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Andyh's 190l Lounge tank (update 20-09-11)

Re: Andyh's 190l Lounge tank (update 08/01/11)

Tony Swinney said:
That's what I call 'her' :) haven't you named yours yet, or does the new owner get that privilege !?!
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:crazy: :crazy: :lol: :lol: OK tony o_O
 
Re: Andyh's 190l Lounge tank (update 08/01/11)

So the ADA Solar has been taken down and replaced with the new Arcadia OT2. I have fitted my own choice of tubes rather than the Arcadia ones as they were a little pink for me. I have to say i am really happy with the OT2 light and tubes :thumbup: , apart from i dropped one the lids off the light down the back of my tank and smashed one of my Cal aqua glass inatkes! :(
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I have pruned the staurogyne back to the gravel as it needed a good tidy.
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I can feel some changes coming to this tank.....................plant wise :geek:
 
Re: Andyh's 190l Lounge tank (update 08/01/11)

Hi andy, what tubes have you used in the OT2? And what the photo period? The tube colour looks good, I found mine were very pink, but am yet to change them. Shame about the cal aqua intake!! I know just how it feels mate, I dropped and smashed my Ada outlet! Ouch! (Mind just got a new cal aqua one) As for plant changes what's the plans and why the change?

Cheers Ben
 
Re: Andyh's 190l Lounge tank (update 08/01/11)

B7fec said:
Hi andy, what tubes have you used in the OT2? And what the photo period? The tube colour looks good, I found mine were very pink, but am yet to change them. Shame about the cal aqua intake!! I know just how it feels mate, I dropped and smashed my Ada outlet! Ouch! (Mind just got a new cal aqua one) As for plant changes what's the plans and why the change?

Cheers Ben
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Hey Ben

Sorry for the delay been a a busy weekend! :crazy:
Tubes wise i am using:

1 x Arcadia Plant Pro (which came with the light, approx 5000k) Very Pink 4 were to much for me! :geek:
1 x Philips Daylight 865 (6500K) T5
2 x Osram Skywhite 880 (8000k) T5

Purchased from lampspecs.co.uk
Running a 7hr Photo period.

Regarding the plant changes its just a few subtle ones to satisfy my need for continuous tweaking. The moss has gone on its way to my dads tank and i am hoping to encourage the Tennelus to fill the gap.

Cheers
Andyh
 
Re: Andyh's 190l Lounge tank (update 08/01/11)

looking good Andy, it's nice to think, like myself, someone is swapping and moving things in their lounge tank. I'm still not happy with my corner tank and still go in and out chopping bits up and off.

tis looking very nice though.
 
Re: Andyh's 190l Lounge tank (update 08/01/11)

Cheers for the tube info Andy, I was thinking about getting some Giessman Midday tubes (6000k) but after seeing how nice the colour balance is on your tank I'm not so sure now.

I know what you mean about tweaking, TBH I thought the moss was a bit distracting so the thought of Tenuellus there instead of it gets the thumbs up from me, great stuff mate looking really good and with those obsessive tweaks I'm sure it'll go from strength to strength! Really liking the Microsorum!
 
Re: Andyh's 190l Lounge tank (Changes! 14/02/11)

Well, not sure what happened really. I was completeing a water change on saturday and i decided to tweak a few things, a few things turned into approx half the tank :woot: :lol:

Basically removed a large amount of the hardscape and a load of plants that i have never been that happy with.

So after a bit of a chat/advice with Jim at TGM this morning i have ordered a selction of new plants.

My goal is to create a more open feel to the tank and for it to be slightly less dominated by large stones. (this should also help with flow issues). I have dug out some more wood from my big box of scpaing bits in the garage and the pieces are currently floating in the tank, hopefully they will be less buoyant later in the week.

I have ordered a selection of grasses which i am hoping to create a nice graded fore-to-mid ground with i have moved some of my nano vallis/Cypt Ballanese(had loads and didn’t realise it!) from behind the java fern as it was lost and couldn’t be seen. So i used this to create a wall along the back.

I have always been a big fan of the nature aquariums, so this is were i am heading with this. Even got myself some weeping moss for the wood.

Plants will be here by the weekend so that should keep me busy....... :geek:
 
Re: Andyh's 190l Lounge tank (update14-2-11)

Hi Andy.
I knew your were floating a few ideas around, now taken the "plunge".............in the deep end. :woot:

Will be interesting to see what plants you have opted for.

Dont think you will be dissapointed with " Weeping moss ". Ive had mine for about 6 weeks, and its settled in well.

Looking foward to the pictures in due course.

I take it your not posting pictures of the tank, as it is now.......... :twisted:
 
Re: Andyh's 190l Lounge tank (update14-2-11)

After a number of hours preparing plants and planting i have just finished the re-scape! No pics yet hopefully get some sorted over the weekend. Must go to bed now got to be up at 6am to get a train into London!
 
Re: Andyh's 190l Lounge tank (update14-2-11)

Looking forward to it :)


If you get a chance have a look in ADC along great portland street, good little shop.
 
Re: Andyh's 190l Lounge tank (update14-2-11)

Looking forward to seeing the re-scape, can't wait to see some pics, hope it's all gone well!
 
Re: Andyh's 190l Lounge tank (update14-2-11)

Cheers for all the positive comments guys! Its good to know there is people reading this o_O :lol:

So Here we go, apologies but this is going to be photo heavy!

So this is what it looked like:
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Then i pulled out most of the stuff on the right (ignore the random bit of wood and the bits floating)
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And then this is the new look, shortly after completion.
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I let the tank settle for 36hrs and then completed a massive overhaul/clean of the tank, both filters were stripped cleaned and set back up I then positioned the filter intakes and returns based on the new design. Yes i need to get rid of the god awful green eheim pipe. (broke my glass one a few weeks back)
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I really love the view from the end, the grasses all sway in the flow.
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This pic below shows a lot of the new plants, i have gone for a blend of grasses as i wanted a more open feel to the scape as the previous one felt over crowded. I have graded the grasses in size from small at the front to tallest at the back

See if you can spot all the plants, the new ones added are:
Eleocharis Parvula
Echinodorus Tenellus
Blyxa Japonica
Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae
Vesicularia ferriei, (Willow Moss)
Cryptocoryne Wendtii Brown

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As always i cant wait for it to fill in a little more and get closer to what i had in my mind. :geek:

Thanks for looking

Andyh
 
Re: Andyh's 190l Lounge tank (partial rescape 19-2-11)

Brave work Andy :wideyed: As you say, once it fills it'll look great - more open, and 'lighter' than before. Personally I'd probably remove the big leafed plant at the back ( an echinodorus ? ) as I dont think the scale fits in with the new planting, and it dominates things a bit much.

When I rescaped like this I struggled with algae for a couple of weeks, having moved the substrate around - might be worth some extra w/c's ;)

Cheers

Tony
 
Re: Andyh's 190l Lounge tank (partial rescape 19-2-11)

Tony Swinney said:
Brave work Andy :wideyed: As you say, once it fills it'll look great - more open, and 'lighter' than before. Personally I'd probably remove the big leafed plant at the back ( an echinodorus ? ) as I dont think the scale fits in with the new planting, and it dominates things a bit much.

When I rescaped like this I struggled with algae for a couple of weeks, having moved the substrate around - might be worth some extra w/c's ;)

Cheers

Tony
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Yes it was a big decision to tackle half the tank :woot: , i hope it works out! I have already performed three water changes and done a thorough clean of the tank. I also after a couple of days, stripped down both filters and cleaned all the pipework changed the floss and cleaned the media. (god was there a lot of brown dust!). Everything seems ok so far, so fingers crossed i am over the worst of it.

I knew the Echinodorus (its actually E.Palaefolius var.latifolius) would raise a few eye brows. I have never kept any of the large species before and bought this from the guys at Aquajardin a while back its been in the tank since last year, albeit slightly more hidden by everything else. I did consider whether to keep it or not, but it does look very cool in the flesh and the pearling on a plant this size is stunning! Plus the fish seem to like it, it looks great when you have 6 or so Ottos on one leaf!

For now its staying, the regular pruning has encouraged more compact growth, i think its reached max height now which is about 40cm. Once the other plants fill in a bit more it wont look so much of a focal piece (hopefully :lol: )

Thanks for your honest comments, its good to get some feedback/observations, its one of the main reasons i keep my journals going :thumbup:
Andy
 
Re: Andyh's 190l Lounge tank (partial rescape 19-2-11)

George Farmer said:
That sword is mental!! Was that Jim's idea, or yours?! Fair play for stepping out the the NA comfort zone!

All the best with the grow-in. I'm sure it will look great. :thumbup:
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Hey George, yes the Echinodorus is different from the norm, but i wanted to try something a little different. I realise its quite oversized but hey i wanted to grown something different for a change :geek:

It actually wasn't Jims idea, it was my own moment of madness last year at Aquajardin. :lol:
 
Re: Andyh's 190l Lounge tank (partial rescape 19-2-11)

George Farmer said:
Nice one mate. I'm growing a whole host of swords right now in my 240 litre. I'm hoping they'll send some flowers out of the top!
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sounds cool, journal?
 
Re: Andyh's 190l Lounge tank (partial rescape 19-2-11)

Hi Andy, if I may, you seem to like splitting up your front lawn into halves, left and right. I remember the same thing on your kitchen tank too. I think it'd be better if it you split it front to back inside of left and right. Just my 2 cents (pre-inflation).
 
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