# FoF 2009 UKAPS Display Aquascapes



## George Farmer (13 Oct 2009)

80x45x45cm





30x30x30cm




30x20x20cm




20x20x20cm


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## Garuf (13 Oct 2009)

I spot this autumn/winters new trend, beige/brown scaping! Very nice, I particularly like the iwagumi. Are there any stems in it? I see it as being a mould breaker like those of Nico. Very nice indeed, to all a big well done.


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## Dan Crawford (13 Oct 2009)

Blimey george, those photos were worth all the faffing last thing of the weekend when I WANTED TO GO HOME   


			
				Garuf said:
			
		

> Are there any stems in it


 No stems mate, might be worth thinking about though.


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## Tony Swinney (13 Oct 2009)

Cracking tanks, and nice pics George     You guys certainly did ukaps proud with those on display.



			
				Dan Crawford said:
			
		

> all the faffing last thing of the weekend when I WANTED TO GO HOME



Youre a trooper for the cause Dan !

Tony


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## James Marshall (13 Oct 2009)

Fantastic shots there George, you've really done the scapes justice.
Did you use the new photographic equipment that you had in the van for these?

Cheers
James


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## rawr (13 Oct 2009)

We were represnted great with these beauties guys, nice one!  There was a great photo of Graeme's nano by Lozbug I think on the FoF thread. Out of intrest, what exactly happens to the tanks that were set up on the day? They're not stripped down are they?


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## Dan Crawford (13 Oct 2009)

rawr said:
			
		

> Out of intrest, what exactly happens to the tanks that were set up on the day? They're not stripped down are they?


Well the nanos were setup in advance as you no doubt know, Graeme's Tropica cube is setup at home again, same with my "slow burner" but my optiwhite is getting broken down for a while so i can concentrate on other things. We used my 80cm for the show and the intention was to rip it down but since it was so cool, it's currently residing in my living room


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## Graeme Edwards (13 Oct 2009)

My cube is still in the car. I havnt had the energy to put everything away......tonight ill stap on a pair and get it sorted.


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## Dave Spencer (13 Oct 2009)

You did yourselves and UKAPS proud guys! Great stuff.

Dave.


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## John Starkey (13 Oct 2009)

Once again well done all of you,
nice pics George,

regards john.


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## Lozbug (13 Oct 2009)

rawr said:
			
		

> There was a great photo of Graeme's nano by Lozbug I think on the FoF thread.


aw, Cheers 


The pic's are great George, good to see the result after the effort


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## Stu Worrall (13 Oct 2009)

great tanks chaps.  really nice selection to show off the hobby and ukaps


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## Lisa_Perry75 (13 Oct 2009)

The small tanks are all really good:-

Number one (left on stand) - I had no idea that this tank was so small from the online pics.

Two (middle) - Like the discus and betta, lol, but for me the centre rock is too big or the tank is too short. 

Three (right) - Love. It. Dunno what it is but Graeme is the nano master for me.


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## clint24 (13 Oct 2009)

Hiya.Great stand & scapes lads you have done your selfs proud.I will be there next year this time.Could you tell me if you used the aquaray gro beam 1000nd or the hd ultra as they looked great.Well Done again lads.


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## Lisa_Perry75 (13 Oct 2009)

That tank clearing product was awesome Dan, what was it called again? Tank was crystal.


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## Dan Crawford (14 Oct 2009)

Lisa_Perry75 said:
			
		

> That tank clearing product was awesome Dan, what was it called again? Tank was crystal.


It was Columbo something or other, it's very good and apparently a natural product.


			
				Lisa_Perry75 said:
			
		

> .Could you tell me if you used the aquaray gro beam 1000nd or the hd ultra as they looked great.


 It was the Gro Beam 1000ND and it's freakin' awesome!

Thanks for all the kind words folks, it make it feel worth it


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## hunter001 (15 Oct 2009)

I went to FoF for the first time this year and i was very impressed with the tanks. The pics on here are good but seeing them in person makes you appreciate just how good they look. I didnt get chance to have a go on the tank where you could try making your own scape as i didnt get down there until late saturday unfortunatly.


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## nico (15 Oct 2009)

great tanks! i especially like the 1st and the 3rd   

anyways what is FOF?


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## Lozbug (15 Oct 2009)

nico said:
			
		

> anyways what is FOF?



Hi, 

The Festival of Fishkeeping. It's an annual event hosted by the FBAS and is held on Hayling Island - usually the second week of October. 

Has most types of fish there for showing, some for sale, trade and craft stalls and informations stands, such as UKAPS one 

More photos from the show http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=8185


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## Gill (15 Oct 2009)

Great Tanks Guys, Really Like the Rasbora and Shrimp Tank


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## ilaymir (15 Oct 2009)

Selection of unsuitable materials will effect the continuality of the tanks.
Mistakes done at the tanks -especially ones about rocks- will return as brown blanket.

Regards

ilaymir


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## George Farmer (16 Oct 2009)

Hi Ilaymir

Can you elaborate, please?  I don't understand you.

What materials are unsuitable?  What brown blanket?

Three of those four tanks have been running successfully for several months.


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## hydrophyte (16 Oct 2009)

Those are nice little show tanks. I'm sorry what was the FoF?

You are up bright and early George; I still haven't packed off to bed.


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## George Farmer (16 Oct 2009)

Thanks hydrophyte!



			
				Lozbug said:
			
		

> nico said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## LondonDragon (16 Oct 2009)

Great stuff guys, has always you doing UKAPS proud, shame I couldn't make it once again!


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## ilaymir (16 Oct 2009)

Hi George;

The tanks are small+Some of the rocks are quite large+There is little water

The rocks used, looks like easy to dissolve in water.Especially the iron compounds they contain, oxides easily and spread out particules all over the tank.That is why in such tanks water changes and cleaning of the glases are needed frequently.
Thus,such problems are obvious from the brown formings at the corners of tanks which are not cleaned well.

Regards

ilaymir


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## Mark Evans (16 Oct 2009)

ilaymir said:
			
		

> The rocks used, looks like easy to dissolve in water.Especially the iron compounds they contain, oxides easily and spread out particules all over the tank.



but surely with good maintenance, this wont be a problem? 

personally no.1 is brilliant. classic iwagumi.

no2. amano stylee nano/small tank

no.3 potentially, genius

no4. a great GE scape.

good work guys. I'm a little envious.


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## George Farmer (17 Oct 2009)

ilaymir said:
			
		

> Hi George;
> 
> The tanks are small+Some of the rocks are quite large+There is little water
> 
> ...


Thank for clarifying, Ilaymir. 

The rocks used are Unipac's Petrified (fossilised) Wood and in my experience do not lead to the problems you suggest.  I have been using this product for around 3 years now, sometimes in low maintenance tanks with minimal water changes.

The smallest tank you see is Dan Crawford's, who will admit that he is low-maintenance advocate...  This layout is 8 months old and thrives on neglect (shrimp breeding, no algae etc.), yet does not see the issues you suggest.

Here is another low-maintenance layout with 50Kg of Petrified wood.  Non-CO2 injected and minimal water changes...






I may sound defensive about this product but it really is a superb hardscape material that deserves positive recognition.



			
				saintly said:
			
		

> personally no.1 is brilliant. classic iwagumi.
> 
> no2. amano stylee nano/small tank
> 
> ...


Thanks, Mark.


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## ilaymir (17 Oct 2009)

Hi George,

I believe what you say.
Sorry, but I trust to my observations and experiences more.










Regards,

ilaymir

P.S. Please don't tell that these are reflection.


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## JamesM (17 Oct 2009)

Ilaymir, hows about you post some of your tanks?

IME, if you dose right and have a nice balance of co2 and light, you wont need to clean the glass. And there are far more adventurous and restrictive (for maintenance) 'scapes out there than any of these, which are nice btw (except for the last one which I don't like much at all).


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## Stu Worrall (18 Oct 2009)

ilaymir said:
			
		

> Hi George,
> 
> I believe what you say.
> Sorry, but I trust to my observations and experiences more.
> ...


Sorry ilaymir but I've got to say it. in your last posts i just havent got a clue what you're talking about    The edges of the glass in these shots are clearly reflections, what else would they be, portholes to another world??????????


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## George Farmer (18 Oct 2009)

Hi Ilaymir - I think it's best if we agree to disagree, and leave it there.  

Here's some more pics.  Graeme's Tropica AquaCube was by far the most popular aquascape on display, even with no fish or inverts, which is somewhat of a breakthrough in a publicly attended event like this, I think.

Soon I will write up a proper report from the Festival and explain what event we're potentially planning next year...  It's exciting stuff!













Dan's "Slow Burner" was a big hit too...


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## Lozbug (18 Oct 2009)

Really great shot's George. That tanks are great, i know i wouldn't be able to maintain any of those like you guys can, i am envious.

Looking forward to the 'exciting news'


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## ilaymir (18 Oct 2009)

Hi George,

-What I wrote are my general thoughts about the tanks.

I said "I believe in you" because I know that petrified woods are quite suitable for tanks.
But then I trust t my own experiences and observations.Because these rocks are not that innocent.
As petrified woods take form they are efected from surrounding.Minerals and organik materials in water enter in them.After that they petrify by help of microcrystalline quarts(silicate).That is why they contain elements like calcite,iron,magnesium,manganese,zinc,cobalt..etc.
Colour of the rock shows what kind of an element it has.If it is yellow,brown,red like on the photos it has iron oxides in it.If it does not have too much pyrite in it,there is no problem,iron that oxides spreads around and causes pollution.That is the case.Also instensive silicon dioxide(SiO2) is one of the main causes of brown algea(diatom).
-Tanks at the photos you send are cleaned before shoting.Even though you can see some at places I marked.














-Some of petrified wooods -especially brown and yellow ones- contains "carnotite".And "carnotite" is an "uranium" mineral.
In fact I found some of them suspicious.Personally I would test them with a "geiger counter".

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/top ... /carnotite
http://images.google.com.tr/images?hl=t ... =0&ndsp=20

Regards

ilaymir


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## Lozbug (18 Oct 2009)

Having seen the tanks up close and with the naked eye. They really were perfectly crisp and clear. I spent a lot of time over the weekend looking at them, and even watched when the photos were being taken and the end of the show, the tanks weren't prepped for the photo shoot, photos were taken just as they stood. 

What you have highlighted as marks etc, i really believe are just reflections of the light /glass/surroundings and such. Two of the tanks also had a frosted back to them, which may be being mistaken for 'dirty' glass. 

My thought's on the matter at least.


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## Graeme Edwards (18 Oct 2009)

What a stange discusion. 


			
				ilaymir said:
			
		

> Hi George,
> 
> -What I wrote are my general thoughts about the tanks.
> 
> ...



These tanks where clean and spotless. Those areas you have spent time highlighting are reflections. Im not sure where you are going with this discusion?
The rocks in my Tropica cube are not fossilised wood, just plain old stone from the garden - simples.

Thanks for putting up the photos George, they look great.   

Cheers.


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## George Farmer (19 Oct 2009)

Thanks Graeme and Lauren.

Ilaymir - I appreciate your thoughts on petrified wood and the info is interesting.  I will investigate further about the radiation in particular.  

However, I do not know why you insist on drawing over my photos to show algae that is not there.  I will be honest with you - I find it rather offensive, especially after I have politely asked you to leave the issue alone.  I appreciate you are probably trying to help, but in this case I can assure you the petrified wood is not leading to any algae issues.  Please, let's leave it there, before this thread descends into a mockery.


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## andyh (19 Oct 2009)

George

Top quality pics of Graeme's Nano! I can see why it was so popular.

Couple of questions for you or Graeme what filter and what light bulb are you using?


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## George Farmer (19 Oct 2009)

Thanks, Andy!

The light is a 20w Halogen.  It got damaged in transit so Lisa Perry kindly nipped to the local B&Q to replace it.  I had to adjust the WB settings as the colour rendition is quite yellow/orange in the flesh.

I'm not sure what filter Graeme was using - I think a small Hydor external with nano glassware.  There's no filter fitted on the stand for the weekend, as there was no fish/inverts.  Graeme figured minimising the hardware was the way to go, and it worked.

Hopefully Graeme can eloborate or correct me if required.


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## John Starkey (19 Oct 2009)

Hi George ,
nice pics mate and thanks for all the updates on the fof,
regards john.


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## aaronnorth (19 Oct 2009)

All the tanks look cool guys, im especially liking the tropica aquacube  



> Also instensive silicon dioxide(SiO2) is one of the main causes of brown algea(diatom).



not exactly, but i wont go any further to sidetrack from the thread. you can PM me or start a new thread if you wish  

thanks, Aaron


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## George Farmer (19 Oct 2009)

john starkey said:
			
		

> Hi George ,
> nice pics mate and thanks for all the updates on the fof,
> regards john.


Thanks, John!  Real shame you couldn't be there mate.  BTW I haven't forgotton your software... 



			
				aaronnorth said:
			
		

> All the tanks look cool guys, im especially liking the tropica aquacube


Thanks, Aaron!

Most visitors like the Tropica AquaCube the best.  It is a stunning little gem!


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## tropic_john (19 Oct 2009)

I hope that one day I might even be half as good at aquascaping than the guys who did those scapes [great job!]


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## ilaymir (20 Oct 2009)

Hi George,

I think the arguement has turned into something with no benefits too.I am sorry if I offended you.

Regards

ilaymir


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## Nick16 (20 Oct 2009)

i have to add that i actually dislike 'clean' tanks, whilst showing the skills of the scaper, i prefer to have a little bit of alge there, not only to make it look a little bit more natural but to allow the fish something to graze on.
But to be fair, if there isnt anything in these tanks as they are for display purposes it is pointless having the algae.

Anyway, lets keep drumming up the enthusiasm for the UK aquascaping and plant scene. I have noticed a few more new members recently, more than normal i have to say. Whether this will be a good or bad thing, only time will tell. 

Nice one guys, congrats, and yes i am jealous!


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