• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Barb Island. its all over.

Re: 90x75x45 optiwhite. update.

Iain this is really looking great and I am glad you are over the glitch with the fish. That choco looks awesome. !
 
Re: 90x75x45 optiwhite. update.

An amazing tank with great inhabitants.

Top photography aswell!!
 
Re: 90x75x45 optiwhite. update.

Ady34 said:
Hi Iain,
sorry about the unexplained fish losses mate, hopefully there finished now and ill look forward to the new additions.
Really pleased your winning the algae battle with your hard work and persistence :thumbup:
The pipework you made is really unintrusive and you must be well pleased with that :clap:
As for it looking flat on the FTS, i think it looks awesome, but i can see why your being a little critical. I think this would be negated if you trimmed the central rear stems into a dome shape above the ferns. This would give an island shape, but i do love the look and the layers of plants you have created. The ferns and crypts have filled in really naturally and the fissidens and mosses are looking great on the wood. As the bba in the foreground is reducing the tenellus are really filling in and thats looking good too. The first photo really gives a sense of the depth of this tank and you have done really well to battle the issues you have faced.
Noticing more little touches i like about this now such as the rock in the left foreground which is being softened by the carpet and the illusion of depth (not that it needs it) created by the different sized left and right branches reaching to the substrate.
Ill take inspiration and knowledge from this island scape which will stand me in good stead if i ever plan one myself :thumbup: .
Great tank.
Cheerio,
Ady.
Click to expand...

thanks ady, i have enjoyed the journey so far, really feel like ive learnt a lot. The pipes have really made a positive impression on the over all health and dont look too bad for a first attempt. The intake guards are a little blot on the scape but better than losing cherries everyday. Hopefully will be able to remove them once the shrimp mature and the numbers thicken up.

Shaping the stems is something that again i dont really have any experience with if you have any advice? the last trim was the first step in trying to get some shape on them however i dont think i cut them short enough. Will be doing another trim tomorrow so will see how it goes... getting my hands wet and trying different things out is worth a thousands words, even with things i thought i understood from text 😳 Just little things like removing any bolbitus leaves that grow in the wrong direction or are longer goes a long way to get the plant to look tidy.
I still have more rocks to go in the carpet which are currently growing fissidens on in a propagator, i took them out as they were effecting flow across the tennelus and addded to my woes. Will get them back in eventually :?

minnnt said:
An amazing tank with great inhabitants.

Top photography aswell!!
Click to expand...
thanks minnnt, will be glad when there is some more activity.
Any reasonable pictures are just luck :lol: Learning to use the dslr is an equally as confusing road :crazy:

Antipofish said:
Iain this is really looking great and I am glad you are over the glitch with the fish. That choco looks awesome. !
Click to expand...
cheers
 
90x75x45 optiwhite. update.

Hey Iain,

Just stopped by to say that this looks absolutely fantastic. Im liking the attention to detail with the fissidens, and I too dont think it looks flat.

I stumbled across your pipework build a while ago i think, and I too have to say it looks great.

Was your light unit stand a home build too? Wondering if to make an arch over a stand when I make it too for my Grobeam to hang.

Im also going to be scaping a 60x40x40 within the next few weeks, and if its anywhere near this standard I would be over the moon, good job.

Regards
 
Re: 90x75x45 optiwhite. update.

minnnt said:
At least you have a DSLR, lol.
Click to expand...
:lol:
ghostsword said:
Looks awesome! Magazine quality!! 🙂 very impressed.
Click to expand...
bloody hell, i wish. Thanks though mate.

awtong said:
I love the angled shot showing the stems at the back. Cracking photo of the choco what a lovely looking little fish.

Andy
Click to expand...

Cheers andy, the angled view is the one i get from my sofa. I must take some photos next time of the sides.
I wont lie, im totally besotted with chocolates at the moment, just need more of them so they dont hide so much.

Alastair said:
Tanks looking fantastic mate you must be really impressed with it now. Big pat on the back mate. 😉
And great photos
Click to expand...
Cheers alistair, would be a mess if you hadnt saved my co2 ass. Im just happy to be on the right road now, no doubt there will be more 'challenges' in the coming months...

faizal said:
I love the first angled shot too. It's looking amazing mate . Congratulations.
Click to expand...
thanks faizel.

Whitey89 said:
Hey Iain,

Just stopped by to say that this looks absolutely fantastic. Im liking the attention to detail with the fissidens, and I too dont think it looks flat.
I stumbled across your pipework build a while ago i think, and I too have to say it looks great.
Was your light unit stand a home build too? Wondering if to make an arch over a stand when I make it too for my Grobeam to hang.
Im also going to be scaping a 60x40x40 within the next few weeks, and if its anywhere near this standard I would be over the moon, good job.
Regards
Click to expand...

Hey Nath, it still has a lot of growing to do and detail to add back in, still things im not entirely happy with and plenty of things i have learnt for next time.
The light arm was from NaturalAquario, was only about £60 if i remember.... If i wanted to spend more money i would have a custom one build just because with a tank of this width it would be better to not have the bracket in the way down the sides. I did try a home made but it wouldnt hold the weight of the halide. However trying to restrain my self from spend more money on tanks at the moment.

Thanks a lot though guys, your all too kind... 😳
Now time to trim the stems and try to get some shape to them.
Anyone got any pointers they'd like to share on the best way to do this?
 
90x75x45 optiwhite. update.

I will have a look at that site, i like the look of it. I think it has a sleek look to it.

Was thinking of getting some brushed metal and constructing my own. Will let you know how I get on ha!

Regards,
 
Re: 90x75x45 optiwhite. update.

Whitey89 said:
I will have a look at that site, i like the look of it. I think it has a sleek look to it.

Was thinking of getting some brushed metal and constructing my own. Will let you know how I get on ha!

Regards,
Click to expand...

its a smart unit mate and fantastic value, comes from Portugal so takes a good few weeks. In fact i like the look of most of their products and more so the prices :thumbup:

mvasingh said:
Hi
How did you overcome the BBA on the carpet issue?
Mike
Click to expand...

It was a combination of things mate..
First off was swopping my flow round from lilys working against each other to the long spraybars firing from back to front. Once i did this it seemed to stop it spreading and dissipated some.
Then did a heavy trim back to substrate to remove as much as possible and completely removed the worst effected plants.
I then upped my aqua carbon dosing from 10ml to 20ml a day which was applied directly to any other patches of BBA i spotted. This much liquid carbon seemed to make my shrimp and fish jumpy and shy so i raised the light 10cm and cut an hour off the period so i could reduce liquid carbon dosing back to 15ml without going backwards.

It is still a little present but gets better by the day as plant growth improves. It has taken 3 weeks of being vigilant but like to think it has been worth it and is now another algae i wont panic at seeing.
 
Re: 90x75x45 optiwhite. update.

Alastair said:
Definitely agree on the obsession with the chocco's too mate. Their behaviour and how graceful they swim is like no other.
Explains my addiction to them too
Click to expand...

They are very endearing mate, have been assured that now is the season for MA to get hold of them as well.
Do you have yours in now?
Popped out and got some more harlequins today 🙂
 
Re: 90x75x45 optiwhite. update.

Chocolates have landed!! Went to MA today following a phone call to saying my chocolate gourami had arrived 🙂 unfortunately they are very small, maybe 1cm 🙁 need to leave it 2 weeks before I can collect though. I think my others will appreciate the company.

Laugh of the day- MA manager to discus owner whose plants are dying- "no need for ferts for at least 6 months in a new tank" :lol:
I had a chat with the discus guy after about chocolates, so offered up some helpful advise.
 
Re: 90x75x45 optiwhite. update.

Hi Iain pity about the size but I am sure you will feed them up and they will grow on nicely 🙂 I saw some locally for £4.99 each or £8 for two. Is that a good comparison to your MA prices ? these were a good couple of cms though. Im thinking of getting some at the weekend. What range is your pH and do you know what your kH and gH are too ?
 
Re: 90x75x45 optiwhite. update.

Have you picked these up yet Iain? Are you getting them from MA Cambridge? I noticed at the weekend they had some in and they were looking lovely. They also had some nice Licorice and Sparkling gourami in as well.

Andy
 
Re: 90x75x45 optiwhite. update.

awtong said:
Have you picked these up yet Iain? Are you getting them from MA Cambridge? I noticed at the weekend they had some in and they were looking lovely. They also had some nice Licorice and Sparkling gourami in as well.

Andy
Click to expand...

yes mate, hands off :lol: 10 are mine, little smaller than i would have liked but beggars cant be choosers. Ive been trying to haggle a deal on the licorice for weeks now as he only has 4 that have been there months in need of a good home, but he wont budge.

If he doesnt have the vietnamese minnow's ive asked for in by the end of next week i will be having 10 sparkling of him instead, as they are looking really healthy.. again been there over a month now as he said no one wants them???
MA prices do make your eyes water though 🙁
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top