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100cm optiwhite - the learning curve

Shrimp Toast said:
So pretty! Can you give me any tips on how you got your moss so well established and completely covering the wood?
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Thanks mate. I just used some basic rules - got as much moss as I could form the outset and chopped it roughly to spread & tie it. I didn't finely chop it although when I restart it again I might adopt what a lot of guys are doing now, making a moss paste - check out George's new TMC setup on the journals.

I prepped my tank to have a decent flow by using the spray bar on the side so that the water column was turned over lengthwise but started with reduced flow so as not send the moss flying. High light + plenty of co2 to start with for first 2 months, no fish. Ramp up the flow to max after this and wood was completely covered in 4 mths. Main thing to remember is prune with filter turned off as it can get everywhere. Prune to how you want it. I used my hands to tear off clumps to achieve a natural look. Main thing to remember when you want it looking like this is you have to beat the moss gently every so often to remove all the dirt. Your tank with turn brown when you do this. Let the filter clean it all off then maintain the filter accordingly to remove the dirt residue, so best done when you are about to clean the filter. Shrimp have to be in abundance as they constantly keep it clean as well and ensure food does not get stuck in it too much but don't worry if it does as the shrimp will soon clean it off. Decent water changes and you are all set. Hope it helps. Good luck
 
Kogre said:
Is that one piece of Redmoor or a few tied/bunched together? It looks magnificent!
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Thanks, glad you like it. It is 2 pieces of redmoor that I bought from TGM, years ago. The beauty of it is that the Mrs picked it. She was well chuffed when she handed me the 2 pieces, intention was to choose one but hey, I saw them, put them together and the rest is history. Lucky for me, she is into natural scapes as well - happy days.

below are the pics of what the redmoor looks like together and separate, sorry about the poor quality as used the camera on the phone for these.

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Great, thanks for the headsup and good job on tying it together. It worked out looking like a very natural individual piece in your tank.

Gives me a few things to think about on my first 'scape.
 
Beautiful scape, sorry to hear you're tearing it down but looking forward to the next one. Just curious but what do you do with your livestock and plants? Take them back to the LFS?
 
Plants have gone to other fish keepers and my local LFS normally takes in my fish & offers a credit against his goods so am lucky really as other LFS don't offer anything but take your fish in to sell on. Some are right buggers, so if you find a decent LFS, stick with them and give them your business, only way we can keep the industry going...
 
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Fran said:
Beautiful tank Grathod. Could you please tell me what that nice colored substrate is?
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Thanks, I used the ADA substrate system on that scape. Having got some advice from Clive recently I reckon that the same results can be archived on a lower budget - I'm going to try some osmocote on the bottom topped with tropica substrate and finally very fine gravel on top on my next foray...
 
Hi ,
That's peice of wood in the last picture looks exactly the same as a peice I sold a couple months ago ,

Scary !!! Nice tank by the way !!
 
nanocube said:
Any update???Plz

Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using Tapatalk 2
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Hi, not yet... It'll be a while till I'll be back in the mix as currently in rented whilst the home is being gutted and renovated, lol, sometimes I wonder what possessed me to do this.
 
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