Joris
Member
Hi guys! Quite a few years ago I started a journal here about my first aquascape. Since then I actually lost motivation and interest in the hobby - mainly due to investments in cheap equipment which made maintenance a pain in the ass. This was a great lesson learned and now thanks to a friend I'm starting my second aquascape. I've done quite some research and really wanted to go high-tech and invest in proper equipment. Now it's time to finally start this project. I've saved up quite some cash and convinced the wife . Below a list of my new equipment:
I've watched a lot of video's of Filipe Oliviera, and I got really inspired by the tank he did for Aquarium Gardens - link:
He used manzanita wood in a triangular composition together with a lot of interesting plants and the fine detail work he is famous for. I basically decided to copy this layout (with a few tweaks here and there). Below a list of my hardscape materials:
Plant list (still WIP):
This weekend I've set up the hardscape. Took me some time but I'm really pleased with the end result. Feels like the hardscape is in balance (visually) and it has that wild nature look that I really love. Yesterday I had a chat with a local Aquascape store owner. I explained him that I really like the creative part of assembling and creating the hardscape, but once the tank gets filled with water I get a bit nervous. I think this is because I'm still a noob when it comes to understanding and solving certain problems that show up. Sure, I know a lot of stuff from reading about it, but I have very little practical experience. He advised me to do a 'dark start' to get a more stable tank before adding any livestock (including plants). I quite like the concept and thought I'd give it a go. So right now there is a hardscape tank in my room that is filled up with water without plants, which feels weird . But I'm feeling confident about the decision. Right now I'm actually letting the tank get soaked without running the filter (as read in this article: Should I bother cycling a planted tank before planting?). This removes organic debris, dust and sugars released from the woods and prevents the filter from taking up a lot of debris at the start. Tomorrow evening I'll do a 100% water change and start the filter with Seachem stability + purigen. Or do you guys think that I should wait 2 or 3 more days before doing the 100% WC?
Hope you like it and feedback is definitely welcome! Will keep updating the journal in the coming days.
- ILA optic white aquarium (90x45x45) + DIY cabinet
- Oase Biomaster 850 + heater filled up with 6L of Seachem matrix (glass lily pipe set)
- Pressurized CO2 system + inline CO2 atomizer
- Twinstar S-line III 900 SM + programmable dimmer
I've watched a lot of video's of Filipe Oliviera, and I got really inspired by the tank he did for Aquarium Gardens - link:
He used manzanita wood in a triangular composition together with a lot of interesting plants and the fine detail work he is famous for. I basically decided to copy this layout (with a few tweaks here and there). Below a list of my hardscape materials:
- Manzanita wood (6 pieces)
- Black lava rocks 15kg
- Plantahunter Baikal gravel
- La plata cosmetic sand
- ADA Aquasoil 15L + Power Sand advanced 2L
Plant list (still WIP):
- Trident ferns
- Bolbitis Heudelotti
- Pinnatifida
- Anubias Bonsai, Paxing & nan
- Bucephalandra Wavy green, Theia red and maybe some others
- Crypts (wendtii, parva, willisii, lucens, beckettii and balansae)
- Rotala sp green, H'ra
- Eleocharis mini
- Blyxa japonica
- Juncuns repens
- Christmass / weeping moss
This weekend I've set up the hardscape. Took me some time but I'm really pleased with the end result. Feels like the hardscape is in balance (visually) and it has that wild nature look that I really love. Yesterday I had a chat with a local Aquascape store owner. I explained him that I really like the creative part of assembling and creating the hardscape, but once the tank gets filled with water I get a bit nervous. I think this is because I'm still a noob when it comes to understanding and solving certain problems that show up. Sure, I know a lot of stuff from reading about it, but I have very little practical experience. He advised me to do a 'dark start' to get a more stable tank before adding any livestock (including plants). I quite like the concept and thought I'd give it a go. So right now there is a hardscape tank in my room that is filled up with water without plants, which feels weird . But I'm feeling confident about the decision. Right now I'm actually letting the tank get soaked without running the filter (as read in this article: Should I bother cycling a planted tank before planting?). This removes organic debris, dust and sugars released from the woods and prevents the filter from taking up a lot of debris at the start. Tomorrow evening I'll do a 100% water change and start the filter with Seachem stability + purigen. Or do you guys think that I should wait 2 or 3 more days before doing the 100% WC?
Hope you like it and feedback is definitely welcome! Will keep updating the journal in the coming days.