• 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

Osaka overhaul

TBRO

Member
Joined
8 Feb 2009
Messages
947
Hi, this is my first real post but recently re-did my tank and wanted to share.

My Osaka 260 was previously set up as Jungle affair but unfortunatley I set it up with coral sand after being advised by my local shop that it was benign, neutral river sand. Long story short - pH 8.5, KH > 12, fish and plants struggling no matter how many water changes performed. Than the inevitable algae bloom occured...
fishtank002.jpg


Anyway eventually decided to start over and was inspired by some of the Blyxa (TDI's blyxa monolith) scapes so decided to add some more structure with lots of Blyxa. See dry scape with ADA amazon and rocks in situ,

fishtank003.jpg


Here are some images of the early planted tank. Blyxa to the rear, and various salvaged plants from my previous set up. The Java fern and wood to the left is temporary bio-mass while the tank matures. Not sure yet what to do in the fore ground (suggestions welcome). I think I will add a second luminaire at some point to increase the foreground illumination. Things are going much better this time and the Blyxa is doing well.

fishtank008.jpg


fishtank009.jpg


Some HC growing happily in the rock fissure (it was simply dying in my old tank)

fishtank010.jpg
 
is it me or is the focal point of the blue sucker for the diffuser!!! :lol: is really bright but i love it!

great scape. will look good when all grows in.
 
LOL - Yeah the diffuser does catch the eye, I think the plastic took up some white spot treatment from my previous set up. Hopefully the Echinodorus quadricostatus will grow and hide things. I think the Blyxa hedge ends a bit abruptly at the right side, I think I will try and find somthing medium sized to go there. Was also thinking of adding somthing taller behind the main rock possibly Cyperus helferi but I've heard it's quite difficult. Does anyone have any experiance with Marsilea hirsuta as a carpet ?
 
Looks great, lovely rock placement. Looks really natural.

Is that a lily bulb you've got just starting in the middle? If so, you'll probably find it takes over the whole tank. Nice plant though.
 
Thanks Graeme, I think things are still settling in my pH is super low at 5.5 but it's only 6 out of the tap. My KH is also 0.5 - 1. I'm donig 30 % water changes every couple of days currently. I have noticed that after a water change the plants photosynthesis much more vigourously. I don't know if this is because of lower ammonia with the new water or a slight increase in pH (none detectable on my kit) Unfourtunatley I don't have a kit for ammmonia but I guess the ADA is leaching out plenty at the moment. According to that table (Chuck's) I probably shouldn't add any C02!

Does anyone know if low pH or high ammonia activley inhibits photosynthesis, It is a enzyme driven process after all.

Here's a shot of the tank with some more HC and Marisella from TGM.

fishtank012.jpg
 
Great scape TBRO, blyxa is growing and blending in very well.

And funny enough, i've been there with the coral sand, and had to change a good few bags in the past. God damm lfs. :rolleyes:
 
Thanks for the comments :D

The stones took ages to find, I'm lucky to have parents with a small farm and I found them there. It's Welsh Shale which as far as I can find shouldn't release calcium carbonate, I was interested to find that some stone actually acidifies it's enviroment. The trouble with shale is it's layered when formed so each rock comes from a different layer and thus is a different shade, finding similar pieces is difficult, and not good for you're back. I put a thick sheet of polystirene under the bigger pieces, a third of the big one is buried.
 
I love Sunday, plenty of time to mess with the tank. Thanks to Graeme's advice I think I,ve got a CO2 level more appropriate to my pH (e.g one bubble every five seconds rather than three a second!). The plants pearling away much more now than when CO 2 was fizzing in at 3 bps. I think the water changes were just lowering the CO2 poisoning - you live and learn..

Some close ups of what will hope fully be the alpine medow and the forest behind.

fishtank014.jpg


fishtank016.jpg
 
Here is the set up about 4 weeks in, Removed the java ferns and planted some blyxa plantlets in it's place. Some BBA problems but improving with flourish XL dosing. I think the plants are suffering a bit from nutrient deficiency especially the blyxa which looks kind of yellow. Going to start adding TPN + from taday.
fishtank019.jpg
 
Also now have livestock, four siamese algae eaters and 12 cherry shrimps are helping to crush the algae. My moss balls are slowly disappearing into the undergrowth.
fishtank025.jpg
 
After 5 minutes i gave up in downloading the photos, you should consider resizing before you upload them, or else it will tank 30 minutes to open the post and most people will just give up like I did!!!

http://imageshack.us/ will resize the photos for you as you upload them!!
 
Thanks for the tip LD, have resized things, still kind of learning eith the whole message board thing :?:
 
TBRO said:
Thanks for the tip LD, have resized things, still kind of learning eith the whole message board thing :?:
Good stuff mate, we are here to help (I didn't mean to be mean just took ages to load and my internet sometimes stugles to go above 1meg), much better now and great looking tank, that Blyxa looks amazing :) congrats
 
Hi Tbro,
love the design my friend,the rock placment is very nice,
bylxa is my fav plant at the moment,once you get your ferts right it will grow like a weed,

regards john.
 
Back
Top