Tom Marquis
New Member
Hello UKAPS! I am brand new to the website and already I've had tremendous help from a few of you Experts! Thanks for the fine welcome!
My name is Tom and as you can see by the title of this thread, I am American. Don't judge me yet as I am a lifelong Democrat and have despised Trump since the day he said he was running for President in 2015'. 🤨 Enough politics, let me get on with my story. I am USArmy Retired and have been living in North London since 2018'. Our youngest Daughter attends Uni of Kent and the other 3 Daughters have long since flown the coop and are either married or getting ready to be. 3 down, 1 to go!
I thoroughly enjoy living in the UK and I am marveled by the People I've met along the way. The Village of Bovingdon where we live is so very lovely. Noone passes you without saying hello. The best thing I enjoy about living here is that I can turn on BBC or SKY News and not have to watch another Child be gunned down in a school by a person armed with an AR15. I am pro-gun control and believe that the only person allowed to use an automatic or semi-automatic weapon should be one that is in a Military combat zone. Enough politics once again.
The Beautiful World of Aquascaping.............. Before Dec 22' I had never even heard the phrase. I was thumbing through Youtube and came across a Green Aqua video by accident. Back in Dec 22' I was starting to get bored and did not really have any hobby I could sink my teeth into. My Wife still works and I am alone during the day so I was really needing something to occupy my time. Well, my friends, I have certainly "occupied my time" since watching that first Aquascaping video! I have been knee-deep in researching and studying Aquascape plants, water parameters, soil, and fertilizing as well as learning more about the species of fishes that complement an aquascape.
Now I am not new to fish-keeping. I have had countless tanks in the last 70 years when my movement across the globe allowed for it. What I am new to is the Art of Aquascaping and keeping fish and plants in a symbiotic environment that gives one a great feeling when you know that all of the hard work (and sometimes heartache) that you put into the hobby actually does come back around when you sit in front of that art piece.
Learning the scientific names of the plants has been harder for me than the scientific names of the fish! Learning how to tweak water parameters has been frustrating but also rewarding as I have learned so many new things in just the past 5 months. I am far from being anything other than a beginner who can't get enough of the hobby! And I literally can't get enough of it! I have read at least 15 books and have watched countless videos learning very quickly that some of these people making Youtube money as EXPERT FISH/PLANT KEEPER don't know as much as they think they do. And, do not know the science behind water parameters, only just what has worked for them and their videos.
THE YANK TANK
After studying and reading the month of Dec and January, I started my Aquascaping adventure and I am quite certain that Aquascaping and breeding Aquascape fishes is going to be the last hobby I'll ever have!
My first go at aquascaping was not a quiet one. I felt that since I had the money and the time, and had read so much on start-up, I was going to go for it. My first tank ever purchased in the UK is a 200L. (100cm x 45 x 50 high). My mission? A natural (or rather slightly jungle as my tank looks nothing like the Rio Negro) South American Aquascape. My thought was to keep the tank heavily planted with as many "reds" as I could keep from melting! I would also keep only S-American fish in the tank.
My tank is a Fluvall 200 with a stand. (I am dreadfully sorry that I chose this tank. Not that there is anything wrong with it other than the blasted plastic rim lip which no glass lily pipes fit over easily). I will not make that mistake again as a rimless all-glass tank (no matter the size), is the only way to go in my opinion. I have used ADA Power Sand Advanced for the lower substrate, ADA Bacter for stabilizing the ecosystem, and Amazonia Ver. 2 Soil for the topping. For the hardscape, I chose a rusted slate which I thought would work well in subdued sunset lighting. For my woods, I chose both spider and mangrove woods. Lastly, I used fairly fine natural sand for the foreground. I then did a dark start for the month of February. I'm using a glass lily pipe and a glass intake and skimmer. My filter is external, and also a Fluvall product (307). I won't buy this filter again I can tell you. More on that in another thread.
The plants............. I went through many painstaking nights before choosing the plants that I wanted. As I said, I was determined to keep some red plants even though I was informed over and over again that they are not easy for the beginner. Alternanthera Cardinalis was the first plant to capture my eye. When sitting in the back of a really green Anubias Barteri, it's beautiful!
I finally ordered my plants. I must say here from two different suppliers. The one I am most happy with and, the one which I will give all my business to going forward is Aquarium Gardens. First-rate service and their plants are gorgeous and healthy on arrival. After spending almost 9 hours just planting (I was meticulous with placement), I started CO2 injection and I am running at 3-5 bubbles / second at the moment. 31 different species of plants are currently alive and well and living in YANK TANK! The list is shown below. Oddly enough, the only plants that melted on me were - Micranthemum monte carlo, Monoslenium tenerum pelia, and the Phylanthus and Ricca fluitans. I had read that these were relatively easy plants to keep. Well, they have not been for me and I've lost them all. On the other hand, my red plants are thriving! Anubias is green. The tank is of course still growing and I have yet to reach a height in the background to hide the rear glass. I am dosing 5ml / day with The Aquascaper Complete Liquid Plant Food as recommended by George Farmer. I am now doing weekly water changes of 50% but now that I've chatted with some of you Experts, I think I am going to change my strategy some.
A picture of my Aquascape (before and at present April 27th) is attached. Thank you for your time reading this epistle......Thank you for the warm welcome once again. I look forward to meeting some of you one day and chatting about this unique hobby. Any help you all can give this beginner is much appreciated. I did not cover the livestock in this thread and will do it another time. Good night all!
BREAKING NEWS - On Saturday, April 29th, I am starting a new project. My single-car garage is being turned into the YANK FISH CAVE. I am interested in breeding several species of fish and shrimp and making new smaller aquascapes. I am very much interested in Apistogrammas and will start breeding with the Viejita. ANY ideas for a fish room you can give me will be appreciated. I am a blank slate at the moment.
Regards, Tom in Bovingdon
My name is Tom and as you can see by the title of this thread, I am American. Don't judge me yet as I am a lifelong Democrat and have despised Trump since the day he said he was running for President in 2015'. 🤨 Enough politics, let me get on with my story. I am USArmy Retired and have been living in North London since 2018'. Our youngest Daughter attends Uni of Kent and the other 3 Daughters have long since flown the coop and are either married or getting ready to be. 3 down, 1 to go!
I thoroughly enjoy living in the UK and I am marveled by the People I've met along the way. The Village of Bovingdon where we live is so very lovely. Noone passes you without saying hello. The best thing I enjoy about living here is that I can turn on BBC or SKY News and not have to watch another Child be gunned down in a school by a person armed with an AR15. I am pro-gun control and believe that the only person allowed to use an automatic or semi-automatic weapon should be one that is in a Military combat zone. Enough politics once again.
The Beautiful World of Aquascaping.............. Before Dec 22' I had never even heard the phrase. I was thumbing through Youtube and came across a Green Aqua video by accident. Back in Dec 22' I was starting to get bored and did not really have any hobby I could sink my teeth into. My Wife still works and I am alone during the day so I was really needing something to occupy my time. Well, my friends, I have certainly "occupied my time" since watching that first Aquascaping video! I have been knee-deep in researching and studying Aquascape plants, water parameters, soil, and fertilizing as well as learning more about the species of fishes that complement an aquascape.
Now I am not new to fish-keeping. I have had countless tanks in the last 70 years when my movement across the globe allowed for it. What I am new to is the Art of Aquascaping and keeping fish and plants in a symbiotic environment that gives one a great feeling when you know that all of the hard work (and sometimes heartache) that you put into the hobby actually does come back around when you sit in front of that art piece.
Learning the scientific names of the plants has been harder for me than the scientific names of the fish! Learning how to tweak water parameters has been frustrating but also rewarding as I have learned so many new things in just the past 5 months. I am far from being anything other than a beginner who can't get enough of the hobby! And I literally can't get enough of it! I have read at least 15 books and have watched countless videos learning very quickly that some of these people making Youtube money as EXPERT FISH/PLANT KEEPER don't know as much as they think they do. And, do not know the science behind water parameters, only just what has worked for them and their videos.
THE YANK TANK
After studying and reading the month of Dec and January, I started my Aquascaping adventure and I am quite certain that Aquascaping and breeding Aquascape fishes is going to be the last hobby I'll ever have!
My first go at aquascaping was not a quiet one. I felt that since I had the money and the time, and had read so much on start-up, I was going to go for it. My first tank ever purchased in the UK is a 200L. (100cm x 45 x 50 high). My mission? A natural (or rather slightly jungle as my tank looks nothing like the Rio Negro) South American Aquascape. My thought was to keep the tank heavily planted with as many "reds" as I could keep from melting! I would also keep only S-American fish in the tank.
My tank is a Fluvall 200 with a stand. (I am dreadfully sorry that I chose this tank. Not that there is anything wrong with it other than the blasted plastic rim lip which no glass lily pipes fit over easily). I will not make that mistake again as a rimless all-glass tank (no matter the size), is the only way to go in my opinion. I have used ADA Power Sand Advanced for the lower substrate, ADA Bacter for stabilizing the ecosystem, and Amazonia Ver. 2 Soil for the topping. For the hardscape, I chose a rusted slate which I thought would work well in subdued sunset lighting. For my woods, I chose both spider and mangrove woods. Lastly, I used fairly fine natural sand for the foreground. I then did a dark start for the month of February. I'm using a glass lily pipe and a glass intake and skimmer. My filter is external, and also a Fluvall product (307). I won't buy this filter again I can tell you. More on that in another thread.
The plants............. I went through many painstaking nights before choosing the plants that I wanted. As I said, I was determined to keep some red plants even though I was informed over and over again that they are not easy for the beginner. Alternanthera Cardinalis was the first plant to capture my eye. When sitting in the back of a really green Anubias Barteri, it's beautiful!
I finally ordered my plants. I must say here from two different suppliers. The one I am most happy with and, the one which I will give all my business to going forward is Aquarium Gardens. First-rate service and their plants are gorgeous and healthy on arrival. After spending almost 9 hours just planting (I was meticulous with placement), I started CO2 injection and I am running at 3-5 bubbles / second at the moment. 31 different species of plants are currently alive and well and living in YANK TANK! The list is shown below. Oddly enough, the only plants that melted on me were - Micranthemum monte carlo, Monoslenium tenerum pelia, and the Phylanthus and Ricca fluitans. I had read that these were relatively easy plants to keep. Well, they have not been for me and I've lost them all. On the other hand, my red plants are thriving! Anubias is green. The tank is of course still growing and I have yet to reach a height in the background to hide the rear glass. I am dosing 5ml / day with The Aquascaper Complete Liquid Plant Food as recommended by George Farmer. I am now doing weekly water changes of 50% but now that I've chatted with some of you Experts, I think I am going to change my strategy some.
A picture of my Aquascape (before and at present April 27th) is attached. Thank you for your time reading this epistle......Thank you for the warm welcome once again. I look forward to meeting some of you one day and chatting about this unique hobby. Any help you all can give this beginner is much appreciated. I did not cover the livestock in this thread and will do it another time. Good night all!
BREAKING NEWS - On Saturday, April 29th, I am starting a new project. My single-car garage is being turned into the YANK FISH CAVE. I am interested in breeding several species of fish and shrimp and making new smaller aquascapes. I am very much interested in Apistogrammas and will start breeding with the Viejita. ANY ideas for a fish room you can give me will be appreciated. I am a blank slate at the moment.
Regards, Tom in Bovingdon
| Alternanthera cardinalis |
| Alternanthera reineckii |
| Alternanthera rosaefolia rosanervig |
| Alternanthera sessilis |
| Anubias barteri |
| Anubias congensis |
| Anubias heterophllya |
| Anubias nana |
| Anubias bonzai |
| Cryptocornye lutea |
| Echinodorus atlandsberg |
| Echinodorus grisebachii 'Bleharae' |
| Echinodurus hadi 'Red Pearl' |
| Echinodurus magdalensis |
| Echinodurus 'Reni' |
| Egeria densa |
| Eleocharis acicularis |
| Lindernia rotundifolia |
| Ludwigia glandulosa |
| Micranthemum monte carlo |
| Monoslenium tenerum pelia |
| Monosolenium tenerum |
| Phyllanthus fluitans (red root floater) |
| Pogostemon erectus |
| Ricca fluitans |
| Rotala rotundifolia |
| Taxiphyllum barbieri |
| Vallisneria spiralis |
| Vesicularia ferriei |
