Re-education.....

[alto]

potted in some drinking glasses

rather than sealed containers, I’d use something perforated (such as orchids pots) to allow currents through the potting medium

Given the surface current, I’d add some fast growing stem plants at tank startup rather than floaters ...

Micranthemum umbrosum and Heteranthera zosterifolia are a couple of my favourites, both seem happy if just anchored in some sand or stashed between hardscape as long as water column fertilization (& CO2)

 

[Ady34]

rather than sealed containers, I’d use something perforated (such as orchids pots) to allow currents through the potting medium

Given the surface current, I’d add some fast growing stem plants at tank startup rather than floaters ...

Micranthemum umbrosum and Heteranthera zosterifolia are a couple of my favourites, both seem happy if just anchored in some sand or stashed between hardscape as long as water column fertilization (& CO2)

Thanks for the tips Alto, I did wonder about the drinking glasses, however I really don’t want soil escaping and wanted to contain the crypts from spreading so I may just leave out any substrate plants altogether. I’ll be limiting light from the start so hopefully won’t need any fast growers, although I’d need to refresh myself on the reasons why fast growers are used initially.
Cheerio.

 

[Matt @ ScapeEasy]

Firstly the hardscape is truly amazing!...

Secondly... c. Balansae (great plant) should do ok without planting substrate. It won't grow quickly but it will grow... I have some in sand and some in planting substrate in my tank so this is from experience in my low tech setup. You could always pop in a couple of root tabs... or a bit more wacky but workable with a plant like a crypt. Put planting substrate in a ball made from an old pair of tights... loads of options! Another similar option but looks a bit more 'wild is so go with A. Crispus (also grows well in anything).

Edit: the Crispus is quite hardy but not that tall... I meant C. Calamistratum... sorry!

 

[G H Nelson]

Don't need substrate for Crypts if there is sufficient Co2 and Ferts in the water column!
hoggie

 

[Ady34]

Firstly the hardscape is truly amazing!...

Secondly... c. Balansae (great plant) should do ok without planting substrate. It won't grow quickly but it will grow... I have some in sand and some in planting substrate in my tank so this is from experience in my low tech setup. You could always pop in a couple of root tabs... or a bit more wacky but workable with a plant like a crypt. Put planting substrate in a ball made from an old pair of tights... loads of options! Another similar option but looks a bit more 'wild is so go with A. Crispus (also grows well in anything).

Edit: the Crispus is quite hardy but not that tall... I meant C. Calamistratum... sorry!

Thanks Matt, more food for thought however I may go down the route both you and hoggie suggested....

Don't need substrate for Crypts if there is sufficient Co2 and Ferts in the water column!
hoggie

.....may just stick them in the sand and see, although containment won’t be so easy this way. Last time I grew balansae it popped up everywhere!

Still haven’t organised my regulator or further considered plant lists. I don’t seem to be in a hurry to do anything these days
Wood has gone fluffy as expected so it looks a bit ‘minging’ at the minute. I keep getting tempted to add a few bristle nose to sort it out but I’ll wait.
Christmas is done now so I will get my co2 sorted and then look at plants. Still missing one of the timers for my lights which is lost in the post somewhere.

Here’s a couple of images for interest
Added an acrylic protector to the tank base again with this scape as I like to add my hardscape directly to the tank before substrate. I don’t like the bigger rocks on the glass:





Few detail shots:









Maybe this can be classed as planted.....



And a few different angles.....







Cheerio
Ady

 

[Matt @ ScapeEasy]

...

 

[DutchMuch]

...

 

[Ady34]

Erm.....



And.....



=......



Fluffy wood looks awful, I know it will go in time but having sourced a good amount of fissidens from UKAPS member buttons (thanks very much, awesome condition), I thought I’d better get it cleaned quicker ready for a plant order early new year so after running the tank for a couple of weeks filled, I added some mature media from my sons tank and popped a couple of bristlenose in to help with the fluff and some diatoms.
Next will be another filter with inline co2. I am going to upgrade my regulator but will order that with my plant order. Both light controllers have arrived so I’ve ran a light cycle and will adjust accordingly the intensity and duration when the plants arrive. Currently a maximum of 30% via the s2 pro controllers from China.

Cheerio
Ady

 

[Zeus.]

Next will be another filter with inline co2

Or maybe Maxpest Gyres 😉

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

a good amount of fissidens from UKAPS member buttons

Now that really is a lot of Fissidens, all kudos to @buttons.

cheers Darrel

 

[Ady34]

Hi all,Now that really is a lot of Fissidens, all kudos to @buttons.

cheers Darrel

Indeed, just need to psyche myself up for tying it all on with bloody cotton and sticking it all down....along with my fingers no doubt

 

[Guest]

sticking it all down....along with my fingers no doubt

Hate when that happens 🙄 🙂

 

[Ady34]

Hate when that happens 🙄 🙂

I’ll either have fissidens covered fingers or I’ll be stuck in the tank to the Seiryu stone......I’ll try and tie most of it

 

[Guest]

I always try to tie moss whenever/wherever I can. Glue works fine but it's just messy, and a good dose of cyanide doesn't always get the moss off to the best of starts 😀

 

[alto]

Looks to be lots of V shapes to jam some moss - as long as the filter movement (& that giant fish 😉) doesn’t lift it away, it will spread by sticky tendrils and cover your wood ... at least that’s how my moss seems to advance everywhere 😛

Of course for faster coverage, do the thin layer style seen in ADA videos + lots of “moss cotton” (ie any cheap cotton thread that looks fine with your wood ... don’t use “quilting” thread as that stuff lasts forever 😳 )


I added some new wood recently to tank with Clithon snails - no chance for any visible wood gunk 🙂

 

[Ady34]

Looks to be lots of V shapes to jam some moss - as long as the filter movement (& that giant fish 😉) doesn’t lift it away, it will spread by sticky tendrils and cover your wood ... at least that’s how my moss seems to advance everywhere 😛

Of course for faster coverage, do the thin layer style seen in ADA videos + lots of “moss cotton” (ie any cheap cotton thread that looks fine with your wood ... don’t use “quilting” thread as that stuff lasts forever 😳 )


I added some new wood recently to tank with Clithon snails - no chance for any visible wood gunk 🙂

Yep there will be plenty of ‘jamming’ plants into crevices and plenty of cotton too.
When I come across some horned nerite snails they will be added also as I love the way they look along with their extra benefits as part of the cuc.
I can’t wait now really, itchy fingers to moss and anubias this up.....along with a few other plants too......
Cheerio,

 

[Ady34]

Old nerite with crs......



what I’d give for the flora and fauna that was in this tank now!

 

[Costa]

Tank is so beautiful and balanced it's offending

 

[Ady34]

Tank is so beautiful and balanced it's offending

I think I like that 😕

First ‘proper’ tank maintenance, sand vac and water change and a little bit of glassware cleaning without full removal. There were brown diatoms over the sand likely due to new tank imbalance without being planted or fully operational.

Refilling via hma filter, water heated to correct tank temperature direct from boiler through thermostatic mixer valve:



Need to pop to get some brown cotton to tie moss.
Next step is to get the co2 up and running and attach that fissidens before I kill it

Cheerio.

 

[CooKieS]

Fissidens works best glued but with very small batch.