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Cloudy sky

So..................
After having to take a step back from things and just not being able to commit the time when it was needed I took the drastic decision to rip it all apart and start again.

Opinions and views always more than welcome.

The soil being blown around made me think I would never get the substrate back in place and I was relying on the DSM and the carpet growing in for it to stay where I put it in tthe first place.
Nothing is final and I'd like to have another go at the DSM and see how that works out for me, one better the 'lazy dry start method'


I think it was @alto that mentioned the soil being too wet before but I can't find the post anywhere and I think the reason for that is me trying to get the soil in the higher areas wet and the water just seeping into the JBL volcano mineral so the lower areas got saturated. I do also have @alto to thank for pointing me in the direction of the 'LDSM' so thanks for that.

In my opinion the Oase filters are not that great, the pre-filters are not anything like as good in comparison to the the Fluval G-series and the height of the Oase ones makes removing them in the cabinet impossible for most people.
I assume that's why Oase fitted a drawer to stand their filters on in their aquariums which must be a nightmare with hose. I also think the flow is awful and nothing like the advertised maximum flow; maybe even only 50%.

Also thinking about cleaning hoses another couple of (planned) changes;
-inject CO2 straight into the tank if people find it works well or even better? inline CO2 still shoots out bubbles so if I can make in tank work then is it much different?
-use an in tank heater that I know is reliable and should last along with a controller I trust. A little eyesore maybe but the titanium looks quite similar to the planned SS CO2 and dosing pipes - maybe even inlets/outlets.
(Why doesn't anyone manufacture a SS lily pipe; they make roses for watering cans so is there that much difference? Jet pipes are too strong a flow I found)

Changes with planned setup marked with *

Tank:
Aquascaper 900 (unchanged)

Lighting:
Twinstar 900S (unchanged)

*Filtration:
2x Fluval G6

*Heating:
Schego Titanium heater in tank controlled by Elitech ATC 1550

*Co2:
CO2 art Pro Elite regulator connected to fire extinguisher and a stainless steel in tank diffuser

Fertiliser:
All in one EI (unchanged)

Hardscape:
Manzanita fixed to a piece of slate (unchanged)

Substrate:
JBL Volcano mineral (unchanged)
JBL Volcano powder (unchanged)
*Tropica aquarium soil powder

Planting:
*micranthemum monte carlo

The plan now is to have a go at the LDSM using MC alone and after the MC has filled in have a bit more of a think about what I might like to add or change.
I have also changed the general soil level at the front and back a little along with softening the slopes.

Opinions welcome!

1st attempt
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2nd attempt
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Not a great deal of info out there on these and I guess that's not just from the price, looks complicated, messy and for £200 I would expect more.


I can get some stainless steel 'J' or 'S' sections so finding a quality diffuser that fits neatly on those would be fine but I don't think such a thing exists.
Has anyone every really tried the SS pollen type diffusers?

I'm also thinking about flow in the aquarium and whether only one filter would be enough on its own with an actual flow of 1000 LPH with such a simple shaped 'scape? - Opinions?
 
Thinking a little more about using just the one filter after seeing how powerful they are compared to the Oase I know some people are running on an AS900

So red is flow/return and green is CO2; option 1 would be using 2 x Fluval G6 filters, option 2 is just using 1 x Fluval G6 assuming pipes fit in the back right with the substrate.
I'd like to keep CO2 on the back wall if I can. Who has some better ideas or views given the layout of the substrate and power of the filters?

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Picture2.jpg
 
So it's April and I still haven't done anything more with the aquarium since February after a step back from things due to health. I'm looking to slowly get things back in gear and maybe one day get the tank planted out!

Tank:
Aquascaper 900

Lighting:
Twinstar 900S

Filtration:
Fluval G6 (start with one and see how it goes)

Heating:
Schego Titanium heater in tank controlled by Elitech ATC 1550

Co2:
CO2 art Pro Elite regulator connected to fire extinguisher - yet to decide on inline or in tank.

Fertiliser:
EI using a doser

Hardscape:
Manzanita fixed to a piece of slate

Substrate:
JBL Volcano mineral (unchanged)
JBL Volcano powder (unchanged)
Tropica aquarium soil powder

Planting:
micranthemum monte carlo or Hemianthus callitrichoides - undecided at the moment, leaning towards MC as I have experience of it but opinions always welcome.

I'm going to initially heavily plant the whole thing out with either HC or MC then flood it instead with a hope the substrate doesn't get blown everywhere. I plan to change the spraybar I start things off with to a lily pipe and skimmer inlet after things have hopefully grown in without disturbing the soil.

I'm wanting to create a bit of a summer meadow look so after the main carpet (MC or HC) has grown in am looking to scatter a few plants in, primarily some kind of Hemiathus, then I'm still thinking what other plants to add but maybe some Rotala Bonsai, Staurogyne Repens both of which I have experience of then Hydrocotyle Tripartita and Marsilea Hirsuta are on the investigating list.

The tree is something I've been deliberating over as the tank has stood with just soil and the wood in the past months and I'm in 2, well actually 4 minds about what to do............
-Leave as is
-Leave as is and add some plants to the wood
-Add extra wood to the structure to make it look more interesting
-Add extra wood to the structure to make it look more interesting and add some plants to the wood

I think I have an idea about what I'm going to do; add some extra wood see how I get on with the carpet and plant it out if or when I think it needs it. I think it could look interesting and give the fish enough comfort without any plants on the wood.
I'm quite confident I can add some more smaller pieces of wood to the structure and make them almost look as thought they've been there all along/natural. The wood is NOT one piece as it stands afterall and I don't think it's that noticeable - is it?
If I were to plant any of the wood it would be with Bucephalandra/Anubias of some kind or another.

I'm very interested to hear other peoples views on things please.
As always open to suggestions too.
 
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The first picture shows things kind of how they are now, the second shows a picture with a little detail of the wood close up and the third show a few proposed fixing points for the extra wood.
As I said I'm very interested to hear peoples

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I think the wood looks good, but could benefit from some more mass to it. I don't think planting it would fit with the scenery you are going for. A single dead tree surrounded by a lush meadow sounds really interesting, but I would consider shaping the soil so the tree stands in an elevated part, like on the top of a hill. Maybe also add some rockwork to create a more varied landscape. Good luck!
 
I think the wood looks good, but could benefit from some more mass to it. I don't think planting it would fit with the scenery you are going for. A single dead tree surrounded by a lush meadow sounds really interesting, but I would consider shaping the soil so the tree stands in an elevated part, like on the top of a hill. Maybe also add some rockwork to create a more varied landscape. Good luck!
Thanks for the input Johan,
The soil is shaped like that for a couple of reasons; firstly the angle(s) I view the aquarium from works quite well with these 2 separate slopes whereas with 1 mound no matter where it is the diffraction through the glass makes it look awful. Secondly I quite like it!
Adding stone is something which has been discussed before in the old thread and I don't really want any although it is something I can add a later date with relative ease, I think the plants alone could be enough.
Andrew
 
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Most fields have hedges so maybe have the tree growing out of the hedge somehow
Maybe one at an angle to the front glass ?
Hedges usually follow the contour of the land so that’s something to think about
Also they have drainage ditches another thing to add or even stone walls

What Livestock you thinking of ?
Hatchet fish look like birds hovering
Amano shrimp (cows) grazing in the meadow ? Or some other coloured shrimp

I like the dead tree but if you wanted to add volume then how about adding a few branches with leaves so the tree isn’t completely dead yet (just one side is)

You could carve up some polystyrene into clouds and let them float around so you see shadows move across the field

What about adding a small stone building ??
Either complete with a slate roof or in ruins
If it had a chimney you could have your Co2 coming out of it

Just some initial crazy ideas for you


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Most fields have hedges so maybe have the tree growing out of the hedge somehow
Maybe one at an angle to the front glass ?
Hedges usually follow the contour of the land so that’s something to think about
Also they have drainage ditches another thing to add or even stone walls

What Livestock you thinking of ?
Hatchet fish look like birds hovering
Amano shrimp (cows) grazing in the meadow ? Or some other coloured shrimp

I like the dead tree but if you wanted to add volume then how about adding a few branches with leaves so the tree isn’t completely dead yet (just one side is)

You could carve up some polystyrene into clouds and let them float around so you see shadows move across the field

What about adding a small stone building ??
Either complete with a slate roof or in ruins
If it had a chimney you could have your Co2 coming out of it

Just some initial crazy ideas for you


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HAHAHA this is maybe the best post I have ever seen on UKAPS, it's on my thread and I love it!
You have shone a whole new light on my thoughts about the aquarium and it's almost at risk of turning into a model train like scene.

I do think I could turn it into a couple of different fields with relative which is something I'd not thought about and of course I live near the cotswolds which have lots of nice, rolling hills I enjoy looking at which even in the autumn look lush and green; given you look at the right ones. (a quick Google image search of 'cotswold hills autumn' may give you an idea if you ignore the ploughed ones) The majority are separated by dry stone walling although photos don't seem to show this which is something I could maybe recreate with some stone, a hammer and some glue. This I think for maintenance might also make things easier if I were to keep the 'fields' with only one plant type too. I also think a wall would be easier to keep defined than hedges for obvious reasons but experimenting needed.
The problem I see with adding a building is scale as the tree is so big yet if I were to add one (which I think I could given the time with relative ease) it might look quite out of proportion and unsure where in the layout it would naturally sit unlike the walling which I think you could place quite easily. Hmmmmmmm
We all know in the summer a tree tends to have leaves on but if your idea was to work then I guess the tree is either dead or it becomes an autumn/winter scene instead.

Marbled Hatchetfish are on the list but they are jumpers so need to have a think on this although they weren't so bad in the past.

I think clouds are a step too far for me
Do you think the amount of wood on the tree is enough at the moment if there were to be nothing else added to it then? - this includes no planting
I know iwagumi is very open but I'd like to give the fish some sense of security.
 
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Marbled Hatchetfish are on the list but they are jumpers so need to have a think on this although they weren't so bad in the past.

Had them Jump out of my braced tank with glass covers, once when it was left open at one end and found it on the carpet and then another got between the glass lids :arghh:
 
Had them Jump out of my braced tank with glass covers, once when it was left open at one end and found it on the carpet and then another got between the glass lids :arghh:
I think they are a strange fish; I had some that managed to jump through gaps in screen yet others previous were quite happy and didn't jump at all.
I think it was the spotted that seemed most jumpy yet the smaller marbled ones were quite happy.

I've been having a think about the ideas from @dean and think I could build a drystone wall if I can find the time. I have some pieces of slate chippings which might be just right for the job given a wash - I think it might all depend on just putting some time into it and sorting through to find the right pieces. Below is a very bad example of what I mean!

Further thoughts on it all welcome as usual

slate wall trial.jpg
 
Instead of polystyrene clouds use a few bigger floating plants like frogbit

The building needs to be in scale so if it’s small it’s needs to be almost at the back and you would have to use small stones to build it

It could be a cottage ruin either next to the tree or have the walls around the tree
If there’s part of a roof then grown some small moss on it and odd larger plants around the edges of it to represent weeds

If you divide the scape into different fields it would look good to use different ground cover in each one

What about white guppies to represent gulls or doves flying around

Some images from web of ruins
You could cut up slate or ceramic tiles for bricks or hunt for small stones or just get busy with a hammer

433ca3bc11868f9722c1ed63ffc00b5a.jpg


6b001ea6f07c7d6a3ded02d3ea779a73.jpg


a901c3c8ef19f198ae5ac32bfe81afc0.jpg



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Instead of polystyrene clouds use a few bigger floating plants like frogbit
I plan to put a skimmer intake in the aquarium so it would either be using a method to keep them in place or a no go.
If you divide the scape into different fields it would look good to use different ground cover in each one
You could cut up slate or ceramic tiles for bricks or hunt for small stones or just get busy with a hammer
emoji106.png
This I think could be a go, depends how I get on with the walling really. I just don't want it to end up looking like a model railway hillside!
As I've said I have a load of slate chippings, I just need to sort through, find the right kind of size then go from there.
The building needs to be in scale so if it’s small it’s needs to be almost at the back and you would have to use small stones to build it

It could be a cottage ruin either next to the tree or have the walls around the tree
If there’s part of a roof then grown some small moss on it and odd larger plants around the edges of it to represent weeds
I'm not sure I'm going to get one in and with this aquarium I'm trying to cut down on maintenance which would mean moss on a roof is too much work - I know I've a massive carpet to trim but that I think I could manage.

Your wood definitely looks like a dead tree to me and I like that
I like it too which is why I'm more hesitant to plant it out and makes me question whether to add a few more branches?
 
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After a bit of thinking and playing around for an hour I think it would be far easier to make a slate slag style dry stone wall by using the thinner pieces of slate I have, shaping them to a rough dimension and sticking them together.
I'd like to go higher yet if I go ahead and this is only as a quick example but what are peoples' thoughts on this look or having the wall at all?
I need to get the pieces to fit a little closer I know but I think the scale looks about right.
Is it turning a model bit train set or is this what aquascaping is about?!?
Just for @dean I might put a stile in the wall if it goes ahead. ;)
I'm now picturing a disused slate quarry! :crazy:

slate wall trial1.jpg
slate wall trial2.jpg
 
I think you need to get a few sample pieces of the ground cover plant so you tell how much you need to smash the slate up
Also how high the walls have to be compared to the height of the plant

I wouldn’t worry about it looking like a model railway
If all the top people can create mountains and valleys with waterfalls why the hell shouldn’t you recreate a scene you love ?

Atleast it’s not going to include plastic toy bricks


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