First effort - a rod for my back!

[dw1305]

Hi all,

By that I take it you mean waiting for our tanks to mature..

<"Pretty much">. Set-up an aquarium that has plenty of plants and robust filtration and <"then just let it get on with"> it with <"minimal intervention">.

In some ways it is a <"faith position"> and it also suits my <"laissez faire"> (and <"pretty lazy">) attitude. I understand it isn't an approach that will suit every-one, but it works for me.

cheers Darrel

 

[hypnogogia]

<"Pretty much">. Set-up an aquarium that has plenty of plants and robust filtration and <"then just let it get on with"> it with <"minimal intervention">.

Surely It’s the only way - nature can’t be rushed.

 

[Simmo]

Rapid growth continues, need to trim and plant the offcuts but for now just enjoying a happy tank! Still a way to go to achieve the density I want. Great plant recommendations though thanks Guys.

 

[Simmo]

These leaves are really delicate

 

[Simmo]

Time for a change, the lump of wood has a big base and with rocks up front too there’s limited planting opportunities so …, just couldn’t resist this bit of fallen oak from the forest, it’s weathered surface and shape look great and it sticks with my original ethos of using local materials for the hardscape.

I prepared the wood by scrubbing with a wire brush and leaving outside in a water butt to soak then fixed a piece of roofing slate to the base to allow a stone to sit on it to weigh it down.

The install went ok, the tip is emmersed so I’m going to try and grow Java moss on that and other bits. There is certainly some planting space opened up. Water change will be interesting as it has little stability.

Cheers

 

[Simmo]

Settling in well, I like the wood a lot, moss attached at the base so we’ll see if it establishes itself in the coming weeks.

 

[Simmo]

It’s had it’s ups and downs this setup but coming up to 3 years and it’s still so rewarding. It’s time to move some of the emperors on, they’ve nearly doubled their number although the Angels seem to be an effective check on further expansion.
I’ve now gone ‘woodless’ having found that the local chunks of oak wood I foraged had a tendency to BBA, so we’ll see.
Cheers
😁

 

[Simmo]

Another year passes so 4 years since the tank started and the only fish that have lasted are two corys, one of which was several years old when he went in. I guess my biggest disappointments have been BBA blighting my plants and effectively ruining the tank a couple of years back and in truth it’s not looked as good since I’ve had no wood in the tank as I think it helps but find it sterile without so now have some old heather roots and stems and it seems a healthy enough place so I’m planning to give Apistos another go - I had a wonderful male borelli and it was a sad day when he inexplicably died a couple of years ago.