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Gareth's 60cm rotalla scape.

Garuf

Member
Joined
30 Oct 2007
Messages
5,644
Location
Copenhagen
New scape half finished last night:
Tank specs are:
60x30x30 rimless braceless
tetratec ex1200 1200lph through glass ware. hydor inline heater.
Pressurized co2 via nano chisel diffuser
Substrate ada amazonia
dosing EI.

I'm waiting on more plants namely some pots of Rottalla a pot of bolbitis and some HC. I have a rough Idea on where these will go, the problem is everything looks very untidy and all over the shop also I have no idea of what plants will go in the back corners of the scape.
I'll post a picture up as soon as possible, my camera really isn't working.
 
Re: Let's help Gareth pull his scape together.

p1190100ry6.jpg
 
Re: Let's help Gareth pull his scape together.

That looks really nice mate. If it were mine i wouldn't have anything in the corners and just have a mound style tank. Again, if it were mine, i'd leave out the Vallis? and just have a well sculpted bush of Rotala at the back, the Rotala and Vallis? won't mix very well IMO. Otherwise it's on the button mate.
 
Re: Let's help Gareth pull his scape together.

It's not vallis, it's cyprus helfri, it was a gift and I felt bad not using it.
 
Re: Let's help Gareth pull his scape together.

More than anything mate, you need some patience with it I think. Let it fill out a bit more before judging it too much - I think it looks great :)
 
Re: Let's help Gareth pull his scape together.

I wanted to try a wall of stems but I can see the benefits of a mound. I'd still like some more height in the corners Maybe some crypts or something bushier?
I did want to try a red plant Proserpinaca Paulustris in particular but I'm not sure it has a place in this scape?
 
Re: Let's help Gareth pull his scape together.

Before I forget what should my lighting, dosing and water change schedule be? I've got no livestock in there by the way, just plants.
 
Re: Let's help Gareth pull his scape together.

What are your lighting levels now mate?

Clive or someone else might correct me here, but with such little plant mass I'd probably go half EI for now, at least until you have the hc in there and filled out a bit. Lighting period of 6 hours maybe... 34w T5 should be more than enough for now too.

Not sure about TPN+ dosing... too expensive for my tastes :lol:
 
Re: Let's help Gareth pull his scape together.

Lighting is 2x24 t5 for 8hours, I'll be dosing EI but you're saying half ei for the time being? TPN+? Pah!
 
Re: Let's help Gareth pull his scape together.

Yeah, half should be enough for now... keep an eye on the plants though, and increase when you think its needed.

Lighting, I meant to type 24w... so remove a bulb, or do what I do and cover part of the bulbs with some strips of card or something on the luminaire. 6 hours will be plenty for now. Increase as time goes by and plants fill out.

You might need some filter kick start to keep the bacteria going without fish stock though...
 
Re: Let's help Gareth pull his scape together.

I've got a mature filter and I added a couple of handfuls of aquasoil from my old tank. So I think it should be okay.
I'll alter the timers now, co2 2 hours before lights on, two hours before lights off. I'll whip out a bulb too, though I'm not sure it'll be enough?
 
Re: Let's help Gareth pull his scape together.

JAmesM said:
You might need some filter kick start to keep the bacteria going without fish stock though...
Aquasoil will do that mate ;)
IIRC there is a conflict as to whether or not you should half light and half dose. I normally do but next time, providing there is a decent biomass i'll be piling in the CO2 like super CO2 and full lighting for 7hrs and full EI just to see how it goes. I should be doing it in the next couple of weeks so i'll let you know. It's just a Glosso carpet but with loads of floating weeds for extra biomass.
 
Re: Let's help Gareth pull his scape together.

I'm sure it'll be fine, although you could try the card method and remove some strips when you think you need more light.


Ah, cheers for the info, Dan. Look forward to your journal then :D
 
Re: Let's help Gareth pull his scape together.

Talking of extra biomass, anyone got any staurgauyne going? Mine is looking really very pathetic.
I want to order some plants today/tomorrow so what do people think would go best in the corners? I think hc would just be too flat.
 
Re: Let's help Gareth pull his scape together.

Looking good, Garuf. Personally, I would've whacked a sand foreground in there.

I think it needs a couple of weeks to grow out a bit. I would agree from where you are at now, though that a mound style would be your best bet.

What othe rplants do you have in there now? Maybe try stuff like wendtii, parva, tenellus etc. You haven't mentioned how big the tank is but I'm assuming it's your 60cm ;)

keep up the great work
 
Re: Let's help Gareth pull his scape together.

I'm sick of sand foregrounds, they're lots more work that you'd imagine. I've never done a successful full planted foreground so that's where I'm going with this one.

The plants are downoi along the front, christmas moss, c. helfri, rotalla green, java fern narrow, anubias nana petite, stargauyne highlighting the rocks at the edges.

I just tried to order some more rotalla but AE only has one pot in stock. :(
 
Re: Let's help Gareth pull his scape together.

Garuf said:

IMVHO it needs something in the middle behind/in amongst the wood and rocks. If you're happy with the Cyperus then can you put another patch just off centre just behind the central rock along with a few thin bits nearer the fron in amongst the hardscape? I just think it would tie the two clumps at either end together and integrate them into the hardscape more effectively.
 
Re: Let's help Gareth pull his scape together.

That central rock isn't staying by the way, all it's doing is holding the wood down till it's sunk.
BEhind the wood there's rotalla green you just can't see it yet, I do agree there needs to be something just behind that wood though I was thinking something red or a stem with a different texture.
I'm not happy with the c helfri, I'm going to leave it to grow and see. I really want some plants in the corners I just cant think of anything that will fit. :(
 
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