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My New Aquascape {Coast}

Re: Help with Rock placement

DevUK said:
Looks great! Could you possibly confirm a few things for me? How long is the tube + end cap in total? Also, what reflector are you using? Looks along the lines of an arcadia 15w or similar?

Cheersa DevUK. The light tube and end cap measures 27cm in total, the reflector is from hagen T5 GLO range. I had to cut it down using scissors but its quite easily done just watch those fingers!
Themuleous said:
New light looks good. The stand was a find, but it does seem to be slightly shorter than the tank? Or has the tank got its own base for support?
The stand isnt a perfect fist Sam but I figured with only 20 litres I should be OK (fingers crossed huh) The stand is actually an aquaone 320 stand (round the wrong way) so theres an opening at the back to house the gas bottle.
ceg4048 said:
Hi,
Wondeful hardscaping. I could have lived with any of the choices. Just as a FYI, leggy carpet plant growth can occur due to poor CO2 giving the illusion that the lighting is inadequate. I agree with Graeme that the 11 watt T5 rating would have been sufficient at such a small distance from the lamp. Increasing the wattage now increases your dependency on strict application of nutrients and even more CO2.
Thanks Ceg, The lighting suplied with the tank was a 9 watt lamp that looked just like an energy saving household bulb, Great for illuminating the tank but i was a liitle concerned about growing plants under it. I Totaly take your point about nutrient and Co2 under high light though and intend on using a pressurised system and Tropica nutrition + (TMG).
Thanks for sharing your knowledge on leggy HC, very interesting!

Thanks Dan and Martin, who would have thought you could have so much fun with 3 rocks and a few beers :)
 
Re: Help with Rock placement

Been giving the filtration some thought - I like the sound of these Eden type mini external filters, any one know much about them?

As for the aquascaping Ive had an idea about trying to create a coastal scape.
This would involve adding a beach of sand on the lower left section, I am also trying to figure a way to give the effect of the ocean down in the left hand front corner. Ive seen tanks On CAU website that use glass to give the water or pool effect. Perhaps a section of glass with a painted under side? I can picture mini pelia overlaping the sand over lapping the water . (maybe a little too ambitious?)

your thoughts?
 
Re: Help with Rock placement

Been playing with the 'coastal idea' -

newnano.jpg


Im not great with paint etc - but you get the idea


So boredom got the better of me and I began by trying to create the Ocean in minature. I thought I would try painting the underside of a peice of glass Blue/Green, However I came across an aquascape by Gary Wu called Seashore. Gary used a reflective sheet to create his water with amazing effect. Although difficult to replicate what Gary has done as I am not a professional photographer the use of something reflective seemed better than something coloured or painted.

First step was to remove some substrate -

DSC03745.jpg


To create the water I took a peice of glass cut to size and wrapped it in tinfoil. This was the slid into position carefully trying not to move the rocks

DSC03747.jpg


It didnt look great at this stage and decided that it would look better if the surface was smoother. Have ordered adhesive chrome sheets (flea bay) Will try these for better effect.

However with the beach in I think its starting to take shape -

DSC03751.jpg


Im learning that photography makes the world of difference and Im sure with some clever lighting effects this could look OK.

coast.jpg


Im sure that planting will help to soften the whole thing and it should look nice Once the substrate is covered all but the beach.

I will continue to tweak the hardscape until im happy.
 
hi Planter, I like your principal. I'd steer away from adding chrome finished adhesive to your tank, are you think of putting this in the tank? If so then its a defo NO IMO. I can send you adhesive if you like? Stuff to go on the underside of the tank though. A lot of chrome finished adhesives are actually white on the adhesive side so you may wanna check that if you havnt already? ;)

With regards to the scape the rock placment works real well.
what plants are you going to be using? HC for the transition from beach to land? Glosso would blow the scale way out IMO.
this tank should look really good, I'm not too sure on the sea bit if I'm honest. I'm not sure if you will need the sea, once the two substrates are settled with the plants in etc then you may find that your getting the right effect anyway!
good luck with it mate, high hopes for this one.
 
Just been reading this and the comments on the front right hand rock. Call me whacky, but how about turning the rear rock round so it 'points' the same way as the one at the front. The front left seems to point towards the top right as well, so I thought it might lead the eye from the beach and curve up towards the right.

Looks good anyhow, I'm looking forward to seeing it develop.
 
Hi Dan,

Thanks for sorting the move to 'journals'. This was supposed to be something to relieve the boredom whilst waiting for my new tank to arrive but has turned into a full blown project now! Im not sure if I will bother with the silver sticky paper stuff as I think ive achieved what I want with the shiny tinfoil. Im still not sure about the whole Sea bit either but its good fun toying with ideas, Worst that can happen is it looks rubbish and I start again. I agree Glosso is far to big, Im thinking HC, Mini pelia, Fissidens etc.

I think Im happy with the rock placement whacky er I mean beeky :) , as Graeme rightly pointed out the two rocks facing in different directions seem to lengthen the scape.

Had a little dabble at adding a bot more realism to the beach today -

Heres the latest pic

COAST-1.jpg


I know its radical, but I thought it was about time I tried something different :)

Thanks all for your input
 
Thanks George,CJ

I must admit im almost scared to plant it for fear of spoiling it :oops:

I agree George the title fits well with this scape, As you can see from the journal 'COAST' wasnt neccesarily the plan from the start. Aquascapes tend to evolve with me rather than me setting out with a rigid plan.

I think I will be using the internal filter supplied with the tank to start off with as I have some plants arriving this week and I dont want to delay planting for too much longer by waiting for filters to arrive. Although the Eden sounds good and the glassware looks the nuts George.
I have a couple of concerns - scale is going to be an issue in this little scape and its going to take more skill than I have ever shown before to continue the illusion of size/perspective.
I also worry about things moving once the tank is filled, the sand is very light and fine and the cotton wool will need glueing into place. I guess I can use superglue? (anybody know?) I know it can be used in reef tanks for securing frags. Then of course there is the dreaded algae (god forbid)

Ive set myself up for a real challenge here, Fancy writing a public journal on it :rolleyes: DOH!!
Oh and the MRS thinks ive lost the plot completeley she says I must have watched too much Blue Peter as a child.
 
planter said:
Aquascapes tend to evolve with me rather than me setting out with a rigid plan.
I'm the same. I like to remain flexible and as new ideas crop up during the 'scapes evolution, it's nice to be free from constraint. I personally lack artistic vision too, although this is getting better with practice. I guess one day I'll know eactly what I'm after and go for it. My latest 120cm layout is the closest yet.

I guess I can use superglue? (anybody know?)
Should be fine. It's non-toxic and non-soluble.

Then of course there is the dreaded algae (god forbid)
I've had good results with dosing Excel or Easycarbo daily combined with high CO2, 24/7. I did this in my 30cm nano with no livestock until the plant biomass was high enough to cope. I lowered CO2 to 30ppm and stopped dosing Excel, added a couple of Amano shrimp and nerites. No algae issues at all. And that's from starting off with just a relatively small qty. HC and downoi, so no fast weeds. I also change at least 50% water every other day.

Ive set myself up for a real challenge here, Fancy writing a public journal on it :rolleyes: DOH!!
The pressure will keep you on your toes... ;)

Good luck with it all, it will be a cracker, I'm certain.
 
We are all watching you closely on this one Planter. You could be starting a new craze with your ideas! Maybe even developing a new UK style. Although your project is still in it's infancy, you know the saying 'from small acorns' etc.etc.
 
George Farmer said:
Clever use of hardscape effects like this isn't really new.

Check this out - http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2 ... vol=3&id=5

All credit to planter though, of course.
I was thinking more along the lines of maybe immitating or replicating the British coastline or waterways when suggesting a new UK style. Of course finding plants that give a more western as opposed to eastern look may be a bit more difficult.
 
Ha ha no pressure then!! :D


The link you provided George shows the tank I refered to earlier in the thread - Gary Wu's 'seashore' , amazing aquascaping and very clever photography. If you check out CAU website it has a tutorial on creating the 'sea' effect.

Got my Glass diffuser today but only some of the plants. Tried to plan it so I had HC, mini pelia and fissidens all to hand but got let down on the HC of all things.

Keep you posted

Thanks for all your comments
 
Great idea and loving the 'scape so far.
However I think you might want to leave the cotton wool as it will get dirty very quickly and if you've superglued it you will sutrggle to clean it. Being cotton it may break down too (unless they're synthetic nowadays!). You could add it at the end for a photoshoot. Maybe tiny rocks with mini-riccia could give you the foam effect when they pearl?
 
I think its good, I had this very idea myself and one which I may try yet. I'm not sure if the back larger rock is losing the scale for you though, if it were me I might play around with that to see if I could get it a bit better. Good job so far though, I like the little extra bits you put along the sandline at the back in the last picture, this draws the eye into the scape and gives it depth so I would just work on getting the scale right now.
 
Thanks for all the feedback .

Things have progressed a little slow as Ive had trouble deciding on a plan for the planting. I was intending to use HC but have had some difficulty getting hold of some (should have some this week!) Meantime I had managed to get hold of most of the other plants. So I finally took the plunge and filled the tank as I dont think it was ever going to all come together at the same time. The plants took a little preparation which made for a nice evening -

DSC03780.jpg


zig said:
I think its good, I had this very idea myself and one which I may try yet. I'm not sure if the back larger rock is losing the scale for you though, if it were me I might play around with that to see if I could get it a bit better. Good job so far though, I like the little extra bits you put along the sandline at the back in the last picture, this draws the eye into the scape and gives it depth so I would just work on getting the scale right now.

You have a good eye Zig ;) I agree with you that although the small rocks, rear left, add depth they do mess with the scale a little making the rear 'big' rock look to big. I may just try to sink this 'big' rock into the substrate a little to see if that helps or alternativley I may just wait and grow plants up around it to soften it a bit.

Ed Seeley said:
Great idea and loving the 'scape so far.
However I think you might want to leave the cotton wool as it will get dirty very quickly and if you've superglued it you will sutrggle to clean it. Being cotton it may break down too (unless they're synthetic nowadays!). You could add it at the end for a photoshoot. Maybe tiny rocks with mini-riccia could give you the foam effect when they pearl?

The Cotton wool came out after the fill Ed. It clumped up when it got wet and looked terrible. I liked the effect it gave dry and I will try and find a more suitable material. Your suggestion of adding simply for a photo shoot sounds good. Again food for thought.

Some of the sand was bound to move when I filled the tank and the substrates have mixed a little. I will sort this out when I change water by syphoning out bits and peices. So heres how it looks at the mo with all equipment in situ. Obviously it looks terrrible with the filter and Co2 line in but for now I will turn my attentions to growing plants so have not removed equipment for update pics.

DSC03808.jpg


DSC03810.jpg


Co2 is at 2 BPS and im dosing with flourish excel. With no fish to worry about Im hoping to maitain the Co2 at 30 + to avoid algae growth.
Have installed a drop checker which is indicating a very light green colour.
ferts will be TPN+

At the mo all plants are on mats or stones so all can and probobly will be moved as they grow to form a scape. Im gonna have a play with the Fissidens this afternoon maybe try it between the two right hand rocks.
 
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