Re-education.....

[Guest]

Just out of interest, what light intensity have you settled on Ady and how long is your photoperiod ?

 

[Ady34]

Just out of interest, what light intensity have you settled on Ady and how long is your photoperiod ?

It was only up to 65% for 6hrs of an 8hr photoperiod of which the rest was ramping up and reducing down to and from 40%.....that’s a very confusing and complicated explaination

Down to a max of 60% intensity now, it is a tank mainly of slow growers and a lazy owner 😀

 

[Jayefc1]

Mate it's still an amazing tank

 

[Ady34]

Mate it's still an amazing tank

Thanks dude

 

[Iain Sutherland]

Still looking great ady even with reduced maintenance! I'm sure the increase in love will sort the little issues... that and some more amanos 🙂
Fissidens is a bugger for hair algae. That plec is stunning though fella.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[Filip Krupa]

Quite simple really but saves an incredible amount of faffing around with hoses and buckets and water conditioners, especially on larger tanks

Couldn't agree more. I change aprox 3,800L of water every week on The Beast. Takes me no time.
(2,800L drip fed over 7 days + 1,000L weekly 50%)

Fil

 

[Ady34]

Another little water change and sand siphon tonight. Filter clean, algae scraping and pipework over the next couple of days will make a huge difference but it already feels a lot nicer again just for the thinning out, sand cleaning and water changes.











Cheerio,
Ady.

 

[Lauris]

Love it!

 

[Ady34]

Love it!

Thanks Lauris 😀

Did another major maintenance session today including repeat sand siphon, algae scrape, water change and filter pipe and glassware clean. Still battling the thread algae with a toothbrush, however I’m feeling a bit more love for the tank again.....you get out of them what you put in I guess 😛



Something that has always bugged me is the left foreground which has always seemed a little unbalanced. The wood lines don't elongate enough in the area shown below, illustrated in black and white as it enhances the composition. I noted it on creating the scape and to some degree balanced it with the rock cluster however it needs wood. I have one piece of Talawa wood left unused which I am going to cut a branch off, waterlog, and add to the area highlighted. This will balance the overall hardscape shape I believe.



Over the last couple of weeks I have increased my fertilisers as plant mass has increased and this has had a noticeable positive effect on the bucephelandra which some look almost iridescent now with a blue sheen, something I have seen in others scapes and strived for, they are stunning plants. Looking back at early photos it is clear how much mass has been added so naturally they need more food.

Something I will also consider more in future scapes is fish choice. Often aquascapes seem ‘boring’ or perhaps repetitive in fish choice, however there is a reason why we see so many tanks with harlequins, neons, black neons, rummy nose etc. These fish, although can be predatory, Will co-exist with shrimp which are hugely important to the overall well-being of a planted tank. Larger species of tetra like bentosi and other species such as congo tetras actively hunt shrimp, something I have seen in this tank and has a huge effect on shrimp numbers and more importantly their activity. Swarms of shrimp can help keep mosses clean from detrius and algae, but when under threat they are nowhere near as efficient for obvious reasons. I love my fish but slightly regret not sticking with smaller mouthed species 😱

Cheerio,
Ady.

 

[alto]

Well done
Tank is looking fantastic again 🙂

There are some “algae shrimp” “japonica var.” that are mean devils and very resilient to larger fish activity- these are shipping out of Indonesia
They are japonica sized, look similar but no “dots” - a bit more stocky perhaps, and receive excellent reports as algae crew

I’m going to search out some smaller males to add to my tank where the Rams have decided on Shrimp Hunting 🙁

 

[sciencefiction]

Did another major maintenance session today including repeat sand siphon, algae scrape, water change and filter pipe

It's all about aesthetics Ady 🙄 I am sure the tank was doing just fine without the scrubbing

Something that has always bugged me is the left foreground which has always seemed a little unbalanced.

It looks like the tank going to fall on that side but with my untrained eye I would have no idea what you can do to that corner. Perhaps a longer brunch coming from the center of the wood that extends a bit further to fill up that space a bit.

 

[sciencefiction]

erhaps a longer brunch coming from the center of the wood that extends a bit further to fill up that space a bit.

Actually, thinking of it a bit more, I think the issue is the other corner/side that looks a bit too crowded creating the unbalance. How about removing the moss covered brunch on the right side and plant it to the left instead?

 

[Ady34]

Well done
Tank is looking fantastic again 🙂

There are some “algae shrimp” “japonica var.” that are mean devils and very resilient to larger fish activity- these are shipping out of Indonesia
They are japonica sized, look similar but no “dots” - a bit more stocky perhaps, and receive excellent reports as algae crew

I’m going to search out some smaller males to add to my tank where the Rams have decided on Shrimp Hunting 🙁

Thanks for the info, I’ve actually seen several amano shrimp in the tank tonight and feel they may be large enough not to be snacks. The cherry’s are tasty and easily visible so maybe more amanos or the above mentioned species could be the answer.

It's all about aesthetics Ady 🙄 I am sure the tank was doing just fine without the scrubbing



It looks like the tank going to fall on that side but with my untrained eye I would have no idea what you can do to that corner. Perhaps a longer brunch coming from the center of the wood that extends a bit further to fill up that space a bit.

Actually, thinking of it a bit more, I think the issue is the other corner/side that looks a bit too crowded creating the unbalance. How about removing the moss covered brunch on the right side and plant it to the left instead?

Thanks for the ideas, I really don’t want to remove anything from the right hand side as I really like the way that has developed. I’m going to add the extra little bit of wood and hopefully that will balance it better.

Couple of shots from tonight, i actually spent a good hour and a half sat enjoying watching the tank tonight.....





Cheerio,

 

[Matt @ ScapeEasy]

@Ady34 as well as adding a branch within the red circle you might want to consider shortening the branch above the red circle which I believe would achieve the same effect? In fact I wonder if the problem is not that this branch is actually a couple of inches too long and is disrupting the triangular composition?

 

[Guest]

I noted it on creating the scape and to some degree balanced it with the rock cluster however it needs wood.

I didn't notice that, but I know what you mean it's just a niggling detail...the curse of every perfectionist. A little bit more wood there is all that is needed.
I don't think removing wood at either end is the answer. It would unbalance the scape in other ways and by the time you'd finished balancing it up again you'd just be left with rocks 😛

Will co-exist with shrimp which are hugely important to the overall well-being of a planted tank.

I think I took shrimp for granted. It wasn't until I removed the rams and the thread algae disappeared over night that I remembered just how important they are in a planted tank.

I’m feeling a bit more love for the tank again.....you get out of them what you put in I guess 😛

Amen to that...Anyway, it's looking mighty fine, and you've inspired me to get some maintenance done in my tank this morning, it's been over 2 weeks...😱

 

[Ady34]

@Ady34 as well as adding a branch within the red circle you might want to consider shortening the branch above the red circle which I believe would achieve the same effect? In fact I wonder if the problem is not that this branch is actually a couple of inches too long and is disrupting the triangular composition?

You may be right, some of the branches may be a little too long however i feel that the easiest solution is to extend the draw of the scape by adding an extra bit of wood to the highlighted area. If I remove some mass elsewhere I may run the risk of loosing the weight needed to balance the overall hardscape.

I don't think removing wood at either end is the answer. It would unbalance the scape in other ways and by the time you'd finished balancing it up again you'd just be left with rocks 😛

As Tim says it’s really easier to add a little more rather than take away as if I trim the branches and don’t like it then I can’t undo that, especially in a matured tank. At the hardscape stage you always have relatively easy options and fixes without consequence, but once running it is more difficult. The wood and rocks are like one, with many of the branches actually underneath large pieces of Seiryu 😱

Anyway, it's looking mighty fine, and you've inspired me to get some maintenance done in my tank this morning, it's been over 2 weeks...😱

Prevention is definitely better than cure and your tank is looking in tip top condition currently, you certainly don’t want to end up chasing it like this 😀

Thanks again everyone for all the input, it’s great to be able to share and talk out the journey with other hobbyists and it’s much appreciated

Little video from tonight, I haven’t yet (and likely won’t 😛) learn how to edit and make better the videos.....I haven’t even hidden the sound of the tv with music I’d choose the best quality available as it’s only a phone camera.



Cheerio,

 

[CooKieS]

Nice Ady.

Can't stop thinking that your scape would look better with an smaller and more compact moss than this fissidens on those roots...like mini x-moss, riccardia or even some Callicostella prabaktiana?

Cheers

 

[Jayefc1]

Back on track and glad to see it mate it's a beautiful piece of art work you have there and I agree with the lil balancing issue

Cheers
Jay

 

[Guest]

Relaxing video, and some nice textures, I really like the relatively large leaves of the Ludwigia waving in the breeze; works well in your large tank.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Callicostella prabaktiana

New one for me, it looks very promising.

cheers Darrel