DevUK
UKAPS member
I've spent the weekend before last stripping down my tank which had gotten very neglected for various reasons. I then spent last weekend playing with hardscape and getting it sorted out. I was having real problems with gaining a sense of height and depth, but I think I've cracked it now. Before I had a line of rocks which looked quite nice, but was quite flat. After more playing with substrate and rocks I came up with this:
So heres how it lines up:
Planting:
Tech Specs:
Anyhow. Finally finished planting this afternoon. Been fidling with my photo editing software on an old laptop, so the following pics might not look so hot! Looong post alert
The essentials (UKAPS branded of course!):
I got the HC and P. Helferi planted first. The HC is planted stem-by-stem mostly, with some larger clumps here and there. I think I developed my own style - break it into individual stem groups, similar to how you do with moss (only shorter):
If breaking HC down into individual stems wasn't bad enough, untangling a mass of E. Acicularis continued to test my patience (such an apt name for the scape ) The first of 3 trays worth:
You can just make out the E. Acicularis in the back ground. Just Staurogyne and Blyxa to go...
Staurogyne I pilfered from my little shrimp tank. Just about enough:
And then I was done. I started Friday evening, dissassembling HC and then planting it, a tray at a time. Not sure how many trays loads I got through, but I think about 6 or 8 (about 2 or 3 trays per pot of HC). I used 3 pots of HC in the end! Still fot 3 left The one thing I wish I had is another 4 or 5 stems of is Blyxa, but hopefully it will fill out, the small gap in the corner is below where I plant to have one or two of my filter inlets.
And so to the fully planted shots:
Top angle:
Right side looking left (kinda how I see it sitting on my sofa):
And the full frontal:
I got the filters installed and running, just need to transplant my CO2 kit in the next few days, but I'll be dosing Easy Carbo too
Whew. Long post
So heres how it lines up:
Planting:
- Hemianthus callitrichoides "Cuba"
- Pogostemon helferi
- Eleocharis acicularis
- Blyxa Japonic
- Staurogyne Sp.
Tech Specs:
- Dimensions - 90x35x45cm (ish)
- Substrate - 18L ADA Aqua Soil Amazonia + Unipac Zambezi sand (padding under rocks)
- Filtration - 2x Tetratec EX1200
- Light - Arcadia 4x24w T5 Luminaire
- CO2 - 5kg Fire extinquisher with solenoid. Glass diffuser(s).
- Heater - Hydor ETH300 external
Anyhow. Finally finished planting this afternoon. Been fidling with my photo editing software on an old laptop, so the following pics might not look so hot! Looong post alert
The essentials (UKAPS branded of course!):
I got the HC and P. Helferi planted first. The HC is planted stem-by-stem mostly, with some larger clumps here and there. I think I developed my own style - break it into individual stem groups, similar to how you do with moss (only shorter):
If breaking HC down into individual stems wasn't bad enough, untangling a mass of E. Acicularis continued to test my patience (such an apt name for the scape ) The first of 3 trays worth:
You can just make out the E. Acicularis in the back ground. Just Staurogyne and Blyxa to go...
Staurogyne I pilfered from my little shrimp tank. Just about enough:
And then I was done. I started Friday evening, dissassembling HC and then planting it, a tray at a time. Not sure how many trays loads I got through, but I think about 6 or 8 (about 2 or 3 trays per pot of HC). I used 3 pots of HC in the end! Still fot 3 left The one thing I wish I had is another 4 or 5 stems of is Blyxa, but hopefully it will fill out, the small gap in the corner is below where I plant to have one or two of my filter inlets.
And so to the fully planted shots:
Top angle:
Right side looking left (kinda how I see it sitting on my sofa):
And the full frontal:
I got the filters installed and running, just need to transplant my CO2 kit in the next few days, but I'll be dosing Easy Carbo too
Whew. Long post