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Tulgey Wood - Trimmed

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Is it always that bright? I can't help think this would look great low light... It is looking real nice though Troi 🙂

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Thanks guys...it's just over exposure. In reality the lighting is somewhere in the middle of the last two images. Once the stems at the back start to reach the surface there should eventually be even more shadowed contrast...which is how I originally envisaged it.
 
Just another quick update. Still no critters so gas and lighting are maxed out. But I'm hoping to introduce a cleanup crew soon; the anubias in particular are still covered in brown algae...probably a consequence of the massive die off and resulting organics released in to the water column.

The stems at the back have been trimmed several times as has the foreground. The plants are pretty much doing what I want now so I'll let them grow in properly before I trim again. And I'll give the rocks a clean...

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5487/14066975730_03be0698c2_c.jpg

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2895/14253482455_b2e37f95b4_c.jpg
 
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I didn't like the planted scape very much; I didn't think the hardscape suited the plants that I wanted to grow very well. I've known all along that something would have to change eventually - when I could be bothered/find the time/got totally fed up. So today after several hours of frustration and inspiration I came up with this, which I'm altogether much happier with...Still no critters so I've turned the gas back up and I'll let it settle in for a couple of weeks before I finally get round to visiting my LFS to see what they have in stock. Hopefully it'll grow in well...

"https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2933/14160998680_d9ff4bee2f_b.jpg"
 
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Thanks Tim. There is definitely more depth now, although the photo doesn't do it justice. I took out two large pieces of wood and replaced them with smaller pieces, and I dug up a large rock that went across the middle so I could get the valley/path thing going on. And in it I've planted Elatine Hydropiper, front half, and Monte carlo toward the back, for no other reason than I wanted to try and grow them...so many plants to experiment with, so little time. Right foreground is HC Cuba, it's a little more shaded there so the challenge is to see if it will grow. Maybe I should have planted them the other way around😕, but the valley will probably end up even more shaded when it's all grown in.
 
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The scape is evolving slowly as I'm finding my way through trial and error. I got a bit impatient waiting for the carpet to grow - most of the E. hydropiper melted within a couple of days - so a blew a few quid on some stunning Glosso I found in one of my LFS - must have been fresh in from Tropica.

I finally got around to introducing a desperately needed clean up crew - ottos, amanos, and caridina brevicarpalis, which were very kindly given to me by the wonderful people at Maidenhead aquatics. The difference they've made over a few days has been nothing short of miraculous.

Just need to stabilize my CO2, and add some more fish. I was thinking pencilfish would be nice. Any suggestions on suitable species?...

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2933/14397794306_8d89a4a5f8_b.jpg

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5152/14417564781_2e4cc3dc0a_b.jpg
 
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Thanks Iain. Cherry barb good suggestion. I've kept them before with a load of other barb species, nice fish.

Not sure about the plants...although the leaves looked healthy when I got them the roots were brown, so maybe a dodgy batch. But I've had serious issues with die off generally - substrate took ages to settle and the plants kept getting covered in detritus and brown algae.

Hopefully, it won't be an issue anymore since the clean up crew has more than lived up to it's name. The glosso seems super healthy so if that melts I'll know the chances are it's something I'm doing wrong.
 
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Yep now I think of it they were definitely heading that way...they had started to grow some new leaves but I could see it was going to take an eternity for them to get established, and I didn't like the thought of all that decaying organic matter in the substrate.
 
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OK, usual story - long time no update. I've neglected the tank accidentally on purpose. I've had a really hard time with algae...every issue and type you could imagine...the tank has taken an age to stabilize. So I thought the best solution was to just let is grow in whilst keeping up the water changes, overdosing LC, bunging in the fertz, experimenting with light intensity and turning up the gas (without asphyxiating the critters). The results are below...plan to trim soon...

P.S. all photos taken with a crappy compact, and totally unadulterated.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3859/14573748207_e13a640b1c_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3888/14573551129_6b9cea3227_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3906/14573759357_897ce1ce8b_b.jpg

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https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2913/14760220715_d248281155_b.jpg
 
Thanks Ed, me too, I'll trim cautiously at first. The glosso is a different matter, it's far from leggy but it all seems to be growing above the substrate not actually in it, so I guess it needs cutting right back and replanting.
Nice dialect Rob...I'm still dealing with some staghorn and thread algae, especially the latter which I've been removing weekly. And the usual GS on the anubias,
 
Finally got round to trimming. Decided to go for it in the end. I've cut the rotala right back along with the ludwigia, both should grow back even bushier...I've also allowed a lot of the moss to settle among the glosso etc, hopefully it'll grow and I'll get a cushion/carpet type thing. Not great photos I'm afraid.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5560/14674450618_bc4ee9c34e_b.jpg
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https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3911/14674546307_dcf1cd5045_b.jpg
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3906/14838096156_00866f89e3_b.jpg
 
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