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Cliff & Plateau

hogan53 said:
Hi Chaps
I have purchased a similar diffuser to the one mentioned!
(see attached picture file below)
The ceramic disc needs to be removed and soaked in water or mild bleach for a few days!
Works decently after this...purchase some more discs as replacements when needing cleaned.
I have one soaking in water a few days before I replace the soiled one!
View attachment 105845
hoggie
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I'll try that soaking too. While I bought an inline diffuser to replace this thing, I still like to tinker and make things work. Maybe I'll setup that "outsourced" JBJ as a 3rd tank after all. Just to see what I can do with it.


Tim Harrison said:
Nice glassware...watch out for the drop checker tho'. IME that design is very slow to show real change and may make it difficult to dial your CO2 in accurately.
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Good info on the drop checker. I'll keep an eye on them, using one for each tank. Luckily I also have the Milwaukee pH probe in place.
 
The second Eheim 4e+ Pro filter arrived today. I'm probably the only one running this filter on a 10 gallon tank. Water should be crystal clear at any time. I also opted to use the exact same filter on both tanks for redundancy. In a worst case scenario I can compare performance and swap parts in order to keep one tank running until replacement arrives.

I love that these filter hook up to a computer which will allow me to change the flow rate at night, or pause them when the auto feeder kicks in. These filter can also simulate waves, and they detect air bubbles in the system and remove them automatically.


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The frosted film samples also arrived. Chances are I won't use any film, because none of them cover up the outlets in the kitchen. I would have to use solid color / none transparent film and that's looks like crap IMO.


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McCarthy said:
The frosted film samples also arrived. Chances are I won't use any film, because none of them cover up the outlets in the kitchen. I would have to use solid color / none transparent film and that's looks like crap IMO.
Click to expand...

I suggest you take a slow read through Mark Evans outstanding journals (one of my favourite aquascapers - love his journal style - tank comes alive)

Blue Sky Iwagumi
- notice the effects of different card backgrounds used in the photo shoots, one of his journals includes some detail on trying the various cards & backlighting

I'd just lean a card against the wall to block out those outlets :D
 
alto said:
I suggest you take a slow read through Mark Evans outstanding journals (one of my favourite aquascapers - love his journal style - tank comes alive)

Blue Sky Iwagumi
- notice the effects of different card backgrounds used in the photo shoots, one of his journals includes some detail on trying the various cards & backlighting

I'd just lean a card against the wall to block out those outlets :D
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Indeed a good read, thanks mate.

I'll be busy for a while.
 
PS: just found this... this tank comes VERY close to what I have in mind:

- only 1 fish species
- only 1 shrimp species
- only 1 plant for a bright green carpet
- only stones, SAN SUI in my case
- no wood
- no long plants


 
Another fantastic Iwagumi with minimalistic approach to flora & fauna

Just Aquascaping "Next"

I want those "invisible shrimp" too :D
but haven't seen any except at GarnelenHaus,

Note that in both "Next" & "Of Green and Stone" both rockscapes are very textured (despite being very dissimilar stone) - the San Sui stone is much "flatter" in appearance so you should play with substrate texture (gentle peaks & troughs with slope front to back &/or side to side, etc)

Realize that when you add water, the change in media alters perception significantly (flattening is how I think of it), then light (especially LED) brings texture/changes in color back

In an Iwagumi I'd suggest filling the tank to check rock position & effect before planting - I assume you've a Python water changer (or similar), this makes fill/drain a quick process BUT Amazonia is "soft" so I'd layer paper towels & plastic (just cut any "freezer" quality bags to fit - plastic is thicker/sturdier) when filling, most will float up & easily removed & leaving you with clear water ... leave it a couple days to decide if you love/hate the scape :)

If you go with Elatine or HC you may want to dry start for a week to encourage rooting (depending on your plant stock), then fill & dial in LOTS of CO2 for the next couple weeks until you see steady submerse growth ... I'll sometime run CO2 24/7 during start up, just turning CO2 to lower rate during non-photoperiod - I've my tanks in a well lit room & plants definitely respond to ambient light, make sure there's some surface ripple to maintain good oxygen levels
 
alto said:
Another fantastic Iwagumi with minimalistic approach to flora & fauna

Just Aquascaping "Next"

I want those "invisible shrimp" too :D
but haven't seen any except at GarnelenHaus,

Note that in both "Next" & "Of Green and Stone" both rockscapes are very textured (despite being very dissimilar stone) - the San Sui stone is much "flatter" in appearance so you should play with substrate texture (gentle peaks & troughs with slope front to back &/or side to side, etc)

Realize that when you add water, the change in media alters perception significantly (flattening is how I think of it), then light (especially LED) brings texture/changes in color back

In an Iwagumi I'd suggest filling the tank to check rock position & effect before planting - I assume you've a Python water changer (or similar), this makes fill/drain a quick process BUT Amazonia is "soft" so I'd layer paper towels & plastic (just cut any "freezer" quality bags to fit - plastic is thicker/sturdier) when filling, most will float up & easily removed & leaving you with clear water ... leave it a couple days to decide if you love/hate the scape :)

If you go with Elatine or HC you may want to dry start for a week to encourage rooting (depending on your plant stock), then fill & dial in LOTS of CO2 for the next couple weeks until you see steady submerse growth ... I'll sometime run CO2 24/7 during start up, just turning CO2 to lower rate during non-photoperiod - I've my tanks in a well lit room & plants definitely respond to ambient light, make sure there's some surface ripple to maintain good oxygen levels
Click to expand...




Thank you so much for all your suggestions. I filled the JBL tank with water while I had a few stones arranged and sure enough, the perspective changed a lot. Wish my tanks would be double in depth. Oh well, next time.

I gotta let those ideas sink in for a while and figure out if I want to change anything.
 
The final glassware for the refugium tank arrived today. GLA really defines quality with their range of products! Those pieces are even better than ADA.


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This is a comparison between the GLA and the Chinese outlet pipe, which somebody suggested to me here on the forum. Night and day. You get what you pay for.


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Yeah GLA is top drawer :D

Wish they hadn't discontinued their tank range

The Refugium tank is an excellent place for "play" & learning :)
 
I like the stones in the R tank but make sure you haven't created any equidistant lines - between rocks or between glass wall & rocks .... you want asymmetry

In a non Iwagumi tank or Iwagumi with more plant species, stone placement is less critical but as you want a very "flat" aspect monoculture plant, the (defined) "spaces" become more important
 
McCarthy said:
PS: just found this... this tank comes VERY close to what I have in mind:

- only 1 fish species
- only 1 shrimp species
- only 1 plant for a bright green carpet
- only stones, SAN SUI in my case
- no wood
- no long plants


Click to expand...


Rock placement and texture are awesome, that's why this iwagumi is brillant!
 
This is my '2 stone-2 plants' iwagumi, I used soil to create height and depth, this was my first aquascape and I always loved the iwagumi style and wanted something very simple looking just like you. Stone placement is critical so take your time for that. ;)

17061112422840470.jpg


Be aware that this kind of aquascape is prone to algae in the beginning because of the low plant mass (twinstar will help for that) and then can be a lot of trimming work, using an hard toothbrush on the rocks helps too.
 
alto said:
Yeah GLA is top drawer :D

Wish they hadn't discontinued their tank range

The Refugium tank is an excellent place for "play" & learning :)
Click to expand...

They had tanks? My next tank will be 180 long x 45 high x 90 deep. Shallow and lots of depth. Obviously has to be custom build, already have a quote. With top quality glass $4500.


alto said:
I like the stones in the R tank but make sure you haven't created any equidistant lines - between rocks or between glass wall & rocks .... you want asymmetry

In a non Iwagumi tank or Iwagumi with more plant species, stone placement is less critical but as you want a very "flat" aspect monoculture plant, the (defined) "spaces" become more important
Click to expand...

Asymmetry and my OCD are a bad match. :D I'll have to fight me on that one. Interesting correlation between a flat layout and the spaces. I'll have to experiment some.


CooKieS said:
This is my '2 stone-2 plants' iwagumi, I used soil to create height and depth, this was my first aquascape and I always loved the iwagumi style and wanted something very simple looking just like you. Stone placement is critical so take your time for that. ;)

17061112422840470.jpg


Be aware that this kind of aquascape is prone to algae in the beginning because of the low plant mass (twinstar will help for that) and then can be a lot of trimming work, using an hard toothbrush on the rocks helps too.
Click to expand...


Sweet scape! I might have to think about my flat approach and maybe bring in some elevation changes too.

Thanks guys for pointing things out, really appreciate it. I can buy all the tech, but I can't buy skill.
 
Still waiting for those barbed hose adapters. They made it through customs but then the tracking stopped. The carrier is some bullcrap company with zero customer service. Without the adapters I can't hook up my tanks, because the in-cabinet tubing will be 5/8" and the hoses going to and from the glassware is only 1/2".

Meanwhile I ran the hoses for the automated waterchange system through the wall. Freshwater comes directly from a pressurized tank which is hooked up to my Reverse Osmosis system in the laundry room. The waste water goes straight into the washing machine waste water pipe.

The water changes will be controlled by a Siemens controller. Freshwater will go through the heater and trickled back in over night to prevent the habitants from temperature or TDS shock. At some point I'll also automate remineralisation.

Didn't want to put extra holes into the wall in the living room, so I came up with this... and yes... I got zapped... what I get for being lazy and not flipping the breaker lol


DSC00648.jpg



Who said a power outlet is only good for power?!


DSC00649.jpg



Wastewater line going into washing machine waster water pipe:


DSC00650.jpg
 
kadoxu said:
I see you like to live dangerously...
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Only thing dangerous in this hobby is using submersible heaters and pumps made in China. Did you see the internals of some?

One of my degrees is in Electronics, don't worry, I have this covered (AFCI, GFCI, wire and hose drip loop, all power strips and wires are mounted high, the Siemens controler will shut off everything if water is being detected in certain places and start an audible alarm).
 
I saw a really nice nano today and decided, that I want one on my nightstand, and one on my desk.

Yep, that's right. I ordered tank No 3 and tank 4, hardscape, more soil, sand, another filter, another LED... SHOPPING SPREE!


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Well, let´s hope you will love this hobby as much as shop :D:thumbup:

60F is always a good choice, can't wait to see your hardscape!
 
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