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Overtime you develop your favourites, and some of the top guys on here spend tremendous time thinking about plant shapes, structures, colours and textures and plan their plants meticulously! I chose these plants to give me the look i wanted, and as can be seen from this journal i haven't...

no worries Jon Ferns in my opinion are not a demanding plant and Java Ferns can can be grown with out CO2, but will it look uber healthy, lush, dense etc? Probaly not, but it still looks great. CO2 will allow the plant to show its full potential. True for many of the aquatic plants we all use.

Thanks for the kind words, its nice to receive such positive feedback. CO2 is the game changer really. Its a big move when you first do it, but will guarantee once you have you will ask yourself why you hadn't. The dense growth can be attributed to a number of factors, light CO2, Ferts and...

The light spends a majority of its time sitting about 6" above the tank, which i have found to be an optimum level for my current setup I find if i run it lower for say a week, the increase in algae growth is noticeable, generally Green spot and some black hairy stuff. The trident as you can...

Maybe.... Thanks Parotet, i use 2x24w and then when taking photos i switch on all four. I have a mix of tubes and alternate which i have on for different effects. I fond alternating the height of the light can really effect things. Andyh

Thanks for the kind words I have a few: A little gang of Corydoras habrosus Shoal of Pencil Fish Chocs and a pair of Apistogramma Cacatuoides 4 Rasbora Mac's I am a fish keeper at heart!

Photo Update, no equipment in tank. Everything growing well, added some graded gravels and keeping my pruning up on the moss on the wood. Untitled by andyh_2011, on Flickr Untitled by andyh_2011, on Flickr Untitled by andyh_2011, on Flickr Thanks for looking Andyh

Lovely scape a very good photos, what camera are u using?

Hi Lindy, just read your journal from start to finish. Great read and lovely looking tank. Can't wait to see some livestock especially the chocs as I am a big fan of them! Keep up the good work Andyh

Really great looking scape, love the moss

The shot was luck really, had my iphone in hand and took the snap. They are happy now, they weren't when I was pulling apart their home :) Thanks for the comments

Sssssh don't tell anybody about the cichlids, there a surprise ! Cheers, just a chance photo with the iPhone Yup, you would be right. The group is awesome, they defo like to be part of a shoal.

The Boys want feeding!! The chocs seem to be getting very confident! They all appear as soon as i enter the room. Chocolate gouramis by andyh_2011, on Flickr

Following on from the change to my tank, I have completed a 40% WC each day and yesterday i have cleaned my external filter, After which I added a nice fresh bag of purigen to help with any ammonia spikes from disrupting the substrate. The filter was filthy as i expected after disturbing the...

Manchester aint that far ;)

You know how much i like getting to the beach! Yes about half way through i did think why am doing this..........But i am delighted with it, the mature plants give the tank a crisp look. Once i add a little more detail to the sand i will be happy. The Corydoras & Goby love it.

Hello, Yes its been a while.... I had a moment of planned madness today, this is what the tank looked like this morning. Overgrown, Moss balls the size of my fist. Un-maintained! <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/andyh_2011/13972469701" title="Before the tweak by Andy, on Flickr"><img...

Epic Journal, Epic Tank.....One of my favourites Love the mix of livestock. I still have my 6 chocs, they seem to be doing well.

Hello, I would suggest that the diy CO2 is not helping, they do not provide a stable supply of CO2. Pressurised CO2 would provide a controlled/quality supply. Also Clive is right, flow is an important piece of the pie. Wharfs is hit and miss, when they get a delivery is the time to visit...

Hello and welcome to UKAPS, yes i am from Derby, i live in Chellaston. No problems with the questions. Answers: 1. No problems with our tap water. Please note i use aqua safe at every water change, not because i am concerned its just habit. Diatoms is not something i have ever suffered with...

I purchased these chocs from a maidenhead that had them in supposed specialist tank, they had been there for a long time so had stabilised as i had seen them on several trips. I purchased them at about £3 each which is a real bargain. They lived in my holding tank for about 5 months and then...

Thanks for the kind words mark, with ref to the water conditions i don't think that they are "black water enough" the PH is circa 6.5-7.0 depending on how long it is since my last water change.

Yes, the UP was annoying me and once i had undone it was never quite the same again. I might go back at some point but currently there is no rush as the in tank is doing the job Lets hope so, don't think i have the water conditions as perfect as yours though! Andyh

Yes..................no idea what though yet

Tension Builder!!!!

Hey Its been an age since i last updated, to much chocolate and JD over xmas! Everything growing well, its had a massive trim a few weeks back to thin it all out. Anyway here is a few pics: Full tank shot, you will notice the Rotala has gone. I didn't like the way it was sitting. Full...

Its now noisier since i tinkered with it! Booooooo Gonna have to play with it now till it settles down again. Its confusing though, might see if i can get the smaller ceramic tube so i can switch and see which way works best, its appears the bodies are the same. I also have worked out that...

further pics: Taken from Up's website UP AQUARIUM SUPPLY:

Interesting stuff, however! I think its right. Mine is the "Up inline large super co2 atomizer 12/16mm" See this picture: Taken from Tankscape.co.uk where i bought it. I think the one you have is Up Inline small super CO2 Atomizer 12/16. UP Inline Small Super CO2 Atomizer 12/16mm...

Interesting you say that about the Up Super diffuser, its has a little more water in it now, but has only been running for 24hrs. Should it be full? Its working fine the way it is, the instructions don't say to fill it with water. Have i got it wrong?

Wow thanks for all the positive comments guys! NA style was my aim so thats good to hear, can't wait till it fills in a little more.

Update Day 29 Just completed my first major prune, hit the Rotala the hardest and then just tidied up the other plants. Removed the tile of Willow moss, it had doubled in size. Pulled off a few pieces and attached on the wood in a few places using super glue. I also removed the in tank...

They appear to be good at hiding, i am sure they will be fine :) Hey Gary, thanks for the kind words. Water change is twice to 3 times per week at the moment approx 25% per time. Thanks Ady, the plants seem to be doing well, i hope to get a real dense plant mass in this one....

Day 25 (just a quick iPhone photo update) Just a quick update, everything is growing well, water changes still taking up a majority of my time. Plant health is great, and everything is growing well. Ignore the floating plants, just a couple of pieces of plant sourced from a UKAPS member i...

Cheers Dude, knew you would approve. Yes my best guess is that they are Sphaerichthys Selatanensis. Andy

Yes they are!

Quick Update: The latest Additions, they have been in my holding tank for about 4 months: Chocolate Gouramis by andyh_2011, on Flickr Untitled by andyh_2011, on Flickr Livestock by andyh_2011, on Flickr Thanks for looking Andyh

Hello Just read your journal from start to finish its a beauty Your photos and videos are a credit to you and the plant heath is fantastic! I am intrigued by your light schedule as i have a number of red plants in my new scape, and i am slowly increasing my lights over the first month...

Keep up the good work! Every tank i do, i learn something or see an improved way of doing things. So use each scape as a learning platform. With regards to loosing fish, unfortunately its very hard to guarantee the quality of what we buy. I now only buy my livestock from a small group of fish...

Hey Gary, yes the wood is quite special isn't it :) I purchased a box from Tom Barr (plantbrain) here on the forum and he arranged for it to be shipped over here from the USA. Ok that backs up my thoughts around its high lighting requirements. I am currently running 2 x 24HOt5's at about 8"...

It looks like from your pic its purple towards the top, which suggests to me the light helps promote the purple. Can you tell me how many WPG you have?

I will be interested to see how the Limnophila Hippuridoides tunrs out: As above This is what it looks like currently: Limnophila H. Starting to grow by andyh_2011, on Flickr This picture from Tropica's website shows it in its full glory: Plant Details Lets hope it gets there, as the...

I have no problem at all Steve:) I was very pleased with the way the hardscape turned out. I agree that its a shame to cover the hardscape but its the same with many of the tanks on here. I do plan to keep some of the features on show with clever pruning. The plants do help hide some of the...

There was a similar amount of alternathera as bonsai. Plenty in pot, I originally bought two only needed one pot. not sure about that Big G, but thanks for the encouragement. 7 pieces of wood, used Bonsai wire 1.5mm as recommended by Stu Worrall.

Yeah, starting to look good all the plants showing some growth. Hey Gary, Yes the wood is amazing i have so much of it i didn't know where to start (thanks to Tom Barr). The 1-2-Grow Hair grass is so easy. Cheers! Maintenance so Far: Mature filter with Purigen in from day one. ADA Green...

So my aim was to create a scape using only manzi wood and dense planting from the start. Going back to more of a nature style scape. Very photo heavy! The journey: Full tank shot Manzi wood by andyh_2011, on Flickr Manzi wood by andyh_2011, on Flickr Tropica Plants by andyh_2011, on...

Hello Been a bit slow starting the journal, as i have had a lot on with work, but here we go again: Aquarium - ADA 60P Cube Garden 60Wx36Tx30D, now with ADA cover glass. Lights – Suspended Arcadia Luminaire 4 x 24w T5, currently running 2 tube for 7hrs per day. 2 x Osram Skywhite 8000k...

Hey mark Just come back to UKAPS today after a very long break, delighted to find your journal, just read it from start to finish and always stunning photos and inspirational scape. Still need convincing on the Cladaphora....

Ian Love it!! Good to see something different, the many different species are great. On a selfish note your helping me with my new scape as i am checking out all your 1-2 grows and choosing the ones i like for my new one.

Great Nano, loks great, i like the detail of the plants!

Sorry missed your post! Yes i will spill the beans, i purchased a shoal of Sundadanio axelrodi (blue). They look awesome. Got them from Ripples Aquatics down near Lichfield. No pics yet but i will get some. Planning to strip this tank down in the coming weeks as i have almost sourced all...

Great filter and well built. Not seen the giesemen (it's probably good if its geeseman) the 1550nd's do seem the weapon of choice at the moment though!

Sorry for the delay in response, as i am currently working in France. The Eheim 2324 is cracking piece of kit, but remember its rated at 700lph, so probably with media etc be putting out 450-500lph. If you a stickler for the 10x rule it may not be enough. You could consider the newer Eheim 250T...

Yes its resilient stuff. Thanks dude! NO:stop: Thanks for the comments I wish i could tell you some elaborate technique, but there isn't one. I planted densely from day one, so it kind of supports itself. It is not in direct flow.

Evening people! Just cleaned the tank, and added some new livestock, keeping it secret for now. But they will make an appearance soon. Never had them before. Full tank Shot March 1st 2013 by andyh_2011, on Flickr Never introduced any fissidens to this tank, now having it growing in...

Well spotted, its still in there, had to prune it right back its coming back slowly, buts its only about 3cm tall at the moment. I hope it comes back strong like it was b4.

Great work, tell me more about your light? Custom? Did you make it? Andyh

Mike these is a cool picture!!!! Love it mate! They are so inquisitive !

Stunning work!

Specifications! We love spec's here on UKAPS What you got? Size Filter Lights More pics Plants etc Good start though................

Looks good, great start.:thumbup: I do thing the Cory's will disrupt the HC, if any food gets in it they will dig into it and lift it. If it was already established you might get away with it.

Hey Jon, glad you have found it useful:) Not this clean all the time, but i do try..........

Great Journal so far please keep it up, its well written and interesting! Your hands on approach is great, coudl you tell us anymore about the vinyl and how you tackle it and what it costs, as you have given me an idea! I look forward to your scape taking shape!

Stunning Setup ! Whats the light green moss on the branch, is it flame moss? Does it attach itself once growing?

Great Journal! The tank dimensions are what caught my attention initially as they are quite unusual, but i have to say i love it! How are you getting on with the lights? How do they compare to the T5's? Keep up the good work!

No worries! Inline heaters are great, but dont forget you can hide a heater behind tall plants and nobody would ever know its there..... Pruning - Sharp Scissors are a must! First attack remove all the older leaves. This will promote new growth. Once you have got the hang of it you can...

This is Fantastic! Really like the quality of build, the lighting is excellent can you explain a little more about the type of bulbs and fittings. The moss looks great on the wood.

Looking great! If it was me would kill the midday peak with the lights. Keep them low to start, once the tank is more mature and plants established more light could be introduced if desired.

Hello and welcome on board. You have received some excellent advice so far and if i could just add..... You have now got the basics for a nice scape, once the plants start to grown in a a bit. Visual Impact: I think the next bit is consider moving and hiding your equipment so its hidden...

You know your not the only person that used my kitchen scape to help convince their partners they should have a tank in the kitchen!

I have see a few ADA cabinets, set up in this way. I think it works. For me everything looks self contained, rather than pipes, wires running on the outside/side of the cabinets.:thumbup:

Well i truly am delighted by all the positive comments:joyful: Sometimes i do think with my journals "is this worth an update?" But i have to say that the comments keep me going. (sorry thats enough Gushing now!):happy: To answer a few of the questions: Yes i think so, just not sure if...

Well you can tell i cleaned the filter properly. The tank tonight looks GIN clear, the new carbon and fully serviced filter are doing there job well!

Great journal so far:thumbup: I am with the guys on this, you are going to need more height from the rocks as with some of you plants you have suggested they will very quickly hide the detail of your hardscape. A

Great build and journal so far, please keep it up:pompus: Its making me consider an oversized cabinet for my next project, so that i can run the pipes straight down like that.

With this tank, i have spent hours with pruning and tweaking, more than any of my other tanks. I beginning to appreciate that its all in the attention to detail :geek:

Thanks for the kind words Mark, CO2 is delivered via a inline UPAtomizer. I have always had pressurised co2 in my shrimp tanks, as long as you know what your doing shouldn't cause u any problems.

Evening! So managed to get a good few hours on the tank this afternoon so performed a big clean up/maintenace session Tasks completed; 1. Glass clean all surfaces, using algae pad. 2. Glassware cleaned, brushes and bleach and as good as new. 3. External filter clean, rinsed media, cleaned...

Hello, thanks for your comments, The Sterbai were great (there is the clue) but they started to cause too much disruption and digging the grass. They are currently in my friends tank down the road and are doing very well. I wished they had worked, maybe next time i will try some more robust...

Delighted to say the Pogostomen Erectus is growing well, never been successful withies plant before! Pogostemon Erectus Tropica 1-2-grow by andyh_2011, on Flickr Thanks for looking Andyh

Thanks Flygja, its a very effective plant and ultra low maintenance. Hello, from my research and experience they fair well at tropical temps, i kept a group in my 90cm and they did very well. There ideal water temp appears to be 22-24c. My tanks are set at 24c.

Gobies are my favourite fish, interesting to keep as they are always up to something. With regards the dosing, as the tank is very mature now. I am really only dosing weekly or with water changes. 6ml of K, 6ml of TPN and some ADA ECA.I average at least 1x 40% wc per week. Sometimes 2, i always...

Update! So managed to get some time on the tank over the last week or so, and given it a good clean and tidy. the pruned plants seem to be finding their feet again. The Pog Erectus is looking good dare i say it!!! Never been successful with this plant and its a good 3-4" tall now and still...

Noted! You may regret that! It may involve a trip to my house with your gear! The Rasboras look even better in the flesh! Thanks Dude!

Hey mike, Good news, tough old plant that then! The stems are just starting to come back good since i pruned your lot out, another couple of weeks should be back to full steam. Thanks Stu, still not happy with my pics though, your going have to give me some coaching! I havent managed to take a...

So the tank is coming along nicely, the pruned back plants are starting to show new growth. I have also pruned some of the Staurogyne right back to get some nice fresh growth. Apart from that not much else to report. Andyh

Yes they are. And mike was right about the plant!

Are you saying my Lily pipes are dirty? :lol: Nah they arent too bad, i clean them about every 8 weeks. They look stunning when clean.

Well i did it!:eek: Pruned right back, just left a few of the smaller stems. You can now see the pogostmen and its looking good! So as planned it should grown at a similar pace now. Pruned! by andyh_2011, on Flickr Full tank shot after prune by andyh_2011, on Flickr Thanks for looking Andyh

The Eleo Mini, requires very little attention, its had a couple of trims to remove odd bits but not had to cut right down like with Eleo Parvula etc.

The Rotala Wallichii, pre trim. Looking nice and pink now! The Rotala Wallichii day 19 by andyh_2011, on Flickr Here comes the harsh pruning !:nailbiting:

looking great... Final layout looks the best! Just to second Ian's comment you will get movement in the substrate, it will flatten. You need to get something in their to stop it moving. Some people use plastic strips in the gravel or rocks etc.

Hey if you want to know any plant names please ask, the tall grass at the back is Eleocharis Acicularis. I purchased it from The Green Machine as part of their exceptional value range. Only £3.25 a pot! I only used one pot to create this effect. Its easy to grow likes medium light and CO2...

Currently its growing really well, and is maintaining its pink tinge well. Its now at the stage were i want to give it a trim back to the gravel, but it fills me with dread as what happens if it doesn't come back as good! Cheers Glad you like it mate Glad its inspiration, exactly what UKAPS...

Nearly right i use the same product as Jedward use in their hair! No Antipofish is right the flow runs round the tank and creates this pleasing look. It needs thinning out a bit now as its getting quite dense. Hey Alastair, Thanks for the comments. The CPDS are an intriguing fish for me...

Cheers Mr Evans :mrgreen:

Cheers Dude I have never created a scpae i was 100% happy with from first fix. I enjoy watching the scape change as the plants grow, then realising what a horrendous hash i have made and its quickly replanted to improve it. :lol: In my experience you can dramatically change the look and feel...

Cheers Ian Didnt expect to keep it this long, as it was so simple. Thought i would get bored of it. But i keep tweaking it and the plant health is awesome, just need to get my toothbrush out and clean the rocks and glass :geek:

Looking good dude! Really like the two distinct levels :)

Quick update, 5 days since i added the new plants and they are both doing well. The 1-2- Grow Erectus is about an inch tall now, not bad after 5 days. The Rotala looks awesome, very pink and delicate. Cant wait for the erectus to catch up, should look nice alongside each other. Pics taken...