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Hello, I'm Sarah and I'm a schapoholic

MadMarchMoon

Seedling
Joined
17 May 2019
Messages
7
Location
Beulah
Hello all, I'm Sarah from mid Wales *waves*

How is aquascaping so addictive?

Sorry this is a long one

I've kept fish for many (30+) years, always had plants in my tanks and normally some hardscape. Big tanks, small tanks, made mistakes, learned a lot etc. Fast forward to about 8 years ago when I wanted a small tank in my small flat, specifically wanted to keep single species, picked cochu's blue tetra (Boehlkea fredcochui) and experimented with long soaked peat compost under gravel with fair success, the fish lived for 5 years with an upgrade to a bigger tank (which I got free from a local school) when I moved to the house I'm in now.
This house is large so plenty of space for more tanks *skips a bit*

So in between flat and here I set up my own business making dragon and fairy inspired things (It's Mad March Moon) if you fancy see what that's all about.
The business pretty much takes up all my time, and as I'm making and being creative and that's normally what I would do to 'relax' it's been tricky to find something to do to unwind, that doesn't feel like my work.

Last year I'd made a really nice collection of plants in tubs on my patio and really enjoyed pottering out there, getting some fresh air and enjoying nature as I live in a very beautiful rural place.
But then the really hot weather and dry spell kind of put pay to that (plants are at my parents where they could be watered I'm on a spring here and we had to limit water use during that dry spell, shouldn't have that issue again even if it's that hot again).

Anyway, this year I decided I'd make the tanks my 'hobby' I still had the small tank and the free school tank though nothing living in either. So I cleaned and sorted the school tank, java ferns and anubias nana with 6 years of growth were fine and I popped some 'easy' fish school of neons and 8 blue micky platties, easy mode :)
school%20tank.jpg


I set the small tank up for shrimp, with mosses and wood and plants and have blue dream in there, no problem.

Then 2 months ago I found George on youtube.

Since then all I can think about is scapes, plants, hardware, hardscape. It's taken over my mental space in a mad way.

So I bought a small tank and all in rush and glee planted a bonsai scape, like a kid eating all the sweets in the shop.
bonsai%20tank.jpg

Considering how small it is I threw a lot at it lol. There's no CO2
I now try to think of this as the experient tank, I learned a lot. And I don't hate all of it. I love the pearl moss popping out of the top, I am happy with my Micranthemum monte carlo behind the tree. And it's a great exercise to practice trimming etc. Just going to let it develop and see what happens. I really like the ember tetra (they've been in the tank for 4 days now).

Then, I saw a tank on pets4homes, 130 ltr braceless with stand, external filter, heater, cabinet, wood moss fish (not listed) for £150, such a good deal we needed 2 cars to collect everything. And I've had that tank a week now.

The tank came with the thin wood with great Christmas moss coverage, seller had removed all the others. They'd used black sand and I had that wet in a bucket. None the less I was on a bit of a timer with this as after over an hours drive I needed to get set up and have the fish back in asap although they were bagged and floating in the school tank while they waited so not super dire.

The real factor is my health, which is shocking. So I am slow and need to do bursts of activity then rest for a bit >.<
130%20tank%20june%202019.jpg

I've used scapers soil under the reused black sand and then used some quartz sand in the foreground to add some contrast. I had that big dragon head shaped bog wood for over 20 years, it's followed me through many moves and now it's found its home lol.
I know it's not 'natural' but being a fantasy artist it reflects me.
Planted my first crypts (Thanks George)
I've planted this out and will add more plants, specifically anubias varieties over time (or all at once as I am completely obsessed).
I'm dosing liquid fertilizer daily and have ordered some neoCO2 to start learning about all of that with this tank.
Plan is basically to use this tank to learn and adapt, and I can improve it over time with glass lily pipes, upgrading the filter etc and although it's far from the perfection of scapes I see in my mind it has a lot of potential.
Obviously I inherited fish, a right mix of a community tank, which are not what I might have chosen but it's already bringing me a lot of pleasure, and when I do finally get to create my perfect setup and scape I will have cory's to donate to it if nothing else!
I know I could find new homes for the fish, but I'm pretty remote and I figure I can just wait on this as they're my fish now :)

The shrimp (cherry, amano & bamboo) are doing a great job, and no algae at all yet.

Buying 2nd hand really made it budget friendly (which meant I could spend more on plants,yay).

With my physical issues I think I'm going to have to get creative with the water changes, as jugs back and fore exhausts me, so the plan is to fill a bath (scrubbed with weak bleach and much rinsing) with dechlorinated water at the right temp and syphon it down the stairs. Likewise syphon it out using the garden hose to the garden. Any tips there appreciated as big bucket work is right out for me.

Trying hard to get to grip with all the latin names.

The plantbase here is a godsend for this.

Will hopefully stop me doing more grab bag style online shops :p

If you read to the end, thank you.
Be really nice to meet some other enthusiasts, for other people I'm now a bit of a scaping nerd.
I have a ton of learning to do but that's the best part.

Sarah
 
Hello all, I'm Sarah from mid Wales *waves*

How is aquascaping so addictive?

Sorry this is a long one

I've kept fish for many (30+) years, always had plants in my tanks and normally some hardscape. Big tanks, small tanks, made mistakes, learned a lot etc. Fast forward to about 8 years ago when I wanted a small tank in my small flat, specifically wanted to keep single species, picked cochu's blue tetra (Boehlkea fredcochui) and experimented with long soaked peat compost under gravel with fair success, the fish lived for 5 years with an upgrade to a bigger tank (which I got free from a local school) when I moved to the house I'm in now.
This house is large so plenty of space for more tanks *skips a bit*

So in between flat and here I set up my own business making dragon and fairy inspired things (It's Mad March Moon) if you fancy see what that's all about.
The business pretty much takes up all my time, and as I'm making and being creative and that's normally what I would do to 'relax' it's been tricky to find something to do to unwind, that doesn't feel like my work.

Last year I'd made a really nice collection of plants in tubs on my patio and really enjoyed pottering out there, getting some fresh air and enjoying nature as I live in a very beautiful rural place.
But then the really hot weather and dry spell kind of put pay to that (plants are at my parents where they could be watered I'm on a spring here and we had to limit water use during that dry spell, shouldn't have that issue again even if it's that hot again).

Anyway, this year I decided I'd make the tanks my 'hobby' I still had the small tank and the free school tank though nothing living in either. So I cleaned and sorted the school tank, java ferns and anubias nana with 6 years of growth were fine and I popped some 'easy' fish school of neons and 8 blue micky platties, easy mode :)
school%20tank.jpg


I set the small tank up for shrimp, with mosses and wood and plants and have blue dream in there, no problem.

Then 2 months ago I found George on youtube.

Since then all I can think about is scapes, plants, hardware, hardscape. It's taken over my mental space in a mad way.

So I bought a small tank and all in rush and glee planted a bonsai scape, like a kid eating all the sweets in the shop.
bonsai%20tank.jpg

Considering how small it is I threw a lot at it lol. There's no CO2
I now try to think of this as the experient tank, I learned a lot. And I don't hate all of it. I love the pearl moss popping out of the top, I am happy with my Micranthemum monte carlo behind the tree. And it's a great exercise to practice trimming etc. Just going to let it develop and see what happens. I really like the ember tetra (they've been in the tank for 4 days now).

Then, I saw a tank on pets4homes, 130 ltr braceless with stand, external filter, heater, cabinet, wood moss fish (not listed) for £150, such a good deal we needed 2 cars to collect everything. And I've had that tank a week now.

The tank came with the thin wood with great Christmas moss coverage, seller had removed all the others. They'd used black sand and I had that wet in a bucket. None the less I was on a bit of a timer with this as after over an hours drive I needed to get set up and have the fish back in asap although they were bagged and floating in the school tank while they waited so not super dire.

The real factor is my health, which is shocking. So I am slow and need to do bursts of activity then rest for a bit >.<
130%20tank%20june%202019.jpg

I've used scapers soil under the reused black sand and then used some quartz sand in the foreground to add some contrast. I had that big dragon head shaped bog wood for over 20 years, it's followed me through many moves and now it's found its home lol.
I know it's not 'natural' but being a fantasy artist it reflects me.
Planted my first crypts (Thanks George)
I've planted this out and will add more plants, specifically anubias varieties over time (or all at once as I am completely obsessed).
I'm dosing liquid fertilizer daily and have ordered some neoCO2 to start learning about all of that with this tank.
Plan is basically to use this tank to learn and adapt, and I can improve it over time with glass lily pipes, upgrading the filter etc and although it's far from the perfection of scapes I see in my mind it has a lot of potential.
Obviously I inherited fish, a right mix of a community tank, which are not what I might have chosen but it's already bringing me a lot of pleasure, and when I do finally get to create my perfect setup and scape I will have cory's to donate to it if nothing else!
I know I could find new homes for the fish, but I'm pretty remote and I figure I can just wait on this as they're my fish now :)

The shrimp (cherry, amano & bamboo) are doing a great job, and no algae at all yet.

Buying 2nd hand really made it budget friendly (which meant I could spend more on plants,yay).

With my physical issues I think I'm going to have to get creative with the water changes, as jugs back and fore exhausts me, so the plan is to fill a bath (scrubbed with weak bleach and much rinsing) with dechlorinated water at the right temp and syphon it down the stairs. Likewise syphon it out using the garden hose to the garden. Any tips there appreciated as big bucket work is right out for me.

Trying hard to get to grip with all the latin names.

The plantbase here is a godsend for this.

Will hopefully stop me doing more grab bag style online shops :p

If you read to the end, thank you.
Be really nice to meet some other enthusiasts, for other people I'm now a bit of a scaping nerd.
I have a ton of learning to do but that's the best part.

Sarah

Hi Sarah, to avoid using a bath for water changes etc, Google "python water changer"; you won't regret it
 
It's taken over my mental space in a mad way.

Indeed it does, but we love it!
I watched a show on TV the other day and realised that I paid not attention what so ever, as I was thinking about how to scape my new 30cm cube! No idea what the show was now.

I use a pump for water changes, which has it's problems, but means no sucking on syphon's and generally very little effort.
 
Absolutely can 100% agree with you on so many levels.. it’s something you think about because work life takes over you want something you can distract yourself with! and that bonsai scape is beautiful! Well done!
Looney
 
Hi Sarah, to avoid using a bath for water changes etc, Google "python water changer"; you won't regret it
Looks good, will need to have a good look at my tap options, nothing here is 'standard' lol, but look perfect, thank you :)
 
Hi Sarah and welcome to ukaps
I see you have MTS already (multi tank syndrome) it's only going to get worse lol (sorry) for water changes a hose pipe with tap connector to tank
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...FjAGegQIChAB&usg=AOvVaw26qy0y8ne9MYcLHaCjRbp0

This will fit most

From tank to garden hose with a pond pump

https://www.amazon.co.uk/VICTSING-S...ponics-Blue/dp/B076X11V8P?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_13

Makes life much easier and no manual labour

Can also change as much water as you like about £30 and saves no end of time and effort
Your tanks l0ok lovely by the way

Cherrs
Jay
 
Hi Sarah, to avoid using a bath for water changes etc, Google "python water changer"; you won't regret it

Well this is genius, had to wait a while as my non standard monster size mixer tap took a few tries to get right but the python really impressed me, Water change took 20 mins and was totally painless, thank you so much :) Game Changer
 
Welcome Sarah - nice scapes, esp the bonsai tank! totally agree getting your water change routine down to a tea helps tremendously (I have two under 3s!)
 
Practice makes better! Keep on scapin. Look up a scaping dojo so you can practice even more.
 
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