My New Aquascape {Coast}

[Luketendo]

Any ideas on what fish you are going to stock?

 

[planter]

Any ideas on what fish you are going to stock?

Havent given it much thought. Probobly a micro rasbora

 

[REDSTEVEO]

Hi there,

I have tried similar scapes in the past. The first one looked ambitious to me. You may have already found this out for yourself but here's what happened when I tried a very similar scape. It looks great dry and the plan is to keep it in the same shape when you add the water. Trouble is I found no matter how hard you try when you add the water the gravel just finds its own way of leveling itself out and before you know it the whole thing looks flat as a pancake. Not only that the large rocks can start to shift as the gravel moves. Dangerous if they are near the glass.

A guy called Alan who used to own Allison's Aquatics in Caergwle showed me his secret on how to do it with out anything moving. It turns out by the time he had finished there were more bits of rock and slate under the gravel than were visible above it. He started by putting a flat layer of substrate in and then put his mineral soil on top.

Then more gravel to cover the mineral soil, still flat. Then he decided where he wanted his banking to be. He placed several small to medium size rocks in a semi circle close together. Then he had a massive box full of chippings from 0.5cm to 3 or 4 cm. He very slowly and meticulously filled the gaps in with the chippings rather like trying to create a dam effect. He added a small quantity of gravel to fill in the minute holes and when he was finished he added more mineral soil and more substrate. Then placed his specimen rocks in position and repeated this process over and over again until he had a wild and wonderful scape like a mountain range.

Start off with the wider areas and build on top of them. Remember none of the rocks or chippings used to make the dam are going to be visible by the time the plants have taken over and worked their magic.

Let me know if this has been any use to anyone.

Have fun.

Steve.

 

[Themuleous]

Love the scape! The hardsacpe in particular looks quality. The glosso seems to be getting out of control a bit!

Sam

 

[George Farmer]

Hi REDSTEVEO

I think your pics deserve their own thread.

 

[Arana]

i have always suspected it would be hard to scape a corner tank but you have pulled it off brillianty, Love it

 

[REDSTEVEO]

Hi REDSTEVEO

I think your pics deserve their own thread.

Sorry George,

I am completely new to this forum and have not quite got to grips with the ettiquette of where and how to post stuff. I apologise to anyone whose thread I might be highjacking.

Any tips please feel free to point me in the right direction.

Regards,

Steve

 

[Luketendo]

Hi REDSTEVEO

I think your pics deserve their own thread.

Sorry George,

I am completely new to this forum and have not quite got to grips with the ettiquette of where and how to post stuff. I apologise to anyone whose thread I might be highjacking.

Any tips please feel free to point me in the right direction.

Regards,

Steve

I'm pretty sure he was giving a compliment.

 

[planter]

Hi REDSTEVEO

I think your pics deserve their own thread.

Sorry George,

I am completely new to this forum and have not quite got to grips with the ettiquette of where and how to post stuff. I apologise to anyone whose thread I might be highjacking.

Any tips please feel free to point me in the right direction.

Regards,

Steve

Hey REDSTEVEO,

Thanks fo sharing your ideas with us ..... Im sure this method of keeping the substrate in place works very well but 'Coast' is just a buba tank and Ive had no trouble with substrate moving so far. I know it can be an issue in larger tanks and have seen people using net bags ( or tights) filled with substrate to create sand bag like Doo da's and stacking them up to the required height before covering them in loose substrate.

On the subject of 'Coast' -
Sorry there has been no recent update but been busy,busy,busy at work and have found little time for my journals (slap wrist) some algae issues at present, think this started with a blocked diffuser! and a dip in Co2 levels. still changing water like a man obsessed (you know how it is). I will post a pic or two soon (Pwomise).

 

[REDSTEVEO]

Hi REDSTEVEO

I think your pics deserve their own thread.

Thanks George,

I guess it is too late now!!

 

[planter]

Hi all,

Any one suffer a bad back ?? Ive been laid up for best part of a week again !! No work, No play and No water changes!!!! as I cant lift the RO containers to fill the tanks..... with a little help ive mananged but I cant wait to get out and about again. My Chiropracter is making a killing out of me! any way enough of my sob stories, You ll be please to know I have managed to do a little work on 'coast' , Apologise for the pictures as im no pro photographer im afraid but you can get the jist.

The tank has proved difficult as expected from the start but things seem to be settling down now. I recently added a Fluval 105 external filter which has helped.

Had a bad time with the HC and in the end decided to remove the majority of it which has left the front right hand corner looking a little empty for now. All in all I think its getting there slowly but sureley.

Ed kindly sent me some mini Rotala which seems to be growing now, although it is difficult to see in the centre of the pic (thanks Ed).

Hope you like the pics Do let me know what you think.

 

[aaronnorth]

Growing in nicely, the pics aren't too bad, hope you get better

 

[Ed Seeley]

Sorry to hear about your back mate.

Glad to hear the Rotala is doing ok for you. Mine still barely grows so maybe you'll crack growing it and I can figure out what to do! I like how the tank is doing, it does look just like something from the seaside.

 

[ceg4048]

Oooh, that's nice. Get well soon mate!

Cheers,

 

[George Farmer]

Look really nice and good photography too. Well done!

I have some small pointers though, if that's ok?

What's the upright small rock on the left? It looks a bit too distracting for me. Also, is that moss pushing against the front of the glass? If that was pruned back a little, that may improve the look. Currently it appears a little too dense.

Overall though it is a very impressive 'scape and I can see this fast becoming your best yet.

Good stuff mate.

 

[planter]

Look really nice and good photography too. Well done!

I have some small pointers though, if that's ok?

What's the upright small rock on the left? It looks a bit too distracting for me. Also, is that moss pushing against the front of the glass? If that was pruned back a little, that may improve the look. Currently it appears a little too dense.

Overall though it is a very impressive 'scape and I can see this fast becoming your best yet.

Good stuff mate.

Thanks George,

I look at some of the pictures you guys take and kinda know whats required but struggle with a Compact Cam. Reflection is always an issue. Photography is something I may get into later as my aquascaping improves.

The 2 rocks were supposed to add to the perspective as if you were looking along the coast into the distance. Perhaps the upright one needs tweaking so as it doesnt draw your eye so much.

Thats Flame moss along the front - The thing with this scape is very little of it is actually planted, Most of it is on wire mats or stones so all can be moved easily. I tend to move things round quite often trying to find a layout that works, Im still looking for that layout!

Ill keep plugging away at it and posting pics and you come back with all the pointers you like!

Thanks

 

[beeky]

Sorry to hear about your back: planting HC is bad for your health!

Lovely 'scape, I think it's probably my favourite. Are you going to enter it into any competitions?

 

[planter]

Sorry to hear about your back: planting HC is bad for your health!

Lovely 'scape, I think it's probably my favourite. Are you going to enter it into any competitions?

Thanks beeky,

The back is much better now thankfully.
Im not sure that im ready for the comps yet, maybe next year, who knows.

 

[LondonDragon]

Looking great planter, loving the seashore

 

[Arana]

Wow it's certainly living up to expectations