flygja
Member
I was getting bored of the scape in my 120cm 300L tank so I've been planning a rescape for some time now. Previously I had a low-ish maintenance scape with mainly slower growing ferns and crypts. I've decided to create a scape with as much colour as I can, using a combination of stem plants. The 4 day weekend gave me the perfect opportunity to get it going!
Here's some specs
120 x 50 x 50cm - 300L
Eheim Pro3 2080
Eheim 2217
Pressurised CO2 through UP Aqua inline diffuser
DIY 100W LED lighting (10x 10W Cree XM-L)
ADA Amazonia aquasoil
EI dosing
It started on Wednesday evening by taking out plants which I was sure I won't be needing in the new scape. Took about 2 hours or so.
On Thursday, I removed all the plants that I wanted to keep, removed all the driftwood and the caught all the fish and placed them into their temp homes. I then removed the remaining rocks and gave them a good soaking in bleach. That took around 5 hours.
This is what I was left with.
On Friday, I created the hardscape. Started by placing a row of lava stones at the back of the tank. The main purpose was to reduce the amount of aquasoil I needed. It should also provide a great place for beneficial bacteria colonies and reduce any anaerobic spots in the soil.
I then pushed all the old soil on it and topped up the substrate with another 3 9L bags of Amazonia. I think there were 2 bags previously, so thats 5 bags in total. Had to run out and get another bag as I ran out.
With my main aim being as many plants as I can cram into the tank, I went as light as I dared on the hardscape. Just 4 pieces of driftwood (which look like 5) and 5 dragon stones.
That was another 5 hours of work. My knees were screaming in agony now... but there was more to come.
Saturday. Planting time! Unfortunately the online retailer which I've bought plants from before was probably on holiday too and their list of plants was incomplete. They usually have about 100 species but it was down to 7. Oh well, time to make do with what I had. When I went to get the soil, I also picked up 4 pots of Mayaca fluviatilis (I think), 1 pot of Rotala wallichii (I think) and 4 pots of Rotala macranda (pretty sure of this).
My chosen carpet was Eleocharis sp Japan. They were growing well in my 60L tank so I just ripped out a bunch. Unfortunately they were also infested with Riccia. I hope it isn't too bad in this scape, else out comes with Excel overdose. Dividing it up into individual bunches. Not fun work.
Filled up the tank with just enough water to cover the planting area and got stuck in.
Then filled it up a bit more so I could plant the Cryptocoryne wendtii "Green".
Water kept filling at a slow pace and it was time to put in the Anubias coffeefolia, Anubias barteri var nana around the rocks. Microsorum pteropus "narrow" was tied to the driftwood. I then planted the Rotala walichii mid left and the Mayaca fluviatilis around it. Rotala macranda went to the rear right. The Barclaya longifolia "Red" was overshadowed by Cryptocoryne wendtii "Brown" in my previous scape so I made sure to plant it mid-ground where it would get a lot of light.
And here it is 7 hours later. Knees and feet were screaming bloody murder by now.
On Sunday, the water cleared up somewhat.
Have I lost you guys yet? I'll be hunting down a bunch of more plants in the coming weeks to complete the scape. Here's what I have in mind:
Midground
Eleocharis parvula from my 60L tank (as soon as I cleanse them of nasty BGA)
Blyxa japonica
Staurogyne sp.
Micranthenum micranthemoides
Another round-leafed Crypt
Background (I'm really oepn to anything but these are what I'll be actively searching for)
Rotala nanjean
Rotala rotundifolia "Green"
Rotala rotundifolia "Red"
Eustralis stellata
Comments good and bad are most definitely welcomed!
Here's some specs
120 x 50 x 50cm - 300L
Eheim Pro3 2080
Eheim 2217
Pressurised CO2 through UP Aqua inline diffuser
DIY 100W LED lighting (10x 10W Cree XM-L)
ADA Amazonia aquasoil
EI dosing
It started on Wednesday evening by taking out plants which I was sure I won't be needing in the new scape. Took about 2 hours or so.
On Thursday, I removed all the plants that I wanted to keep, removed all the driftwood and the caught all the fish and placed them into their temp homes. I then removed the remaining rocks and gave them a good soaking in bleach. That took around 5 hours.
This is what I was left with.
On Friday, I created the hardscape. Started by placing a row of lava stones at the back of the tank. The main purpose was to reduce the amount of aquasoil I needed. It should also provide a great place for beneficial bacteria colonies and reduce any anaerobic spots in the soil.
I then pushed all the old soil on it and topped up the substrate with another 3 9L bags of Amazonia. I think there were 2 bags previously, so thats 5 bags in total. Had to run out and get another bag as I ran out.
With my main aim being as many plants as I can cram into the tank, I went as light as I dared on the hardscape. Just 4 pieces of driftwood (which look like 5) and 5 dragon stones.
That was another 5 hours of work. My knees were screaming in agony now... but there was more to come.
Saturday. Planting time! Unfortunately the online retailer which I've bought plants from before was probably on holiday too and their list of plants was incomplete. They usually have about 100 species but it was down to 7. Oh well, time to make do with what I had. When I went to get the soil, I also picked up 4 pots of Mayaca fluviatilis (I think), 1 pot of Rotala wallichii (I think) and 4 pots of Rotala macranda (pretty sure of this).
My chosen carpet was Eleocharis sp Japan. They were growing well in my 60L tank so I just ripped out a bunch. Unfortunately they were also infested with Riccia. I hope it isn't too bad in this scape, else out comes with Excel overdose. Dividing it up into individual bunches. Not fun work.
Filled up the tank with just enough water to cover the planting area and got stuck in.
Then filled it up a bit more so I could plant the Cryptocoryne wendtii "Green".
Water kept filling at a slow pace and it was time to put in the Anubias coffeefolia, Anubias barteri var nana around the rocks. Microsorum pteropus "narrow" was tied to the driftwood. I then planted the Rotala walichii mid left and the Mayaca fluviatilis around it. Rotala macranda went to the rear right. The Barclaya longifolia "Red" was overshadowed by Cryptocoryne wendtii "Brown" in my previous scape so I made sure to plant it mid-ground where it would get a lot of light.
And here it is 7 hours later. Knees and feet were screaming bloody murder by now.
On Sunday, the water cleared up somewhat.
Have I lost you guys yet? I'll be hunting down a bunch of more plants in the coming weeks to complete the scape. Here's what I have in mind:
Midground
Eleocharis parvula from my 60L tank (as soon as I cleanse them of nasty BGA)
Blyxa japonica
Staurogyne sp.
Micranthenum micranthemoides
Another round-leafed Crypt
Background (I'm really oepn to anything but these are what I'll be actively searching for)
Rotala nanjean
Rotala rotundifolia "Green"
Rotala rotundifolia "Red"
Eustralis stellata
Comments good and bad are most definitely welcomed!