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I love my part-time job...

George Farmer

Founder
UKAPS Team
Joined
30 Jun 2007
Messages
7,098
Location
Cambridgeshire
Many may know I contribute regularly to PFK and PPM. Writing articles is fun, but I love creating aquascapes even more.

Tomorrow will probably be one of the highlights of my aquascaping 'career' to date.

In the PFK photo studio I am setting up a, freshly shipped from Germany, 60cm opti-white tank and bespoke cabinet with all glassware, ADA stuff etc. It will be a 'proper' ADA-style Nature Aquarium.

All equipment supplied by Aqua Essentials, except the light (60cm 4 x T5 Arcadia luminaire).

Plants supplied from my current set ups and Tropica. I have more than I can use, mosly XL motherplants or mature plants from my 80cm, so we're literally spoilt for choice.

Midori wood and mini landscape rocks...

Dan Crawford is helping me.

Neil Hepworth is photographing.

We have all day tomorrow for set up and the following Friday to introduce fish etc. for final photos.

Unfortunately we won't be able to share any photos until after the magazine is released - May issue, out in mid-April.

Should be fun.... :D
 
Wow that sounds sooo cool!

You can let us know if opti-white is worth the extra money... So what happens with the stuff once you have taken the pics? Does it all go back to AE?
 
Very interesting George, I too will be starting my 60cm project this weekend. Mine unfortunately will be the budget version of your kit, probably only similarities being the 4x t5 arcadia luminaire! No doubt you and Dan will have fun setting up and playing with the new gadgets.Looking forward to another beautiful scape.
 
Wouldn't it be great if this article prompts lots of people to buy an aquarium from aquaessentials, leading to ... a reduction in price! Wooh- hoo!

Would love to buy one of those tanks. Save save save.
 
Sounds great George, may have to invest in one of these tanks too.. ( if the mrs allows ;) ).

Btw, are you still doing your main job too?
 
It's a tough life ;)

I'm really looking forward to it. A few years ago i was always restricted by budget and that without question hindered my progress. (thats my excuse and i'm sticking to it) In recent years in particular since we formed UKaps the barriers have been lifted which have enabled me to progress on many levels. Getting to scape with some of the "greats" IMO being George and Graeme is priceless. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow and no doubt we will create something pretty cool! If you don't already subscribe to PFK then find a news agent that does because you don't want to miss this one, LOL. :)
 
Lucky b4ggers!

Do let us know about the opti-white!?

I wonder if anyone will ever devise a non-toxic anti algae coating for glass!?
 
Well, what a day!

It didn't get off to the best start. My shipment of Tropica plants didn't turn up. So I had to resort to ripping all the plants from my 80cm and using them.

Trouble is, I had the 'scape planned with the plants coming from Tropica, mostly XL motherplants.

Anyway, it all turned out ok in the end and I managed to get some nice specimens from Maidenhead Aquatics in Crowland to supplement my own plants .

Dan and I worked hard non-stop from 9am to 6pm. I can't say I consider it work though. The aquascape looked quite good I think, but I'll let you be the judge of that when you see it.

The opti-white tank and cabinet, courtesy of Aqua Essentials, with all the glassware etc. looked the business. Admittedly not cheap, but the quality is second-to-none.

We had a lot of visitors to the studio who all seemed to be very interested in the 'Nature Aquarium' concept. We even had advertising girls asking if I was the actual "George Farmer", as they'd heard loads about me... :oops:

We're in the studio again this Friday for fish shots etc. and there's going to be some video footage too apparently.

Here's a sneak preview of me in action, deliberately over-exposed so the surprise of the aquascape isn't spoilt.

Finally, a massive thanks to Dan Crawford for taking the day off work and helping me out. Without him I would have been there until 3am...

The step-by-step will be featured in the May issue of PFK magazine.

f_meinstudiom_67e36d4.jpg
 
everyone with photoshop quick copy and paste before he takes it down!

looks promising George, shame about the plants though.
 
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