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Pets @ Home huge planted tank projects and event.

Popped in to Stockport today and must admit, I agree with the comment above. 🙁

Don't get me wrong, the tank is huge and set up nice, but the choice of fish lets it down IMO

I'm not saying stick silly sized redtail catfish, giant gouramis and pacus etc in, just because you can, but a big shoal of angels for example would look amazing, a shoal of discus, clown loaches, like what Richard said really. How about some severems or some dwarf cichlids? Just something a little bigger and more interesting than what they currently have, without going into the super giant fish.

It also looked a bit dark to me as well, not sure if some of the lights are just out (as mentioned by someone earlier in the thread) or that's how it always is?

Also made a schoolboy error, forgot some pics :hungover:
 
NC10 said:
Popped in to Stockport today and must admit, I agree with the comment above. 🙁

Don't get me wrong, the tank is huge and set up nice, but the choice of fish lets it down IMO

I'm not saying stick silly sized redtail catfish, giant gouramis and pacus etc in, just because you can, but a big shoal of angels for example would look amazing, a shoal of discus, clown loaches, like what Richard said really. How about some severems or some dwarf cichlids? Just something a little bigger and more interesting than what they currently have, without going into the super giant fish.

It also looked a bit dark to me as well, not sure if some of the lights are just out (as mentioned by someone earlier in the thread) or that's how it always is?

Also made a schoolboy error, forgot some pics :hungover:
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Alot of the fish in the tank are very young. For example the silver sharks are still babies and the red rainbow fish still have lots of growing in to do. When originally done and all the rainbows were put in they shoaled together but as is the ways in a tank, once settled in each finds their own in it and split off.
I also think that the flow may be a little too much in their as the pumps are pretty powerful if you've noticed. Agreed it would look great but I guess theyre advertising the fish they sell.
Im not sticking up for them in any way just adding to comments that have been said. And yep the lighting in the centre had a fault so was only lit from the sides. Im popping in again next weekend to get a video and see if I can do some after hours shots
 
I think the overall problem here is that it's a huge expensive project and the care and expertise that is applied to smaller individual projects evident on this forum is not practical from a cost point if view .


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RichardJW said:
I think the overall problem here is that it's a huge expensive project and the care and expertise that is applied to smaller individual projects evident on this forum is not practical from a cost point if view .


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Click to expand...
The New Malden- and the Stockport tanks are especially designed, to be foolproof (sorry for the expression, but that's what they are). They are basically identical twins, just adapted to size and shape of tank. Hardscape is maximum impact with minimum material, to secure flow and very low maintainance. Plants are chosen from the toughest of the tough, being able to cope with very broad specter of environment (in all aspects), and requiering a minimum of maintainance, too. Not in disrespect to PAH, but to ensure most impact for lowest maintainance!!!
 
Considering they're on identical platforms it's noticeable how different the two tanks look . The clarity in the New Malden tank is not evident in the Stockport one . Looking at the angle that the fish are swimming at I'm guessing that the flow is pretty strong in this one too . One thing for sure , my suggestion of putting Discus and Angels in there is a non starter !


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So I wonder ..... from gageing Tropicas idea to educate or inform pets at home customers about buying plants and the art of aquascaping .... has it worked? I don't think they went far enough tbh. yes the idea was right and the attraction of a scaped tank the size it was would turn heads and fishkeepers but as I did and emailed them to ask to able to extend this and scape smaller tanks in the stores in Northern Ireland and they said not at this time. I think it was a mistake not to roll the idea to the other stores using the help and experience of this forum and expertise and creating smaller display tank instore. This would create a vibe for the participants and the potential aquascapers showing and interest in that local store and creating sales !
 
The thing I noticed too when at the store the other day (yes ive got a video) is there's no advertising on the tank that there was initially I.e tropica ukaps who set it up etc. So to many a customer who doesnt know much of planting tanks to them it is just a big tank full of plants.
It does get alot of attention when people are instore as its hard to miss.
To me personally it looks fantastic and clearly the hard work all the guys involved put in has paid off in terms of scaping, planting, layout its current look.
However the staff there just dont seem to know much about it.
When I was in taking photos and asking questions on the tank and its current running etc I got blank looks and just "ummmmmmmm im not sure".

I can see what your saying bryan and valid point but from tropicas point of view the cost involved in doing other stores like this would be too much id imagine.
From the two set ups id have thought personally, the advice the staff and store manager were given coupled with the involvement they had during the tanks set up would or should have allowed them to be able to continue doing these on a smaller scale in their other stores on their own.
I just wish they could put more into the Stockport one as it's not looking like its getting the attention and maintenance it deserves which isnt fair to the people who grafted hard to make it look as nice as it is. (Plant trimmimg, removal of bba on crypt leaves and so on.)
 
Brian Murphy said:
Any updates of these tanks? It would be nice for the scapers to come back and do a visit a year on and tell how they think it has come on and if it was what they expected plus any tweeks they think should happen and what mistakes where made if doing it again?
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Good point mate.
Sadly they'd be very disappointed at the Stockport one. It's gone down hill. Various algae everywhere, plants dying and it's literally lost its wow factor now.

I even tried to tell a gent on the fish section that almost all the co2 from that huge diffuser wad just rising straight up to the surface too but he said they aren't allowed to mess with it it's some guys responsibility.
I said Ill come back this weekend to do some proper photos and could I get stuck in helping out by sorting the algae problems but again it's some mysterious dudes job.
And it's just full of big silver sharks now no shoals of rainbows etc.

These pics aren't great as they were taken in a rush on my old phone the other week but will get some better ones with my dslr.
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ady6adyz.jpg

nu2ujy4y.jpg

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Mysterious guy probably seen the Electric bill !!
I look at the tank and think what would Alistair do with it
?




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It looks a lot brighter from when I was last there. In this case that may be a bad thing 😛

Never mind what Alastair or the man of mystery would do, who's the manager? Turn it off and just fill it with gerbils and rabbits. Failing that, would make a great meerkat display :lol:

In all seriousness though, from what they have already spent on the actual tank, planting and equipment etc it would take peanuts to get this back on track and looking half decent.

- Most, if not all of the plants could be rescued so no expense there.

- Change the way Co2 is diffused will be a couple of quid, easy.

- I've no idea what ferts they currently run, I'm guessing something expensive off their shelves, but would be pretty easy to find a cheaper, easier solution. Dosing pumps could be added if they haven't already got them, few quid.

- Lighting. I don't know what they currently have but it just doesn't look right to me and it's obviously doing nothing for the plants. This would probably be the biggest expense if it was to change. A lighter sand bed would soon perk the overall look of the tank up though.

- Sack the bloke off the till responsible for the upkeep, he's not bothered, it's just his job. There are plenty of capable amateurs/hobbyists (us lot in other words) who would love to volunteer to be responsible for something like this. Go in on a weekly basis for example. I'm sure there's loads of legal things involved with a big company like insurance, or people working for nothing, but surely not that hard to overcome.

I've probably missed loads of other things too, but I just can't see why they are finding it so hard to keep on top of it.

A fiver to the first person to find out who this mystery man is :lol:
 
RichardJW said:
Mysterious guy probably seen the Electric bill !!
I look at the tank and think what would Alistair do with it
?




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Click to expand...

I'd not change anything of the particular layout or planting arrangement as the guys did a fantastic job.
I just want to get in their and trim away the algae ridden leaves, give the whole tank a general trim to neaten it up and so it no longer appears a mass of plants and just bob in on a monthly basis to see.how it's going.
I'm minutes from the place and doesn't take time away from my weekends.
Like everyone else I'm a hobbyist but very passionate about it and just want to see it back to its former glory. It's an insult to mark George Ian Dan stu Murph ady etc to let it deteriorate so bad as they worked at such pace to produce a stunning display. Out of the two days it took to do I was there only the Sunday so I've seen how stunning it looked.

I've tried to offer advice as they know me but the main staff can't do anything



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