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The Lonely mountain -Final photo before taking it down

Antoni

Member
Joined
25 Jan 2009
Messages
816
Location
Pompey
Hi everybody,

it has been awhile since I have started this project, but as I have been away for more than a month and I have been quite busy lately, I didn't have time for it.
The long story short: As I really liked the hardscape I have used in Aquatics Live, I wanted to create a long..or lets say longer term scape with it, where to play a bit more with plants and arrangements.

So at the beginning of December I have decided to give it a go. As I was planning a long Christmas holiday, I decided to go the DSM way.

I have used some Tesco cat litter for substrate - really love the color blending of the stones and the cat litter. Under the cat litter I used some fertilizer to provide nutrients for the plants, during the "dry season"

View.jpg


The tank has been left on its own, with no heating and occasional spraying for around 2 and a half months. The plants used are Tropica's: HC, 1-2 Grow Eleocharis mini, Hottonia palustris, Riccardia Chamedryfolia. Fisidens fontanus and some Althernatera for a splash of red.

The outcome after such a prolong absence and negligence..... Well the plants were fine, but didn't really spread a lot, since the planting. I suppose this is because of the low nutrient load of the substrate, low temperature during my absence and not enough light. I left the timer set on 8 hours per day, when I left, but the main electric switch has defected, so it has been dark for some time...
On my arrival, I have increased the lighting period to 12 hours.

The Riccardia, has developed very interesting form emmersed:
Riccardia+emmersed+form.jpg


It is huge, compared to its underwater form. You can see it compared the other plants here:
Close+up.jpg


The Fissidens is not doing very well, but has some new green shootings, so I hope it will be ok, after the flooding.
Close+up+moss+and+HC.jpg


Shortly will post a picture of the tank after the flood. It has been 3 days now, since the big flood. :)
 
Looks excellent antoni! Is that the actual hardscape from aquatics live? You've done a real good job replicating it!

It won third prize didn't it? What did you spend you £4000 on?

Just one more thing...more pictures.
 
Looks great Antoni ;) my fave scape at AL, only let down for me was the piece of wood on top of the largest rock which I see you removed here ;) love it :thumbup: :clap:
 
Looks excellent antoni! Is that the actual hardscape from aquatics live? You've done a real good job replicating it!

It won third prize didn't it? What did you spend you £4000 on?

Just one more thing...more pictures.

Do you want more pics of the scape or antoni ? :D

I liked version one alot but version two is def looking even better.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2
 
Looks excellent antoni! Is that the actual hardscape from aquatics live? You've done a real good job replicating it!

It won third prize didn't it? What did you spend you £4000 on?

Just one more thing...more pictures.

Yes, Ian, that is the hardscape from Aquatics live, I took it back home....about 30 kg of stones in the suitcase :)

I got the third place and the £4000 ......went for ....couple of nights out... oh and a drop checker from China :D

Pictures of the flooded scape will follow shortly.

Looks great Antoni ;) my fave scape at AL, only let down for me was the piece of wood on top of the largest rock which I see you removed here ;) love it :thumbup: :clap:

Thanks mate! Yes I must agree that it looks better this way, but I will try the bonsai style scape soon again, with different hardscape. :happy:

I really do love the rock!

Thanks! Those stones are absolutely stunning. Actually I thing it is petrified wood... from Unipac.


I liked version one alot but version two is def looking even better.

Thanks mate. I felt that this hardscape has some potential, so I decided to give it a try again.
 
Good morning everybody!

Last few days, have been hectic, I have run out of CO2 and I didn't have time to go and buy one and have left the tank with no CO2 for more than 24 hours. Got a full bottle now already connected and hope that there will be no major issues.... :confused: At rate of 4bps the there must have been quite a swing in the amount of CO2 in the tank.... To battle this effect, I have started adding liquid carbon and will keep adding it for few days.

Today I will make a large water change /about 75% /, which will be the 4-th for the first week. My plan is to reduce the water changes to 2 per week from Monday and to change only 50%

Here is a picture of the scape 3 days after the flood. Sorry for the equipment inside! :oops:

3+days+after+the+flood.jpg
 
Looking great antoni!

Just one minor thing...the red lud in the back, is it staying there or are you going to go for more smaller leaved stems?
 
Hi Ian,

you are right, the leaves of this one are quite large... it supposed to stay a bit more compact, but.... maybe this is because it is in emmersed form still. I will wait to see if it is going to transform. If not I will change it with althernatera mini. I have some 1-2 Grow
 
Hi everybody,

not much has happened in the last week or so.

The HC is struggling to make it and I have an algae taking advantage of the damaged and struggling plants.

HC+state.jpg


On this pic you can see the dying plants. I suppose this is kind of normal for some of the plants, during the transition period from emmersed to submersed form... even though I have been pumping a lot of CO2 in - for the first 10 days at rate of 4 bps, currently at 2 bps.

I'm not quite worried about the algae, as with the help of some liquid carbo, I think I will sort them out, but might need to replant some of the HC...

The hottonia is trying to take over the tank and will need a trim soon.

In+situ+10.03.jpg


Hottonia+Palustris.jpg


Even though it is such a beautiful plant, I'm not quite sure it will be the plant of a choice for the background...

A different angle shot:

From+the+top.jpg


Couple of close up shots of the hardscape:

Rock+close+up.jpg

Hope the HC will recover and will make a nice dense carpet here...

One of my selection RCS :) on a rock face!
Shrimp+on+a+rock+face.jpg
 
I will appreciate some advice regarding the fish choice :)

I was wondering among the following species:

Sundadanio Axelrody http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/sundadanio-axelrodi/ The Sundadanio was my first choice, I can get from my local shop the blue/red form, but after seeing the Norman Lampeyes I'm now lost

Boraras Brigittae Boraras brigittae – Mosquito Rasbora — Seriously Fish I love the Boraras Brigittae it is lovely little fish, quite bright red, when fully grown. My only concern is that it will get blended with the rocks...

Nanostomus Espei Nannostomus espei – Barred Pencilfish (Poeciliobrycon espei ) — Seriously Fish that is fish I have seen in the Amano's tank. It is not very colorful but striking

Norman's Lampeye Norman's Lampeye – Aplocheilichthys Normani I like the green bluish appearance. I think it will contrast well with the scape..

Any advice? :)
 
The s. alxelrodi would look ace in this scape.
Can you manage to get hold of all these fish?
 
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