# 120cm - The Crypt Eternal - final tank shot



## George Farmer (11 Aug 2009)

370 litres, 10 species of Cryptocoryne and 169th in the 2009 IAPLC.    

Another 6 months or so would have seen it look much better still, I think, but circumstances meant strip down and sale of the tank.

This was one of my favourites due to the long-term and low maintenance aspects.  No CO2 injection either.


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## James Marshall (11 Aug 2009)

*Re: 120cm - The Crypt Eternal*

Nice Scape George, using only Crypts creates a very interesting effect.
What a shame you had to break it down prematurely.
Congratulations on your contest placement.

Cheers
James


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## ceg4048 (11 Aug 2009)

*Re: 120cm - The Crypt Eternal*

Lovely photos George, I love the natural textures, especially on the fauna. Well done on the placement mate. 

Cheers,


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## aaronnorth (11 Aug 2009)

*Re: 120cm - The Crypt Eternal*

beautiful with a well deserved placement this year too!


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## MarkyG (11 Aug 2009)

*Re: 120cm - The Crypt Eternal*

hi George love the tank just wondering if that's a new species of loach botia striata sp. vampire


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## Mark Evans (11 Aug 2009)

*Re: 120cm - The Crypt Eternal*

bloody awesome mate, and i got to see it i the flesh!


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## John Starkey (11 Aug 2009)

*Re: 120cm - The Crypt Eternal*

Well done George,nice low maintenance setup,great result too I bet your well pleased,
john.


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## TDI-line (11 Aug 2009)

*Re: 120cm - The Crypt Eternal*

Looks lovely George, i wish my crypt project looked as good as yours.


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## George Farmer (11 Aug 2009)

*Re: 120cm - The Crypt Eternal*

Thanks, guys!

The IAPLC ranking was truly a surprise.  To be honest, after my disappointing 898th last year I was lining myself up for another relatively low rank. 

I still think there has to be very little between ranks in terms of scores.  With well over 1,000 entrants, unless the scoring system is very comprehensive, literally one or two points will separate hundreds of ranks.


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## JamesM (11 Aug 2009)

*Re: 120cm - The Crypt Eternal*

Can I complain about something? I don't like the fact it goes right to left, but after flipping it in Photoshop, its really nice  

btw, I'm not saying that its a fault or anything, its just me being fussy :silent:


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## Stu Worrall (11 Aug 2009)

*Re: 120cm - The Crypt Eternal*

very nice george. I bet a video of it would have been good to see teh right --> left sway of the plants.

Did you put anything under the substrate to make it intoa  low tech tech with having no co2 injection?


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## JamesM (11 Aug 2009)

*Re: 120cm - The Crypt Eternal*

Hmm, yeah, what about water changes too, George? Did you do any?


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## samc (11 Aug 2009)

*Re: 120cm - The Crypt Eternal*

congratulations george! 

i bet its such a good feeling to be placed high up   must make the effort worth while


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## Garuf (11 Aug 2009)

*Re: 120cm - The Crypt Eternal*

George, did you find you go a bad surface scum on this tank? I found that every time I've ever used crypts I get an oily scum that no amount of co2/flow tweaking really gets rid of.


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## Superman (11 Aug 2009)

*Re: 120cm - The Crypt Eternal*



			
				Garuf said:
			
		

> George, did you find you go a bad surface scum on this tank? I found that every time I've ever used crypts I get an oily scum that no amount of co2/flow tweaking really gets rid of.


That would be good to know, as I got the same in my 180 litre.

Either way George, that tank is truly stunning.


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## mr. luke (12 Aug 2009)

*Re: 120cm - The Crypt Eternal*

I get this in my low light tank, i just thought it might have been to-do with ferts somehow


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## PM (13 Aug 2009)

*Re: 120cm - The Crypt Eternal*

One word - Surface Skimmer.

Oh maybe two then...


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## George Farmer (13 Aug 2009)

*Re: 120cm - The Crypt Eternal*

Thanks again, all!!



			
				JamesM said:
			
		

> Can I complain about something? I don't like the fact it goes right to left, but after flipping it in Photoshop, its really nice
> 
> btw, I'm not saying that its a fault or anything, its just me being fussy :silent:


I did actually consider entering a horizontally flipped version, but felt it was cheating.

The open area to the left was due to the tank's placement in my living room, being viewed from the front-left when seated.



			
				stuworrall said:
			
		

> Did you put anything under the substrate to make it intoa  low tech tech with having no co2 injection?


Thanks, Stu.

You can see a nice mound of ADA Aqua Soil in the hardscape layout.  There's Power Sand Special underneath too.







			
				Garuf said:
			
		

> George, did you find you go a bad surface scum on this tank? I found that every time I've ever used crypts I get an oily scum that no amount of co2/flow tweaking really gets rid of.


Not much scum.  I ran 2 x 1200lph external filters plus a 1000lph powerhead near the surface.


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## aaronnorth (13 Aug 2009)

*Re: 120cm - The Crypt Eternal*



			
				JamesM said:
			
		

> Can I complain about something? I don't like the fact it goes right to left, but after flipping it in Photoshop, its really nice
> 
> btw, I'm not saying that its a fault or anything, its just me being fussy :silent:



its strange how one views that, i too prefer left to right scapes  Very strange....


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## johnny70 (13 Aug 2009)

*Re: 120cm - The Crypt Eternal*

I do like this tank!  

What was the dosing regime on this tank George?


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## George Farmer (13 Aug 2009)

*Re: 120cm - The Crypt Eternal*

Thanks, Johnny!

5ml TPN per day.  Not the '+' version as the substrate is very rich, I fed the fish a lot, and water changes were limited.

Lighting was 2 x 54w T5 for 8 hours, equating to 1wpg.


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## zig (17 Aug 2009)

*Re: 120cm - The Crypt Eternal*

Top 100 next year George no pressure  . 

Damn competition is so difficult though that you could end up in 500th even with a decent looking aquascape, its difficult to know how to pitch it sometimes, what to enter.

Nice layout though George, although these slow growers need time to mature there is no doubt, I had the same problem myself. Great result though, your best yet.


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## George Farmer (17 Aug 2009)

*Re: 120cm - The Crypt Eternal*

Thanks mate!

Congrats on your ranking too.  Beating 15th will always be an extremely tall-order, but if any UKAPS member can do it...

Will you be sharing photos of your entry soon?


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## zig (17 Aug 2009)

*Re: 120cm - The Crypt Eternal*



			
				George Farmer said:
			
		

> Thanks mate!
> 
> Congrats on your ranking too.  Beating 15th will always be an extremely tall-order, but if any UKAPS member can do it...
> 
> Will you be sharing photos of your entry soon?



I'm going to post them up now George, yes must try harder, I had to go away in January and Febuary this year and that sort of botched it for me. I had to abandon one aquascape (algae mess upon my return) and start anew at the one I entered.

No excuses or worries though it is a hobby afterall, you need serious dedication and a bit of luck to enter the top 50 I reckon, personally I need to leave more time for finishing aquascapes thats the lesson I have learnt recently especially with slow growing low light tanks.


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## George Farmer (17 Aug 2009)

You're right, of course.

I think really mature 'scapes are the key to success, as well as ticking all the other boxes.  Having re-read the judging guidelines, a lot of emphasis is placed on scoring well for long-term layouts.  My 898th place last year was far too young.

Moss too - I must do a decent moss 'scape!


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