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Hi all, It’s been a while since I last posted. I had planned a new setup a while back but life got in the way. But now I’m amassing everything I need. I have an aquascaper 900 on the way, along with a Twinstar, co2art kit and a bunch of ADA glassware. Amazonia, power sand and some additives...

Fantastic scape and great read too.

Looks so healthy!

Ooh, interesting. I love this idea. I have zero knowledge so will be watching closely.

Thanks for the info. That’s a big help indeed. next is to find a solution to suspend them. I’m thinking steel box section but can’t find an attractive corner piece. many suggestions? Oh and this is now for the 1200cm tank in the living room. The 60cm upstairs will be a much simpler affair. I...

Wonderful layout. Love that explosion of wood and, as a few people have mentioned, that rock/gravel combo looks ace. After 38 days you must be bursting to get back in and get planting. Looking forward to seeing it green!

Great hardscape layout. Looks fab and I like your plant choice and placement too. Agree about the shadowed areas adding interest.

Those other tanks look great, so imagine the new bigger one will look amazing! As for the filter floss you could super glue it into place, to try and stop them knocking it about?

This is looking great. The water change system sounds fantastic, as does all the plumbing. scape looks good. Not sure I’d be able to anything that looked good from both sides but you e done a great job. right, where’s the sledgehammer. Time to knock a wall down.

Looking good. Nice vibrant reds and lush greens.

I'm thinking about lighting today and wondering if I could do something a bit more DIY. Any thoughts on these things? https://amzn.to/3eLLMAm I've seen similar used on youtube but not expert enough on this to know if they would be suitable?

This is a great journal! Beautiful results but also a great read. Thanks for sharing the insights.

While I decide on what tank to get, build a cabinet and so on I’m going to get a filter started. Ordered an oase 850 a load of matrix and some purigen. That’ll get hooked up to an ancient old 60cm tank which is going to be a holding tank for plants and so on. Pretty excited to get started and...

Nice layout. Are you planning many emmersed plants or all full aquatic? I think your scape would really suit some height from tall plants growing into the air.

Thanks so much for all your suggestions. Looks like the lower-priced options have improved a lot over the last few years. I may actually need to revise this journal (and its name) as I'm now considering rearranging the living room to do a 120cm instead. Seeing the prices and finish on the aps...

This is gorgeous. So colourful and it really pops. Fantastic work.

Looking good. I think the layout you decided on is the best one and like your choice of plants. don’t worry too much about the wood. Red pot always gets that when it’s new. It’ll clear up totally in a week or so.

Things have moved on a bit in the years since my last tank but it still seems that ADA is the king of the hill. Is that so? Any other companies I should look at for a good clean optiwhite tank? I’m less bothered by cabinets as I’ll probably make my own but if there are any notable ones you guys...

This is looking great. Love the hardscape concept too, although I think you could add some extra stone to the highest section. That’s just me though. Looks great and should have some lovely depth and layers once the plants bed in and spread a bit. As for fish, if it was me, I’d go for a large...

Thanks. I thought so but it's been so long I'd forgotten!

Question. ive been going through the stuff I kept from years ago and can’t remember what this is. Is it co2 related? Also what’s the correct orientation? Thanks. Being a father has clearly addled my brain. Or is the age?

Looks like you have overcome the hardest of obstacles. I'm sure you'll find the balance to keep your carpet from melting. Clean up crew look to be doing a good job, now your dosing measures are over.

Thanks for the welcome back everybody. Kids can definitely change their interests but if she does end up hating it that's ok. I know I'm more than happy doing it all on my own but if I can pass on some of my enjoyment to her then all good. I'm a single dad and we have found doing things together...

Well, hello all. It's been a long few years since I was last actively here. Being a dad meant sacrificing much hobby time (and rightfully so) but my daughter is now nearly 8 and life has changed a lot and I think it's time to get back in the saddle. Partly because I miss it so much but also...

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Hi all. Well I'm back from Texas. Sxsw was awesome! Tank is doing well. Added some staurogyne for a little mid ground height and texture, plus some moss but that's more for the shrimp. Today I added a handful of crystal red. Pictures below. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Time for a quick update before I head off to Texas for a week. Steady plant growth and all looking healthy. Not as fast as previous tanks but it's to be expected as lower lights and no co2 injection. I have some flame moss and shrimp on order. Will be added once I'm back. Sent from my...

Welcome aboard Chris (and son). I'm not the most regular poster but I've always found the site to be friendly, helpful and informative. My best advice would be to start a journal and document your progress, ask questions when you get stuck and show us all some photos of your tanks development. Rob

Yep, I've used the hydor inlines on a few set ups. They are great. Solid, reliable and accurate. As for your floaters I'd not be surprised if it was the amanos doing it. I know they used to uproot newly planted plants in my 300L. That said once the roots had taken it wasn't a problem.

Small update. Thanks to using established filter media with bit of a boost from sera nitrovec the water seems great. It's a little high on ph for the CRS I'm planning but today I've added some catappa which should help. I've not used it before but heard and read good things. Thinking of ways to...

I've just added some eleocharis mini. I want keep a kind of dune look but play with some texture and the hair grass seems like a good balance to the MC. I was expecting it to be a pig to plant but wasn't so bad. I started with the smallest possible pieces but turns out slightly bigger tufts...

Thanks Four50. It's not been long but I'm starting to see some growth now. A few leaves appearing here and there. I've been giving the lights a boost for three hours during the day, with and extra few watts of light. Thanks Robert. I was happy with that scape. It's all gone to a new home now...

Beautiful. Definitely managed to work with the size really well.

I've started the planting process. So glad I'm keeping this pretty simple. The edge is lovely but my tweezers are a bit long for easy planting! Must get some smaller ones. I've started off with the micranthemum and have left some spaces. Front left and just in front of the right hand rock...

I'd forgotten I shared it already! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Cheers Antoni. I'd recommend them if you get chance. Stu, they are ok. The male is always quite feisty but doesn't attack. He patrols and sees off any interlopers but that's it. The female is inquisitive but quite shy. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

One half of my breeding pair. Man made 'flame' colours, which some aren't fond of but I think they are lovely.

Popped a little heater in today, ready to start planting tomorrow. I think this hard scape is my final. I keep coming back to it or something very similar. Think I'll forego the wood for now but not discounting entirely. Anyway ignore the bio balls. They are from my old tank along with some...

I say a mid grey. Orange is my favourite colour but grey is common because it doesn't change the perception of the colours in your tank. That cabinet is lovely by the way. Looks like you have great attention to detail.

Question for you all. I have a load of manzi and can't decide if I should use a (very) small amount in this tank? I'm a fan and it looks great with moss but could be more trouble than it's worth given the limited access to the tank. Persuade me one way or the other!

Cheers Dean and Ivydree. I agree about the centre rock. Will adjust that and keep playing around today. I'm planning on dosing liquid carbon to start with. If that works out ok then great. If not I'll look at different options for diffusion. Maybe one of the little ada ball diffusers in the...

Well, I've started. Got some lovely pieces of elephant rock and pale sand. I'll be using fert tabs to get things going here plus dosing to the water. Seeing as it's an edge I'm tempted to use easy carbo rather than injected, just to keep it clean looking. Here are a couple of layout tests...

Looks great and the NA gear is awesome! As for your scape I'd really like to see a front on shot, to judge the heights a bit better. From what I can see the rock on the left needs angling either left or right and there might be too much open space right in the middle. Planting can make such...

Top work. Love apistos and those are beautiful!

Tank has arrived and just put it all together to make sure everything is in order. Here's my Rob's eye view, go it on a cabinet next to my desk.

Agree with what's been said. The hard scape is lovely. Once your plants grow in that will look so good. Nice to see another new tank with pogo too. I love that plant.

Prairie 60x30x36 Journal

Rob's 300l NA 120x50x50 Journal

Well, after seeing this thread from brancaman I've decided the edge will be a CRS tank. I've had shrimp tank before but didn't really scape it as such, so this one I will try to make look good as well as be home to the shrimp. Edge arrives tomorrow, so will be swapping over filter media from...

This thread has decided it for me. My new tank will definitely be home to some crystal red shrimp!

Looking good. Pogo is one of my all time favourites. I think it looks good already but as long as you keep on top of the growth it will look very special.

Lovely tank. That rotala rotundafolia is the reddest I've seen and everything looks so healthy. Top work!

Cheers guys. The journal for my 300L is in my sig below. That tank is now broken down and will be leaving me end of the week. Just had to make room for baby related gear. Sad but has to be done. I'm still thinking about what can go in that room. I'm trying to persuade my other half to allow...

Looking lovely. I really like your plant choices and placement. Once they've spread out a bit that tank will just look better and better. Good choice for new foreground plants too. I think the Monte Carlo texture will look better with the other plants. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks Dean! I wouldn't say I'm all that experienced but I'll certainly share my thoughts as I go. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Great, thanks. Right, well I have now placed an order for a fluvial edge 23l in white, to match my desk. I have some ideas fro scape and so on but I think I will wait tip arrives before I share, in case having it in front of me changes my mind.

That's a beautiful scape. Love your rock placement and the HC looks really healthy. Your cabinet is also very nicely made.

Thanks. Sad to see it go bit it takes a lot if time. Something smaller will suit me better. Definitely going to be a shrimp based tank. Just need to decide on hardware. Also, if I take water and filter media from my existing tank and transfer to new one will that be sufficient to make it...

Thanks! I will certainly be getting a small tank soon. I'm looking for something for my studio that takes less time, now I'm a dad. Mini M is second on my list. Always fancied a fluvial edge but who knows! Looking forward to seeing what you do with yours.It may just sway me.

Lovely layout. Making me think hard about my next tank. I could definitely live with a mini m after seeing what you are doing with yours.

That's looking lovely. So impressed with the DIY work, as well as the scape.

And one of my favourite apistogramma agasizii.

So before I get into the new tank (which I have yet to buy) I thought I would share the previous ones. Here is the 300litre NA which I love but takes a lot of work! Then a group shot, where you can see the ADA 60p which turned into a small reef tank.

Hi all, Last year I became a father which meant very little time for hobbies. I miss it though, so am planning to get a smaller, easier to maintain tank. I've had an ADA 60p and an NA 300l, both of which I loved but the time taken with pruning etched means a simple option is in order. I've...

Yeah, was a complete nightmare but all done and looks so much better. Easier to clean too. Have you started your new planted tank yet Tom?

Well that was a massive PITA but new floor in the fish room.

Hey Tom. Yep, been here a while now. I got six. Look like a mix of red and blur turqs and all nice looking fish. Go for it! If you don't I will. I love apistos. My pair are doing well. Cheers Ian! Ill get a few photos sorted soon. Rob

Here's a picture of the one discus who wasn't camera shy: Quite a looker I think.

Ok, after discussion with my wife, the decision has been made to convert this into a less labour intensive tank. Or at least a less hands in tank kind of set up. We have both been fans of discus but never kept any, so that will be the main focus. I've spent the last week or so slowly changing...

Looking good. When that carpet is covering more it's going to look really serene. I'm in the process of changing my tank over to a discus tank right now. Thanks for the inspiration!

Hi and welcome! Lets see some photos then! RR

Hardscape is beautiful and love your planting too. Can't wait to see it mature. Got to love the Ottos! Brilliant little fish.

Gorgeous new setup. I like the new cabinet design a lot. I have the older version of what you have and I think the new options for routing gear are a big improvement. That said, they were great anyway! As for the quality vs ADA I think ADA are a bit more refined in some areas but not...

Thanks all! Baby is due in June, so will actually have more time then, as am taking a couple of months off. My plan is to get the rescape done in April though, so all I have to do is nurture it and stay on top of things. (that's the plan at a least! Baby may have other ideas!) So, when I...

Hi all, been a long time since I updated this thread. Life got the better of me for a bit but still been taking care of things. The tank had a photo shoot for an article at the end of last year, which I'll post a copy of once I'm given the all clear. I think it's coming up to time to rescape...

Yes! Tank is doing very well thanks. Apologies for the complete lack of updates. Life has got the better of me and my design work has been absolutely crazy for the last few quarters. Tank is looking good, although a little more algea in places than I would like. I put that down to a little...

Welcome! Be sure to start a journal and show us lots of photos of your progress. This is a great forum full of really helpful, friendly and knowledgable people, so any problems you hit should get some advice pretty quick. RR

Re: 90x45x45 Optiwhite (not yet named) They are fish farts mate, you should know that! I expect they are CO2 bubbles as well. I had a few until I raised my lily pipe to create a big more agitation. Once I did that the surface was kept scum free (at least as a film) and the gas exchange...

I've not stopped by for a while and I love the progress! It's coming along really well Harry. I bet you're pleased?

A quick look in my 'fish room': I'm part way through a slight replanting of the 300L, so it looks a bit sorry for itself. I've removed the amazon swords to make way for some red. Or, pink in this case. I had some of these reineckiis in the 60-P when I first set it up. They were lovely but...

Aha. I do have a load of small pieces of dragonstone, so that might be worth a try. Cheers mate.

Actually I'm still not using the halides. Not needed to for day to day growth. They are very handy for photography though! Chris, I had a good solid barrier of pogo and staurogyne but the monster sterbai kept busting it apart. I'm contnt to give it a little tidy every now and then.

Re: 90x45x45 Optiwhite (not yet named) Not sure exactly but I could always bring it with me when I visit. Wrong colours but you would get a good idea. Oh and stop putting lipstick on your fish. They may look colourful to everybody else but I know better :wink: :shh:

Re: 90x45x45 Optiwhite (not yet named) Looks great Chris. That is a stunning fish. If you get a chance get a teszla. They are amazing lights. Pieces of art before they're even switched on. There is a wireless controller coming for them too, so you can adjust from iPhone/ipad/smartphone, as...

Update time. I'm prepping for a big photoshoot soon, so thought it would be nice to get a few quick shots now. Tank is maturing nicely. Always a bit of spread from the soil, as the sterbai like to rummage in the night but otherwise I'm very happy. Looks like I need a bit of a trimming...

They don't eat all that much. Mine didn't eat for a day or two then they happily took hikari micro pellets, blod word and daphnia. They are partial to a bit of tetra prima as well.

This tank is one closed down. I moved all the shrimp into a different tank. Not decided what o do with this now. It's sitting, all clean and sparkly, looking at me for reason to be!

Re: Rob's 300L Perigean Beach (week 8) Thanks! I'll be posting more photos soon. It's developed a bit more recently. No big changes but still looking ok. The little island in the sand has become home to around 20 amanos. No idea but they all migrated en masse! Needs another trim already too!

That look stunning mate. So green and healthy. Hasn't taken long to get like this either. Wish mine looked as nice.

Re: Rob's 300L Perigean Beach (week 8) Well, I added my cherries yesterday. I had planned on just adding 20-30 but in the end there were closer to 60. I lifted the moss in the cherry tank and there was a proper army under there! It took hours getting them all out and had to resort to a pipette...

Re: Barb Island. DIY reactor and spraybar fitted. It's always smaller than you think... Now, back to planning my 6'!

Re: Rob's 300L Perigean Beach (week 8) Will be adding 20-30 cherries to this tank over the weekend. My cherry breeding tank is plodding along steadily but is getting crowded!

Re: Rob's 300L Perigean Beach (week 8) In a bid to get this thread back on topic (and because my apistos are utter show-offs) here is a photo of one of my pair. Beautifully coloured but a little fat, as had just stolen some food from the sterbai!

Re: Rob's 300L Perigean Beach (week 8) Kris, I'm not sure I should really flood this thread with marine shots. I'll keep this focused on my tropical but if you're interested you can see it progress at UR http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/show ... p?t=579656 Cheers

Re: Rob's 300L Perigean Beach (week 8) Lol, designer? I'll tell my mrs you said that. She always said she had taste. No idea. I haven't checked this week. I'll test tomorrow and let you know.

Re: Rob's 300L Perigean Beach (week 8) Well, not strictly an update on this tank but it is doing well. My apistos are starting their little rituals and coloured up beautifully. I will try and get some photos of them, as they do look great. For now here is a peek at my marine tank. Just a...

Nice scape and you're going to get some great growth with all that gear!

Re: Rob's 300L Perigean Beach (week 8) ooh, now you mention it I think you might be right! Doh! Harry, which pogo is it you have again? If it's helferi that can be a slow grower. You'll find you get shoots off to the side of the main stem rather than lots of height. If it's erectus though with...

Re: Rob's 300L Perigean Beach (week 8) Lots of light. Lots of CO2 and enough ferts. The blue smarties and jelly babies help!

Re: Rob's 300L Perigean Beach (week 8) Softish.