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Superfish Scaper 60 - Nature

BJK83

Member
Joined
28 Aug 2022
Messages
31
Location
Gloucestershire
My first attempt creating and maintaining an aquascape. I’ve been lurking on UKAPS and watching YouTube videos gaining knowledge and ideas over the last couple of months, I’ve finally decided that I’d like to create a low tech nature island style aquascape.

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been gathering various equipment, substrate, hard scape, tools etc. I’m currently waiting on a replacement filter to be delivered after one turned up cosmetically damaged 😔

Superfish Scaper 60
Oase StyleLine 85 cabinet
Superfish Scaper LED with S2-PRO dimmer
Oase Filtosmart Thermo 200
Tropica Aquarium Soil
JBL River Sand
Grey Mountain Rock
Redmoor Wood
Colombo Fertiliser & Co2 Alternative (came with tank set, not sure how effective these products are?)
Various tools, bits and pieces!

The damaged filter has delayed things a little as I would of been ready to start hardscaping. I need to level the cabinet and set the depth from the rear wall which the canister pipes are fed from. Plus I’d like everything set up in the cabinet ready for final placement and hardscaping.

My plan is to cycle the tank with plants only, which looks to be the general advice on here. I’m a complete novice when it comes to aquatic plants so I’ll most definitely be looking for advice on selecting the correct plants when the time comes. I’ll most likely be purchasing from Aquarium Gardens given the high recommendations on here.

I’m really looking forward to cracking on now and hopefully I’ll be able to create a beautiful tank for me, my daughter and some inhabitants to enjoy 😉
 

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Replacement filter arrived and looks good, although I’ve yet to turn it on. Cabinet levelled and positioned. And the part me and my daughter were excited about, the substrate and hardscape in place. Used filter floss between soil and sand, also glued the wood in a couple of points to the rocks which seems to have bonded well. I’m happy with how the hardscape has turned out but I’m also happy to hear any criticism or ideas on where we could improve it.

I have no experience with plants so I’d be grateful for some advice on planting. I’m not using Co2 and don’t particularly want to go too heavy on planting, just enough to fill out the substrate area, between the rocks and some type of moss on the wood, also some floaters. I’ll be buying from Aquarium Gardens so I’ll most probably contact them for their opinion but it would also be great to hear what you guys think!

Thanks
 

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You’re very welcome to a handful of floaters from me, especially if you’re local as I think you are? Send me a DM if you’re keen.
I’m a big fan of a cryptocoryne - lots of big and small varieties out there. And nymphaea lotus are great if you want some striking colour.
 
After some helpful plant advice from Aquarium Gardens and some UKAPS research I finally hit the order button, just a waiting game now!
I’ll fill the tank this weekend to give the new filter a run, fingers crossed it’s not a duff one 😁
 

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Balansae will dominate your tank. Is this your aim?
 
Balansae will dominate your tank. Is this your aim?
Hi, no it isn’t my aim so thanks for pointing this out. I’ve already ordered the plants so would you suggest that I plant it sparingly? It will be situated in the back left hand corner. Could you offer an alternative?
Thanks
 
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Better than talking you can google some pics and you'll see yourself. It's a robust plant and its leaves will reach and cover the surface. It propagates vegetatively spontaneously and may get out of control. It seems to prefer rather harder water and well-fertilized conditions. If you keep your tank in lean territory, it'll remain small and grow very slowly.
 
Thanks for the above advice, exactly what I’m looking for. I’ve cancelled the Balansae from my order. Hopefully the other plants I’ve ordered will fill the areas out, if not I’ll look at other options, to be honest I’m not looking to add dense planting.
Tanks filled and the Oase filter is working brilliantly, really happy with it.
 
Balansae will dominate your tank. Is this your aim?

I think you may be thinking of Vallis?

Balansae can get large with Co2. It is easily kept shorter by cutting the larger ‘stems‘ at the base. It is not as invasive as Vallis. Had it in a 60-P before with CO2, no problem.

Without CO2 it stays quite compact as a background plant 👍
 
Ok so plants arrived yesterday, all looking good and well packaged!
Aquarium Gardens as well as Siege above confirmed that the Balansae should be suitable without Co2 (which I’m not using) so this has been planted in the far corner. I’ve tried to position the plants as best as I could but I suppose time will tell if I’ve placed them in the correct places 😄 One mistake I made was not initially adding enough substrate depth, a couple of frustrating floaters! Added some more Tropica soil and they’ve now settled. I was also really surprised at how well the Gorilla super glue gel worked!
I’m going to give it a week or two before adding a couple more plants as there are a couple of empty spaces that would probably look better filled out.
 

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First 50% water change today, also Aquasafe and TNC complete added although I’m not sure how exactly much I’m adding so I’ve ordered a small measuring cap . Couple of plants needed a little prod back home into the soil, hopefully they will soon settle!
Planning on daily 50% changes for the first week, 50% every other day second and third week, then 50% weekly - happy to hear any advice if this should be done differently.
 

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It’s been 2 weeks since I filled the tank and so far so good. Unfortunately the only plants that didn’t adapt are the two Anubis Nana Bonsai’s, they were ok for the first week but have since slowly melted away, one is still just hanging in there. Yesterday I added some more Marselia Hirsuta to cover more of the foreground and also a Schismatoglottis prietoil which looks great. Also added a small pond snail from my daughters tank a few days ago, he seems happy enough 😄. Continuing with a water change every other day.
 

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It’s been 2 weeks since I filled the tank and so far so good. Unfortunately the only plants that didn’t adapt are the two Anubis Nana Bonsai’s, they were ok for the first week but have since slowly melted away, one is still just hanging in there. Yesterday I added some more Marselia Hirsuta to cover more of the foreground and also a Schismatoglottis prietoil which looks great. Also added a small pond snail from my daughters tank a few days ago, he seems happy enough 😄. Continuing with a water change every other day.
Looks lovely! May I suggest a lily? I quite like mine in my Low tech tank. Creates some nice shade and looks lovely from above!
 
Looking really good so far well done.

I've just picked up the same tank and will be hardscaping soon, so nice to see how yours is progressing so far!

Sent from my CPH2009 using Tapatalk
 
Thanks for the above advice Miniaturist and Plantnoobdude, I love the lilys but decided to add a couple of different options.

I’ve completely removed the Lindernia rotundifolia, they just haven’t adapted well at all, melting and some just would just float with the slightest movement! Ive also repositioned the Crypto Willissi to the back corner and planted a Hygrophila Siamensis 53B and a Lagenandra meeboldii Red to fill the central void spots which has worked out well, also added some more Marselia Hirsuta to fill the voids in the foreground.

At this point I’m finally happy with the planting so long as the new additions thrive. Algae has been fairly kind to me, which I imagine is the results of frequent water changes. Next Wednesday will be 4 weeks of dedicated water changes so hopefully I can start to look at inhabitants. I’ve got my sights set on some RCS and some green neon tetra.

I’m not planning on adding both fish and shrimp at the same time so should I add shrimp first and then the tetra after a few days or does it not make much difference?? Also any recommendations for online shrimp sellers?

Thanks
 
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