Mark Evans-120 x 55 x 55cm.... 'Convalescence' The joy of shrimp

[Mark Evans]

This is what I've missed about your journals Mark, stunning images and plenty of them. Keep them coming 🙂
Inspired and envious of the plant growth. I'll take £500 worth a week of your 'magic' water 😉

You'll get bored soon mate! 😀

Shrimp-they are indeed an integral part to a healthy, algae free environment. Prevention is better than the cure, yet the cure is also the prevention!

 

[NatureBoy]

Cheers Dean. Beware of the moss police....It's actually an algae.

with good flow, sufficient CO2, adequate dosing of ferts and the right light period and that cladophora should clear up in no time, then you'll be algae free.
Pretty brave for posting such an algae infested tank, but it's good to see even the pros have battles with algae

 

[Mark Evans]

with good flow, sufficient CO2, adequate dosing of ferts and the right light period and that cladophora should clear up in no time, then you'll be algae free.
Pretty brave for posting such an algae infested tank, but it's good to see even the pros have battles with algae

I think there's slight confusion. The Cladophora is an algae, it's not a moss covered in algae. A lot of people think Cladophora is a moss, and call them moss balls. It is actually an algae.

For now at least, my tank is algae free.

 

[George Farmer]

For now at least, my tank is algae free.

Apart from the Cladophora... 😉 lol

Great to have you back mate. Keep up the great work. 🙂

 

[NatureBoy]

I think there's slight confusion. The Cladophora is an algae, it's not a moss covered in algae. A lot of people think Cladophora is a moss, and call them moss balls. It is actually an algae.

For now at least, my tank is algae free.

sorry was being a bit tongue in cheek, I love the cladophora and the tank is superb, well done!

I'm particularly interested in the gravel / tropica substrate you've used, so looking forward to seeing that work. Is it a long term option do you think?

 

[Conger]

Steve- Cladophora, is a slow growing form of algae. In it's natural environment of rivers and streams, it creates the 'ball' effect by rolling around on the river bed. They can grow as big as a football if left, and in actual fact, they're hollow inside.

Flattening it out, and weighting it down will create in 'instant' look. Certainly wont get out of control. I was looking for an alternative to moss, yet create the same look/colour. obviously texture is drastically different. Moss can sometimes have you running circles around it...

Hi, you have certainly used the Cladophora in a very nice way. Can you just clarify for a relative noob... Have you achieved that effect simply by squashing the 'moss balls' flat and manipulating them into the shape you want?

 

[viktorlantos]

Cladophora can be used in many ways. I was wondered how many IAPLC tanks used this plant this year.

We had this also in our contest tank. My collegue formed a cactus tree from this fitted to a wire skeleton. 🙂
Saguaro Forest. IAPLC 2013 rank number 46 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! this was back in may.
Since then the cladophora grown a lot. We never trimmed it. This was the reason why we selected cladophora and not riccardia for cactus tree. This not need trimming 🙂
Same trees later:
Green Aqua Showroom | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Green Aqua Showroom | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Sorry Mark i would not like to hijack your journal.

Great to see you back mate! As always top quality shots and you even makes a simple layout so inviting that i almost thinked about i need a similar tank! 🙂

 

[Mark Evans]

I did wonder if it was tongue in cheek...but wasn't sure LOL

George, when I wrote 'algae free' I did smile, and think....OOOOPS! The tank is full of it!

Viktor, no problem mate. Good post. I think it's good to show some of the things that get forgotten and try and bring them back.

Conger- simply, open up the ball so you then have it as one flat piece. Attach it to something weighty to hold it down. I used slate.

 

[stu_]

Nice shot of the 'Silvertip' , if you like active fish then they're definitely for you..
The males i have, spar just about the same time every night, you could almost set your watch by them.

 

[Mark Evans]

Stu, I didn't realise they were so boisterous! I may take them out., but there's now one reason why I may not.

I've just got an Arcadia LED luminaire to try out. It's the freshwater Classica version, which is extremely bright. After much preparation, I've got it sorted out. It's all about the timers, and how you set them.

I have way above the tank too, as the light give off is intense, but by setting the timers up, you can limit the light. The sunrise, and sunset feature is just amazing. Especially with 1 and 4 channel dimming lastly. Hence why the silvertips may stay. They just look 'dreamy' under LED. I've got colours in the aquarium I didn't know existed!


led-1 by saintly's pics, on Flickr

 

[Alastair]

Very jealous mate. I looked at one of those units last week. Really nice.

 

[Mark Evans]

It's a great light Alastair.

I've bought some Rams today. I was a little unsure about these, as I thought they needed R/O, but these are from a tap water tank.


ram by saintly's pics, on Flickr

 

[Ian Holdich]

Oooooo rams! Hope you got a male and female. Nice little fish.

That's a female by the look of it.

 

[foxfish]

I have a pair of German rams in tap water, must be two years old now.

 

[Iain Sutherland]

lovely looking scape mark, its nice to see you getting your hands wet again on the forum.

Love that last image, 3 species all pin sharp

 

[George Farmer]

Most Rams available in the UK these days are Czech origin, bred in harder water, so are ok for most of us.

Mark - didn't you fancy a balloon ram?! lol 😉

Glad you like the LEDs - about time you caught up with modern lighting mate! 🙂

The PAR output on these is outstanding, and the spectrum is based on their Plant Pro tubes, so unlike most LED units it's great for reds.

Super photos too. So good to have you back on board mate! 🙂

 

[Mark Evans]

Mark - didn't you fancy a balloon ram?! lol Glad you like the LEDs - about time you caught up with modern lighting mate! The PAR output on these is outstanding, and the spectrum is based on their Plant Pro tubes, so unlike most LED units it's great for reds.

LOL!

You're bang on with the LED's I've got it set, so that the last hour is the LED's that produce the 'pink/red colours. The fish look AMAZING under these.

Like this image George?

lovely looking scape mark, its nice to see you getting your hands wet again on the forum. Love that last image, 3 species all pin sharp

Cheers mate. Just looking for an image from an old photobucket account for George, and stumbled on one of my first scapes...LOL This aint such a great scape...nor is 'sharp'

I have a pair of German rams in tap water, must be two years old now.

That's good to know. They've settled in OK, and feeding. They really are inquisitive things.🙂

Hope you got a male and female. Nice little fish.

They are different mate, so i'm guessing theyre sexed. Hope so...🙂

 

[Antoni]

Wow, that is not bad for a first scape of the great Evans
The rams are so nice! I wish a larger tank now....
Congrats for the new light! It's very nice and the colour rendering is amazing!

 

[Eboeagles]

Very vivid greens. Another winner. I love that last shot!

 

[Mark Evans]

Here's a quick update pic @ 3 weeks...The LED's are great! They're that bright, I can shoot @ iso 100

It's very slow growth, but very trouble free.


LED-@-3-weeks by saintly's pics, on Flickr