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Great job Geoff. Can I come over and film it please?!

Hiya. Regular Java moss, Xmas moss and spikey moss would all be ok too. Flame moss grows vertically so consider that depending on the look you're after. Cheers George

Thanks, all. :) Apologies for the lack of updates recently. I'm currently in the middle of moving jobs and location so my hobby is taking a temporary back seat. I'm not going to run this set-up any longer but have decided to give it to a friend who will make great use of it. However, I will...

Quick update. :) Added a touch E. parvula and L. brasiliensis around the rocks.

All same size so far. Not much bigger than HC. :) Here's a full analysis of this scape from Scape Fu. Aquascape Analysis of George Farmer’s One-Pot Iwagumi | ScapeFu

Thanks all! :) Apologies for the radio silence on this. This 'scape is still running, but in a new location due to me moving. When I get decent Internet sorted I'll be able to share more pics. :) I'll probably add some grasses around the rocks and keep it running for a while longer. My...

Thanks guys. :) Here's the final video -

Hi all, So I had a productive couple of hours yesterday and got this final shot... :)

Thanks guys. :) I'll be doing a proper photo and video shoot on this tomorrow with help from my pro-videographer friend. Should be fun! :)

Thanks. :) I haven't measured PAR yet. I usually borrow a meter but it's not been available. I've set the light to ramp up for 1 hour, then at 30% for most colour channels for 6 hours, then ramp down for 1 hour. It's similar intensity (to my eye and camera) to the TMC tiles I was using, but I...

Hi Pedro. It comes on for 20 seconds or so every 20 mins or so. I haven't timed it though so can't be sure. Hiya mate. Can you believe I've not trimmed the MC yet! Only the odd bit starting to creep up over the smaller stones. I've pushed the foreground planting down with my fingers in places...

Yes mate - and thanks. :) I think it's safe to say the challenge has been completed. In the new year I'll be setting up something less minimal - new wood, crypts, Anubias and ferns I reckon - planted heavily from the outset! Looking forward to it already, and sharing it on here, of course. :)

Quick video.

Hi all, It's been a little over 10 weeks now - I think. To be brutally honest my life has been upside down lately so I've kinda lost track! Anyway, the scape is doing fine. I've had a Twinstar Nano in there for a few weeks now and I think it's been a real blessing I have to say. I note...

They are gUSH nano inlet and outlet from Aquarium Plant Food UK. :)

Hi all, I think it's been about 10 weeks now. Nearly there.... Merry Christmas! :)

Apologies for missing this question, Neil. All the (Mini Landscape/Seiryu Stone) rocks you see here have been collected over the last few years by mail-order. I've just been lucky to get some nice pieces.

The E. compressum works a treat. It brings a welcome contrast in texture.

I think we're on week 8 now. Growth is steady and the usual green algae build-up seems to have been slowed by the Twinstar... And the light is amazing.

Thanks guys. :) For these photos I'm using full power on all channels except Royal Blue, which is at 20%. The unit is controlled via Bluetooth from your computer, tablet or phone. Just two. I'm using the same cables from the previous suspended lighting. :) Oh yes. Hours of fun. :)...

Hi Sanj, Yes, I'll do a full review in a few weeks, with lots of photos and video too.

Hi all, I have the Giesemann Futura up and running and I have to say that after a couple of minor installation issues (my own fault) it's an extremely impressive piece of kit. I've seen and tried a lot of LED units and this is the best so far. But it is also the most expensive by far, so one...

Thanks all. :) There's no tricks. Because the tank is about 10cm from the white wall, and the light is suspended quite a way above the tank, the lighting produces the "white-out" effect that you describe. I shoot jpeg, so the images you see in this journal are all straight from camera...

Oh, it won't look pretty. I'm under no illusion. But it'll be easy to remove for photos, and it is a white unit on a white background, so it could be a lot worse. Anyway, if it means I don't need to scrub my rocks, then it's probably something I can learn to live with...

Thanks guys. Still plenty left to do really. I need the carpet to really thicken in certain areas - namely towards the background and in-between the rocks. This will take a good few weeks. I'll be installing a new light unit over it this weekend - Giesemann Futura. I was playing with it...

Hi all, 7 week update. There's almost full-coverage of the Monte Carlo now; just a few areas between the rocks that are clearly getting less CO2.

Thanks mate. :) I'm scared of big boy pants. No room for error. lol I think tap water would be tougher because I think I'd need to inject more CO2, and keeping the CRS would also not be so simple. I also like the way I don't need to constantly remove hardwater deposit build-up from the...

Twinstar..what is it? | UK Aquatic Plant Society

Normal levels from the start because I added fish and Amano shrimp right away. Detail in this post - George's One-Pot Iwagumi Challenge | Page 2 | UK Aquatic Plant Society

I've only replanted the odd floater, which happened in the first couple weeks. It's literally a case of watching it grow (with water changes etc, of course). It's not carpeting as fast as I thought it would to be honest, but I'm in no rush. I'd say this will carry on for a good couple of...

30 second HD video. Best viewed in 1080p with a pair of good quality headphones. :)

Thanks. You raise an interesting point actually. Whilst I am showing that it is possible to get a full-carpet (well... nearly there) with one pot, I still would not recommend it for most hobbyists. The line between growing plants and algae is very thin where such a small biomass is...

Thanks mate. I don't even require a Twinstar to keep the rocks clean! :) (No offence to any Twinstar owners - as soon as I get fed up with using a toothbrush I'll be a part of the Twinstar-gang too!) :)

Hi all, 5 week update. Still plodding along nicely. :) I'll post a short video update soon too. :)

Patience, and a 1/250th sec shutter speed. :)

Should be fine. :)

Thanks guys. :) I'm happy with the growth. It's not as fast as it could be to drive it harder with more light etc. would risk algae. About 10 days. :)

Hi all, Some livestock photos. :)

gUSH nano set from UKAPS sponsor, Aquarium Plant Food UK.

Hi Mark I'd say very similar in terms of nutrient content and ammonia leeching etc. Perhaps slightly less as there's not the yellow staining of the aquarium water you can sometimes get with Amazonia. I've never properly tested either product though; my assumptions are based on a few scapes set...

Aquascaper in training. :) A better shot of the cardinal tetras.

Thanks mate. The tune is 'Intro' from Calibre's Fabriclive 65 album. :)

Thanks Steve. :) Cardinals tend to split up and do their own thing once they're settled - like most 'shoalers'. I've found Rummynose, black neon and red eye tetras stay tighter, but there's no guarantee as every setup and fish is different.

30 second HD movie.

Hi all, 4 weeks in and not much to report. You can where the CO2 is hitting the front left of the tank more than other areas... I added 12 cardinal tetras yesterday. They seem to have settled well. I'm getting a light dusting of green algae on the rocks. So I've ordered 15 Twinstars...

I posted a video two days ago mate. :). Check the previous page.

Thanks guys. :) I'm not sure but expect so. I don't see pearling at the moment because I've deliberately kept the light lower to prevent algae with such small biomass, and CO2 low-moderate for the shrimp.

Thought I'd share this iPhone snap of a bunch of CRS closing in on an Amano shrimp with food.

One minute HD video. :)

Hi "H" Sorry I missed your post and question, and thanks for the feedback! :) I suspend the lighting quite high because I like the way it floods that part of my kitchen with light, and it makes maintenance really easy. I could have it much closer and on less intensity, or use one tile, and...

I think sooner for full coverage, but maybe longer to get the depth in certain areas that I'm after. :)

Thanks guys! :) Hopefully between weekend chores I'll be able to squeeze in some video to share. The shrimp are so active, even with CO2. :)

Thanks guys! :) Yeah, when I created this layout my priority was to avoid any triangles and symmetry in fear of your retribution, Thomas. :) No particular reason for lily over spray bar, other than lily is easier to install and clean. I'm not sure what difference they'd make in this layout in...

Hi all, A couple of weeks since initial planting, and one week since flooding, and all is well. :) The fish have been re-homed and I've added 20 or so CRS from my breeding tank. There's no sign of algae (yet...) and the plants are carpeting nicely.

One word for Dan. Discus. :D

Lol. Why is that then?

Thanks mate. Yes, purple harlequins is a good choice and I've never had them before. I'll keep an eye out. :)

Thanks guys. :)

Hi all, It's been 24hrs after filling and all seems well with only a couple of floaters. The water is a little cloudy due to the CO2 mist. The red-eye tetras don't suit the aquascape IMO, with their silver-grey bodies blending in with the rock work. Potential replacement would be the...

Hi all, So I've recently returned home from a week away, and am pleased to see that there's been more noticeable growth with no perceivable dramas. The Micranthemum "Monte Carlo" has been sending out horizontal runners from most plantlets. I'm hopeful that the roots will have secured...

Hi all, So this is what I'm currently looking at... The cover glass I had made for me by my local glazier. It's optiwhite and toughened. As mentioned earlier, I'm running the DSM for a few days to establish root growth and prevent floaters after filling. Photoperiod is 12hrs at 100%...

Hi mate - the SAEs didn't eat any moss, only algae. They didn't seem to bother the tetras. However, they are juveniles and may change their eating and other behaviour into adulthood... Thanks! :)

Thanks guys. :) Yes, Ian is our resident joker on UKAPS. :) Sorry for any confusion. 3rd scape I've set up at home this year in the same tank. I think you'll find this species a lot easier than HC - faster too. :)

Basic 7 stone Iwagumi Half a pot prepped to plant. Note the other half in the container First half planted Whole pot planted Next I'll be doing a 5 day dry-start just to establish enough root growth to anchor the plants before I add load of shrimp. Otherwise I'll be forever...

Thanks guys! :) The 1-2-Grow never fails to impress me. I spent 2 hours splitting that one pot and planting about 250 plantlets last night. Coverage seems ok. Photos to follow. :)

Hi all, New journal time. :) Spec - Tank and Cabinet - TMC Signature Range Lighting - TMC GroBeam 1500 Ultima x 2 CO2 - 2Kg FE, Dennerle reg with solenoid, 1BPS with Fluval bubble counter, Up Aqua inline diffuser Filter - Fluval G3 Substrate - 15 litres TMC nutraSoil (black) Ferts -...

Thanks guys! :)

Thanks guys. :) No secrets for the next one. A safe minimalist iwagumi using some new Seiryu. I give it 6 weeks!

Hi all, So I stripped this down the other day. Mixed emotions, as usual. Quite sad to see this go, but more excited about the next creation... Here's an iPhone snap, mid-stripdown. Makes an ok Iwagumi I guess. lol Thanks so much to everyone that's viewed, "liked", and commented on...

Thanks buddy. And great to see you on here. :)

Thanks mate. It's not hard with a small tank. Just need to be careful. The new LEDs are TMC AquaBars. Details released from TMC soon. I like them but I'm sticking with my GroBeam 1500 Ultima tiles for now.

Thanks Mark. :) Yep, very tempting to knock out a quick iwagumi. I have some new Seiryu pieces I'm looking forward to trying out. We shall see. :)

Hi all, So the tank and scape is safely back from AQUA Telford, and these are a couple of my favourite shots from the show. AquaGro display by George Farmer, on Flickr The set-up got a lot of interest from retailers, which gave me a great opportunity to engage and sell the whole...

Sorted. :)

Thanks guys. :) I've just emptied the tank and caught all the livestock. It's all in a 25 litre bucket with mature filter and some wood for cover. There's a few shrimp MIA, but I'm hopeful they'll survive in the little water that remains in the tank. Hi Thomas - It's a Canon 6D. Their...

All I can say is thank God for the therapeutic power of the press-up! Just spent over 3hrs photographing this tank, only to find the memory card in my camera decided to corrupt itself, resulting in losing all images. Total waste of time and effort. :( I was so angry I even swore in front...

I'll be doing a photo shoot on this tomorrow, just to ensure I get some decent photos before I move it...

Hi Ali. It's full power on here. But I'm running 16-12mm reducers so that restricts flow.

I'll try my best. They'll be other planted aquascapes on other stands too including Tropica, Fluval, Unipac and Aqua One, so I'll try to get some pics of them.

Thanks guys. :) I've spend literally the last 20 minutes just staring at the SAEs going about their business, and plucking away at algae buried amongst the moss. Thankfully the moss is staying in-tact! :) It's really therapeutic to watch. If I get time between the usual weekend chores I'll...

Hi all, I was having a nightmare with algae... :( The algae was almost only amongst the moss, and is a green fluffy type, similar to really short blanket weed you find in ponds. It's not obvious until closer inspection, but with this aquascape being shown off to the aquatic trade at Aqua...

Hi Thomas I value your comments and critique - thank you. I like the two triangles - one full, one empty. I guess they're too symmetrical for you, which is fine. :) I don't want folk to think they can't post any constructive criticism on here. I post enough on others' journals, but I do make...

I listened to you, but didn't agree. ;)

Yes, you said it before. Thanks - again. :)

No problem, Sammie. :)

Hi all, Long story short (I wrote an epic post but it got deleted in the forum crash :( ).... Did a big maintenance session. Nearly destroyed the scape by accident. Nearly stripped it down due to frustration. Did some press ups. Decided to sleep on it and start afresh. Made some changes to...

Thanks mate. Going through a cerebral drum and bass phase at the moment. Seems to go well with my two passions - aquascaping and running! Not much new to report. I moved the lighting closer to the tank to get some faster growth in time to take this whole set-up including the 'scape to a...

The lights are suspended about 40cm above the tank so I'm not sure if it's much more light than one tile on the MounaRay bracket. Yes, the NA set up will replace this one eventually. I'll be going slightly bigger, but not by much. I fancy more height as the last 5 scapes have been shallow.

Hi Ali I run both units at 100% for 7hr. Just 10 mins ramp up/down.

1 minute video. Best viewed in HD.

Hi all, Did a big prune on all the hairgrass today. Hopefully it will grow back nice and dense... Sorry for the delay on supplying Riccardia to those that have asked. I'm re-using off-cuts by putting them in-between the rockwork to help enhance the naturalistic feel. Here's a couple of...

Couldn't resist shooting another quick video this evening. Check out the BBA! :) I was using a flimsy tripod and the macro lens is non-IS, so it's a bit jittery.

Thanks guys. :) The missus is out tomorrow evening so I think I'll do some more video. The crazy Saturday nights us aquascapers lead... I'm taking this whole set up and 'scape to a trade show (Aqua 2013) next month, at which point it should be near its peak. I may keep it going upon my...

Yes mate. :)

Hi all, Here's a video of me doing a typical maintenance session. Best viewed in HD. Filmed on my 6D by a friend who does wedding videos, and edited by me on Final Cut Pro 7 on my old iMac. :)

For sure. I'll let the relevant admin know. :)

Worthy of a move to "Featured Journals". Nice one Alastair. :)

BOOM!! Free chocolate.

Just added some Bucephelandra from my shrimp tank...