kirk
Member
I've just been drawn into your thread too, very nice, like the rummy nose shoal.
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Aqua at pet shop - layout no.3 - the end
- Thread starter Alexander Belchenko
- Start date
Greenfinger2
Member
Hi Alexander, Not sure i think its like Cryptocóryne beckéttii or softer leaved Crypts 
After trimming other leaves will die back too ??
Soon new young leaves will appear from the crown of the plant
Just read the last post Where are the fish now ???
After trimming other leaves will die back too ??Soon new young leaves will appear from the crown of the plant
Just read the last post
Where are the fish now ???
Alexander Belchenko
Member
Just read the last post
Yeah. The fish are very shy. They don't like me or my camera. I dunno. Always hide behind the ferns at the right side when I'm taking the pictures. I can only get some video with them if I put some food there.
Martin in Holland
Member
- Joined
- 28 May 2013
- Messages
- 2,311
The shop must be happy to have this tank ....I hope costumers like it too and don't find it to empty again...LOL
Alexander Belchenko
Member
Thanks, mate. The carpet indeed turned out very nice. There are helantium tennelum, couple of species of dwarf hairgrass and lilaeopsis. But of course - helantium is definitely "the first violin" there. Splash of red will come back.Great scape, the carpet has turned out as good as I've ever seen.Love the splash of red too.
Yeah, customers and shop staff very much liked it. Last weekend while I was doing maintenance I had couple of nice conversations with people who really enjoys the tank. It was pleased me a little bit. It's quite interested to hear that some people silently watches the progress of my work and only tell me this in person, not in forums. Ah, my 5 minutes of glory
Alexander Belchenko
Member
2015/01/25 - 21 weeks - let's change it
It was inevitable. As I wrote before I need to slightly tweak the layout to improve it. Today I removed all murdania keysak and most of fern from central part of wood to provide more light to althernathera mini. Also planted new stem to bush. And new plant replaced murdania: miriophyllum roraima (not visible on photo yet). I want to plant there juncus repens but unfortunately haven't found it yet. But maybe roraima will work too. I like its bronze-reddish color.
Before:
60x30x36 - 21 weeks by bialix1, on Flickr
After:
60x30x36 - 21 weeks by bialix1, on Flickr
Next week I'm going to trim ferns at the right side, and carpet at the left. I think in 2 or 3 weeks the tank will flourish again.
It was inevitable. As I wrote before I need to slightly tweak the layout to improve it. Today I removed all murdania keysak and most of fern from central part of wood to provide more light to althernathera mini. Also planted new stem to bush. And new plant replaced murdania: miriophyllum roraima (not visible on photo yet). I want to plant there juncus repens but unfortunately haven't found it yet. But maybe roraima will work too. I like its bronze-reddish color.
Before:
After:
Next week I'm going to trim ferns at the right side, and carpet at the left. I think in 2 or 3 weeks the tank will flourish again.
Last edited:
Alexander Belchenko
Member
2015/02/01 - 5 months - heavy trim
Today I've trimmed those ferns and carpet. Somehow I decided it's required to remove some h.tenellum from the glass. So I cut with scissors about 1 cm thick strip of the carpet along left, front and partially right side. And then I was able to finally clean glass from the algae. The carpet is so tight that no shrimp can reach the substrate now. I've never had such carpet with tenellum.
60x30x36 - 5 months by bialix1, on Flickr
Looking at the speed the carpet grows I'm sure I'll have all substrate covered again in 2 weeks max. That's crazy. Hope the red bush will recover soon too.
60x30x36 - 5 months by bialix1, on Flickr
Next week I'm expecting to get some juncus repens to plant at the background behind the wood. Can't wait to try it
Today I've trimmed those ferns and carpet. Somehow I decided it's required to remove some h.tenellum from the glass. So I cut with scissors about 1 cm thick strip of the carpet along left, front and partially right side. And then I was able to finally clean glass from the algae. The carpet is so tight that no shrimp can reach the substrate now. I've never had such carpet with tenellum.
Looking at the speed the carpet grows I'm sure I'll have all substrate covered again in 2 weeks max. That's crazy. Hope the red bush will recover soon too.
Next week I'm expecting to get some juncus repens to plant at the background behind the wood. Can't wait to try it
Greenfinger2
Member
Hi Alexander, Stunning mate
Alexander Belchenko
Member
Haha, thanks.
Thank you guys for kind words and likes. I know the tank is not reached its full potential yet, but it's going in the right direction, I think.
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Alexander Belchenko
Member
2015/02/14 - 24 weeks
Last week I've finally got some juncus repens. The seller said it's slow grower plant, will see. Now it's planted behind the wood and m.roraima, so it's not very visible yet. Once it will grow big enough I'll decide whether I should remove roraima or not. I never had roraima before and should say that I very like it's bronze reddish color. It adds a touch of warm color.
60x30x36 - 24 weeks by bialix1, on Flickr
The crypts at the background started to mature and grow big. That's what I had in mind when I planted them. Like the effect.
60x30x36 - 24 weeks by bialix1, on Flickr
Also you can spot red algae on the wood - caloglosa cf. beckari. I think that dark colored thing is not good in this scape though. There are several spots of it in the carpet, and it looks almost black from the distance. And it's nightmare to get rid of. I think it was a mistake to use it there. Also I still have some ideas how to use it later (on light background though).
And FTS (right before water change, so excuse me any dirty glass):
60x30x36 - 24 weeks by bialix1, on Flickr
And side view:
60x30x36 - 24 weeks by bialix1, on Flickr
I think this time I made the layout right in the terms of 3 layers: foreground, midground and background.
Last week I've finally got some juncus repens. The seller said it's slow grower plant, will see. Now it's planted behind the wood and m.roraima, so it's not very visible yet. Once it will grow big enough I'll decide whether I should remove roraima or not. I never had roraima before and should say that I very like it's bronze reddish color. It adds a touch of warm color.
The crypts at the background started to mature and grow big. That's what I had in mind when I planted them. Like the effect.
Also you can spot red algae on the wood - caloglosa cf. beckari. I think that dark colored thing is not good in this scape though. There are several spots of it in the carpet, and it looks almost black from the distance. And it's nightmare to get rid of. I think it was a mistake to use it there. Also I still have some ideas how to use it later (on light background though).
And FTS (right before water change, so excuse me any dirty glass):
And side view:
I think this time I made the layout right in the terms of 3 layers: foreground, midground and background.
rodoselada
Member
I like your setup!
Alexander Belchenko
Member
Thank you, I like it too.
I've compiled a short video with some details of the tank. Just for fun.
Greenfinger2
Member
Hi Alexander,
Looking good
Looking good
Alexander Belchenko
Member
Layout no.2 has finished
This is final photo, not very good quality, and overall I'm not happy with the state of the tank.
60x30x36 - final - 28 weeks by bialix1, on Flickr
This one I think was the peak of the tank (~3 months). After that it was only worse.
60x30x36 - 15 weeks by bialix1, on Flickr
Layout is already dismantled. This weekend I hope to build new one. Back to white background, using rocks and simple classic U-shape.
This is final photo, not very good quality, and overall I'm not happy with the state of the tank.
This one I think was the peak of the tank (~3 months). After that it was only worse.
Layout is already dismantled. This weekend I hope to build new one. Back to white background, using rocks and simple classic U-shape.
Alexander Belchenko
Member
Hardscape for layout no.3
For layout no.3 I wanted to created something simple, U-shaped, with rocks, plants and again frosted background. At the shop there are some Carpathians rocks (a-la ADA Manten Stone). Unfortunately most of them were too big for that tank.
This time several people created new layout: I asked for help shop owner, and another scaper-beginner (who I'm mentoring for last several months for scaping foo). So after about 30 min session of trial and error we ended up with something like that:
hardscape for 60x30x36 by bialix1, on Flickr
Funnily enough, after moving rocks from playsand area to the tank - some rocks ended up in slightly different angles and positions, even though we tried to re-create the layout based on the photo made.
Stay tuned!
For layout no.3 I wanted to created something simple, U-shaped, with rocks, plants and again frosted background. At the shop there are some Carpathians rocks (a-la ADA Manten Stone). Unfortunately most of them were too big for that tank.
This time several people created new layout: I asked for help shop owner, and another scaper-beginner (who I'm mentoring for last several months for scaping foo). So after about 30 min session of trial and error we ended up with something like that:
Funnily enough, after moving rocks from playsand area to the tank - some rocks ended up in slightly different angles and positions, even though we tried to re-create the layout based on the photo made.
Stay tuned!
Last edited:
The_Iceman
Member
- Joined
- 29 May 2014
- Messages
- 376
Nice rocks, Alexander!
Looking forward to the update!
Looking forward to the update!
Alexander Belchenko
Member
Layout no.3 - beginning
Restart was very quick, we started at about 11am at Saturday. Remove all remaining plants from previous layout, catch the fish and shrimps, and emptying the tank. I've kept old water to re-use it after planting, because I wanted to put livestock back to tank as soon as possible.
We started to play with rocks in separate playground with dimensions 50*30 (the tank bottom area is 60*30). After 3 or 4 attempts we ended up with something that we all liked.
Hardscape for 60x30x36 by bialix1, on Flickr
Hardscape - top view by bialix1, on Flickr
I initially wanted to use smaller amount of rocks and fill corners with stems, but our hardscape directed us in slightly different direction, it was almost obvious that we need to use shorter plants, otherwise we destroy the sense of scale, created by rocks. So we planted the shorter stems only behind rocks and at sides, to hide some not-so-good-sides of rocks. Unfortunately we had only small amount of rocks of suitable size, so it's not the best of the best hardscape. One may say some rocks have ugly sides, and I won't disagree.
My plan for planting was: dhg for foreground and middle path, staurogyne for middle ground (between smaller rocks), and some stems at sides and corners. I had about 3 times more plants than we can ever use in this layout. Thanks to this we have enough material to select from.
We finished planting and installing hardware at 4pm and went home, leave the tank to clear muddy water after filling it in. 5 hours sprint, it was something! I understand now why working on new layout is so productive and fast when there are other people who help you.
Anyway, the next day I've put frosted background to the tank, put the fish in and made some shots and video. Please enjoy the picture:
60x30x36 - day 2 by bialix1, on Flickr
I feel that new layout has some potential. It makes me feel there is hope for better times in our lives.
Stay tuned, I'm working on making a short video.
Restart was very quick, we started at about 11am at Saturday. Remove all remaining plants from previous layout, catch the fish and shrimps, and emptying the tank. I've kept old water to re-use it after planting, because I wanted to put livestock back to tank as soon as possible.
We started to play with rocks in separate playground with dimensions 50*30 (the tank bottom area is 60*30). After 3 or 4 attempts we ended up with something that we all liked.
I initially wanted to use smaller amount of rocks and fill corners with stems, but our hardscape directed us in slightly different direction, it was almost obvious that we need to use shorter plants, otherwise we destroy the sense of scale, created by rocks. So we planted the shorter stems only behind rocks and at sides, to hide some not-so-good-sides of rocks. Unfortunately we had only small amount of rocks of suitable size, so it's not the best of the best hardscape. One may say some rocks have ugly sides, and I won't disagree.
My plan for planting was: dhg for foreground and middle path, staurogyne for middle ground (between smaller rocks), and some stems at sides and corners. I had about 3 times more plants than we can ever use in this layout. Thanks to this we have enough material to select from.
We finished planting and installing hardware at 4pm and went home, leave the tank to clear muddy water after filling it in. 5 hours sprint, it was something! I understand now why working on new layout is so productive and fast when there are other people who help you.
Anyway, the next day I've put frosted background to the tank, put the fish in and made some shots and video. Please enjoy the picture:
I feel that new layout has some potential. It makes me feel there is hope for better times in our lives.
Stay tuned, I'm working on making a short video.
