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Film has almost gone! I have made to changes: Increased the light by lowering it. Increase surface agitation by raising the outlet to just below the surface of the water. And my normal water changes. I know I can't judge these things until a couple of weeks after the changes have been made...

Ah well that makes sense. Will see what effect agitation has on the plant health and the surface film. Hopefully the film won't appear tomorrow!

Is it weird to think that already it seems as though the plants are responding well to the surface agitation? Pearling has increased loads today. Let's hope the surface scum doesn't appear.

Ok thanks for your replies all. I was under the impression less agitation the better. I have adjusted my outflows which are now causing a ripple on the surface. I will adjust the co2 as required by checking my drop checker this afternoon. Hopefully I will see improvements. Thanks for your...

Hi, Does anyone know if a combination of too much co2 and too little light can cause surface scum? My reason for the question is because my understanding of the cause is down to too much light and too little co2. However after raising my light quite high and increasing my co2 by much more the...

Nice one Ian, go for it. Sometimes we don't have time to maintain the 'perfect' aquascape. I have very little spare time at the moment, so unfortunately my aquascape is suffering, I could do with something like what you've set up. This should be nice and easy, and I can see it being very...

The thing I worry about is how this light would look over a planted aquarium. Being 2/3 white and 1/3 blue, would this be a good colour output over a planted aquarium?

Do you know which journal?

Does anyone have experience in using these? 60cm Small Nano Tropical Aquarium Fish Tank Blue/White LED Light Boyu LED-03-60 | eBay They have 2/3 white lights 1/3 blue, not sure what sort of colour this would emit over a planted tank or how this would make the plants look. I assume any light...

:D

Looks absolutely stunning! I am so jealous...so great inspiration for future scape :)

Small update, The light is fully raised as high as my light suspension will go. I am going for an experiment and connected a 2nd t5 (2 in total now) and ramped up the co2. I have never managed to completely eradicate the brown algae yet, therefore I am ramping up the co2 as much as it will go...

Hey Gary just seen your new layout...going to be a sweet one! Good luck pal :thumbup:

Well done George! :) I'd say your one pot challenge is a success. Some lovely shots also, I wish I had your camera skills!

Quality stuff Ian! Been away for a while just caught up. Loving the way your plants are growing around that truck...looking sweet!

Long time no speak....been veeery busy with work lately. However, managed to borrow a mates Cannon 600D :) Some very amature photo shots coming up :happy: will be practising more over the coming weeks (if I have time!) Here we go: Canon Shot1 by dpierce5, on Flickr Canon Shot2 by...

Cheers Gary yeah some pics would be nice :) I used the suspension wires that came with the kit. They didn't fit onto the light so I had to do a bit of DIY to fit them. But essentially it was an all in one light suspension kit that fits most lights, but not all unless you fancy a bit of...

Well the suspension kit isn't the most elegant thing I have ever seen! But it was only £25 and it does the trick :) I raised the light by quite a bit so let's see if the brown algae disappears! If not within a week I will raise it further and possibly increase the co2 a notch. Still running...

Wow lovely set-up! :thumbup:

Cheers Iain, will consider some otos :) Looking to add some CRS as well, maybe 10.

Only 4. Need some more shrimp!

Quick update... Not much to report, still waiting for the hairgrass and Staurogyne to mingle together. I have been getting small amount of brown algae appear on rocks and old leave's. So I've purchased a light suspension kit which is arriving in the next couple of days. Hopefully raising the...

Looking great, plants getting nice and dense. some nice pruning work :)

Looking much better Lukasz, plants are starting to take hold :)

watching this one :) this is one of those scapes you can easily picture looking amazing when grown in.

Looking great pal. The angle shot looks brilliant. Hopefully HC will move up a gear soon :)

I use an in-line co2 diffuser. Works much better for me than my old ceramic diffuser. It's more efficient. And keeps more equipment out of the tank ;) Nice set up by the way :thumbup:

Looking forward to your next journal :) Any clue's as to what you've got planned!? Or is it going to be a surprise?;) It's always enjoyable following your journals mate, glad to hear your going straight into your next one.

Nice pictures Ian :) Moss is really attractive out of water, hopefully it will be a nice mini aerial feature.

Smart set-up, looking forward to seeing more :)

Thanks Ian & Tim! Yeah of course you can Ian, I'm privileged! I feel it's going to take another 8 weeks or so for everything to grow in and mix together naturally. I only have 6.5 hours of light a day so things grow slowly, but I don't mind as long as everything grows healthy.

After taking the advise of a few UKAPS members, I decided to have a play.... I received some mini hairgrass yesterday, which I have planted in and around the Staurogyne. I've planted it in small clumps so it does look a bit like each one has been placed there by something other than nature...

Thanks mark I really appreciate your input. Some very inspirational pictures :) I have just received & planted some mini hair grass from Hogan53 amongst the SR, I will get some pictures soon. Hopefully once it's integrated together the foreground will look better. I agree about the linear...

I wouldn't fire up the 2nd bulb, it will just make it harder to grow healthy plants.

Hi stormy, thanks for you thoughts. You make a very good point! I do have some spare substrate I could use for this to bank it up towards the back a little. I will consider doing this next week hopefully :) Thanks for sharing your ideas. Will post some pics when I've done it . Cheers Dave

Looking great mark. Really interesting about how high you suspend the light. There has been quite a lot of growth in just one week! Cheers Dave

I didn't do any cleaning or soaking. Plug in & go :cool:

P.s. I'm running at just over 2 bar, 35psi.

I have that in-line atomiser. Works great for me. Not sure if this is a stupid question or not, or I don't know whether this makes any difference, but have you connected the in-line diffuser the right way up? You should hear a hissing noise coming from the diffuser if it's working. You have...

Cheers Paulo :) I might give it a go in a few of weeks. I get bored easily and want to change things! I will work towards a 'final shot' of the island scape (when I borrow my friends SLR in a few weeks). Then I might start changing things :)

Wow Neil, how refreshing. It's a cool little scape. The emersed anubias looks great from the top! It's amazing the quality you can get from an iPhone these days :) Nice design, I'm watching :)

Are you going to grace us with any updated full tank shots!? :)

I think you should keep it cut back to retain the shape of your scape. I like the sand exposed :)

Had a harsh prune to the Staurogyne Repens about 4 days ago. New shoots grown back already, and the leaves are getting smaller :) If you compare this picture to my last one, it's looking a bit more balanced and in proportion. I had an idea today of completely surrounding the island with S...

Doesn't sound like an easy operation... Take it easy going round roundabouts! I would be so afraid about damaging the tank without transporting it in it's box with polystyrene. However, as you say you have done this before so must know what your doing, and if you didn't go for it then how...

How do you go about moving something like this in the car without damaging/disrupting any of the scape? let alone equipment! Looking great now George :)

+ 1 on any aquascaping tips and plant care tips you have to share! Following with interest :)

I love how blunt and straightforward ceg4048 is! However, cannot argue. I didn't consider my last aquascape mature until 4-5 months down the line. My current tank has been running 6 weeks and has some time to go before mature. I like the new plantings of hairgrass...should look good once it's...

Looks promising Mark :) looking forward to the updates.

Thanks will have a good read through that. Quality looking scape & pics. Does the Hygrophila araguaia require much light & co2 to keep it's colour? Upon a quick Google search I see it can also be green. I have a 24W T5 and co2 injection, it's fairly low spec. Where would you put this plant...

Wow wee....that's a complex picture & mix of plants. Very effective. Well I think I'm going to have to order a couple pots of Hairgrass :) Have you got a Journal for this scape? What's the brown plant, not the crypt, the one with thin sharp leaves? One thing I also think my scape could use...

Cheers George, I really appreciate your comments and area's for improvement. The great thing about this forum is getting other people's view points and seeing things from someone else's eyes in order to improve the scape. I have always thought the Staurogyne looked rather large. When I...

Your on to a winner there mate! Love the plant choice & the root is so cool :) Was excited when I first saw you we're doing a new scape...always know it's going to be one to watch! You can see a lot of thought has gone into the layout. Good luck, sure it will turn out great Ian.

The blackout should do the world of good. It will work out for you I'm sure :)

Thanks Ian. I'm happy with them too, I think the fact that their red add's an extra element to the tank, and because their the only red thing in the tank they really stand out. Planning on adding another 6-10 in about 3 weeks. Can't rush these things!

Thanks Grenfinger2 :), the island scape is very easy to maintain as you can get in and around the front, back and sides very easily. Flow also appears to be good throughout the island scape. I like the fact the plants aren't growing very quick, again it adds to easy maintenance, and because I'm...

This post helped me a while ago: Diatom dilemma... | UK Aquatic Plant Society The silicate thing appears to be a myth. I'm sure ceg4048 will help further, he's pretty much the reason why I have not had any brown algae in the first 4 weeks of my current scape!

Or reduce the light intensity, or both. I made the same mistake of having way too much light in my first planted tank...ended up with lots of brown algae, so i would reduce the intensity &/or increase the co2 before it's covered in the stuff. I'd say reducing the light intensity is the easier...

And a full tank shot with the fish in: TMC Sig15 by dpierce5, on Flickr

I introduced some Ember Tetras today. Just 10 of them + 4 Lemon Tetras from a smaller tank that's no longer running. I have seen them in a few aquascapes on UKAPS, they're nice looking fish. This video was taken about 2 hours after they were introduced...best to watch in HD for better viewing...

Just read through your journal so far Gary. Great pics and that light looks the bee's! How's it working out for you? What's the brightness set to? LED certainly the way to go, I can't wait to get rid of my T5's! It's so tidy inside your cabinet...mines a mess! Looking forward to more pics...

Looks great nice one :thumbup:. I agree, this shallow tank is a wonderful size. I'm also very fond of the wood you have chosen, definitely thinking about using Manzanita wood in a future scape, it's twisting character makes it so versatile and attractive. I might have to try a mini shallow...

Yeah I see where you coming from TOO. I think some regular pruning will help keep its shape, will keep an eye on this. Cheers for your input :)

Optiwhite is definitely the way to go :) I also love the depth of the TMC aquariums. I thought this also, might look into it, but don't want to destroy what's already there. Hoping the crypts will grow some more at the back and side. Thanks for your comments :)

Thanks a lot! Yep optiwhite glass, I love it. The TMC signature aquariums are superb value and made to a very high standard.

Cheers Ian :happy: P.s. the reason why the drop checker is blue in the video is because I just changed the liquid before shooting the vid :)

Lots of aquascapes on UKAPS with white backgrounds worth checking out:) The other great thing about a white background is you don't see any reflections on the rear glass like you would with a black background.

Wow I really love the rock work and the banks you've created on either side. I personally think a white background might enhance the look of the scape....I think a white background opens the scape up some more, and might make it look bigger. A black background appears to close the scape so...

That's a lovely set up. Great piece of wood you have there and choice of plants. Looks really healthy :)

Quick video 3 weeks in. Still looks very new, needs lots more time to grow in. View in HD for best quality. Taken with iPhone 5.

Tranquil :) Shrimp are enjoying all that food! I think all your updates should now be in video format ;)

Half way through tonight's tank maintenance, cleaning glass, trimmed a few leaves and hoovered between plants... TMC Sig14 by dpierce5, on Flickr The better half is out babysitting tonight...must do something to keep me amused! :) Excuse the ugly heater...waiting for the external to...

Quality video, George. The scape is really coming on and looking more natural with each post. Cool soundtrack also :) Off to do some maintenance on my tank now!:happy:

Anyone know why planted tanks closed down? I assume they have as their websites been offline for a while now.

@vauxhallmark Just tried the vinegar, worked a treat! Dipped a toothbrush in some balsamic vinegar and the white stuff rubbed straight off. :thumbup:

Thanks vauxhallmark, will give the vinegar a go on my next water change :)

Few updates: Some slight crypt melting, so chopped away the affected leaves. Mainly happening with the Becketii and Wendtii species. Not going to worry about this and new leaves already emerging. No signs of algae yet (2 weeks in). 6 hours of light and the fact that its a low light set-up means...

Yeah picked that up when you mentioned it in your Hillside journal. so Thanks. About as good as I'm going to get with an iPhone :)

Some nice close ups there George. I do like those CRS very much in this scape. Thinking of getting some myself....just a question of where to get them. Moss is looking very attractive and very healthy grass, spray bars must be doing there job.:thumbup:

I actually grew that in a propagator before hand, an emersed set-up up with the lights on for 16 hours a day and lots of nutrients.. Started as a tiny plant and over two months grew into what looks like a mother plant.

Beautiful work! I can see this looking really good. :) looking forward to the progress. That cabinet is a looker!

One week in and things seem to be going to plan. No traces of algae yet. Plants seem to be happy & pearling in the evenings. Still doing 50% water changes every day but going to start doing them every 2 days starting tomorrow. I've been messing around with extra lighting to take better...

Glad the changes seem to be making a difference :) I can see this scape looking amazing in a few months time. Keep it up. Cheers Dave

Look like the surface of the moon! Love the fish selection too :)

Pretty good picture quality for a phone! I might have to download that PS app too :)

Turning into a really nice scape. Getting better each time you post :)

Shrimp grazing on the hillside would be a good look :) would perhaps suit the scape more than fish by complimenting further to the scale your trying to achieve?

Spray bar looks really effective from that shot. Tanks looking great, love the in situ shot.

An impressive collection of plants and a fantastic tank. Will be watching this with interest :)

I have a few pictures now the tanks cleared up and the bubbles on the glass have gone. I added the 2nd filter and lily pipes last night. I have one set of lily pipes at the rear and another at the front, both pointing in the same direction. Hopefully having to sets will get a more even flow...

Hope it all works out for you ady, as you said probably co2 & circulation issues. Your tank was inspiration for my latest scape and inspired me to do an 'island' style scape. Sure it will work out, looks fantastic despite the small problems you have. Cheers Dave

That's a smart looking piece of glassware, should get you some nice even circulation :)

Cheers Ian, all came together quite nicely. I have a vision of what I want it to eventually look like so I hope it turns into what I want.

Thanks for the advise George, will make sure I follow it and will start dosing straight away. Thank you sa80mark, yes I was pleased with the scale. Just got to maintain the shape, and I don't want the rocks eventually being completely covered, so I anticipate lots of regular pruning...

Well after saying I was just going to do the hardscape today I actually got a bit carried away and did the whole thing including plants! My reasoning for this is my next day off work is in 9 days and I can't wait this long :lol: I also had the whole day to myself (doesn't happen often!) I...

Whoop I feel privileged! There aren't many in the club yet!? I have just placed an order for plants, rocks and substrate. Here's the list: Java Fern mini Anubias bonsai Staurogyne repens Cryptocoryne wendtii brown Cryptocoryne mixed Spikey moss Clinopodium brownei May add some more plants at...

Thanks, I'm a proud owner of the Signature :) Took a shot of the lighting I'm using last night. Only one T5 bulb. I found it very hard to succeed with high lighting on my last scape so I'm going to stick with a medium level of lighting. In the long run I'm looking to have suspended...

Superb pictures once again George! The grass looks really healthy. I hope my Signature layout will look as good as any of yours! Cheers Dave

Just an update on this... I managed to source the TMC tank & cabinet from Home & Garden Aquatics in Bury St Edmunds. Great service from these guys...it's a smart little shop and they stock tropica plants :):):) These tanks are superb. I've started a Journal for it...pretty excited to get...

Looking good Murf, not tried a DMS before so will watch this one with interest :) good luck, sure it will be great.