Lazy moody Asian autumn ish

[Kezzab]

This is my first rescape of a tank I set up in March 2015. It was my first tank for about 25 years! It was fairly successful, semi-low tech (daily liquid Co2, weekly complete ferts). This is what it looked like before I dismantled it.

Onto the new scape, which is intended to be low tech (no Co2, ferts only if needed). It’s inspired a bit by the Lazy Asian and Autumn mood tanks on here. Random assortment of fish: 2 WCMM, 1 Platy, 2 Cory, 4 Otto, 1 red shrimp.

This is the spec:

Tank

60x30x30

Substrate

1 year old aquasoil (can’t remember brand!) mixed with 2kg-ish of ‘muck’ from the bottom of a pond. Bit experimental. Capped with B&Q paving sand (only after discovering that uncapped it just results in sediment all over the tank everywhere!). I’m not 100% about the sand, it’s a bit uniform. And I’ve also noticed that compared to a brown substrate, suddenly you see fish poo everywhere!

Hardscape

Sandstone from local river bank, plus piece of bog wood from previous set up (which is a bit tatty and has some interesting fungus on it).

Plants

Echinodorus xinguensis

Cryptocoryne nevellii

Cryptocoryne costata

Cryptocoryne usteriana

Cryptocoryne balansae

Cryptocoryne wendetii (green, brown & Tropica) (from old scape)

Anubias Nana (from old scape)

Microsorum pteropus - narrow leaf (from old scape)

Tropica Sagittaria sabulata 1-2-Grow!

Tropica Marsilea hirsuta 1-2-GROW!

Filter

Superfish Internal w. spraybar

Lighting

Beamswork Green Element (ebay, not 100% sure exactly what it is). Running at 50% (ie I’ve covered 5 of the 10 LEDs). 8 hrs a day.

Co2

None

Ferts

TBC, minimal

Here’s what it looks like now, immediately after planting.

 

[Greenfinger2]

Hi Kezzab, Nice Scape. You will have too cleaning the sand a lot to keep it looking good.

 

[Kezzab]

Indeed. There's always something you don't consider. Hopefully when the plants grow in it will be less noticeable. We shall see.

 

[Manisha]

Really natural look

 

[Kezzab]

Here's a little update on this tank now we're about 3 months in. I'm pleased with how it's turning out. I've been fighting a battle with Staghorn but it's under control i think (if not eradicated). I know it's not very unusual but i'm particularly pleased the Cherry Shrimp have bred, never had anything breed before!

All the plants are growing reasonably well, if slowly. The Sagitarria melted right back to nothing, but has regrown. It's stayed fairly small though. The Balansae is only growing very small, as it did it my previous scape (and in my hi tech nano), i think the very soft water may be a factor.

I'm not dosing any Co2, and i'm dosing ferts on a pretty random basis. WC is about 50% a week. Hope you like it.

Excuse the cucumber.