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:thumbup: It's beautiful... and simple. That makes it even better. A true inspiration.

This is so beautiful. Congratulations on achieving such a piece of nature in just a little space. It seems that you choose the right plants for the look you wanted. Just a question, how's the filtration? (I suppose it comes with the DOOA product). Pedro.

Now I have it on full power because I have 2 trays packed with ADA Bio Rio. This media kills the flow of any filter :-)

A 50 sec video of Risa on day 8.

... keeps growing. This one is from yesterday, the 5th day.... (for the ones interested I opened another Instagram only for aquascaping @pmgsrosaaquascaping)

Thanks for your kind words. Yes, I thought about that. Maybe take it only from the left... I don't really know... will see it not the near future.

No, similar. Rui, from Aquaeden here in Portugal, sold a lot of these great lights. I used 4 in the Dutch. Here I'll use 2 after cycling. Yes, they're great. I used only Tropica fertilisers on the Dutch. I don't remember exactly dosage but will take a look at it on the next few days. Pedro.

Risa (60l) Designated as a "pleasure planet ", Risa was an inhabited Federation planet orbiting the primary Risa in the Risian system. This planet was the homeworld of the humanoid Risians. It was orbited by at least two moons and located in a binary system about ninety light years from the Sol...

Thanks Alto. I looked also and it seems that links are not broken.

First time using Lotus. It took me 2 months, or more, two tell her that i wanted a "low" plant. She finally understood :-)

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: copy-paste changes... i saw helferi and ... well it's Cyperus helferi! I will change the topic. Thanks Alexander.

I know, I should change :-)

Yes, I have some photos from last Saturday... and what a difference you guys will see. I was saying before that i was going to make some changes and here they are. Some plants changed place, some others are out and some others are in: Ludwigia Arcuata, Lysimachia Nummularia, Eriocaulon Cinerum...

Sorry Alto, i missed this Yes, it makes one year today. My personal record :D They are stunning. Great colours and a very nice fish. It says mainly on the bottom 1/3 of the aquarium but get pretty active when feeding. Recommended ;) Pedro.

Yes, it is. I changed it a little bit. I'm now growing the new plants and updated in a couple of weeks. Then it's probably time to move on :-)

This is far from a contest (IAPLC) aquarium so #1102 Pedro.

Adam, Yes, i only used Specialised because it contains not only micros but also some macros. This is more a planted aquarium then a fish aquarium, so i needed a source for macros that usually come from fish. Specialised also have micros so no need for Premium. I started with smaller doses...

Hi Adam, I think i used around 30l of soil (maybe a little more then 30l). This is a no hardscape tank so the ground is all covered and less high at the front. You should adapt accordingly yo your needs. I used only Tropica Specialised fertiliser. It changed a bit the weekly dose (divided by...

Robert, you're probably right. The final layout, in the video, already had some larger leaf plants and yes, i'm still working on that. Pedro.

Thanks Alexander :-) Well, here it goes: A video of this Aquarium from the creation to day two hundred and something :-) ... the lifetime of a Dutch. Enjoy. Pedro.

It's there ;-) Still there. Very difficult to catch :-(

... I don't know exactly when but a video of the lifetime of the aquarium (since day 0) should come in the near future! Pedro.

Thanks guys. I should return to "aquascaping" but i'm thinking in changing a few things before taking it down! Pedro.

Hi there, A few days agora i took a few pictures and shared on FB. Forgot to post them here :oops: Well, here they are... Day 227, a trimmed tank :D ... and now for "Something Completely Different": a non-trimmed tank :D ... and some details: Enjoy.

It grows but for 4 or 5 months they were very quite. I suppose they're growing and needing more food :-)

Video will follow shortly. It's almost done. I only want to take some more images from 6 - 7 month lifetime. I've got Congo Tetras, White Fin Tetras and Santa Filomena Tetras. ... and I must say i'm having some troubles with the Congo Tetras because they started to like some plants. This is the...

Some details... completely algae free tank. Has been another easy one! (a new plant somewhere...)

Something went wrong in my head and i started disliking it. I suppose that was the main reason. And yes, the black was not getting a second color to make a nice mixture. Thanks Alto. That means a lot to read. Several people told me that :-) to "sell" it :-) ... this is an hobby... i must have...

Thanks guys. Alex, i was not liking the Cuba and Buces on this layout. Buses were too big for it. At this time i know for sure that a Ricardia only plant was the only decent plant. All other changed the proportions of the layout a lot. I'll do something completely different for the next layout...

Well... this aquarium did not grew like i wanted. The hardscape was difficult and i did not achieve the proportions i would like with these plants. It was dismantled some months ago. Nevertheless i made the video with the step-by-step. Here it is.

Thanks Mick :-) I'm having fun with this aquarium. More then I thought. Everyone was telling me that this was a huge work but, for now, I'm willing to sacrifice myself :p Pedro.

Ah ah ah, maybe i use some kind of voodoo for my aquariums :-) Nothing like that! Maybe it's luck... Thanks!

:) If you buy plants on a store and they are good, you should always have a nice grow at the start. :thumbup: David: Back, from the left: Murdannia Keijak, Rotala Macrandra, Pogostemon Erectus, Limnophila hippuridoides, Myriophyllum mattogrossense, Ludwigia Palustris, Heteranthera...

Yes, it's definitely time for some updates. Everything is going very well. Just had some problems with Crinum Calamistratum but i think that it's now recovering. These three first photos are from a week ago - i made a huge trim since then. The other photos are from December. Some details...

Thanks Tiago. Yes I'm loving Lobelia and Montecarlo is lovely at the UG place :) Thanks Paulo. 7 hours of light daily. One more hour at the weekend (mainly for me/family, not for the plants :D but like nature they are sunny days :D). Don't remember if it's 7,5 or 8 hours of CO2 (don't know it...

Some updates… starting 15 days after the last ones. I'm probably starting to repeat some type os photos... sorry. I’m very happy with the health of the tank. Completely clean from algae with no need for water changes or other type of maintenance besides the 50% water change at sundays...

One squish daily for 100l? So you're giving less then Tropica says on the bottle? Plants are dying for some food. Start by something like 3 times that amount and evaluate after one week and a half or two weeks. For the first day you can give even more. Pedro.

Jaap, I don't agree with you here. Planting should be done since day one. You're using a good soil so that plants have lots os "food" and planting some weeks later is like wasting food where there is no one to eat. Do you make dinner if you know that you'll not eat it? :-) And then there is the...

Depends on the plant. Some weeks ago (at the start) i wrote what i was thinking in doing: For Macandra i'm doing a mix of what i wrote (cut down and replant -> best way to get an healthy plant) and at the back (hidden) i cut where light can still reach the stem so it can branch. I know that...

Yes, I had some problems with editing the messages for changing the pictures size ... and them "something" happened. Thank God we have Paulo on the job 24 hours :D

Time for some updates… DAY 39 Last time i updated (a few weeks ago) i was having an issue with the water. That was fixed by its own in one and a half week and water came back to the usual crystal clear. These two first shots are still from that time. DAY 41 DAY 49 With nice water i was...

About the fish, yes i fond 3 or 4 on the floor on the last month. They're still very different from those beautiful photos but colors are starting to show. It's my first Dutch so I believe that it'll not be a "work of art" :-) I will try to make something good!

Arrive at home and it seems to be clearing... :hungry:

It's not algae... and i have some doubts about H2O2 in tanks! If on hardscape to clean some BBA, etc, ok, but in water... it can be dangerous. Pedro.

Thanks Rebel :) Of course... I corrected the message. ADA Gallery makes this every night by lifting all Lilly Pipes. At home lifting Lilly Pipes from two aquariums should be a really nice way to keep everyone awake :D

Antoni, I can only explain this with a bacterial bloom of Heterotrophic Bacteria. The reason i really don't know and can only be explained by filter issues or some set of issues. Like i said before my filter is not as strong/big as it should be, but never had any problems after being cycled...

They're Tropica plants so just put them underwater :D Joking apart, I think i have good lighting, good soil and i'm not saving on fertilization. Now i'm doing two large water changes weekly but hoping to make only one. I still have cloudy water... the first time since have aquariums. It's a...

Yes, I see no difference and i've been comparing to other aquariums (mainly Ludwigia Palustris) with T5 or other good led solutions. Macandra I honestly have never seen another one so healthy and with such a good growth and regrowth after trimming. Pedro.

Time for an update... Day 22 - Needing a trim. Day 24 - Small trim. Day 30 - I was away for a week!!!! It's not a Dutch, it's a jungle :) Day 36 - Trimmed but i'm still letting plant grow... will certainly start trimming to get the "Dutch feeling" on the next two weeks. What went...

Well, I've been caught by the Dutch Tank Police. Help me :nailbiting: :nailbiting: :nailbiting: I thought i could get away with this topic, but no :banghead: No for something serious :) Yes, I know about those "problems" and you could also know that i know if you read the first post. And I...

Guys, will try to update today. I swear :-) Can you specify?

Edvet, the only NDA they asked us was for the charts and written info they had there (that's a work place and have schedules, etc). But i tell you that after seeing the tank from above my mind was not on tubes or other technical stuff. I have lots of photos and video. I must have some time to...

BTW, I was at the fair and knew that Dark Land was #28 at EAPLC and my wabi kusa #5. Very happy! Pedro.

What i liked best was seeing the tank from the top. I can't describe the "monster beauty" that Amano have done. It's amazing!!!

Thanks Paulo for the update. Yes I was away since the beginning of the week and on Thursday I went to Spain to Iberzoo and Iberzoo Aquascaping where i personally met some great Masters of our hobby like Long Tran Hoang (IAPLC Winner and lots of plates), Luca Galarraga (many plates), Fernando B...

Bruce, yes, that's one of the challenges: keeping the plants on the right place (and with the right height).

First 40 fish arrived. Blame it on Flygja avatar for the choice :D : Tetras Congo. Still very white but they'll be much better on the next months. Lets see how they will grow. For those that don't know the fish, here it is a photo from wikipedia and a video from Flygja post here on UKAPS (hope...

Thanks Tiago. :rolleyes: What? Larger Aquarium? Why? What? :rolleyes: A possibility but not for now... It's fun because i don't have any rocks and specially wood that makes the whole job difficult.

Day 15 Trimming day! :nurse: I made very small trims before but this day i used the scissor a lot more. Before the cutting and water change it was like this: Some thoughts / ideas / methods... :bookworm: With only two weeks my main concern has been filling the gaps and at the same time...

Time for some updates. Two posts: this one for two photo days over the week; the next one with the trimming of last sunday- All plants are very well except for the melting of Eleocharis sp. Day 11 Some in situ photos: Rotala Macandra - 1-2-grow! Pogostemon Erecturs - 1-2-grow...

Ludwigia and Helferi are just great. Well, all the plants... Another great place. You made it very good this year :thumbup:

Edvet, always showing something beautiful... I think i've seen some of those tanks before, I will never do that kind of "monster" beauty with only 300l, but it's a great inspiration.

Yes, I never had any problems with the tap water. I don't remember exactly the parameters (i can test it if yo guys wish) but never had any problem. I use to share my journals and in all those journals i never used any RO water or water bought in supermarkets, etc. I remember that in 2 tanks i...

No mail for me, yet!

hehe, it's good to be understood :-)

Yes I use the amount described on the product i use at that time (have used some brands lately). Buttony when i have fish or shrimp. At this time i'm not using any dechlorinater. I try to dose as i put water in. Yes, it's something like that. They're 4x of them (MAS WAS not ADA) on a stand...

I use a hose with that accessory you see at the end and on the other side just another accessory to connect it to the tap. To get the water out, I just suck it to the tub - gravity is a good pump when you can use it :D

Some news... Cryptocorine increased the melting but new leafs are also appearing. Something expected. Eleocharis sp. is melting :meh: ... something that i also saw before. Yesterday i had to make some serious trimming on Myriophyllum mattogrossense because it was starting to make shadow to the...

It's getting great! You'll have a great coloured and almost mature aquarium in a few weeks :thumbup: Funny, i bought the other one from Aquasabi (similar to a CO2 diffuser) also. Still in the box because i haven't any fish on my 300l yet. But i tested it and it's pretty good. Pedro.

Steve, I like this soil. I used some powder at the top and planting was great. Regarding UG, yes it's difficult :-) First week i replanted 3 or 4 pieces... i think it stopped but if i have to put Amano Shrimps in there, they'll destroy it :-( (i hope not, din't expect diatoms) If it wasn't on...

Thanks guys. Yes it's starting rather well. Let's see how it will grow from now on. Pedro.

First week is over. Everything growing very well. Three water changes (tuesday, friday and sunday). Made very few trimming to control some plants, mainly Myriophyllum mattogrossense that is growing very fast and Bacopa Caroliniana was spreading horizontally. Some few cuttings on Althernathera...

It's an interesting topic. A great layout you have, a little risky, perhaps, because that gap is "very strong" and time will tell if plants will help there. Your DSM will be very interesting to follow. Good luck. Pedro.

Yes, it would be wonderful to have that plant with that color. Yes, from Tropica. It's 300l - 120x50x50 cm. Sorry... I have to post the setup... Yes, and it would probably start this weekend :wideyed: Don't know about that. In Aquascapes we have to use small fish... but here... don't really...

It's true, i didn't upload any picture of the tank filled on the first day. I have it on video. Robert, as you can see you can start with a lot less and make more replanting on the first weeks.

72 hours later Uau! That's what i told myself when arrived at home on late tuesday :joyful: From the right to the left... even 1-2-grow plants are growing very well. Some details: Rotala Macandra... just love this one... still very, very small but it's starting up: Yes, UG...

24 hours later Some plants changed a lot on the first 24 hours. I have CO2 (3 - 4 bps) since day one and dosing 15 ml of Tropica Specialised since day one also (1-2-grow plants need fertilisation since day one or something like that). Almost all plants are upwards. Some 1-2-grow will take more...

Well, It's done! On the last weekend I was able to start this project. I'm pretty happy with being able to do an aquarium like this. I considered it a great challenge and I know that will not be easy. I think that the trimming will start next weekend :watching: I can't be more happier with the...

Yes, it should :rolleyes: No, that one i found to "big" to join the party but it's being "cultivated" near me so that it can jump there when needed :smug:

It's there! :-)

For all the LotR lovers I should say and be very honest that the suggestion of the name was given to me by Florence Matton on Facebook. I posted the picture and ask for any names and she remembered "Mortor's Plains" (I didn't use plains because we saw mountains on this scape). So I didn't tried...

Andy, sp. mini between the upper rocks (right) and cuba a little lower also between rocks. Three or four species of Bucephalandras at the front and at the back (Brown Mettalica at the front and Mini-Catherine at the back). Some Queen Moss at the front. No stem plants. This will be a light...

Big Spoiler :D I don't have any miniatures from LotR, only others, so i haven't done it but I had that thought from the beggining :D Andy, so you hate the layout :p (I'm joking, obviously).

"One does not simply walk into Mordor. Its black gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. The great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire, ash, and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume." —The Fellowship of the...

Looking very good. One of my fav UKAPS tanks at the moment. Diatoms are ugly but they go away. Amazonia is known for that but the most outbreak i had was using Equo substrate. I think that it was a mix of filter, bad circulation, etc. Pedro.

Yes, everyone keeps telling me that :nailbiting: I suppose that I'll have to test myself and ear you guys along the way. Obrigado ;)

So I hope. One of the interesting things about this kind of aquarium is the problems concerning the growing and trimming of plants to keep it looking good most of the times. We'll see what's coming :-) I'll make only about 3 or 4 cm of soil in the front and 12-15 cm at the back... Obviously...

Thanks for all your suggestions and some very interesting sources of inspiration. Hope to start in a few days. Pedro.

... Lets start to close this Aquarium ... IAPLC #467... great place :shy: (insert other sad smiles please)... The "two" final images. 1)The one I sent to IAPLC (still missing Rotala Rotundifolia, Ludwigia Arcuata, Hygrophila Araguaia e Hydrocotyle Verticillata) 2) The one sent to IIAC...

I thought i made some mistake when made copy-paste for my Excel some years ago, because we only say "MgSO4 normally. Darrel gave us a superb explanation! :clap: Have no knowledge to follow your reply :D ... sorry!

Thanks you very much. Regarding your suggestions: UG wast at the left just before making this last diagram bu i changed it because of Staur. being next to other similar-leaf plants; yes, less straight path would have a greater impact, thanks! don't know if when/after planting i would see that...

Yes, of course :-) I wrote "Adobe Premiere" and then ... the same! Sorry, it's Apple Keynote :-) Like I said it's like Microsoft Powerpoint, I just used it for the animation.

Robert, thanks for those great tips. I'll wait for some more time to decide what to do/change, however the number of coloured plants I have is already greater then it should be for the size (this is 120cm!). Plants like Hygrophila was one of the candidates at the start... It's a great tank and...

Stu, I've been watching some real Dutch Tanks with red plants at the back, as long as they're at one of the thirds. Maybe most of the time with moss walls at the back... Well... I'm still learning :-) Pedro.

It gave me a lot of work! I use Adobe Premiere CC but that "breaking text" i've done with Adobe Keynote (kind of PowerPoint) and exported to video. Funny... a new "exploding text" will appear on the next, and last, movie :p Thanks Steve. Don't know if you saw the posts on my FB timeline about...

Jordi, I'm drooling... a lot! Crazy images... DSC_0115 by Stephan Mönninghoff, on Flickr Loved to see that he is using 3 red plants like i draw on the diagram. One of them is Althernathera on the front also! Have you seen the right side / front? (and the left and background also) ... At...

That was very constructive :thumbup: Nesaea crassicaulis -> I had to let go several red plants because i already have too much, like Ludwig Glandulosa, etc. However it's a very nice plant for a Duch. Micranthemum umbrosum -> Same kind of Bacopa, no? ... Only for that place. Penthorum sedoides...

2015 tanks are over (still have a final picture and video for post on Dark Land)!!! Holidays are over… just like I read on Facebook today: “September is the Monday of the Year” … so let’s start to work on something new. For me it’s really something new: a Dutch Tank by the rules… or so i...

Almost the end of the road for this one. Here is a small video with the evolution in several days in just a minute.

This is really a great work i had the luck to follow since the start. A great hardscape work and great plant growth on the right places and giving a great natural look. Well... on these photos we still see a creepy look :D Pedro.