• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Nick's Journal

Nick16

Member
Joined
13 Aug 2008
Messages
1,759
Location
Surrey, UK
Right, this will be my first attempt at a planted tank with plants being the main focus, rather than plants being shoved in around the fish. i want to get to learn to grow them properly rather than jumping in at the deep and 'struggling to swim' so to speak.

On with the Basics......

Tank: Juwel Rio 240 (240L)
Filtration: TT EX1200 and TT EX700 (may change)
Lighting: 2x30w T8 (standard on the tank) = an arcadia 'I' bar with 2x 39w T5. (i probably will only have the t5's on and perhaps a 2 hour midday burst with the t8's)
co2: 2kg FE
Substrate: Aquabasis with Akadma on top (double red line, not presoaked or washed at all) and then Black gravel for around the 'islands'
Heating: going to purchase a Hydor ETH. (not sure on the right one. (wattage and size to fit the filter))

Some pictures of the substrate and layout. it wont change to much as i dont really have time to 'fiddle' and i just dont want to, the odd cm here or there i dont mind sorting out. Which of the tow do you prefer, or have any other ideas.?

Position No 1:
IMGP4582.jpg


No2:
IMGP4585.jpg


C+C welcome of course. i am flying off to Iceland at the weekend so you may not hear from me for a week or so. :D
 
Re: -----> Nick's Journal <-----

They both look quite similar, but probably no.1 is better.

What's the plan for planting?
 
Re: -----> Nick's Journal <-----

Is it slate around the rock?
I imagine it will get lost once it's planted up. Maybe it'd be better to use a more bulky rock?
 
Re: -----> Nick's Journal <-----

Thomas McMillan said:
They both look quite similar, but probably no.1 is better.

What's the plan for planting?
something like, P.helferi at the front, with crypts in the middle and a stem at the back on the right, (R.rotundefolia and maybe a small amount of L.aromatica) then some Hairgrass at the back on the right, although i always seem to somehow have difficulty with this plant. but those choices are bound to change. i need something smaller at the very front of the islands to aid the transition, HC will probably be to fiddly for me but i may try it, i dont know if glosso will go straggly.!
Vito said:
I have 300W ETH on my TTEX1200 no probs
Ah right, cheers, the helps my other thread so cheers for that. :D

gratts said:
Is it slate around the rock?
I imagine it will get lost once it's planted up
it is, i do have quite a lot of Mini Landscare rock, so i may try some of that. or just leave that area bare and plant it up.
 
Themuleous said:
Great looking wood, should look great once planted :)

Sam
thanks, i have made a few alterations,(post some pics in a min) i picked all that wood up for under £30 inc delivery. not bad eh!
How it is looking now........
IMGP4595.jpg
 
Hi mate, might i suggest having a play with the path? If you have it wide at the front running to much thinner at the back then it will add greater perspective and ultimately portray a much better effect.
 
aaronnorth said:
i like all versions. Have you got a barrier to stop the substrate mixing?

i dont, what do you recommend, clear plastic? (but will the hamper growth of plants at all?

Dan Crawford said:
Hi mate, might i suggest having a play with the path? If you have it wide at the front running to much thinner at the back then it will add greater perspective and ultimately portray a much better effect.

its not so bad in real life but now you come to think of it...... it does look very square if you get me.
nelson said:
hi nick,

where did you get the wood for 30 quid?
neil
one bit from a sale at an LFS and a couple of bits from 'The last Trading Post' (an ebay shop/seller)

keep the comments coming, this is my first attempt at a planted tank so the layout isnt great but it will do me. :)
 
right, i have now filled the tank and have planted it up. it just needs to fill in a bit. Lighting is just the 2 T8's for now as a bulb on my T5 unit blew up.

Plant List:
Cryptocoryne Wendtii
Cryptocoryne Becketii
Vallisneria Spiralis
Vallisneria Rubra
Rotala Rotundefolia (R.Indica)
Echinodorus Parviflorus Tropica or Black Amazon Sword - debatable whether it is actually one of these that i got!
Limnophilia Aromatica
Microsorium Pteropus Windelov
Microsorium Pteropus
Pogostemon Helferi

the Stems came in very bad condition so i am trying to see if i can rescue them. On with Pictures. (i apologise about the heater in there but there is nothing i can do at the mo)
The filling of the tank
IMGP5284.jpg


This is how it looks after filling. Some plants are not in the final position like the sword at the front. that is there just to see if it will survive.
IMGP5290.jpg


The hairgrass went in the tank a couple of days earlier and just before the other plants went in i took this picture.
IMGP5275.jpg


Remember this is my first attempt at a planted tank and im still on a steep learning curve. It is by no means going to be a masterpiece :) . Remember what your first planted tanks were like???? :oops:

Comments welcome of course!
 
Looks great actually!

Your hairgrass might get lost in the vallis, but you can move some to a more open/forward space as it reproduces. It might be worht cutting the hairgrass down much shorter than you already have, as the cut off leaves will die and rot - might as well just cut them all of at the gravel - looks like they're growing away fast, you'll only be a few day's growth behind!!

Also, that Amazon sword will get enormous - probably easier to move it back a bit now - it won't fit there! They are monsters. (All of them).

You really want the stems to take off, and quickly, so if they're not showing good signs of growth in a day or two just go and get a load of the cheapest fast growers you can find at a fish shop/on here (sorry, don't have any at the moment) and chuck them in. Then they can start getting the tanks going while your slower growing plants are adapting.

Good job, keep us posted :D

Mark
 
i have some new growth on the stems. the sword is there just to grow a bit before it goes in my other tank.

so you suggest i cut the Hairgrass down to the substrate level?
 
I would. I've never had a cut leaf grow back, or do anything except rot off. So from my experience you might as well cut them right off now.

But, you might want to wait a day and see if anyone contradicts me before you get the scissors out :D

Mark

EDIT: PS -look at your photo - the leaves you've cut are all exactly the same length still - only the ones that were shorter then your cut point have grown out (they have a sharp tip, not a cut tip), and they're growing fast too. Still might wanna wait and see what others say - it's just my opinion! :D
 
surely if i cut it right down i will just end up with a stump? or am i cutting that off and waiting for the new growth?
 
Back
Top