced with Hydor inline.  In place of the heater I have fitted a powerhead to aid with the water circulation and distribution of the co2. 

Tank is looking much cleaner   It's a shame about the powerhead but I believe the benefits outweigh the aesthetic.

I'll pop some pics up when my lights are on, hopefully later this evening


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## Jim.. (22 Dec 2016)

I've change my mind, the powerhead looks ugly   Oh well...

Took these shortly after adding the outflow.  Had to remove a fair amount of substrate so the water is very cloudy 

Also removed the skimmer, it was sucking in livestock quicker than I could fish them out.  Lost 1 catfish and 1 shrimp , lesson learnt.

Anyways.. 





Glass thermometer to replace the built in one on the Fluval heater.
















New layout.  A bit of a mess but looks great with the door closed 




Still battling the algae but it's part of the course I guess.  Will have a trim tomorrow, last major maintenance before the holidays. 

Hope everybody has a great Christmas and New Year


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## Jim.. (22 Dec 2016)

A couple more phone pics after things settled down.  Re-installed the skimmer to help with the debris and surface scum, not sure I can live without it!  Hate to contradict myself already . 

Adjusted the powerhead and tidied up the cables.  Attention is in the detail 











Thanks for looking


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## Greenfinger2 (23 Dec 2016)

Hi Jim, Looking really cool


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## Konsa (23 Dec 2016)

Hi Jim,
Tank looks really nice.Love the open area with the sand and how u made the transition with the stones. Very natural and pleasing to the eye colour combination too.
Regarding the flow is the filter outlet and skimer flow  not in conflict with the one from the circulation pump.Why not try to put the pump on the shot side and point it towards the outlet pipe (sightly down along the back ).With the skimmer you don't need to have any surface agitation from the pump as it will only outgas the Co2 being right underneath it.This in my opinion will improve the flow pattern and CO2 distribution.
Keep up the good work.
Regards Konsa


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## Jim.. (23 Dec 2016)

Greenfinger2 said:


> Hi Jim, Looking really cool


Hi Greenfinger, thank you 



Konsa said:


> Hi Jim,
> Tank looks really nice.Love the open area with the sand and how u made the transition with the stones. Very natural and pleasing to the eye colour combination too.
> Regarding the flow is the filter outlet and skimer flow  not in conflict with the one from the circulation pump.Why not try to put the pump on the shot side and point it towards the outlet pipe (sightly down along the back ).With the skimmer you don't need to have any surface agitation from the pump as it will only outgas the Co2 being right underneath it.This in my opinion will improve the flow pattern and CO2 distribution.
> Keep up the good work.
> Regards Konsa



Hi Konsa, thank you for the kind words 

Good point with the powerhead.  Was also getting a lot of evaporation using it like this.  Have changed as suggested, thank you for the advice


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## Ericson Sy (22 Apr 2017)

Hi jim,

Could please share the links where you got all the stuff needed for the co2 setup? I have no clue on what to get. I just have the co2 tank like the one you have. Cheers


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## McCarthy (23 Apr 2017)

Update needed too.


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