Two Islands

[Reuben]

Hi,
Just though I would share a few photos of my latest effort which I have done with advice learnt here.

So I started out with this set up, had many problems but was a good learning experience so decided to re shape things and have another go.

Any advice welcome!

 

[Michael W]

Looking awesome!

 

[Reuben]

Cheers Michael,
So far I'm not having too much bother with it, I'm convinced this is because A, I'm using less light that before, and B, doing 2 or 3x 80% water changes per week -got myself set up to do these in about 10 mins so not as much hassle as it sounds.

I'm hoping it will all grow in nicely, some of the plants are old from my last layout, some of the new ones are still settling in. The R. rotundifolia is due a prune now. Do I just chop it back? I'm wanting lots of dense growth from it.

The S. repens looks a bit washed out in the photos but is doing really well and spreading nicely it's one of the 1.2.grow pots which I'm giving a whirl.

I'm just hoping the plant health continues to improve, it's all growing fairly slowly, again this is probable because I have the two TMC 600 growbeams maxing at 40% output, I keep thinking about cranking them up but that didn't go well last time around!
Thanks

 

[Michael W]

Yes just cut back and replant the cuttings and eventually you will have that bush effect for the Rotala. Slow and steady does it .

 

[Reuben]

Anyone know how long R. rotundifolia takes before it starts to grow the narrow needle like leaves? Mine is doing the oval sort at the moment, I assume this is part of the transition to growing submersed, unless there is something I'm missing?

 

[Deano3]

lovely layout love the wooden arch in middle that reaches out to other rocks looks great

Dean

 

[Reuben]

Thanks, I'd like the 'island' on the left to have a bit more height to it, I'm hoping that the stem plants will do well and fill that side in, but maybe I should have put more substrate in at the back, time will tell I guess.

 

[Conger]

Looks great - what is your substrate?

 

[Reuben]

The plants are planted into a mix of 75% Flourite dark (like molar clay) and 25% pea gravel. The sand is a mix of fine and coarse grain river sands.

 

[George Farmer]

Hi Reuben

Very nice layout with strong hardscape and overall design.

Are you planning on adding any stems to the right? I think this would make a nice V-shape aquascape with the classic path running between. Otherwise the layout might look a little unbalanced purely relying on the epiphytes to give enough height.

The Rotala should change soon. No rush, especially with your conservative lighting... (which is a good thing!)

I look forward to seeing this one mature.

Cheers,
George

PS Would you mind posting slighting smaller images next time, please? Approx 800 pixels along the longest edge is ideal.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

I have to admit I may have to steal the wood arch/bridge idea. Beautiful looking scape.

 

[oldbloke]

Dammit, I love this.

Have you no "soil" in there, then?

 

[Reuben]

Very nice layout with strong hardscape and overall design. Are you planning on adding any stems to the right? I think this would make a nice V-shape aquascape with the classic path running between. Otherwise the layout might look a little unbalanced purely relying on the epiphytes to give enough height.

Thank you very much! I can't make my mind up about the right hand side, i can see that as the left grow in a bit more it's going to look a bit sparse over there. Any suggestions for what might work, do you think using the same stems that are on the left side or a new species?

I have to admit I may have to steal the wood arch/bridge idea

Yes, and the best bit about it is I found that bit of wood when I was swimming outside.

Have you no "soil" in there, then?

No not 'soil'. The flourite dark is one of these clays with a high 'cation exchange capacity' so I'm led to believe. Basically similar to cat litter or Akadama only horribly expensive in comparison But I do like the colour of it, and I did not like any of the molar clay colours I could find. It's bulked out with pea gravel which was the substrate I was using before the rescape.
Thanks,

 

[Reuben]

Hello UKAPS folk,

Here are a few photos to update. All has been going fairly well, plants doing nicely, no algae apart from a tiny, weeny, smidge of diatom here and there. Also added some shrimp 12 Red cherry and 6 Amano.

I was really pleased with the way the add another dynamic to the tank plants fish and shrimp, just makes it all feel more interesting to watch. In fact I was feeling on a bit of a roll! I think I've never had the tank looking so good, isn't this hobby brilliant

And then came the crash Not proud to say, but one by one all the Amano shrimp have died. Happened over the course of about 4 days. I think it must either be due to high CO2 (gas) or too much excel, or maybe the large water changes were not appreciated. The red cherry shrimp remain unaffected though, I've some more shrimp due to arrive in the next couple of days.

I've reduced the Excel as I was 2x dosing and am being careful with the Co2. One night I think I accidentally moved the spray bar lower, this meant there was less surface movement and I think the Co2 built up and did the shrimp in. All just a guess really. Any advice here welcome.



This plant is looking really nice I think;




Thanks
Reuben.

 

[Reuben]

Hope I sized those photos right this time? Also, I will try and get better photos. The tanks looks better in real life - I know that does sound lame!- than in the photos.

The photos above were taken as the lights were dimming out. I love the way the LEDs allow you to set the lighting so it gradually fades in and out, I haver mine do this over a long period so the tank is always changing, prefer it to a simple on - off setup.
R.

 

[Ady34]

Looking great Reuben.
Love the arch and sand path and the black phantoms too, cool fish
Shame about the Amano shrimp, seems odd being as how the Cherries are fine???
Cheerio,
Ady.

 

[flygja]

Cherries are a lot tougher compared to amanos. I once decommission a tank completely, ripped everything out apart from the substrate when I moved house. It was a dust storm in there. Left about 1cm or less of water above the substrate. Moved and left the tank at my old place. A month later I went back to throw out the tank and found 2 cherries in it. A month without lights or food!

 

[Reuben]

Love the arch and sand path and the black phantoms too, cool fish Shame about the Amano shrimp, seems odd being as how the Cherries are fine???

Cheers Ady, I think the black phantoms are great, can be a bit grumpy with one another at times though. Mine often do breeding displays, circling the females, swimming side by side etc, but no actual eggs or anything so far.
I'm a bit puzzled by the Amano shrimp die off. I suspect it is something I did wrong, probably with the Co2 and excel being too high for them. They looked fine, no physical damage, but would lie on there side, then have a fit and swim circles, then resume the lying on their sides Not good.

Cherries are a lot tougher compared to amanos.

Yes, well I guess my experience would add to that sense of things. Having read about and asked a few people though it does seem that the Amanos are pretty tough critters themselves usually.

I wonder if the more likely culprit if the Co2 gas, 2 x Excel, or 80% water changes -done every two days at the moment. Of course I suppose it could be something else entirely. I'm due another 10 cherry shrimp today which will boost their numbers, I also have 6 more Amano coming too (ordered before the last lot died) I'm hoping it will go okay as I really don't want to kill the next lot too

Open to suggestions if any one has any opinions on this?

 

[James D]

Beautiful tank mate, I'm no expert on plants but they compliment your lovely hardscape really well.

 

[Reuben]

@JamesD - Thanks very much!

Well the order of Amano and Cherry shrimp arrived at lunchtime. I have to say I was very impressed with the appearance of these Amanos! They look far more robust than the last ones I had.

I ordered these ones from Freshwater Shrimp, I was amazed to see that a few of the Amano shrimp had eggs then I noticed that the bag was full of Fry!!

Now I'm new to all this, so maybe this isn't such a big deal or unusual, but it seemed a good sign somehow! I acclimated the shrimp very slowly then added them, I have the Amano Fry in a container.

The shrimp settled in straight away and are our and about foraging (last time they sort of hid). Only time will tell I suppose but I took it as a good sign they look so healthy, and even came with some free moss!

As for the fry I expect they will die off soon, but as I live on an island and have easy access to the Atlantic I'm half tempted to try adding some sea water to make a brackish mix and see what happens!! Probably a waste of time? Plus if I did grow them up not sure what I'd do with them

I realize they are actually very difficult to rear to adults but you never know

Anyway I figure I may have found that the reason my last Amanos died is because they weren't the best to start with, or at least I hope that's a reason, would sort of let me off the hook too

Thanks.