This is my first journal and my second scape in my hand-me-down 220l. I've done a number of scapes in jar's, but nothing beyond just trying to grow plants. I've defiantly learnt a lot, but admit I still have a long way to go.
Equipment
Aqua one tank, 220l and horrible dimensions. Its circa 100l x 40d x 60h. It has rounded corners, is awkwardly braced and fairly scratched. However, it was free and I don't have money to replace it. I will probably add some vinyl to the top section to cover the horrid bracing bar silicone line. It wont have a lid, but I may get some drip trays.
It sits on a DIY stand built to hold a Aquascaper 1200, or similar, aquarium. I will get or build one, but not yet.
I have recently bought 2 Week aqua A430's to go over it and will build an arm to suspend them from.
I use an old Aqua one CF1000 and will use a cheap AliExpress canister filter with a 1200l/hr pump to boost filtration and flow. I also use a JBL inline heater.
CO2 is provided by 2kg FE and dual stage regulator and manifold from Co2 Supermarket, it has an inline diffuser of the same brand.
Inspiration
My inspiration is probably one of my favourite scapes from the guys over at Green Aqua, which can be found:
here:
and they did a second tank here:
Hardscape
I want to make a reef style planted layout with black lava rock, I bought some from VidaXL for a reasonable price (circa £2/kg).
I want to go for a Triangular or slightly V shaped layout with 2 'mounds' at either end. I will encase the rock with redmoor root to create a 'roots grown over' kind of vibe.
As the tank has horrid dimensions (lack of depth is really frustrating) so I have to make do. I already know I will struggle with 'depth' and wont try and get round it, it is what it is.
I did a test with liquid superglue and tissue which was less than ideal, so I plan on using landscaping foam and silicone on the rocks to get them in place. The landscaping foam will help seal the gaps between the rocks, where I can stick smaller pieces in, to create a substrate-proof mound. I will then probably revert to the superglue on the wood.
Substrate
I want to build both mounds with a hollow inside to place some Ibaraki soil, double red line. This substrate has no supply of fertilisers, so I will top it with Tropica (or similar) substrate and Aquasoil on top of that. You may understand why I will use Ibaraki when I get to the intended fauna.
I also purchased some pool filter sand, 0.8 to 1.2mm grain size from VidaXL, so the base of the tank will be a thin layer of plain-ish sand.
The Flora
I intended using a range of stems in the tops of the mounds and a range of Epiphytes on the sides, hence Green 'reef'.
Epiphytes will include: Anubias mini coin and petite, Microsorum narrow and trident, Bolbitis and a number of bucephalandra varieties. I'll start it without moss, but may introduce some later.
In the substrate, at the top of the mounds, will be some Cryptocoryne pava, Pogostemon deccanensis, Rotala wallichii, indica and blood red, S.repens and maybe an aponogeton bulb or three.
The sand won't be planted at all, but I may include an outcrop of Anubias on an odd piece of lava rock. I'll see how contrived it looks when I do it.
The Fauna
I want to keep some more bee shrimp, probably just some PRL shrimp, but I'll see. The Link to ShrimpFactoryUK has given me a few ideas. The scape I had in this tank before bred around 2 to 3 hundred (or so) CRS in its previous guise before it crashed into oblivion. I learnt the hard way that a Co2 bottle running out as I went on holiday can have some kind of massive impact - never mind.
I've also bred some Golden white cloud mountain minnows which will be going in alongside. If I can breed more I will as the current stock of 20 is a bit light weight. I may mix it up with something else, but as of yet I am undecided. I may just go with some livebearers, but I am partial to a red phantom tetra too.
Fertilisation
I've gone through a mix of Tropica, Aquarium Plan Food UK and TMC on the last scape. I understood as I went on with my last scape that I had been under-dosing with the off the bottle instructions. I also failed to get a proper regimented fertiliser regime in place from the start and I'm now fairly confident that I can overcome this shortfall this time. I will be purchasing a 2 channel Auto Doser for the tank, probably a cheap AliExpress item, which I hope will help.
Here is a pic of the current position. I still have a tub of plants to re-locate and a ton of snails that need sorting.
Thanks for viewing.
Equipment
Aqua one tank, 220l and horrible dimensions. Its circa 100l x 40d x 60h. It has rounded corners, is awkwardly braced and fairly scratched. However, it was free and I don't have money to replace it. I will probably add some vinyl to the top section to cover the horrid bracing bar silicone line. It wont have a lid, but I may get some drip trays.
It sits on a DIY stand built to hold a Aquascaper 1200, or similar, aquarium. I will get or build one, but not yet.
I have recently bought 2 Week aqua A430's to go over it and will build an arm to suspend them from.
I use an old Aqua one CF1000 and will use a cheap AliExpress canister filter with a 1200l/hr pump to boost filtration and flow. I also use a JBL inline heater.
CO2 is provided by 2kg FE and dual stage regulator and manifold from Co2 Supermarket, it has an inline diffuser of the same brand.
Inspiration
My inspiration is probably one of my favourite scapes from the guys over at Green Aqua, which can be found:
here:
and they did a second tank here:
Hardscape
I want to make a reef style planted layout with black lava rock, I bought some from VidaXL for a reasonable price (circa £2/kg).
I want to go for a Triangular or slightly V shaped layout with 2 'mounds' at either end. I will encase the rock with redmoor root to create a 'roots grown over' kind of vibe.
As the tank has horrid dimensions (lack of depth is really frustrating) so I have to make do. I already know I will struggle with 'depth' and wont try and get round it, it is what it is.
I did a test with liquid superglue and tissue which was less than ideal, so I plan on using landscaping foam and silicone on the rocks to get them in place. The landscaping foam will help seal the gaps between the rocks, where I can stick smaller pieces in, to create a substrate-proof mound. I will then probably revert to the superglue on the wood.
Substrate
I want to build both mounds with a hollow inside to place some Ibaraki soil, double red line. This substrate has no supply of fertilisers, so I will top it with Tropica (or similar) substrate and Aquasoil on top of that. You may understand why I will use Ibaraki when I get to the intended fauna.
I also purchased some pool filter sand, 0.8 to 1.2mm grain size from VidaXL, so the base of the tank will be a thin layer of plain-ish sand.
The Flora
I intended using a range of stems in the tops of the mounds and a range of Epiphytes on the sides, hence Green 'reef'.
Epiphytes will include: Anubias mini coin and petite, Microsorum narrow and trident, Bolbitis and a number of bucephalandra varieties. I'll start it without moss, but may introduce some later.
In the substrate, at the top of the mounds, will be some Cryptocoryne pava, Pogostemon deccanensis, Rotala wallichii, indica and blood red, S.repens and maybe an aponogeton bulb or three.
The sand won't be planted at all, but I may include an outcrop of Anubias on an odd piece of lava rock. I'll see how contrived it looks when I do it.
The Fauna
I want to keep some more bee shrimp, probably just some PRL shrimp, but I'll see. The Link to ShrimpFactoryUK has given me a few ideas. The scape I had in this tank before bred around 2 to 3 hundred (or so) CRS in its previous guise before it crashed into oblivion. I learnt the hard way that a Co2 bottle running out as I went on holiday can have some kind of massive impact - never mind.
I've also bred some Golden white cloud mountain minnows which will be going in alongside. If I can breed more I will as the current stock of 20 is a bit light weight. I may mix it up with something else, but as of yet I am undecided. I may just go with some livebearers, but I am partial to a red phantom tetra too.
Fertilisation
I've gone through a mix of Tropica, Aquarium Plan Food UK and TMC on the last scape. I understood as I went on with my last scape that I had been under-dosing with the off the bottle instructions. I also failed to get a proper regimented fertiliser regime in place from the start and I'm now fairly confident that I can overcome this shortfall this time. I will be purchasing a 2 channel Auto Doser for the tank, probably a cheap AliExpress item, which I hope will help.
Here is a pic of the current position. I still have a tub of plants to re-locate and a ton of snails that need sorting.
Thanks for viewing.
