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Messing about with an Arcadia Arc (The conclusion)

jarcher1390

Member
Joined
6 Aug 2012
Messages
127
14933944658_d093fcd29a_h.jpgUntitled by Fishkeeper Journal, on Flickr

Hi all

So i have been a relative silent user on this forum as I've not had much to show.

Now after 1 month of being into my new place its time to give aquascaping a proper go.

Here is my very first attempt with a river to reef tank.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7387/13762110115_73aa31acc3_b.jpg

I scrapped that one as I went to university. I then bought an arcadia arc.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3723/13762473804_caa35756bc_b.jpg

I then decided i was going to add a 3d back ground and make it low tech. this was the best photo I came up with this. Unfortunately it looked best when first filled up (e.i. the picture) and went straight down hill from there.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7439/13762151803_998a72bb22_h.jpg

Now armed with knowledge from past failures, reading from this forum and £200 to spend from selling some of my old stuff I'm ready for a new adventure.

I will be using my Arcadia arc tank again, but going down a high tech route this time.

I'm mainly making this journal so I can get comments and criticism because I'm gonna need loads of help.

Hope you enjoy reading this.

Regards Jonny
 
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This morning I popped into work to get a few bits and bobs

13762965195_9f36cb497a_b.jpg

The stones I got were dark texture stones and i got about 10.5kg worth so i had enough to play about with. the wet one (far right) is the one i had previously you can get a idea of what it will look like when submerged

13762978495_7a9d84fa7d_b.jpg

From this photo you can see the intricate detail on the rock and what it looks like submerged.

13762139533_6f8d246f0c_b.jpg

Armed with a cup of tea, I'm ready to start the hard scape. 13762813183_4932358ae6_h.jpg

If you have constructive comments please share cause I NEED them!!.

1.13762869943_506e48a811_b.jpg
2.13762895803_ddc7d67467_b.jpg
3.13762785015_2c46660810_b.jpg

I should note I'm gonna take my time with this until i get a hardscape I'm pleased with.

Regards Jonny.
 
I like no3. Only thing I would change is to replace the small rock and change it for some medium to small ones.
I recently set this one up. First I add too many then i change it to only 3 and I much prefer this layout which mean I can see more plants.

Have a play around and im sure you should come up with some good scape.
cheers
Ryan
20140211_204858.jpg

20140409_214354.jpg
 
I like set up 3 but as said above have a play round untill your happy with it
 
I like no3. Only thing I would change is to replace the small rock and change it for some medium to small ones.
I recently set this one up. First I add too many then i change it to only 3 and I much prefer this layout which mean I can see more plants.

Have a play around and im sure you should come up with some good scape.
cheers
Ryan

Im very much finding the width and hight a big issue with stones size, too large of stone no room for plants too small of stones will not give much of an impression of height.

I like set up 3 but as said above have a play round untill your happy with it

I like set up 3 if the stones were little larger would be great.

You may find that 3d background messes with the flow in your tank mate.

Sorry tim Excuse my ignorance are you meaning the artistic flow or water flow of the tank? I think you mean artistic but just wanted to be sure.

Here are a couple more. I think these will suit the 3d back ground, rather than the other hard scapes

4.13764353895_9369c01930_b.jpg

5.13764341483_44ac9f4562_b.jpg

Regards Jonny
 
Water flow jonny, few threads on the forum where people end up ripping them out due to them disrupting flow. For what it's worth I like the first layout, I've wanted to do a layout with just one big rock in a cube for a while.

Interesting i wouldn't have thought it be too much of an issue. Thanks for letting me know ill do a bit of research on the matter. But for now Ill see how it goes though.

Ive always wanted to do one big stone but I'm not 100% sure it will be this tank though.

Regards Jonny
 
So its been a few days and i decided number 8 was the scape i was going ahead with although needed a lot of tweaking. I bought more stone and got under way. I have to say my Dry stone walling go better over time.

Here is my second to last attempt

13858035154_559511398d_b.jpgIMG_8248 by Fishkeeper Journal, on Flickr

I tore that one down as it was not very well positioned and came up with this one (overall 6 times to get the one i liked)

13857785713_5d6ce99b74.jpgIMG_8253 by Fishkeeper Journal, on Flickr

As you guessed it was full of holes. This is the view from the backside.

13857680953_d09641af31_h.jpgIMG_8256 by Fishkeeper Journal, on Flickr

Armed with TMC Reefer epoxy putty i plugged up the holes from the back.
13858008944_46b5d14817_b.jpgIMG_8243 by Fishkeeper Journal, on Flickr

It not pretty but should do the trick. I should not this is now a stable structure.

13857724913_c97e0d0866_b.jpgIMG_8265 by Fishkeeper Journal, on Flickr

top view

13857678695_a56dc26c7d_b.jpgIMG_8268 by Fishkeeper Journal, on Flickr

Final view.
13857771573_cda47353bf_b.jpgIMG_8273 by Fishkeeper Journal, on Flickr

13857738973_5f08fbc2a0_b.jpgIMG_8258 by Fishkeeper Journal, on Flickr

Tomorrow once the putty has fully cured I will place the rest of the substrate in and bank it up behind the wall.

I have already order my plants which arrive on thursday list includes.
Crytocoryne parva
Eleocharis acicularis
Lilaeopsis novea-zealandia
Microsorum pteropus 'trident'
Utricularia graminfolia

tbh i only wanted 3 species max but i though id give them all a go just to see what they would be like.

I also got some tmc lighting and glass ware coming hopefully be here on thursday ready for me to set the tank up on friday after work

Thanks for reading

Regards Jonny
 
Are you planning shrimp in this tank? If so it would be a good idea to put a sheet of foam behind the wall to stop the shrimp going through the small holes left and pulling the substrate through the wall to the front. They would level it.:eek: I like the wall though. Would look nice with some mini pelia or montecarlo growing out of knooks.
 
Are you planning shrimp in this tank? If so it would be a good idea to put a sheet of foam behind the wall to stop the shrimp going through the small holes left and pulling the substrate through the wall to the front. They would level it.:eek: I like the wall though. Would look nice with some mini pelia or montecarlo growing out of knooks.

Yer the idea is to have a good few shrimps. I have done pretty much all the holes in the wall with bits of putty and I'm thinking once plants have grown in I'm be good enough for soil not to creep in.

Thanks, I like the wall but I'm hoping it looks more like a mini cliff face once plants have grown in.
 
Hi all,

Well its been ups and downs for my tank these past 2 days, first off all my new equipment came, (mini led 400 tile, lily pipe and bubble counter/ diffuser)i was dead excited. I then broke my bran new glass diffuser which was gut wrenching i almost cried.

But theres no point of crying over something un-mendable so I decided to put that behind me and get going with planting my tank. Now 1/4 of the plants are floating and cannot be replanted until i drain the tank.

I was not going to post pictures tonight but decided I should as journals should report the negative as well as positive.

Loving the light set up much better colour rendition
13905996261_7a15fa97cc_b.jpgUntitled by Fishkeeper Journal, on Flickr

I got a wide variety of plants

13905998641_54a6a23c27_h.jpgUntitled by Fishkeeper Journal, on Flickr

My excitement was going at this point

13929173793_0f8c15d901_b.jpgUntitled by Fishkeeper Journal, on Flickr

The plants were just becoming up routed so i decided it was time to walk away from the tank. Was not sure what else i could do except drain it and replant and hope for the best.

13929125605_69d515e8a7_o.jpgUntitled by Fishkeeper Journal, on Flickr

Regards Jonny
 
Doesn't look too bad, just partially drain and replant. Aqua soil is easier to plant in wet. Remember to angle the plants slightly when you put them in.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
 
Doesn't look too bad, just partially drain and replant. Aqua soil is easier to plant in wet. Remember to angle the plants slightly when you put them in.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

Thanks Lindy

So after 24hr away from tank I re-planted the loose ones (was in better state of mind for the task) and I'm now think the tank is looking a lot better.

13918502592_be99dab147_b.jpgUntitled by Fishkeeper Journal, on Flickr

13941668123_b75a98c7af_h.jpgUntitled by Fishkeeper Journal, on Flickr

I cannot wait for it to settle down and start growing in!!

Jonny
 
Time for a update its been 1 month (+2 days) since I've set up my tank. Ive changed some stuff around for instance I scrapped the JBL Dissolver tower and brought an Aquagrow Glass diffuser and a JBL CO2 Counter giving more control over my CO2. I also added an extra pump on a time diffuse for 3 weeks so that i could get the CO2 bubbles better circulated.

For fauna I have now got 11 Amano shrimps and assassin snail. Im thinking i may need some shrimps to keep onto of the algae. As predicted the 3D background is growing algae quite nicely. Im also gonna reduce my photoperiod to 8hrs a day again and increase the CO2 to 3 BPS. Any other ideas to combat the algae?

I have also got some Pseudomugil gertrudae waiting at the shop for me which I'm dead excited about as I've always wanted some of these.

Anyways heres some Photos

14240496571_4430876982_b.jpgUntitled by Fishkeeper Journal, on Flickr

14243803975_a5d6cbbef4_b.jpgUntitled by Fishkeeper Journal, on Flickr

14240497321_95a339b40b_b.jpgUntitled by Fishkeeper Journal, on Flickr

14057187170_6b907c1571_b.jpgUntitled by Fishkeeper Journal, on Flickr

I think its time to do my first trimming session also.

Thanks for reading and commenting
 
That lace plant will grow huge (60 cm)
Yer I bought it as a small experiment, and I've always wanted to grow one. Im thinking when it gets bit too big ill give it away to someone.

Regards Jonny
 
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