Neil's NEW 60cm Nature Aquarium v3

[oldwhitewood]

Thanks sir.

Yes I am focused on it. It's a learning exercise really but I'm not trying to say look at this this is how you do it etc, a lot of people on here do that much better than I can. If people enjoy looking at the pictures then great.

 

[oldwhitewood]

Day 11 - Update

Ok so more or less 11 days in already. I have seen green dust algae on the glass which I've removed. Some mould growing on the wood, this sort of white stuff which I just scraped off with a toothbrush. There are some traces of BBA around some of the leaves of the e tenellus, maybe this is because they are dying off for the new growth to emerge, there are certainly a lot of runners now.

Stem plant growth is really promising as you would expect I guess, they're quick growers and not exactly hard to get going given the right level of light and nutrients.

I haven't started dosing yet, I'm not sure when to actually start as I think the maturation process has been marred slightly by the weak filtration initially. Now the external filter is running proper and has been for 4 days I would think it's still very early days.

 

[Garuf]

Very impressive! What are the plants in the back? I really like the look of them!
I can't wait to see how this grows out, every scape you've done has had something magic about it and this is no exception.

 

[Tom]

Very nice start

 

[jay]

Oooh D. Diandra, that grows very quick.
Trimmed mine a couple nights ago and I swear its grown about an inch.

 

[oldwhitewood]

Oooh D. Diandra, that grows very quick.
Trimmed mine a couple nights ago and I swear its grown about an inch.

It seems to be growing ok. What are your experiences with it? Tropica state it is difficult.

 

[jay]

Oooh D. Diandra, that grows very quick.
Trimmed mine a couple nights ago and I swear its grown about an inch.

It seems to be growing ok. What are your experiences with it? Tropica state it is difficult.

I read that in Tropica but I figured with the new high lighting in my tank I'd give it a go, and it seems to be doing fine.
I tend not to take too much notice of what is written about difficult plants as it seems mostly from back when most plants were deemed hardwork... now with new techniques and technology we have to use I feel we can grow just about anything with success. I'm a total amatuer yet with a high tech tank, I'm growing glosso, diandra and hemmianthus... albeit with algae now too

I've found d. diandra very good so far.

 

[oldwhitewood]

Oooh D. Diandra, that grows very quick.
Trimmed mine a couple nights ago and I swear its grown about an inch.

It seems to be growing ok. What are your experiences with it? Tropica state it is difficult.

I read that in Tropica but I figured with the new high lighting in my tank I'd give it a go, and it seems to be doing fine.
I tend not to take too much notice of what is written about difficult plants as it seems mostly from back when most plants were deemed hardwork... now with new techniques and technology we have to use I feel we can grow just about anything with success. I'm a total amatuer yet with a high tech tank, I'm growing glosso, diandra and hemmianthus... albeit with algae now too

I've found d. diandra very good so far.

Right yeah. I guess tropica assume a bit more so they are catering for people of all levels and interests. I didn't think I would have problems with a stem plant, bolbitus on the other hand I have had tremendous difficulty with in the past!

Your tank looks very good btw :yes:

 

[jay]

Right yeah. I guess tropica assume a bit more so they are catering for people of all levels and interests.

I guess so, didn't really think about it that way

I didn't think I would have problems with a stem plant, bolbitus on the other hand I have had tremendous difficulty with in the past!

Your tank looks very good btw :yes:

Thank you good Sir.

 

[oldwhitewood]

Day 16 - Update

Here is a frontal shot of the tank.

Not very straight but you get the picture, here you can see the growth so far.

Again a bit wobbly but there you go.

My thoughts so far are even though I am happy with the growth of the echinodorus tenellus I think it is perhaps too tall. It does have a rather wild look which I strive for but I can't help feeling I should have used glosso instead. I am giving serious thought to removing a lot of the tenellus and replacing with glosso but I'm not sure yet. I wanted to leave the tank as it was but I have realised I'm not experienced enough to get things right from the offset, now things have grown in a bit I can see where changes are needed, this is something I didn't anticipate before. Other guys would plant from the offset knowing how things will progress and not need to rethink things, I admit I think I've screwed up a bit here but what is this about if not learning?

I must also confess to ordering some ADA wood from TGM!!! I couldn't resist the temptation, I've no idea what it's going to look like in the flesh but I could well tear this down and start again using the wood if it's that good. It's a tricky one, I guess I've been a bit overzealous with it but good hardscape material is hard to come by. The challenge is going to be whether I want to live with this layout and see how it progresses or create something new if the wood is up to scratch.

 

[keymaker]

I really like the coherence of this a lot -- and the photography! The tank reminds me of Massimo Faberri's cube, especially from the "not very straight" shot. Don't ask me why .

Well, he was using Hemianthus Micranthemoides there but that was a bigger tank. Here, I do not think changing the FG to Glosso would clean things up. With all these thin long-leaved plants Glosso might look out of place. Maybe HC might look more natural, but I'd leave too some of the Echinodorus for the mid-ground. Again, that's only me on a subjective note...

 

[oldwhitewood]

What about Eleocharis "parvula"??? I'm thinking along those lines now.

 

[Ark]

if you ever get rid of your tennelus please put me on the lsit for for some or all of it and i can pay

 

[LondonDragon]

looking great after 16 days!! makes me want to get a new tank!! congrats

 

[oldwhitewood]

looking great after 16 days!! makes me want to get a new tank!! congrats

Thanks, I might be changing it totally soon though

 

[jay]

I'm not too sure about that tenellus foreground either. Seems too high and not thick enough yet. Keeping it trim and adding a bit of glosso will make it happen I think.

But seeing as you've got ADA wood coming then maybe just hold out

 

[vauxhallmark]

I think the tenellus looks absolutely charming :!: It's got a lovely light and airy feel to it, looks really natural too.

Trouble is it won't stay like that for long - it is a complete brute.

I thought I'd found a genuinely dwarf variety in a dealers tank once (2-3 cms tall, and about 2mm thick leaves) - it was planted in the gravel in the tank (plain gravel and no fertilisers, probably an undergravel filter as well) and spreading nicely through runners. I was so chuffed, it was just what I wanted for a tiny 22" tank. 4 weeks later with a bit of light, food and CO2 it was looking like yours - although as the tank was only 10" high, you can imagine it didn't turn out to be a great foreground plant!

I wonder if it might stay a bit smaller if you did a trendy 'sand beach' at the front and planted it it in that? You could try reducing the lights and fertilisers a bit too, but you've got your stems to consider.

Or just dig the whole lawn up and replant every month ! (Not an attractive proposition!)

Can't wait to see how it comes, and what you decide to do - the tank really is looking spectacular already, congratulations.

Mark

 

[jay]

You could try reducing the lights and fertilisers a bit too, but you've got your stems to consider.



Mark

Believe that would make it grow taller, trying to get to the light. More light should make it grow a little smaller and the runners more compact.

 

[vauxhallmark]

You could try reducing the lights and fertilisers a bit too, but you've got your stems to consider.



Mark

Believe that would make it grow taller, trying to get to the light. More light should make it grow a little smaller and the runners more compact.

Yeah, you're right Jay - when I think back to the tiny one I saw, the tank was very bright. Just no CO2 or fertilisers!

Still think it looks good

 

[jay]

Is a great plant. I remember when I had it in a low tech in sand.... Just looked like a nice patch of wild grass, growing strong.