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A Long Start, another Iwagumi story

steveno

steveno

Member
Joined
11 Oct 2013
Messages
451
Location
Manchester
Hello All,


I have been away from the hobby for a number of years, after a moving house, as it just wasn’t suitable to set up my old tank, so reluctantly had to get rid of my old tank and all own old equipment.


Following a recent change in my personal life, I needed to do something that always brought me a lot of Joy & satisfaction, and after perusing UKaps forum and seeing so many inspiring aquascape I felt the need to set up my own small tank.


I really, really was in luck when looking for a suitable size tank, while reviewing a website that won’t be name (begin with an E), somebody was selling their ADA 60P, it had never even been used at an amazing price. The chap (really nice guy btw) had intended to set up his own aquascape but due to personal commitments was unable to do so. In addition to the 60P tank, he also had for sale an unused ADA moon light and an ADA ES600 filter (things of beauty). I snap up the lot at bargain price, couldn’t believe my luck 😀, it was almost meant to be.


Information on my set-up so far.

Tank: ADA 60P

Filter: ADA ES600

Cabinet: Modified and reinforced Ikea Kallax unit that I had already (also matches other units in same room)
Heater: Hydor 200w inline
Co2: Up Aqua inline automizer
Light: ADA Moon light
Substrate: ADA Amaziona
Hardscape: Seiryu Stones
Ferts: Planning to use E.I dry ferts

Outlets: Stainless steel outlet and intake with integrated surface skimmer.

Planting: Utricularia graminifolia :nailbiting: & perhaps Bucephalandra sp
Fauna: Undecided yet

Here some photos of my set so far - taken with my Iphone this morning:

IMG_0395.JPG IMG_0398.JPG IMG_0391.JPG

I know i need to clean glass, also still need to drill some hole on the top to accommodate the tubing, i will be using white sponge to close gaps around tubing, going for minimal look as much as possible 🙂.

Will need to add some substrate support to prevent it flatting out which i recalled tended to happen in my old tank. I also got some eheim double taps to ease maintenance.

The plan to set up a simple Iwagumi scape, using a single carpet of Utricularia graminifolia, yes I know this isn’t likely to end well, but have always want a carpet of the UG but always failed in my old established tank on account of my amano shrimp taking a likely to the any new clusters I planted.


Having done a lot of reading I think my best chances are using DSM, fingers crossed, I got 5 pots of UG on order, it going to be long DSM period as this plant is a slow burner, hopefully I wouldn’t get the dreaded melt once I flood the tank :nailbiting:. Also concern that the amaziona substrate has not been cycled so will leech a quite a bit of ammonia once flooded which UG doesn’t like, but I willing to give it another go. If this doesn’t work out it will replace with cuba or mini hairgrass.


I would also like to somehow add some Bucephalandra sp. maybe around the stones as love these little plants, thou no sure how these will look with a UG capet, but this wont until after DSM, unless somebody can advise if this is suitable to emersion growth?


Any thoughts and advice welcome, particularly on DSM start up.
 
Looks great, I would try a few Bucephalandra during the dry start.
Your substrate should cycle itself if it is kept wet & you can still do a form of water change during the dry start. After a few of weeks of DSM, once the plants have rooted, you could partially fill the tank with water & drain it after a 30min or so.
 
steveno said:
I know i need to clean glass, also still need to drill some hole on the top to accommodate the tubing, i will be using white sponge to close gaps around tubing, going for minimal look as much as possible 🙂.
Click to expand...

Drooling here, quick suggestion about putting pipes through the cabinet lid. I used <one of these recently> to mount a TV to a wall without out the cables showing, available in stainless so would look sweet with your pipes. You will also need <the brushes> to close the gaps around the pipes, I can only see them in black but I'm sure white ones were an option.

Look forward to seeing this progress :thumbup:
 
Looking good! I've also used some ikea shelves in the past to support a 50X50X50cm cube, held no prob for 2 years straight.
 
Thanks Foxfish,
I will consider including the Busephalandra in the DSM, hopefully they will be OK, as beautiful these plant are they are both rare and quite expensive so would hate for them to die before i flood the tank, my plan is to have planted around the rocks, with some wedge up central stone. I'm considering using Bucephalandra 'Deep Purple or SP as thee are quite small leafed. and love the color they give off under the right conditions.


upload_2017-11-5_17-44-44.png

Thanks Daveslandy,
I played with the layout of the scape for quite some time before settling with this layout, the Seiryu Stones was all i had to hand that were used in my previous scapes, not wanting to spend to much more given all i had spent all already (even thou it was a steal). The central stone are sat on some lave stones to give the extra height i wanted, and to create the banking without needing using to much substrate, i put them in a filter media bag to provide them mixing with the soil to much as well.

Thanks AvenageWhiteBloke,
Also cheers for the suggestion of cabinet lids, i also considered using table grommets, but settle on the ideal of sponge as this will help gripe the tubing in place.

Cheers Costa,
I noticed that unit are not solid when drilling the central section to accommodate the tubing, thou they were strong enough to accommodate my me standing on them with any issue, nevertheless i still felt it wouldn't hurt to reinforce the central section. I used no-nails to glue some timber sections to central section and also screwed through on the other side. The timber sections will also allow me to hang the extension sockets off.

upload_2017-11-5_18-15-24.png

Incidentally i am using an energenie 6 way power socket, this has 4 programmable socket, which i will use to control my co2 and lighting with without the need to use timer sockets, this worked fine in my previous setup. .

Thanks for looking and providing comments.
 
I was under the impression that Buce's grow emersed in nature, next to streams and waterfalls. Or that might depend on the spieces, I don't know... Fact is my Buce grows at 1/3rd of the rate of my Anubias
 
Thanks A.aurel
I'm still waiting on the UG, finger crossed i get them before the end of the week, i'm eager to get started with my DSM, thou their website dose suggest it can take up to 2 week to delivery, hope the 5 pots of UG will be fine when they arrive, not bad price got 5 pot of 1-2 UG for £20 (plus postage).

Thanks Leesy,
I really lucked out with the tank, and all my equipment.

Hello Andrew,
I purchased the Energenie 6 way power socket from Maplin quite a few years ago, not even sure the 4 programmable socket are still working, as not got round to testing them. I look on maplin website and they are selling for half price (£15) at the mo: https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/energenie-four-socket-power-management-system-n05kf
If mine isnt working will consider getting a new one at that price

Ryan Thang
Good to see that you still keeping up the hobby, i had nosy at your last thread, tank looked amazing, hope it still running. Did you even managed to the save any of the moss i sent you? 😉
I planing on simple Iwagumi scape, using a single carpet of Utricularia graminifolia, as always failed in my previous attempts due to my amano shrimp taking a liking to any clusters i planted. I though a dry start would give me the best of success, finger and toes crossed.

Hello Costa,
I'm in no rush to plant the Buce's, will happy to get started with UG DSM, also prob end up getting the Buce's from Ebay, where i sure they would have been maintained submerged, thou will see if i can get the ones i want from a more reliable source.
 
steveno said:
I look on maplin website and they are selling for half price (£15) at the mo
Click to expand...
I brought mine for that a few years ago now when they were selling them off. They had stock left at 2 stores end of last year which were miles from me but not available for postage, I just had a look on the page; if you search the product on maplins it doesn't exist and there's not the option to order the product through the link you sent or look at availability so it's gone from there.
Saves having timers sticking out of sockets and can't find another product like it.
Thanks
Andrew
 
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