Saintly's 240L 'savannah dreaming' scape finished

[Mark Evans]

Re: Saintly's 'savannah dreaming' @ 7 weeks

does than mean no sponges or floss pad ?

no sponges mate.

out of the 3 baskets, 1 is half full of biological, 1 is empty and one has a bit of JBL floss which gets changed occasionally.

dicing with death?....maybe. I just want to see where the limits are. 😀

 

[George Farmer]

Re: Saintly's 'savannah dreaming' @ 7 weeks

dicing with death?....maybe. I just want to see where the limits are. 😀

Well, the proof is in the pudding, and so far it looks very sweet indeed.

If and when you decide to add more fish then more biological filtration maybe prudent. I'm sure your current filter etc. could deal with the bioload per se, but any tiny ammonia spikes caused by extra fish and their required food maybe invoke potential algae.

You may 'get away' with it, especially as your plant biomass is so strong.

I guess you have to choose; do I risk algae due to reduction in flow/circulation caused by adding more media, or do I add more media to ensure safety of fish and minimise ammonia?

My guess is if you add a sensible fish stock, then you'll be just fine as you are.

Oh, and the tank is looking brilliant. Best on UKAPS right now, without doubt.

 

[NeilW]

Re: Saintly's 'savannah dreaming' @ 7 weeks

no sponges mate.

out of the 3 baskets, 1 is half full of biological, 1 is empty and one has a bit of JBL floss which gets changed occasionally.

dicing with death?....maybe. I just want to see where the limits are. 😀

Maybe with a tank this size the biological filtration capability of the substrate alone would be massive?

 

[Kosh42-EFG]

Re: Saintly's 'savannah dreaming' @ 7 weeks

if I cant walk to the tap every other day for 30 seconds, then I need to look at another hobby, chess or something.

And in a nut shell, that's why I'm going low-tech 😉

 

[Mark Evans]

Re: Saintly's 'savannah dreaming' @ 7 weeks

And in a nut shell, that's why I'm going low-tech 😉

good stuff

Maybe with a tank this size the biological filtration capability of the substrate alone would be massive?

i'm not sure mate. possibly. the science baffles me 😵

Oh, and the tank is looking brilliant. Best on UKAPS right now, without doubt.

easy tiger 😀 there's better than this on ukaps. too many plant position issues for me. maybe next time.

 

[paul.in.kendal]

Re: Saintly's 'savannah dreaming' @ 7 weeks

I find a jug does the job....

if I cant walk to the tap every other day for 30 seconds, then I need to look at another hobby, chess or something.

...and I bet your car, toothbrush, and shaving is all manual, too. 😉

 

[Mark Evans]

Re: Saintly's 'savannah dreaming' @ 7 weeks

and I bet your car

yes 😀

toothbrush,

yes

shaving

yes trimming scissors

 

[Mark Evans]

Re: Saintly's 'savannah dreaming' @ 7 weeks

2 months on, and things are steady. Water changes down to 1 per week.

The recently trimmed teres is now growing back shorter but still pokes through the HC which is annoying, but there's nothing I can do about it.

I may take out the HM to the right as throws the whole balance. It maybe better to have a off centre bunch of stems instead of 2 3rds and nothing to the left. I feel with time, the crypts left and right will play a bigger part in the balance of the tank.

 

[Garuf]

Re: Saintly's 'savannah dreaming' @ 2 months

Did you ever post up a full plant list, Mark? Did you end up using the Undulata "green"? What's the grassy plant under the left hand wood? I assume it's Lieanopsis or tennelus is there a crypt in there as well I can see? I can't believe it's only 2 months old, it could almost pass for years, I think I like this best out of all your scapes the levels of detail and texture just blows me away, I almost wish the photos were actual size.

 

[Mark Evans]

Re: Saintly's 'savannah dreaming' @ 2 months

Did you ever post up a full plant list, Mark?

no mate. I once read that Amano always recomendes at least 14 varieties of plants for a nature aquarium, so i took the idea my self.

this is whats in the tank

HC
liliaeospsis
hydracotle
moss
crypt petchii
crypt bullosa
crypt un. green
crypt wendetii 'cough' tropica ' cough'
needle fern
bolbitis
vallis nana
r rotundifolia
m umbrosum
HM
Myriophyllum mezianum
sagitaria teres

16 in total.

What's the grassy plant under the left hand wood?

liliaopsis mixed with a crypt sp.... and now teres creeping in 😵

I can't believe it's only 2 months old,

I know mate. I get used to the quick growth now a days. even the slow growers grow fast.

I think I like this best out of all your scapes the levels of detail and texture just blows me away,

cheers mate, it means a lot.

 

[Mark Evans]

Re: Saintly's 'savannah dreaming' @ 2 months

garuf! here's that little area.



everything gets trimmed tomorrow....again!

 

[Mark Evans]

Re: Saintly's 'savannah dreaming' @ 2 months

added more fish from the nano. the contrast in fish looks wicked if I do say so myself.

 

[LondonDragon]

Re: Saintly's 'savannah dreaming' @ 2 months

added more fish from the nano. the contrast in fish looks wicked if I do say so myself.

Photos!! !😛 I would have to agree with George, one of the best here, but that's what we have come to expect from you Mark 😉

 

[Garuf]

Re: Saintly's 'savannah dreaming' @ 2 months

That pictures great, with all the textures and forms, it just looks so good it's so natural.

 

[Mark Evans]

Re: Saintly's 'savannah dreaming' @ 2 months

thanks chaps! i've got a video coming in about half hour. just a quicky.

I'll take some pics when the crowns fully develop on the stems... their still immature.

i'm at that stage, where i now need to concentrat on shapes and keeping things tidy. The trim of teres was the best move yet. it's runners have halted and the new growth is much smaller. The crypts get better co2 and light and look great too.

crypts are slowly becoming my fave plant....the cameleon of plants.

The filter has fully matured now I reckon, and water quality is the best so far in 2 months.

 

[George Farmer]

Re: Saintly's 'savannah dreaming' @ 2 months

crypts are slowly becoming my fave plant....the cameleon of plants.

My favourite for sure. Low-maint, great colours and textures, lots of varieties - what else do you need? You could do a whole 'scape using them alone... 😉

 

[Mark Evans]

Re: Saintly's 'savannah dreaming' @ 2 months

here's a quick vid. excuse the stems...still to develop crowns.

My favourite for sure. Low-maint, great colours and textures, lots of varieties - what else do you need? You could do a whole 'scape using them alone... 😉

tempting indeed. I may use crypts much more and in bigger numbers in the future. The next scape, I'm not using stems neither

 

[samc]

Re: Saintly's 'savannah dreaming' @ 2 months

looks ace!

i didnt realise you had so much flow. i suppose you get alot more with less media in it.

 

[George Farmer]

Re: Saintly's 'savannah dreaming' @ 2 months

Planning the next 'scape already mate?! A man after my own heart...

What are you thinking about timescale in this bad boy now? Another 2, 3 or 4 months? You'll be chomping at the bit by then!

Can't view the video at work. I'll check it out the evening. Looking forward to it.

 

[Mark Evans]

Re: Saintly's 'savannah dreaming' @ 2 months

i didnt realise you had so much flow. i suppose you get alot more with less media in it.

the power head is king here Sam. Its just a korolia no3, but is effective as hell. I'm still adding a 2nd filter though for 'back up' purposes

Planning the next 'scape already mate?! A man after my own heart...

in my head at least mate 😀

What are you thinking about timescale in this bad boy now? Another 2, 3 or 4 months?

3 months should be good i think. The HC worries me.

Can't view the video at work. I'll check it out the evening. Looking forward to it.

it's nowt special mate.