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AS900- restart and rethink.

SRP3006

Member
Joined
18 Feb 2019
Messages
753
Location
GB
Hi all.

After struggling to maintain my previous larger, deeper, braced aquarium I have opted for an (hopefully) easier aquarium to upkeep.
It's been a few months in planning (longer due to obvious reasons) but I'm almost there.
So yesterday the aquarium and cabinet arrived, very well made, very neat tidy and sleek.
Cabinet leveled off and tank positioned. So far so good. Hopefully I can do things right this time to stop me having problems later on.
AS900
Twinstar 900s
Oase 600 thermo
FE via inline diffuser
JBL volcano mineral
Tropica soil and powder
ADA power sand advance
Dark landscape rock
Manzanita
ADA la plata sand
Aquascaper pipework.

The scape will be an island scape with la plata around the edges.

Plant list is not yet certain but will consist of,
Cryptocoryne willissii
Cryptocoryne petchii
Cryptocoryne pygmaea
Micranthenum monte carlo
Weeping moss
Hygrophila pinnatifida
Anubias bonsai
Buce green
Buce theia
Buce sp red
Bolbitus heudelotii
Microsorum trident
Rotala Vietnam H'ra
Hemianthus micranthemoides.

Thanks to aquarium Gardens once again for all the help and of course all the kit.

Guess I better start scaping, can't wait to get started, will be plenty of questions along the way to ensure I don't balls it up.
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Practically the exact same kit as mine i am off mid september so plan to scape mine then really looking forward to this mate sure will turn out great.

Dean

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Thanks guys.

Right it's 'scaped' and I would like some honest feedback please.
Nothing is glued at all yet. Soil is in except the powder and la plata.

I can see already its going to be an uphill battle keeping soil off the sand
(any tips)

Sam.
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Plant it and leave the sand out for a few days after filling let all the soil move and settle before adding any sand or pebbles that way when you do your water changes any rogue soil can be hovered out easily without losing that expansive ADA sand love the lay out mate
 
Plant it and leave the sand out for a few days after filling let all the soil move and settle before adding any sand or pebbles that way when you do your water changes any rogue soil can be hovered out easily without losing that expansive ADA sand love the lay out mate
Thanks Jay, I will leave the monte carlo until I add the sand then. As its getting added between the two if that makes sense
 
I like it mate not seen a nice island layout for a while and i will have same battle, are you glueing anything down or does it not need it, also how many plants you ordering as thins is one thing i am unsure of how many pots ?

Also you using all in one ferts or dry powders.

Dean

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
 
I like it mate not seen a nice island layout for a while and i will have same battle, are you glueing anything down or does it not need it, also how many plants you ordering as thins is one thing i am unsure of how many pots ?

Also you using all in one ferts or dry powders.

Dean

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk

Thanks mate, I have some pro haru glue for the wood, I have soaked it for 3 weeks and it was very slimy so hopefully it won't float. I will glue it just to be sure. Not sure on how many pots I will be ordering but is it quite a lot of plants. Sorted it on my visit to AG and they recommend planting heavy from the start (and it's a lot heavier than my heavy ).

I'll adjust the original post to show how many of each plant I'll be buying.

I have a jebao auto doser from my other tank and plenty of dry ferts, I think I will be using them however still tempted by the all in one as the tank is smaller.
 
I need to look into that a little more, first time I saw it mentioned was in @LondonDragon journal. Are there any downsides at to an all in one mixture?


Would anybody move anything or change in the scape? See any problems with it?
 
I think the only thing I would change if possible is the thicker piece of wood on the right hand side that just kinda sticks up if it connected break it off use it else where or turn it so it creates a line toward the main trunk
 
It's part of a twist Jay, maybe I can turn it a little. U can just about see it in the pic, its connected to the bit that trails over the rocks. I can't break it without breaking the whole piece, I'll try twisting it?
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I am not an expert and this is only my personal viewpoint.

I like the scape and can see how you are going for a classic U shape in the island. I wonder however, if or how you will keep the negative space at the centre.

My personal perspective would be to align the far right piece with the other branches almost as if it was being pushed by a water current. I would prefer to see them aligned.

I am not sure about your planting plan, however, I would focus on what will be seen after the plants grow in. I often see amazing scapes that are rapidly obscured by the planting.

Just some thoughts...
 
I am not an expert and this is only my personal viewpoint.

I like the scape and can see how you are going for a classic U shape in the island. I wonder however, if or how you will keep the negative space at the centre.

My personal perspective would be to align the far right piece with the other branches almost as if it was being pushed by a water current. I would prefer to see them aligned.

I am not sure about your planting plan, however, I would focus on what will be seen after the plants grow in. I often see amazing scapes that are rapidly obscured by the planting.

Just some thoughts...
Thanks, which far piece are you talking about? The twist or the branch hanging over the rocks?

As for negative space the larger piece of manzi has a nice little 'cave' area at its base which I will try to leave visible. Since that photo I have dragged some of the smaller pieces towards the rocks a little more to allow for them to be seen after planting. But as for seeing the scape after planting I'm afraid I haven't been doing this long enough to see it all grown in.

I will have a look today and see if I can align some of the pieces.
 
Thanks, which far piece are you talking about? The twist or the branch hanging over the rocks?

As for negative space the larger piece of manzi has a nice little 'cave' area at its base which I will try to leave visible. Since that photo I have dragged some of the smaller pieces towards the rocks a little more to allow for them to be seen after planting. But as for seeing the scape after planting I'm afraid I haven't been doing this long enough to see it all grown in.

I will have a look today and see if I can align some of the pieces.


I am still a beginner in this area so please do take my comments with a large pinch of salt. I would place each piece of wood so it is aligned in the same direction, towards the left side of the tank. So I would move the branch. It comes down to imo your personal viewpoint...what you like.
 
I wouldn't worry much about what it will look like grown in. I am in the same boat and I just move the plants about or take some out and replace with others etc.

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