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60cm/54litre - 'Windelov Sunset'

A little update a week or so on:

25apr09.jpg


All coming on nicely - some crypt melt and one or two anubias leaves are looking a bit worse for wear, but all have new shoots coming through so I'm happy things are well. Next week I'll give the r.wallichii a good trim and re-plant the cuttings. I have some c.parva on order from AE which will go around the base of the wood/fern to replace one or two of the c.wendtii which will end up too big in hindsight.

The moss got a proper trim at the last water change - finally made some decent use of the cheapy aquarium scissors I bought a year or so back. Once the parva arrives and is planted I will probably lift the HC from the front of the tank and possibly make use of it around the rocks with the aim of keeping the substrate clear except that around the base of the 'mound'. There's some hairgrass dotted around which I might leave for now to see how it grows.

The tank has been running on EI + EasyCarbo and NO CO2 for about 1.5 weeks now. It doesn't seem to have suffered as yet but I have a cheap mono-gauge regulator on order from eBay and if this can fit with my existing needle valve and solenoid then I might jump on the fire extinguisher boat - I also have a cheap Boyu branded inline diffuser which turned up this week (ordered before the CO2 regulator seal stopped working) which I'll use to replace the Jacqno reactor which is really too big for my cupboard - I might well sell this if anyone wants it, it does work well but is too bulky for the small cabinet I have.

Last but not least, with the parva I also ordered (at last some may say!) a cleaning brush for the lily pipes which are in dire need of cleaning :)
 
Beginning to wonder if the windelov is the right focus plant for this layout. It was said about my last planting layout using windelov - the fern just looks a bit too much like the surrounding plants and moss, very fine and it doesn't have much structure.

I'm wondering if something a bit more striking would work better, perhaps a nice few bunches of blyxa or similar? Whatever plant it could be needs to stay low andn ot go much above 50% up the tank height I think - suggestions and comments welcome as always :)
 
Hi nry,
i think blyxya would suit it very well,attains a nice shape and doesnt grow too all,
regards john.
 
I'm going to give the wallichii a while to settle in I think, then see how it all looks. If the windelov still looks a bit airy-fairy then blyxya so far is my favourite choice for replacing it.
 
CO2 manometer idea has been ditched in favour of a full new setup with dual-gauge regulator. Figure if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right!

With luck, taking the Jaqno reactor out in favour of a Boyu one should mean I'll fit an extinguisher inside the tank cabinet too.
 
Very good looking tank, just need some more time to grow up. The only thing i don't like are the anubias whose leafs seams too big in comparation with other plants. Also some crypeus and blyxas would be good addictions for the back.
Good luck! :D
 
I'll do a photo update shortly. Once the crypts at the rear settle in they should fill the gaps a little.

I think the anubias might work better with a different centre plant (i.e. to replace the windelov) as I do think the same thing - the windelov is just too fine to fit well with the rest of the plant types.

I've put some c.parva around too now so that should fill in some of the area surrounding the wood base.
 
Thanks to a UKAPS member I have just replaced the Windelov with a good batch of blyxa :)

I have to say, I am very very happy with it all now, still not 100% on the c.parva which I think may still be a bit big for the layout, but the blyxa just works for me, it really is a lovely plant :)

Hopefully it'll grow well enough - the 2Kg FE is in the cabinet without a problem now, just waiting for the new regulator/solenoid from eBay to get some CO2 back in the tank. I'll post some pictures tomorrow once the tank has settled from the water change tonight, but I have to say the EasyCarbo has done well standing in for the CO2, I've had no algae issues at all beyond a slight thread of (I think) spirogira or something similar which I keep pulling at when I see it.

Still holding off pulling out any of the HC, as I know it's a voracious grower and should be holding back any algae that's waiting to take hold with no CO2. May or may not replant some in and around the rocks with the aim of keeping it tidy and well away from the glass.
 
Patience my friend!

Ok, I can't call this 'Windelov Sunset' anymore as there's no Windelov...

13may2009.jpg
 
My new glass lily pipes and regulator arrived today :)

Both are now fitted and working well, good to get some CO2 back in the water, I was starting to get a little amount of what I think is spirogyra - long filaments which seem to curl a little into loops. Very fragile stuff, tweezers tend to snap it when pulled out. Hopefully the CO2 and a few more weeks of EasyCarbo will sort it out - I remove any I see ASAP too.

I've a spare inlet/lily pipe from the set (13mm - PM brand)...do I keep this or sell it...
 
I know...I'd sell it then within weeks break the other one!
 
Finally ripped up and moved/replanted the HC, it's spread around the pebblesand I'm going to try and keep it this way once it settles in again. I don't want a carpet over the entire substrate.

I have some P.Helferi sitting at the Post Office depot overnight...not too happy but it should be OK with luck. I moved out some of the C.Parva (might move some more out tomorrow when I plant the PH) to make way for this as the PH will work better (imo) height and shape wise with the blyxa.

I'll actually say that I am finally happy with the way this scape is moving. Not 100% convinced on the anubias in any of the locations it is currently, I might move it into the background somehow and use some PH around the pebbles instead. I think the smaller look of the PH will work better than the larger anubias leaves.

Swapped my tubes too - I now have two Sylvania 865's. Ordered 3 as for whatever silly postage cost reasons, it was £4 cheaper than just ordering 2...

Piccy from tonight, not my best!

19may2009.jpg
 
If I can just sort some decent pictures and stop the pebbles from getting covered in algae now :)

Cheers John, good to see you're still here :)
 
nry said:
If I can just sort some decent pictures and stop the pebbles from getting covered in algae now :)

Cheers John, good to see you're still here :)
Hi nry,good flow will keep the algae at bay,yes I'm still here,
Regards john.
 
A bit of playing around with a different camera, room lights off and curtains closed, followed by a little playing in Photoshop CS4:

19may2009ps.jpg


The flow is much improved with the new filter pipe routing and I now have CO2 back instead of EasyCarbo too...
 
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