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Mikes tank

mikecloud

Seedling
Joined
10 Jan 2009
Messages
11
Hi,

Im Mike (obviously) from Newcastle.

I have never posted on here, so hello. But I have been admiring the spectacular tanks that you guys all have for a while now. It s got me more and more inspired and interested in the planted side of aquaria, I've recently bought two pressurised CO2 systems for two of my tanks and really seen massive boost in plant growth and health.

Anyway, here's a pic of my largest Africany tank, a 300l. I have to say I feel a bit embarassed compared to some of the scapes on here, but here goes...
014_021.jpg

013_020.jpg


Cheers, Mike
 
You have certainly got the growing healthy plants side of things sorted out.

Take a look at some of the tanks on here and see how they are structured in terms of hardscape and keeping plants grouped together. You have a wide variety of leaf shapes and sizes that don`t necessarily compliment each other, so you may want to look at plant selection too.

Anyway, it`s a good start Mike.

Dave.
 
Nice work mate, that looks lovely. It's not all about scaping on here, just being able to grow plants successfully is an acheivement. Being able to scape isn't enough, you need to be able to grow the plants to go in your scape ;)
 
Looking good Mike, like previously said its all about the plants, learn that first then you can concentrate on the scaping :)
Welcome to UKAPS and keep us posted on your progress :)
 
I totally agree with the above Mike. Many who first come onto an aquascaping site come on fresh and can't do the growing/healthy bit yet so you have a head start here ;)

Looks lush and as Dave says. The growing part out of the way you can set about planning a structure for your scape and make it tidier :)

Well done and welcome

AC
 
Hi guys thanks for the welcome and the advice, I really appreciate it.

The plants do indeed grow very well, and seem to be very healthy. I have always kept plants in my aquaria but only recently got so interested in their upkeep.

I agree the tank looks very 'busy', but I do like the jungle look, this tank started out with more of an emphasis on the live stock but has developed to be more and more planty. I have another few tanks and one inparticular that I bought a CO2 system for, I may well rescape that one in the style more similar to the tanks on here. It is alos very jungly at the moment and hosusing some very special fish growing on, sio once I have moved them on I may gut the tank and start from scratch making a journal and seeking the wisdom of all you plant boffs!

Thanks again,

Mike
 
There is nothing wrong with Jungle Mike ;) Some of us are well into jungle style.

AC
 
Hi Mike,jungle is good,i use my 5x2x2 setup just to learn how to grow algae free plants and i can tell you it looks really good (very overgrown)and algae free ask Dan crawford,my first attempt at a proper scape will be in my 60cm optie-white, regards john.
 
Thanks a lot everyone. You gotta love the jungles.

I originally tried to keep to a soley W.African, Congo River basin theme, but a lack of available endemic plants lead me astray and I bought a few 'alien' plant species.

I love the Anubius genus, I think they are fantastic plants.

The stocking if anyone is interested is Congo tetras, Ctenopoma acutirostre, Synodontis spp and a small Polypterus delhezi. I also have some African leaf-fish, Polycentropsis abbreviata growing on to eventually go in there.

On another note: I can't grow moss... All the moss I have bought never seems to take to immersed growth. I have tried Java, Weeping, Christmas etc with no luck.
Maybe someone can spot a problem? I have:
108W of T5HO over a rio300 (day and plant gro tubes)
Ex1200 and Ex700 tetratec externals
2x Koralia 1
20-30mg/l CO2 (lightish green in dc)
pH 7.0
KH 5
GH 7
NO3 10-20
PO4 0.5-1.0
Fe (chelated) 0.25
I dose with JBL ferro and ferro drops (came with CO2 set) and leave the macros to the fish

Is there anything im doing wrong moss wise or am I just buying duff moss? I see the moss in some of the tanks on here and im so envious! I want moss covered wood! Oh also I have some Fissidens fontanus which is growing better than anyof the others...

Cheers,

Mike
 
Jungle is my favourite style by far, so I love this tank. It has a great feel to it.

Whats the stocking?
 
Thomas McMillan said:
Jungle is my favourite style by far, so I love this tank. It has a great feel to it.

Whats the stocking?

Hi Thomas, thanks dude. The stociking list is i my previous post, just above yours:)
 
I love the jungle look of this tank! I'm currently on the lookout for new ideas since I will be relocating down south and will have to strip my rio 125 and my 60 litre set ups. Loving the aponogetons, have you found them difficult to grow? :)
 
sari said:
I love the jungle look of this tank! I'm currently on the lookout for new ideas since I will be relocating down south and will have to strip my rio 125 and my 60 litre set ups. Loving the aponogetons, have you found them difficult to grow? :)

Hi Sari,

Thanks :)

The A.crispus has grown exceptionally well, it also flowers all the time. It is getting too large for the tank though, it really gets to be a very large plant, too big for a 300L really. I will have to cut it back or take it out soon I think...
 
More tanks...

Well I thought and go mad and post some more of my tanks...

This is for hillstream loach:
059_019.jpg


This is for a few different leaf fish:
DSC_0016_049.jpg


This is a little one on my desk with RCS:
DSC_0011_056.jpg


Comments and criticisms welcome :)
 
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