120cm - Harlequins' Haven

[George Farmer]

This is my third and latest 120cm layout. The first was Jeremy's Iwagumi featured as the leading article in Jan 08 issue of PFK. The second I can't share yet due to new Tropica plants.

It's a low maint layout - no stems, simple 'scape. Vallis will be swapped with Cyperus eventually. More Anubias coming. I'm running half light (2 x T5) for 8 hours.

60 harlequins coming soon also - hence the working title.

There's been a lot of discussion on filters and flow. Note my layout with 2 plain nozzies in the rear corner, at different heights. CO2 via a Rhinox 5000 into both inlets - 2BPS. Heater's also in same corner. Total claimed flow 2750lph.

Ferts - 5ml TPN+ daily. 1/3 WC per week.

Substrate - Ecocomplete, Unipac Aquaclay and play sand mix.

Decor - mini landscape rocks, redmoor wood.

Plants -

Vallisneria spiralis 'tiger'
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'green'
Anubias barteri var. 'nana'
Lilaeopsis brasiliensis
Hemianthis callitrichoides
Pogostemon helferi

Give it 3-4 months to 'completion'.

 

[Arana]

Superb George that shoud inspire a few readers of PFK, well done again mate

 

[TDI-line]

Good stuff again George.

How do you manage to do all these water changes every week?

And where do you buy the fire extinguishers from?

 

[Dan Crawford]

Thats a great example of a low maintenance tank mate. Another nice aquascape and a very well suited choice of plants.
What with all your other tanks at the mo i'm not surprised that you've gone low maintenance on one of them!

 

[ceg4048]

Hi George,
Very nice. I love the framing using the Vals. P. Helferi is becoming my favorite foreground plant as well.

Any special reason you put the sand underneath by the way?

Cheers,

 

[Lisa_Perry75]

Love it!!! Not really much more to say...

Am glad you have aquaclay, I've just aquired some of this too...

 

[Jeremy]

One of my favourites to date,

The fish are going to make it.

Well done George.

 

[StevenA]

Great scape George, love the Redmoor wood especially.

 

[nry]

You should write for a magazine or something, you're pretty good at this aquascaping lark

(Like it by the way!)

 

[George Farmer]

Wow!

Thanks for all the kind words folks.

TDI (Dan) - PM me about fire extinguishers.

Clive - the sand was part of an open foreground that I decided against in the end. Rather than remove it, I mixed it in with the other stuff. Downoi is great, I love it too!

Thanks again.

 

[Moss Man]

Very Nice, it's good to see a low-maintenance layout since the old 125l scape.

I love the wood too, do you think it would look be better if you put a bit of moss on the wood? It might give it a more aged appearance, although it wouldn't look as effective if completely covered in moss, just in small areas.

 

[Themuleous]

Very nice, clean scape that George, the valls work really well as 'wall' along the back.

What make of filter are those BTW?

Sam

 

[George Farmer]

Thanks guys.

Filters are a JBL Cristalprofi 500 (1200lph) and a Superfish SP4 (1550lph).

 

[alexandre]

Hi George,

I like the scape, the rock arrangement is very nice. Maybe a couple of smaller branches will be good.

I noticed that you use more and more TPN+. Is it for the ease of use, better or same than EI, low light? Do you think it carry enough macro for a high light tank?

 

[Luketendo]

Hi George,

I like the scape, the rock arrangement is very nice. Maybe a couple of smaller branches will be good.

I noticed that you use more and more TPN+. Is it for the ease of use, better or same than EI, low light? Do you think it carry enough macro for a high light tank?

I think he uses it because it's the same as EI and my convenient.

 

[George Farmer]

Thanks Alexandre.

Do you think it carry enough macro for a high light tank?

I think so. This is 4 x 24w HO T5 over 80cm. 5ml TPN+ per day.

I've run a 120cm with 4 x 54w HO T5 dosing 10ml TPN+ per day also.,

 

[aaronnorth]

I think this is my favourite so far as it is more inspiring to me as i feel i could achieve something like that!

Is that the only nutrient (TPN+) you dose on the rio and 120cm tanks? Because i am thinking about doing the same but with excell aswell.

 

[alexandre]

I think so. This is 4 x 24w HO T5 over 80cm. 5ml TPN+ per day.

Okay thanks, but if I remember well your tap water have quiet a bit of N & P. I am using RO water and want to simplified my dosing, that's why I am wondering if the macro inside TPN+ are enough.

 

[JamesC]

Each dosing of 5ml per 50 litres TPN+ adds 6ppm NO3 and 0.4ppm PO4. So if George's tank is 200 litres then each 5ml daily does will add 1.5ppm NO3 and 0.1ppm PO4. That amount should work fine in this setup. Plus it gets a good dose of NO3 and PO4 from each water change courtesy of his local water board.

Another class scape George. Shall be watching to see how this one developss

James

 

[George Farmer]

Cheers, James!

Interesting on the dosings too - I never knew actual figures for NP. Thanks.