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Yes, its an Aridarum. Did not grow well for me and melted back. It was growing, but not fast enough so I ended up removing it from the scape.

Thought I would share the layout that preceded my current project in my 30 cm cube, "Below Rippled Glass". It managed to place in the top 10 in the <27 liters category of the AGA contest, 37 in the CIAC nano category, and 140 in IIAC in 2019. Let me know what you think of the layout. I tossed...

Here are the specs for the setup. 30 cm cube, 27 liters volume. Lighting is ADA aquasky (original model). I recently upgraded to a twinstar since it really shows the colors better. The aquasky looks a bit washed out in comparison. The aquasky is also less powerful, so more manageable. I wanted...

Still a little ways to go actually. I am growing out a few things elsewhere to add into this pot. My hope is to really try and bring home the feeling of a floral arrangement using aquatic plants.

Hello UKAPS, It has been a long while since posting here. Glad to see the forum still active. I thought I would share with you one of my recent "for fun" projects inspired by a layout I saw years ago when first starting out on Aquascaping World. If anyone is interested here is the source of...

oh and don't get too hung up on the drop checker. It can help get you in the ballpark (American saying I suppose) Anyways, where you need to go from there may be a large or small difference. The drop checker will not function in terms of changing and off gassing the same way your tank can. Most...

Pressurized CO2 is one of the most important components to achieving lush healthy growth in an aquascape. It is also one of the most difficult components to measure and estimate. There are a number of factors that lead to success and knowing is half the battle. The Aquascaping Podcast...

Thank you! My son loves this tank and the little betta. It is a nice simple scape. Whats keeping you? ;)

I keep talking how I'd like to be more active on UKAPS... So why not post up another journal [emoji1] My 30 cube can be a challenge for me to scape at times. I think the dimensions provide unique challenges as a scaper. I've probably taken down as many scapes as have gone to completion due to...

Looks like I'm missing my most recent update before taking this setup down. I'll post that later once I'm at the computer. In the meantime here is the new scape from yesterday Completed scaping the new layout yesterday. My dad was visiting and kind enough to assist with preparing plants and...

well, I suppose I should respond to this thread... Shane, while I appreciate the sentiment...I'm not sure this is the best approach. As has already been mentioned, this is a niche hobby and dividing time between multiple forums is a challenge for even the most dedicated. Mainly why I don't...

So probably way too late but the chihiros I was using was an E series. Very strong light...Too strong IMO. I've swapped it for a twinstar led on my 45 cm. This 30 scape uses a flexi mini which works really well. Currently growing buce with no algae and stems with nice colors Sent from my...

Thanks. Yes the accumulated amount would be 2 ppm sent from tapatalk on my phone so auto correct and other errors are bound to happen

A quick verification/comparison using Aquarium Calculators and Rotalabutterfly.com of my ppm from Plantex dose verifies the 0.5 ppm added from the dosing. I will assume the rest is accurate. Now to reconsider my target. Am I mistaken to think 2 ppm is a reasonable EI range for Fe? Aquarium...

Thank you. May help me verify rotalabutterfly.com calculations. Then I can rethink my targets if that is a problem.

so a little update on what I did... I used acetic acid since I had it on hand at 10 mls per 500 mls. Went back to using distilled water, this is really much better than tap as there is less chance of some strange precipitate forming and the pH can be dropped easier. Solutions mixed much easier...

I wish I could recall all of my chemistry. I took a great deal at University, but have not used it since the courses and so lost a good deal of information that would be useful for me in the hobby. The courses were miserable and difficult so I'm not too keen on revisiting my textbooks. :meh:

A couple responses: These strong acids are added to fertilizer solutions, removing KH and preserving the chelator for a longer period of time. For me this is helpful when creating a solutions for my auto doser reservoir. Strong acid depends upon the molarity of the solution, not necessarily the...

So, I've been evaluating my fertilizing approach. EI has worked successfully and I have no complaints, in fact I look to probably scale back the dosing a bit from previous solutions. In reading a few things here and there I've begun to think about additional additives in the process and have a...

Nitrate limitation leads to stunting to some extent. Also more coloration and can trigger flowering. In a nutrient poor soil like sand, I bet there is little making up for the limitation so the plant is stunted and small. I've also seen it stunt under really high light like 200 PAR.

Thank you! I actually forgot I had not updated this thread. I'll try to do so now. This tank and particularly this aquascape has gone through a lot of transitions equipment wise. Over on ASW I titled the thread my Ultratech due to the fact I was running so many different gadgets. So I suppose...

There must be lots of different varieties sold as carpet seeds out there. The one instance I am specifically aware of was H. polysperma. sent from tapatalk on my phone so auto correct and other errors are bound to happen

not enough spread front to back to really run well on a cube.

This is my most recent photo sent from tapatalk on my phone so auto correct and other errors are bound to happen

30 cm x 18 cm x 24 cm I didn't happen to snap a photo of it overgrown. It didn't look bad but needed to be trimmed to keep it healthy. Part way through I decided trimming was more work than a reshape and this layout had run its course. New one will be another good one I hope. I very much liked...

Quick update, the tankard gone Some time without a trim recently and in the midst it trimming the overgrown tank I decided it was a time for a rescape. I've worked out the hardscape and am waiting for an order of bucephalandra before planting. New photos coming soon. p.s. I just wrote this post...

Thank you! I am a fan of the metric system :D H. pinnatifida is actually a fairly easy plant as long as you have enough light and CO2. Grows anywhere and on anything, so can be used like many epiphytic plants. Trim often to encourage bushing and new leaves/stems. Under lower light levels it...

A common question these days. You should avoid the seeds. You do not know what you are getting. In many cases they are riverside weeds, most often Hygro. polysperma. For anyone in the US, it is an illegal plant to sell and/or distribute. One of the only aquatic plants in available in the hobby...

Stems were just trimmed [emoji28] getting shaped and growing back. Limnophilia hippuroides for color and myrio mattogrossense sent from tapatalk on my phone so auto correct and other errors are bound to happen

Quick photo from today. I hope to fill in later with more details sent from tapatalk on my phone so auto correct and other errors are bound to happen

How kind of you! :p

I now have something to aspire to...

Took me months to sort out the right method to get the consistent good cup of coffee, I'm like a dog with a bone that way. it also took our pod brewing machine to break before heading down this quest...

Haha! Just the French press. The glassware would have been more fitting. The drip maker is so we can keep up with the in-laws voracious appetite for weak coffee sent from tapatalk on my phone so auto correct and other errors are bound to happen

sent from tapatalk on my phone so auto correct and other errors are bound to happen

You definitely have the general idea. CO2 is a must for high light. You will have to forgive me because I am not in the UK so not familiar with the regional brands, so I cannot be too much help there. However, I can guide you in a general direction. First do you have any tanks you like or would...

You could also use a ball valve on the tubing to make it siphon more slowly

Trim and siphon simultaneously so the cuttings don't float around. Even then many of these scapes are young, less than a year many less than 6 months, so they do not have to contend with the continuous creep and invasion of some plants. sent from tapatalk on my phone so auto correct and other...

some update shots from today via the camera phone Rotala macandra, Rotala macandra "green", and Rotala macandra "narrow leaf" dramatic angle the long view My betta friend in the "near zero" scape I've recently taken some extra moss and begun tying it around some stainless steel mesh...

Wonderful scape and beautifully photographed. Excellent work! The path is well done and adds a lot of depth to the scape. Congratulations on your ranking.

I agree. I think the thing about dioramas is that they are so very formulaic. While very technically challenging, they do not seem to have the "soul" of Amano's nature aquarium. Now, while I fully confess to being a total ADA fanboy, all scapes don't have to emulate something from Amano, but a...

Good questions. I hope we see a move away from the Diorama style. I suppose its a personal taste thing, but they've begun to look so contrived; like bad special effects in a movie. I'd also like to see a greater emphasis on the use of plants and varieties, much of the contest has leaned...

I agree, that it is a reasonable place from which to make an estimate. My point was that pH and KH are not in fact independent of each other. I cannot say what degree of pH change would be expected for a given amount of CO2 at a given KH and if that change is negligible within the average...

Still dependent upon the systems buffering capacity...injecting CO2 also consumes kh. We use 4 dkh in a drop checker for a reason. The indicator shows ph not ppm CO2, kh of the water impacts the ph reading. Same thing in our tanks sent from tapatalk on my phone so auto correct and other...

KH acts as a buffer. The higher KH the more CO2 required to move the ph. It buffers the effect. sent from tapatalk on my phone so auto correct and other errors are bound to happen

Even if you can, and I still doubt the accuracy of the taps. BPS is not useful because there is too much variation between systems. A more standardized method makes comparison better, although still not perfect. The ph drop part is even more of a shot in the dark than the bubble tapping...

Its nice to hear other methods. I think we can all agree that bps is not useful.

With CO2 diffusion methods it's mostly about learning how to make whatever you choose work. sent from tapatalk on my phone so auto correct and other errors are bound to happen

Thank you! 1) hardscape is seiryu stone. It has a nice color compared to many pieces. I think it may have been treated with muriatic acid before I bought it. I plan to treat my other stones that do not have the same color. 2) I purchased the stainless steal on alieexpress. It works well...

That is correct. Where this may be helpful is in comparing diffusion methods, say similar or same model/brand glass diffuser and expected injection rates for a given volume of water and similar plant density. Many things would have to be similar to make it ultra comparable. This is better the...

I'd like to request that members take a little time to estimate and post their CO2 injection rates in ml per minute. Many times we try to compare CO2 levels or injection rates using bubbles per second, which as many experienced hobbyists know, isn't that helpful. The bubbles are on different...

I cannot take credit for the idea, it is one Tom Barr has proposed. I haven't seen it catch on just yet however. One caveat to the idea, this will be the amount of CO2 entering the water or reactor in a given time...so the amount dissolved or available to the plants will vary by system. Also...

Water is clear, the UV filter did it's job sent from tapatalk on my phone so auto correct and other errors are bound to happen

From today sent from tapatalk on my phone so auto correct and other errors are bound to happen

From today sent from tapatalk on my phone so auto correct and other errors are bound to happen

This is the second setup in my 45 cm high light tank. I've never done a true Iwagumi and usually find myself bored with it and start adding more plants...that has happened with this one, but so far I have managed to stick with low growers. Specs: Chihiros led (runs about 180-200 PAR) running...

For a cheap and flexible LED the Fluval Aquasky isn't bad. Good PAR and adjustable dimmer, although not programmable. That is what I recommended a friend get for his 60 cm tank. I found the cheap eco tech from fluval grows ferns and anubias very well and when stems get to the surface they even...

When I start a scape with the Chihiros I run the light 6 hours a day and then move to 8 hours once things have grown in well. Due to the intensity planting as dense as possible is important. Algae will likely show up in the start, so good CO2 and nutrient management as well as maintenance is...

Thanks for the kind words. The Chihiros is a very strong light, more PAR than the ADA aquasky ( at least my older model, I cannot say for some of the newer versions). I'd only use it over a high tech scape with good pressurized CO2 and fast growing plants. Great for carpeting and growing stems...

Time for an update. Over the last week the 55 has developed some green water, I'm not quite sure what induced it...but I suspect that some spores came along with the moss I put into a floating breeding container for holding. Its not a big deal as I have a big UV sterilizer. I purchased it when I...

This little tank runs a Flexi mini. It works wonderfully. My 45 cm has the Chihiros. It is a very strong light, so in the beginning it can be a challenge to get things going well and I usually end up combating algae. Still have a little that peaks up if I don't stay on the weekly maintenance...

I'm also very curious. How would one go about hooking up the two? sent from tapatalk on my phone so auto correct and other errors are bound to happen

Thanks! Good eye, they are Sp. Vietnam.

I finally got around to putting together a video of the tank from the footage I took before breaking it down.

Depends upon how bad it is and the specific type. Manual removal tends to be something you need to stay at in order to make progress, but progress can be made. In addition, you can try a 3 day blackout to combat it in combination to manual cleaning/removal.

@AnhBui , thank you. Anything that can remind someone of a page out of that book is quite a compliment. A photo my co-host @J Art , edited for me which captures the mood well...

Thank you....sorry, I noticed an error and fixed it then am uploading the revised version again. It will be up soon.

Ha ha! :lol: You are too kind. This tank turned out just as it was planned from the start. I am very happy with it and hope to do something special with it moving forward.

A final presentation video of this aquascape. Final photos coming soon... Enjoy! :)

Thank you, Roy! It is good to see you around :D I have been working on getting some final photos of this one taken. I will probably do another round after the next trim as well. I'm not totally happy with the R. wallichii...it needs more time to thicken in.

I used a frosted glass backing for the final photos. I just need to get around to permanently applying it to a few of my smaller tanks. I like the look it gives. I also have some LED strip lights I'd like to setup as back lighting for this 45 cm and my 30 cm nano. I'm working on getting a stand...

It is a tank from Green Leaf Aquariums in the US. Unfortunately, they are not selling tanks anymore. They were of equal quality to ADA.

Just click the Flickr link in my signature

On the 55 gallon I made a system I lovingly refer to as my "Poor Man's Auto Doser". It consists of a timer (capable of timing in seconds), two Tom's aquatic aqualifter pumps, two flow control valves, two bottles for fertilizers, and some tubing. I use the flow control valves to set a drip rate...

I forgot I had posted this up here and went to start a new thread! :banghead: Here is a quick update of where things are now. I've added plants to the Wild Dutchman and it is a bit crowded. I have some plans to put in a terrace system to help elevate the plants and divide the groupings...

To be completely honest. Not much. It has new aqua soil and for a while received EI daily. Then the solutions ran out and it went about 3 weeks without. Now back to EI daily. I try to dose Excel daily at a double dose. Seems to be beneficial. sent from tapatalk on my phone so auto correct and...

Some in progress shots of this scape. You can see plans changed a bit :D

An update from today. It has recovered nicely from the last trimming. The trimming photo from earlier was not the most recent trim. In the last photo the curves of the stem bushes did not work well and it was far too steep on the right. The next trim rectified that and you can finally see the R...

pull it all out and ship to me! I cannot get the tropica potted variety in the US :( Just the tall "green" type. In seriousness, you will need to pull up runners of the ones growing in places you do not want it and cut away from the rest. To cut it back or trim it you can just cut it down to...

Assuming your test kits are accurate and being used correctly (which would be the first thing to check when you get strange readings). The rapid swing in pH probably means a lack of buffering. You should consider using a GH and KH booster to your water changes. You should adjust KH slowly as...

I'm using the same....hmmm. I have two, the one with the remote and the one like you have...both got pretty hot. Maybe mine suck! lol

What dimmer switch are you using? I'd be interested in getting one if that is the case. What size model are you looking at? That seems reasonable, but I'm not sure drop off is that much...or linear. I'm curious so I'll look into it in better detail soon. Life has been very busy...can barely get...

yes, I'm well aware of those issues. It is not an adaptation issue. Growth is healthy for the most part, but slow or at least slower than in other lower light systems... and as I mentioned the downoi continues to try and flower by sending up long stalks. I have grown a healthy scape with this...

I measured PAR quickly yesterday. Still haven't had time to put together a comprehensive chart. Here are values in my 45 cm below the Chihiros light for 3 locations. Top mid about 12 cm below light source was 220; bottom left front corner was 138, bottom front right corner was 143. As I...

Before the trim After sent from tapatalk on my phone so auto correct and other errors are bound to happen

Thanks! We hope to keep it rolling for the foreseeable future. Glad you like it sent from tapatalk on my phone so auto correct and other errors are bound to happen

I have built one of these before. Worked very well to generate laminar flow. It doesn't act as filtration of course. It would take some creative hardscaping to hide it though.

Ah, you've cornered me into a confession. The left side is actually an interesting tale. When I first planted this it was all hairgrass belem in the back. I later decided it needed something more so added the stems. Later, at one point I thought I would try some riccia on stones around the...

Thank you! Lots of practice...I went through several various arrangements before settling on this one. It was amazingly simple. Only 3 stones...very nice stones with great character. To avoid the "placed" look you could try by just putting in a stone randomly and trying to work a scape around...

I'll see what I can get together. I'll use the dimmer and throw some measurements together. Might have time this weekend sent from tapatalk on my phone so auto correct and other errors are bound to happen

It is actually Rotala H'ra. It got very red in this scape. It doesn't get red in my other setups. Probably a combination of reasons: 1) very high light, somewhere around 180-200 micromoles PAR in the top middle. 2) There was some nitrate limitation and I used that to enhance the red colors. Some...

My 45 cm Aquascape from last year. Currently a new scape is in process using the same stones. Chihiros 45 cm LED Pressurized CO2 ADA Aquasoil lean EI daily dosing Chihiros 600 jet filter (or whatever their smallest model is)

Thanks...I can put something together ;)

Highest PAR was top middle probably 10-15 cm from the light (forgive my Imperial mind imagining metric). It was high all around the tank however. I can get some quick measurements later if you really would like to know. I would say easily over 100 par even in the front corners furthest from the...

IME, the Chihiros is very bright. I've measured PAR and it is stronger than the ADA aquasky. Depending on your scape plans it may be overpowered. If doing an Iwagumi type layout with a few low growing carpeting plants I'd throw in some floating water sprite in the beginning to compensate for the...

A shot of its current home sent from tapatalk on my phone so auto correct and other errors are bound to happen

Thank you. I think I've managed to create the look and feel of a much larger tank in this one. I'm hoping to get a proper final photo done soon. The R. wallichii needs some extra time, so one more refined shaping trim should do it. I'm starting to have some special plans for this scape. Since...

A picture from today sent from tapatalk on my phone so auto correct and other errors are bound to happen

Thanks! The belem works really well for this one. Something like H. monte carlo or HC would have been too neat. The plants are swallowing up the manzanita while it helps me maintain the midground. The rotalas are growing very dense under the flex mini, which makes trimming the two species into...

Thank you. It was planted with this piece in mind. It just wouldn't stay down at the start, so I soaked it in another tank and allowed the plants time to grow in while it became saturated.