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My first "real" scape.

V

Vince

Member
Joined
9 May 2011
Messages
25
Location
Cadier en Keer, The Netherlands
Hey everyone,

first of all I would like to say a word of gratitude to George Farmer and his team. In these four days reading through this forum, I have learned more of setting up planted Aquariums than I did in the last few years by myself. Unfortunately 3 days before I discovered this forum I created my first scape, only inspired by a picture: http://87.117.224.40/~ukaps/forum/viewt ... =49&t=1914 . I bought things I thought to be best after reading product informations and searching on some Dutch (yes I amd Dutch) Forums. Iwanted to keep things easy, but once I started reading these forums I founded out you can only keep it simple if you are experienced and chose the right products and plants.

This said, I came up with the following set up:

Tank:
Juwel Rio 180

Filtration:
Eheim 2073 (inside 2 liters of Sera Siporax (fantastic!), 2 liters of Eheim ceramic stuff, some sponges

Plants:
Cryptocoryne nevilii
Cryptocoryne wendtii (green)
Cryptocoryne lucens
Cryptocoryne tropica
Microsorium pteropus

Substrate:
JBL Manado (I regret this, although I like it I didn't know of the existence of ADA soils)
enriched with HS aqua clay and Ferka Rosetta (full PKN and spore-elements)

Backboard:
Back to Nature

Fish:
4 Kuhlis
10 Caradina japonica
25 Celestichtys margaritatus

A couple of pics:
The whole aquarium
IMG_3892.jpg


Greenish :D
IMG_3903.jpg


Caridina japonica
IMG_3911.jpg


Kuhlis were photogenic
IMG_3902.jpg

IMG_3899.jpg


Btw, could anyone explain me the yellow/brownish spots on the leaves and what I could do about it?
IMG_3897.jpg




And please tell me your opinions....

As you can see, some of the equipment is still visible in the left back corner, this is going to change soon, as I'm still waiting for some C.balansae to fill the back with. Before I forget to mention it, the tanks is now running for 8 days.

Greets,

Vince
 
your choices seem like very good ones! Good low light plants that look very healthy. My only 'scaping input would be to suggest sticking one or two BIG lumps of wood in there to add a little more variation and interest - but feel free to ignore me! I'll give my stock advice to new posters - we can suggest all we like, but it is YOUR tank in YOUR house that YOU have to live with, so the only really important thing is that YOU are happy with it! Good to see you here mate - i look forward to the updates! Matt
 
bigmatt said:
your choices seem like very good ones! Good low light plants that look very healthy. My only 'scaping input would be to suggest sticking one or two BIG lumps of wood in there to add a little more variation and interest - but feel free to ignore me! I'll give my stock advice to new posters - we can suggest all we like, but it is YOUR tank in YOUR house that YOU have to live with, so the only really important thing is that YOU are happy with it! Good to see you here mate - i look forward to the updates! Matt
Click to expand...

I totally agree that something is missing, it's quite boring. I'm thinking about adding some wood, but don't know exactly where and without moving the crypts too much.

Vince
 
Hi Vince,

Glad you've found UKAPS useful!

The layout is lacking height at the moment, but your C. balansae will help.

Consider adding some wood like you've seen in the TGM tank that you've linked. Attaching the ferns to this using the golden ratio will instantly improve the composition considerably.

For future aquascapes also consider spitting up your pots into lots of separate plants, rather than planting bunches. Crypts can be split up into individual plants quite easily and this will give you more coverage, so you don't need so many pots.

All the best,
George
 
Hey George,

thanks for the advice! I read something about the splitting of plants on this forum, but that was after I planted them :( . Is it wise/ useful/ necessary to split them still?
I had some valisneria in the back of the tank, but it was only the day after I planted that I decided it should be C.balansae, so I ripped them out. Unfortunately it takes some time before I get my order.
Anyway, do you know what could be the cause of the yellow spots on some of the leaves?

Greets,

Vince
 
Hello mate, great start!

I really like the uniform'ness' of the planting, with the big wood like you've said this will grow into something special mate.

:) keep us posted
 
Thanks Nayr, I wont only keep you posted, I would like some advise aswell:

I've got this lump of mangrove wood. My question is: is it useful and if, how could I use it?
IMG_3918.jpg

IMG_3919.jpg

IMG_3921.jpg


If it's not useful, and YOU are the the experts ( I don't think this piece look particular beautiful), please tell me so, I will easily buy some from the shop, thing is I just happen to have this piece around.

Just for fun, nothing to do with this tank. Maybe you know them....my sweethearts :D
IMG_3914.jpg



Vince
 
Last night's sleep did wonders. I've got a great idea about how I can make this scape look soo much better. The only thing, I will have to split the plants, and thats completely new to me. Got any tips? Couldn't find much about it on the forums :/ . I'm afraid to that I will harm the plants, that they will melt not having a real root system, and die...
Oh, and for all of you, I will add one big lump of wood, and it won't be the one show in the pictures.

Greets,

Vince
 
Wow, that's really useful material. Thanks mate!
I re-scaped my aquarium using exactly the same plants...but IMO it looks much better. When I got the C.balansae in I will add some pictures....

Vince
 
A little update,

I've been observing one of my Kuhli's for quite some time now, because it was exceptionally fat. I was already thinking about her being possibly pregnant. Right now she's swimming all the time in front of the glass, and when she stops I can see little eggs in her body through her skin :p. It must be over a thousand. I will try to take some pictures. And post them soon...

I thought breading kuhli's in captivity was impossible, but it seems possible after all..... Anyone an idea what I could do to make her spawn?

Vince
 
Taking a picture of her eggs seems to be impossible, too tiny.....

here some shots of the current state of the tank, more will follow once i finally have my C.balansae :O

IMG_3949.jpg

IMG_3926.jpg


Greets,

Vince
 
Tomorrow an update with photos. Seems to be going great, a lot of new submerged leaf growth. Very interesting to c the transformation from merged to submerged. Also added a 1000 l/h circulation pump. Balansae re-ordered, for some reason the current shop couldn' t deliver.

And one of my hypancistrus zebra's spawned today!


Greets,

Vincent
 
Sorry for not letting you know anything for some days now. The reasons were a diatom atbreak, which seems to be under control now, a major delay on the C.balansae, and of course very little time.

Anyway, I switched comepletely to a new Fertiliser system: Ferka. IMO it works great, although I can't prove it ofcourse. After adding these new ferts (aquatilizer + balance K) I saw an improvement in especially the ferns, but also the diatoms seemed to become less. Anyway, the diatoms seem to be under control, the plants are really growing great and are totally accustomed to underwater-life.

Anyway the pics:

IMG_3963.jpg


IMG_3969.jpg


IMG_3965.jpg
 
Looking very healthy, I love the contrast in colours.

I find the backing a little distracting, have you tried without it now the scape has developed?

I could see it with a white backing, something clean and simple to really bring out the colour and textures.

Just my opinion though :)

Tom
 
Thanks, I have to agree with you, although the backing is very beautiful it doesn' t add anything to the scape but i' m afraid I won' t be able to get it out that easy, as I have glued it in place. I will have to live with it utill the next scape ^^. Probably in th future it will be hardly visible, due to the C.balansae growing the back.

Btw, the diatoms are nearly completely gone, did some heavy water changes each other day, removed manually and added some more Amano shrimps. Does anyone have a suggestion for a nice, contastful plant, to add in the middle somewhere between the bogwood. I want to add some more texture there. I want to keep it asiatic, s please only Asien species.

Greets,

Vince
 
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