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Aquarium - SUSSOA

Paulo Soares

Member
Joined
6 Nov 2014
Messages
604
Good Night,

Name of the tank is “SUSSOA” - (it comes from a composition of my girlfriends name and mine, (SUS)ete and mine(SOA)res.

This tank is a homage to a beautiful region of my country wich is Portugal. The region is called "Douro". A region mostly known by our Oporto Wine.
If you want to do some investigation, please just type "Socalcos Douro" on the google images and you´ll see what i mean.

This concept is something i never saw in any forum, so the challenge of doing it was very motivating. I was and still am some kind of tired of same old stuff.

It gave me a hard time to acomplish but very exciting. Many months cuting this kind of stone called "Xisto", to make very similar small ones to build those kind of walls using a hammer, a plier, some sandpaper and other stuff. Then testing and testing, building and rebuilding walls and finally collage.

As concerning the photos, i try my best so you could have a real 3d perception but still looking live this tank is way beyond any picture. But still i hope you enjoy.

Hope that you aprecciate this concept.

Assembling date:
1st. September 2016

Tank size and Glass:
100x40x40 Vidro 10mm Vidro Extra-Claro da Vidromoldura-Centividro

Lights:
4 x T5 39 W (6500 + 4200 K)
10 hours of photoperiod. Since 14 Pm till 16 PM one T5 6500 K bulb, since 16 PM till 22 PM two T5 (6500K+4200k) and finally from 22PM till 24 PM again one T5 bulb only of 6500 K.

Filter system
EHEIM Professionel 4+600
Aqua Rebell Glass Inflow e Outflow 16/22 mm.
Ceramics Equo Stilla (3 Baskets).

CO2:
Ada Pollen Glass Beetle de 40 mm
CO2ART Regulator and Solenoide
Cal Aqua Labs Double Drop Checker v2

Hardscape:
Xisto Stones from Portugal

Substrate:
Tropica plant Growth + Tropica Soil + Universal fertilizer Pro 12-14 Meses (15+9+11+2 MgO+Micros)

In Review:
Wood Introdution (very skeptical...)
The grain in the front being replaced with La Plata Sand.
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Best Regards to all
Paulo Soares
 
Awesome concept and execution! Very interesting dutch (Portugese) aquarium!!
 
looks interesting, would be cool with more height between each layer. Nice work!
 
Nice scape. Saw similar idea with this one

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Good Morning,

Many thanks for your kindest words and apreciation. I really wanted to do something diferent. I have plenty of Seiryu and Dragon and Pagoda and other stones, and also lot´s of types of wood, but my goal was to do something unsual or diferent, and the "DOURO Socalcos" was an old idea.
I´ll be in touch with updates.

Now i´m on top of my Canon to explore light ideas and learn more how to obtain better results.
Let me tell you that to do those pictures with those light effects was quite something .. but very funny.
I inicially put some bulbs inside empty bottles of water. I cut the bottles at the middle, then wrap it up with orange celopahne paper and the bulb inside. Also tryied a strip of leds behind the tank. and many other experiences.
This light thing is something to explore in next pictures.
I don´t have a super machine or a studio so i have to be creative.

Alexander Belchenko
Will be nice to see your planting schematic with plants names. Interesting concept, I guess it's somehow related to Dutch style terraces?

Yes indeed i forgot to resume the plant list.
Here goes:

Eleocharis Parvula
Monte Carlo
Hemianthus Micranthemoides
Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini'
Hydrocotyle Tripartida
Staurogyne Repens
Bacopa Caroliniana
Pogostemon erectus
Blixa Japonica
Limnophilla Hipuroides


doylecolmdoyle
would be cool with more height between each layer

Yes you´re right. That was something i didn´t calculate to well. Would be much more nicer with a couple more layers so in the back be taller. I simply did not do it, cause so plants in the back would be to closer to light and I was afraid of this issue.
Also i believe i could have done one or two more lines of "xisto" so the walls be a little taller. But hey you know.. this is us talking cause puting in pratice is quite diferent. I spent some months to break and apply all those tiny little Xisto stones :)

But next time i´ll have under consideration all your suggestions and i will try to acomplish. This time was a first experience.

Let´s see how it goes.

For now i think plants are developing to fast.. even with only one T5 bulb for 10 hours. It´s really amazing how fast they are growing.
And amonia is allready zero, and i only did a couple of Water Changes (I love Tropica Substrate :) ) .

I´ll be in touch. Once again my kindest thanks to you all for your words.
 
Good Afternoon,

Here´s an Update.

Some plants were trimed and others just a little touch here and there. I´m quite lefting nature follow their way...see where it leeds me.

I´m in deficit of PO4 and still thinking if it´s worth to make any change.
I had a little note of GSA and i was intended to increase PO4 but by now i´m only maintainingWater change in 80 % twice a week

And for now not a single shadow of GSA on glass. Only in rocks and that´s where i kind of like it to be. I don´t like tanks that seem to be washed out in some laundry..where it´s all pure and clean. I like this green Q.B.


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Best Compliments to all of you.
 
Looks great!

Do you use the outflow just like that, with no spray bar?

Good afternoon Kadoxu

Yes i do my friend. Pointing right to the CO2 difuser on the other side of the tank and along with it revolving the water at the top so well that in my place by nihgt the sound i hear it´s like a calm river. I believe i have nice O2 by this method.

And the INflow is in a diagonal so that it stays precisely under the Outflow. By this way the water returns from both sides of the tank and not doing a circular movement around leaving dead spots.

I also have Aqua Rebel and ADA Lily Pipes but i don´t use cause as soon i put them my water circulation reduces quite a lot.

I also try another powerful filter (this one is Eheim Pro 4 600) and happens the same with the lilys. :(

And water circulation is fundamental. Maybe in a couple of months as the tank is mature i can put them but for now i need pretty good circulation.
So far no Diatoms, no algae at all. Only a little note of GSA but that is normal. You can see it in the rocks.

Best regards
 
Very interesting and well thought.

From what I've been reading around here in the forum about flow distribution, I tend to like spray bars a bit more than lily pipes... I'm planning a new tank and you just gave me another option to think about!

Is that an heater hiding in the back of the tank? Is there a reason why you're not using an inline CO2 atomizer (and heater)?

Cumprimentos :)
 
Very interesting and well thought.

From what I've been reading around here in the forum about flow distribution, I tend to like spray bars a bit more than lily pipes... I'm planning a new tank and you just gave me another option to think about!

Is that an heater hiding in the back of the tank? Is there a reason why you're not using an inline CO2 atomizer (and heater)?

Cumprimentos :)

Yes it is a Hydor Heater. I used to have two Eheim Heaters but it was a nightmare to calibrate and both went to garbage cause stoped working.. So i bought this Hydor and i´m pretty satisfied with it. Regulate the button to the temperature you want and plug in. Simple as this.
I don´t use an inline cause i have a a ADA Pollen Beetle Glass of 40 mm. And i kind of love seeing it in the tank.. it´s my childs toy.. know what i mean? :) eh eh. Just love to see it working can´t explain why.
 
I don´t use an inline cause i have a a ADA Pollen Beetle Glass of 40 mm. And i kind of love seeing it in the tank.. it´s my childs toy.. know what i mean? :) eh eh. Just love to see it working can´t explain why.
:lol: I know, I know... we all have that special something we love, but can't really say why! That's a good enough reason for me! :)
 
Good morning everyone,

First let me thank all of you that are following me and contributing with your kindest words and energy.

So here´s a new update of my tank.

After 3 whole months since the beginning of the assembly, I decided to increase the light since 17 November, by which time i performed a huge pruning.

I inserted an extra T5 of 39W of 6500K also for eight hours as it originally was connected. Currently with:

Two T5 of 39W 6500 K. (Single Color)

Once passed the initial phase and the aquarium established, already with the plants well rooted I decided and now yes, add an extra bulb. And also because I believe the "Alternantheras" class needs more light to the reds come up to surface.

I still do not add any liquid fertilizer.

During these months I was able to check that the left side of the aquarium was suffering difficulties with most plants, especially the "Eleocharis" and the "Monte Carlo", but also with other plants that I tested as for example the "Staurogyne" or "Bucephalandras" and even "Macrandra". In short, all plants that I put in this zone didn´t reach growth compatible with the rest of the aquarium.

After some experiments I conclude that it was cause of great concentration of CO2 in that area (the diffuser is right there) and to much flow from the impulse coming from the Outflow that land in this part of the tank.

So I reduce the flow by applying my Lilys Pipes and also reduce the rate of Co2 to 1 BPS. Reducing the rate of CO2 but rewarding in temporal distance until the moment when lights turn on. The Co2 step in with a minor debit into the aquarium but with more time to obtain the desired concentration.

After these changes i comproved that my cameroon CRS Cristal Red of several grades, were no longer hiding but now are moving throughout the day, which is a lovely treat for my eyes. In this respect I must say that I have always advocated very slowly Co2 introduction and not abruptly as most do by that two hour method before light went on. So for me in this respect nothing new.. I continue to defend this theory, of a not sudden change of the water chemistry with massive injections of CO2.

And so after some changes, the "Rotala Macrandra" that was planted 15 days ago exploded in growth, makes a gigantic pearling, and grows in front of my eyes. The pearling is so high that neither can perceive the color of the plant. It is filled of bubbles.

The "STAUROGYNE REPENS" moved to the middle of the aquarium and is growing out of the series. It was on the right side below, where he received little water movement and low light so she was not coming to life. She went to the middle of the aquarium and is a wonder by now..

The “LOBELIA” which until now was half-hearted also exploded in growth cause of the second T5 bulb. So once again I believe I did well by starting with one T5 only, wayt for plants to root well and now yes as I start the second bulb plants respond beautifully. (This applies to all of course but this one especially gave the best example).

Introduction of "Echinodorus Quadricostatus". This was a very personal choice. I had a “war” with this plant in a previous assembling and as I never saw this plant an any place or store full of life I decided to give a go once again. It is not yet in the point, but given what i saw out there I could say that it is fantastic. The last leaf stages of when I planted are now diing and disappearing (are the few that sees a slight darker green) but the new foliage is brilliant. For me this was a battle won with a special taste.

"CRYPTOCORYNE PARVA".. i do not know what was on my mind but i thought it would be funny to see these stems coming or appearing under the Monte Carlo. Planted 15 days ago and is about to carry on very good. Already have new shoots to appear. Let´s see the result in a couple of months.

"Heteranthera Zosterifolia", in the top center. Lack of prune.

For the remaining plants i think I don´t need to give explanations cause they speak for themselves . Growth is so excessively that it has been impossible to co-ordinate the prunings. The "Blyxa JAPONICA" grows so high that it covers the “Pogostemon Erectus” compromising the growth of this one.


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I Apologise for my rusty english.


A very happy Christmas to you all and a 2017 filled with personal and professional sucess.

Big Hug
 
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