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It is a very good and original idea. Well executed. It does however contradict the grading criteria in IAPLC, especially the new ones. It is only normal for a business contest to pass the top score to the top WOW front picture. I wonder if IAPLC will ever consider what the contest aquariums look...

How is this related to a "hobby" contest? ADA claims IAPLC is a contest between hobbyists, but that's not the case. Or perhaps you want me to do the home work here to back up my point? You can read, right. So just go on the ADA dealers web sites and see who they are. Then see what is their...

IAPLC have never been won by a random independent guy. Not once. Besides how hard is to check all ADA dealers and see where most of the names of all winners come from? You see, if it is not the dealers participating it will be their customers with scapes that were created and often maintained by...

Naive not one bit, but impossible. Now, let me explain how does all this works. Dealers and distributors of aquatic products are also aquascapers as this is part of their aquatic business. It is only normal to promote your own representatives as winners, rather that some random guys with nice...

These new rules seem good, but are as usual another pile of dust in the eyes of the contestants, as most aquascapes I have seen so far from 2014 got nothing in common with such rules. But then of course its always down to personal interpretation since most judges are not really well educated in...

Didn't even think I would get this far this year with so many competitors. #129

I use only RO water with GH booster, but that's not guarantee for anything. Wiht right management tap water is just as good for plants.

All my test kits are from Macherey-Nagel. Company that produces all sorts of tests for laboratories of any kind including those that control the municipality water supply.

This is what most people say when they have actually nothing to say. Someone else is bad. How good is when you and others ignore every post I make and give me cheap water change or CO2 boost advise?

Have you tried reading the posts above?

If anyone wants to flush an angry man with more wisdom, please go elsewhere for that. If anyone can offer any scientific explanation of why could this be happening (cut the CO2, water changes and frets basic crap) then I am open for suggestions, because I still have a pile of this substrate in...

Now since you appear to miss the point let me spell it for you. One pot is perfect, the other is crap. Both in the same environment. Now what does water changes have anything to do with this fact when in both pots the same plant is propagated. Or would you like to have the pictures much bigger...

You are welcome. Evidently ADA fun boys don't think this way.

Those plants are grown in hydroponics, not in aquarium, not under water. So the ammonia burn inhere s a urban legend, nothing more, especially considering that according to ADA this newer Amazonia substrate have actually reduced levels of Nitrogen by half. In the old Amazonia I never had...

Do you find it hard to believe that once any big company gets stable share of the market they also start downgrading their product quality for the sake of greater profit. So many companies went this way, like bloody all of them. Check this tread out. I have published rock solid evidence for...

I actually had difficulties only in my last scape. That's why I named it "Rapture in me" because it nearly destroyed my nervous system. IAPLC2011- 280, IAPLC 2012 - 69 and number of others that were never published are my tanks with Amazonia. Immaculate plants in every way. Now my tank looks a...

Change the substrate for another brand and start over. In my last aquascape with Amazonia I had the same problem and ended up poisoning half of my fish with CO2 to just keep the plants to look ok, but not near as good as I know them to be. As dramatic as it may sound I called that scape "Rupture...

Better get the CO2 checker yellow. I have about 250 CRS in my planted tank and the CO2 checker is yellow at all times 24/7. No problems at all. It always works better to have some surplus of CO2 than a deficiency.

Bubble per second doesn't mean much. What's more important is the flow distribution, dissolve rate and amount of light to CO2 ratio. If there are signs of CO2 deficiency then the correct course of action is to boost CO2 levels or correct light levels. I also use JBL bubble counter on 250 Liters...

CO2 is not related to substrates much if at all. CO2 have no relevance to the media in which plants can be planted to grow.

By the look of things in your tank you need to increase the CO2 injection. Get the CO2 checker light green to yellow.

From my experience so far Amazonia is difficult to manage. It interferes with the CO2 levels in the aquarium and often leads to CO2 deficiency in plants. Yes it does have a lot of nutrients, but at the start and the first two months is a hell of a maintenance and water changes or everything goes...

You could use a stainless steal wire net pieces. Just put them over the newly planted Micranthemum MC to keep it down. It will quickly grow over it and spread to the rest of the bottom.

Lower the power. 6 hours is short enough cycle.

Some recent findings from me. It looks like this is a tank with Amazonia substrate. If so you will need to use pretty good amount of active carbon in the filter. Why? Because after year of experiments I have determined that Amazonia releases some kind of compound (likely organic in nature) that...

If yo can not inject CO2 at this point then you should reduce the light a lot until you can sort this out. Other wise the choice would be to use more liquid carbon and the shrimps will not be happy about it.

PH controllers do not work well with Amazonia, because this substrate realises too much organic substances in the water that interfere with the PH sensor and readings are inaccurate. Since I got to use Amazonia back in 2011 I sold my JBL PH controller, because it was giving me the same...

Is the substrate Amazonia Aquasoil? If yes, the answer to your problem is a big amount of active carbon that will have to be replaced approximately every 30 days. It is what I have established recently, but ADA does not emphasise on it much. CO2 checker have to get yellow. Forget the PH...

I had problems with Amazonia Aquasoil for almost a year. In the end I figured that the use of active carbon from the start is a must and in as big quantities as possible. Amazonia releases some compound (not identified yet) that neutralises or inhibits the absorption of CO2 by plants at the...

GSA, green slime algae. It gets in new set ups when the CO2 is low. Now if this is going to be a shrimp tank as you say, better over dose a bit the CO than use Easy Carbo. The Easy Carbo will not kill the shrimp if it is normal dose, but they don't like it never the less. Also see if you can use...

It does indeed. It's just an over exaggerated example.:)

So let me spell it again then. If PH would raise quickly from 5 to 15 what happens then? If you would like to get the idea of this scenario please look more carefully in my last post, in context as you say. I can see that you defend Sasha's comments vigorously because he is actually quoting...

Interesting. We are talking about sudden PH fluctuations meaning as much as drop and raise as well, not just in one direction. I have seen how fish get severely startled with this changes either hiding in corners or going top side (when CO2 is too much). What do you think is causing that taking...

As I said my CO2 runs forever, meaning literally forever. It never stops and it goes at rate 3-4bps. I have about 250 CRS in the tank, no fish yet. I would refrain from fish for a while, because I want the CRS to multiply even more. Yes if the PH changes caused by CO2 are big enough. On the...

If KH is stable in any given aquaria then the PH fluctuations will not depend on it but on CO2 fluctuations. KH is suppose to be the buffer capacity of any aquarium and assist in keeping the PH stable, not the factor that causes PH fluctuations. We can smart argue forever over this, but KH...

PH fluctuations do not depend on the KH, but on variation of the CO2 concentration. KH is considered a relatively constant factor unless there are materials such as some rocks that can react with the CO2 injected in aquaria resulting in raise of KH. Now what PH fluctuations the fish would be...

Medium light would be anything near 50 PAR. The fish is not concern about the amount of CO2 unless is in toxic levels. Also waisting CO2 is relative and depends on how desperate you are to get your plants to look really good. CO2 is cheap enough. I have about 250 CRS in my tank and they are not...

Im my case was not the Cyanobacteria that was the main problem. I got my tank infested by some kind of 2" long brown leaches from a plant supplier I'd rather not mention their name. There was no getting rid of them for months. Sterilising the tank was the last resort.

The CO2 concentration depends on the amount of light. 30 ppm is just about ideal for tanks with medium light. I also keep my CO2 constant 3+ bps forever.

I had problems with BGA and some other types of algae because of some problems with the Amazonia substrate I use. Also nasty plant suppliers have send me plants with different kinds of goodies wormy things. In the end I took the most drastic step ever. I took all plants out and damped them in...

May be, but Amano doesn't seem to award highly small pico tanks. Only mentions them here and there. So some size would help to go a bit better on that contest.

Well get it wet as soon as you can. Not really muddy wet. Just tiny amount of moisture is enough. If Amazonia is completely dry before placed in aquarium it will start quickly to fall apart and become just like dust. You don't want this to happen.

Fertilisers don't get lost from unused substrate. They are basically salts and as such last forever unless if they get in contact with any substance that can cause chemical reaction. So if the substrate did not get completely dry it will be just as good as new.

Aquasoil is perfect for shrimps, all types, but I hate it in my planted tanks.

I have experienced that with Amazonia substrate after the New Amazonia types dry start requires very high lights for HC and other plants to get growing. I have a propagator with HC and Amazonia that needed 5 x T5 tubes over 30 Liters box right on top of the cover glass, les than 4 inches from...

Actually I can demonstrate perfect plants at KH 0. Just about any KH is sensible as long as the rest is there in plenty. If any type of clay substrate is used in the tank the PH will never drop to a point of harming any live stock or plants. In a quartz gravel based set up that's different...

The light you have over this tank is way too powerful for a start up. You may have to lift it up by 30 cm or more above the water surface if that's possible. If not take out one of the tubes.

So according to those guys this is how we learn to love plants, by paying them couple of hundred pounds for Twin Trinket, algae cadabra thingy magic.:lol:

After reading all the comments I gather the Twinstar is very likely an O2 or O3 supplier. No more. Well, the same job at start up does 1 drop per liter from 3% solution of H2O2 (about 1.5-2 ppm every day) or good enough aeration at night (like ADA suggests). Oh, and of course good care of the...

Simple and clean. I like it.:clap:

Everything works well up to a point. But the one thing that works best is a basic understanding of aquatic life. When one gets to the aquatic basics will realize that a planted aquarium would not even need an external canister, much less of any other expensive junk. Example. Two months old tank...

Nice, nice plants. I love it.:)

Oh, but they don't work in aquariums mate. What are you going to do with them? Looking for a hammered pennies under your dragon stones?:lol:

I am self employed. Owner of the Nexus Metal Detectors brand. Manufacturing is hell most of the time, but this gadgets is what I do best. www.nexusdetectors.com

So this is how ADA keeps showing "pefect" looking tanks. Bunch of slaves are working their ass off. It's impressive up to a point, but hardly correlates to any hobby. Ultra high maintenance is not what I have in mind when setting up an aquarium.

Well then. Take them for a walk in the mountains. Lots of trees, hills and moss.:lol:

Now this is a very good question. What I think makes them "special" is that they puzzle people's imagination. How is this possible?- would be the question most will ask them selves when looking at this kind of scapes. And yet making any miniture version of a landscape in old style dry conditions...

I have seen some to use the label "Turkish style" ironically. It seems to me those same guys will have to reconsider now. The Turkish style is getting real good. Well done for the Turkish participants. I strongly disagree however with the first place. Nise scape, but nothing in it to deserve the...

I have one of these LED lights. They create very nice shimmering effect just like the MH. Tge colour rendition is not as good unfortunately. Under these lights the red colours are very dead, looking more like some kind of brown. For this reson I don't use them. Also 30Watts seems like a lot of...

The modest equipment here only proves that one does not need anything fancy, expensive or ADA like to achieve top results, healthy plants, thick carpets etc. I have deep respect for anyone that can show this level of skill without all the expensive rubbish sold for this hobby. Very well done...

All that advise in the article seems oriented to generate more sales for the shops. The article is written in a way to make sure that folks will have problems, but not nesessarily too much. So business will go well and folks will be moderatly happy not knowing what are they waisting money for...

Capillary action of the water would be possible with all Juwel aquariums only if the water movement hits the bottom edge of the tanks top plastic support frame. If this does not happen then it is a high probability of a real leak. Generally speaking tanks not designed for an external filters...

Well the gentlemen from Japan have kicked in the as 5 contestants and exactly for what? I had some second thoughts about my choise not to enter conests anymore. If my last scape got ready in time I would have very likely submitted it to IAPLC despite all. This wichhunt have pulled me even...

It is a common ego problem. Folks too much in a hurry to measure their noodles, get famous, rip glory. I still don't get why some local Taiwan magazine would matter so much for ADA business? People in other countries have not even heard about that magazine and the entire world is watching...

Since ADA is not using signed agreements or release forms like AGA then by all means they do not have copy right to anything. In all honesty. If any magazine have obtained any picture some how and printed it out why ADA does not sue the magazine, but disqualify contestants instead? It is...

I don't get this. Pictures can go on IAPLC Facebook page, no problem. But if they get published by a magazine that is not even worldwide publication, folks get disqualified. It seems that this pointless drama is about more publicity for ADA and IAPLC. Nothing more.

We have this saying in BG. It is not crazy the one that eats the cabbage, but the one that gives it free. The pictures are actually not ADA property. Not by means of any law concerning copy right.

Even more seriously than you can imagine. Check this out. The announcement from IAPLC steering committee Thank you for applying for IAPLC 2013 We have already announced the result of IAPLC2013, but it becomes known that several of works were publicized without any notice or permission on a...

Many sleeples nights are ahead until the party in September.:lol:

I see a lot of fire about the #107. But guys as far as I know Amano is the very person that decides what gets in top 100 and what not. I am not sure there are manu of you that are up to the task - a challenge to Amano's choise. Surely I can pass by the specsavers Ian, but I am quite convinced...

Chaowang's #107 is actually quite the same as the 2012 hyper space rock work from #3. The concept is the same. Only wood instead of rock and some PS blue sky for catching more attention. There a few points that I would say keep this tank out of Top100. 1. Two impossible to coexsist in reallity...

In the end of the day it all comes down to a budget and a target. How much one wants for their money and how much they can really get. I personally got the 600D, because it can make farely good video, better than most camcoders can. When it comes to pictures I wish it was a FF, because the crop...

This is the thing. I am not a pro photographer. I am an amator. And as such I do not wish to be bothered with processing. I do not aim for just useable images that will need to be pampered later. Of course there will be probably useable images at "250000 or 1000000 ISO" and so on and so forward...

Well then my 600D must be faulty or a crap copy. I can never get pics at ISO1600 without noise. And a lot of it. This is how I chose to buy the 600D in the first place, by looking at this very same images. In reality however the studio tricks do not work with most folks. Also these "similar"...

If you make small pictures noise cleaning maybe ok. But for large prints is useless. And for small pictures for the internet I have an old Sony 5.1M that works great. Iphone is even better. My 600D even have sensor missalignment. I can never get the correct geometry out of my tank when the...

I have 600D and when it comes to aquarium photography is useless. Small sensor, a lot of noise on high ISO. Look for something with a full frame sensor, even second hand.

Brighty K is pure KCO3, 65 grams in 1 litre of water. Go EI and don't bother with over priced nonsense.

Any idea of who the judges are?

With very low water hardness. I have observed that plants in low water hardness require less CO2 and can pearl well with less light as well.

HC turning yellow is a sign for Nitrogen deficiency. Tropica Plant Gro does not contain NO3 or/and PO4 so you will have to start adding those separately in small amounts.

Any plant without exseption burns when spot dosed with Easy Carbo (Glutaraldehide). This chemical compound is used in medical parctice as a very strong desinfectant. One can not expect any other outcome if Easy carbo etc is applied by spot dosing unless the concentartion is low enough. Some...

Well I feel bad now that all examples I have given does not fit your "academical" aproach to this matter. However chemical conditions in aquarium are not measured by jungle appearances and/or over stocked small tanks, BUT BY concentartion in PPM. Weather you will have 1000 fish in a tank or just...

I already did. I stated that I used Easy Carbo over dose in my tank currently. 4 times the recommended dose for weeks at the time in attempt to combat GSA. It worked well untill i finished the Easy carbo. Now it is all back to "normal" with GSA. Staurogyne sp. suffered a lot of damage from this...

I don't believe in urban legends, but only in facts. Stressing the plants and inhabitants is a point of concentartion described often in ppm, not a large mass in a small tank. You see it does not matter how many pieces of fish and stems of plants you have in any given tank. The important thing...

Some plants have very high tolerance to Glutaraldehide such as HC. HC actually likes it a lot. I used overdose 4-6 times without problem for the HC, but Staurogyne did not like it. Also the fish seem to handle this overdose without any problem.

Fast prime lens make sense only if you will be taking a lot of aquatic pictures or in dark hours where light is always at the short end. For taking pictures out side it does not matter. For macro prime lenses are way better than zooms, especially dedicated macro lens. You can use a dedicated...

HC forever and ever.:)

He tried. No answer. I will send one un opened bag of New Amazonia to the Czech Republic for detailed soil analisys. Will see what will come out.

One week after 2 e-mails to ADA.. No answer at all. I seems that I will be forced to go for detailed laboratory analysis that is going to cost me some money and then spread it all over the internet. I am really unhappy for getting this treatment. The last think I did was purchasing from Green...

You can get them on EBay. Aquarium Lily Pipe water surface skimmer remove oil film planted tank 16/22mm | eBay

Push the CO2 up.

Well If your data is correct then I can not say for sure. The levels you mention are not only sufficient, they are actually a bit on the high side. Then you should look at the Potassium levels. In the EI they should be around 20-30ppm. You can also increase the CO2 up to a level that would not...

Yes. Definitelly.

Since your CO2 checker looks pale green I would consider CO2 to be on the right side more or less. So in your case PO4 and/or Iron levels should be raised. The bast results with HC on sand I had with Nutrafin Plant Gro, which was Iron enriched.

I have the same troubles with all plants in New Amazonia. Usually PO4 and CO2 deficiency is the most often cause for your problem, but it can also be Iron deficiency. If the substrate is old dosing Iron should help. looking at the white new leaves of the Pogostemon Helferi I would say is Iron...

Is the substrate Amazonia Aquasoil? The symptoms look so much like what I got in my tank.

Pictures? Substrate? More info?

People can you please cut the PFK slander? If anyone wants to moan about what they don't like please open another tread. Honestly If I have to support any event for people to bash the crap out of me, HELL I wouldn't. Do thousand things right and everyone "loves" you just untill you do one...

This is the common sense everyone should have. The world is in crisis and it is not easy to come up with money for big events. I am sure better days will come again.

That is if the PFK company have money to invest in shows. The money comes from sales. And if i read here that some say they don't read PFK anymore how can anyone expect PFK to support anything? With what? I have international business and I know these things. If you think it costs nothing or...