Laputa - Tbro's Nano

[chump54]

very nice. keeps getting better.

Chris

 

[Jase]

The nano looks amazing Tom, i'll bet your TV doesn't get much use with that beauty around

 

[TBRO]

Thanks for the comments Guys, the stability of this scape is great. It is charming to watch the shrimps and mirorasboras flit about the scape. Although by no means a bio-tope I think it suits the residents very well. It´s been a slow selection of plants that suit the conditions, the glosso is long gone but suprisingly the blyxa still looks healthy.

The blyxa has not done the annoying thing it does in hightech tanks, were the lower stems die off. I´ve never trimmed the blyxa.

Hope you enjoy it like I do, Tom

 

[DHenry]

I really love this tank. Such a lush green oasis. I hope to get mine somewhere close to this level of green. Good work.

 

[TBRO]

Thanks, wish I had more time to spend on it! Tom

 

[NeilW]

Hey T,

Was looking through your journal for inspiration, just curious as to wether you kept the Aquasoil in there after you took out the Glosso. If you didn't do you find it mixes with the sand?

Cheers,
Neil

 

[TBRO]

Hey Neil, there is indeed ADA Malaya powder (now under 2 inches of Christmas moss). It mixed completely with the sand! TBH it was only a rock border, I think to stand any chance you need a plastic border taped into place and hidden with stones.

I saw you're thread, why not just get several boulders and tie moss around them. I give the moss no care and it still looks good. In fact your picture of the river inspired me, I might try something similar for stiphodon gobies (The ones in this month's PFK look amazing)

Can't wait to see what you come up with - Tom

 

[NeilW]

Glad to be inspiring that river picture is really nice, I've been forever searching to find a moss that'll give a a similar effect.

Im torn between going for a half re-scape tommorow by removing the nature soil at the front and extending the sand back and adding lots of moss on small stones, or waiting and going for a complete change with new rocks. I think you've got away with it mixing because malaya is a lighter colour so it doesnt notice whereas my nature soil completely stands out against the sand and I'm fed up of fighting the tide Be a good chance to get lots of lovely moss in too which I've always wanted to have a proper go at. I think I've been trying to keep plants that only do well on CO2 so moss I think is the way forward looking at your beauty of a tank.

Trouble is I got to make my decision soon as my shrimp are about to drop and I don't fancy trying to remove thousands of tiny babies. I suppose I could half re-scape tomorrow, see if I like it and if not wait until the babies are older and I have the new materials. Sound a plan?

 

[TBRO]

I'm forever half-rescaping my tanks due to the innumerable shrimp that would be almost impossible to remove. It would be do-able as long as your only using moss (which is just tied to rocks anyway). Planting underwater is just so annoying! Could probably send you some java or xmas moss this weekend when I do a trim?

 

[NeilW]

Surprisingly I don't mind planting underwater. Got me a chunk of Java but it would be great to give Xmas a go. Thanks very much T! Let me know when you do the big trim and I'll PM you my address.

 

[TBRO]

Cool just PM your address now and then I've got it, always makes me sad to throw out good moss!

 

[nisharific]

do the micro rasboras eat baby shrimplets... can you keep them if you want to breed your shrimp?

 

[andyh]

do the micro rasboras eat baby shrimplets... can you keep them if you want to breed your shrimp?

No they dont, have 3 tanks with micro rasb with CRS and Cherry baby shrimps with no problems. They show no interest.

 

[TBRO]

I agree they don't seem to bother, that said my shrimp seem to breed less since I've added them? This could obviously be unrelated. I have ember and cardinal tetras in my big tank and they also don't seem to bother the shrimp, the emperor tetras do sometimes chase the shrimp but I've never seen any come to harm -T

 

[frothhelmet]

Hey T, any news on your Star Moss? Did it make it in the end or melt away? Any suggestions on how to keep it? I have a friend that just bought it and I want to help him keep it alive...

Updated journal photos would be loverly too

 

[TBRO]

Hey, sorry for the delayed reply. The star moss never did very much. It didn't die but didn't grow much either. I understand it need alkaline conditions and lots of CO2 to thrive, might be good with Sulewesi shrimp etc ?

Here's a shot of a rather neglected tank. I'm still thinking of a rescape. :?: Riccia gumi :?:

T

 

[andyh]

That looks v cool, some nice moss growth?
Your CRS breeding?

 

[LondonDragon]

Looks pretty good to me love the mosses

 

[dr zaius]

laputa is an amazing film! miyazaki's finest! your tank really embodies that film!

 

[TBRO]

Cheers Guys, this was definatley one of my favourite scapes. The shrimps were pretty happy as I netted out about 50 CRS when I broke it down. My new scape is still developing and I'm toying with the idea of making it a riparium. Check it out http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11330. Tom