Aquascaper 600

[Wills]

Why cant my rrf's look like that!

Ikr... lol

Thanks guys This and my vallis are the biggest plant mass now lol just wish I could get some of the other plants to go - noticed a new leaf on my Lagenandra which is good - it throws out some really interesting colours like yellows, pinks, green, red so never been sure how it was doing but new leaves are a good sign I guess

Wills

 

[Rocky998]

Thanks guys This and my vallis are the biggest plant mass now lol just wish I could get some of the other plants to go - noticed a new leaf on my Lagenandra which is good - it throws out some really interesting colours like yellows, pinks, green, red so never been sure how it was doing but new leaves are a good sign I guess

Wills

Happy to hear its all going good!
Sounds like there is a lot of color in the tank!

 

[Wills]

Fish were being cute today so got some pictures.

Also wanted to share my Lagenandra Meeboldii which is doing well at the moment, not been sure how it was going but getting new leaves and its looking really nice.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Those red roots are incredible! So so beautiful, and that's just the surface too! Only makes me want them more. Given up on growing them on from in-vitro pots - three of those failed immediately in my tank, so getting larger plants from a hobbyist will be my last attempt, for this tank at least. My meeboldii also looked beautiful and healthy when I got it, potted, but cleared hated it in my tank and failed horribly. I have one leaf left I don't know whether there are any roots and it might recover, we'll see, but I have doubts, lol.

Your tank is looking amazing though! The plan you outlined sounds solid, will be great to follow that progress! Please take photos of the process as you go along, if you can and have time/inclination If not, then the results anyway

 

[Wills]

Thanks I'm really chuffed with my Lagenandra I had given up on it but then its pushed through so hoping it will do well in the new scape.

Starting to get my plans together for the move now, got a plant list but think its too much. I did a screen shot rather than list it out - all from Aqua Essentials at the moment as they get some really good low tech plants I don't see elsewhere.

Some of them are in a maybe pile like the Blyxa as I know its really a Co2 plant but some people have luck in hard water and the invitro pots are meant to be pretty good - before the emerged grown pots struggled to transition? There are a few duplicates in there too - eg I'd only go for one species of moss

I think basically I want the tank to be quite 'grassy' or 'reedy' with the things like the valis and the crinum but then I want to grade the plants down the 'hill' so need stuff like the Valis Nana and interested in the Sagittaria Natans which is a new one for me. Really want some moss in my tank too as I've read that dwarf puffers use it as a breeding substrate so interested to see if it would do anything for my red eyes...

Currently trying to decide on sand for the open area - I know I could just get the sand from Argos but I do like my luxury aquascaping brands so trying to decide between ADA La Plata Sand or WIO Heaven, I think I prefer the Wio but I can't find many videos or photos of it in use which is really annoying... I like that it has a slightly griege tone to it rather than the yellowy tone of the ADA but I've seen it somewhere that made me think that their marketing shot is not 100% accurate. I want to get a gravel or something to grade between the rocks and the sand too, I have some chips of Frodo Stone that will work but need something in the middle too - which then goes in favour of the Wio stuff as they do really cool biotope packs.

Wills

 

[FISHnLAB]

Super nice tank Will's and I love the Puffers.

Edit: Lots of good info in this thread and enjoying learning as I read along. Only on post #172 so far but, plan to read the whole thread.

 

[Wills]

Been quiet in here because my plans had to change due to work. This was the weekend they were meant to be moving to my office but due to work getting busy I had to change plans but still good news that work is going ok atm

So I've been in a bit of a funk with the tank especially since the snails ate all my dwarf sag I know it potentially means that they were failing but not 100% on that. I think my assassins and puffers have finally got the population under control and I've been helping by picking out about 20 a week so I thought I'd add a few plants to the tank as is just to improve it and I had some sand from my other tank left so I thought I'd spruce up the front and pack the rocks with filter floss to stop the soil and sand merging as much as it had.

Yesterday I went round my 2 local shops that are good for plants but they had all be raided and didnt have what I want, so back to square one. So once she had had enough of me my wife sent me off to Wharf and told me to cheer up so I went to get some plants and maybe some fish for my other tank, or at least some Amano Shrimp.

Got there, their plants were looking great had 2-3 things I wanted so was happy at that point. Looked round the tropical room loads of awesome stuff in at the moment. And I had seen on their stock list they had some of my puffers in but it said 'males only' so when I saw them in the shop I thought I'll have a look and see if I can see any females so I peeked in and there were loads and about 6-7 females in there! So I came away with 2 but left the plants and fish/shrimp for my other tank.

So this brings my total population up to 5 with 1 male and 4 females which is perfect I know some of the puffer guides say my tank is a bit undersized but its a deep footprint and a complex scape so I've justified it in the past but all good IMO.

Few pics from the process today - I did decide to update the sand and just do a water change before I added the new fish so I've got that all updated and it just feels so much better. I'll get some better pics later tonight when its darker and the water has cleared from when I added the sand its already changed now.

Wills

 

[Wills]

And here is the uncloudy version with everyone in.

Wills

 

[Wills]

My beautiful clean sand!!! Looks like she was hunting snails so might let her off...

 

[Wills]

So today was an undexpected moving day! Well day 1 of 2.

Started with a trip to Horizon Aquatics which was really really good! I went because I wanted a type of sand called Heaven by Wio. But when I saw it in the flesh I was quite disappointed - its super super fine, finer than play sand, kind of like flour? So really glad I didn't order it online as its what I had planned for the 1200 tank too so was going to buy about 30kg in total and at £20 per 5kg that adds up! In the end I came away with Hugo Kamishi Grey Quartz, its quite light but has black flecks in and I think in the scape I'm planning its not going to be an issue, plus all the cover from floating and riparian plants. I also got a small bag of gravel in the same range to add a bit of detail against the Frodo Stone. I also got a good hand full of Frodo Stone chips which they gave me for free! I also got my Crinum at last which I'm excited about as it grows, 2 Limonophilla Sessiflora and some 1-2-grow pots of Dwarf Sag and Hydrocotyle Tripartita. I did want some Cardamyne Lyrata but they were sold out. I might order that later but will see how my space goes with what I have.

I've also put and order in from Aqua Essentials that should arrive tomorrow - I got 3 of the Hydrocotyle Vulgaris like in my 8 gallon, really like this plant and I got 2 pots of Taiwan Moss inspired by @Stan510

Got back about 2pm and made a start on dismantling the tank ready for the move and so that I could rehome the Neon Green Rasboras and Blue Neon Gobies. I had to take everything out to get them including the foreground sand I put in the other week which was a shame but I didnt think I'd be moving it so soon when I did it.

I had one big problem (but I think its fine) when I was syphoning the sand out I accidentally sucked my male puffer! I was keeping an eye on where they were but between the two rocks on the right he had hidden in there. It attached to his side, he fully puffed up and was attached for about 1-2 seconds if that, managed to get him off straight away. He seems fine now, swimming as normal and good colours, it was square on his side and like I say no time at all.

This is the tank after everyone was caught and the tank was filled up. I managed to save half the tank water so put that back in and added fresh tap water - I know someone mentioned not to do 90% water changes... So I've tidied up now and put in some of the new plants to float, all the old plants (which will be reused) are in a bucket with water so should be fine over night and left the lights off.

When I took the fish to my local Maidenhead, I looked around the hose section of the garden centre and I've got an absolute game changer. I've got a flexible hose pipe with an adaptor that will screw into the tap in my office and it also fits the tap in my kitchen! So for water changes I can run the hose from the tap and use the rain effect setting on the hose pipe!

First job tomorrow isn't the most glamorous, but I'll be scrubbing rocks in the sink to try and get some algae and I think just general grime off them. Its not going to be a small job by any stretch as I have quite a few rocks now...

I'll update more tomorrow.

Wills

 

[Colin_T]

Make sure you flush water through any garden hose for 5 minutes before using it to collect water for fish or drinking purposes.

Garden hoses have a softening agent in them and it is extremely toxic to all animals, birds, fish and reptiles. The softening agent helps stop the hose form kinking. The warmer the hose, the more softening agent it leaches into the water. Flushing water through the hose for a few minutes helps to remove any softening agent and gives you cleaner safer water.

Black poly pipe (irrigation tube/ hose) is hard and not flexible and does not contain softening agents. Again though it's a good idea to flush them for a minute or two before collecting water out of them.

---------------------
In some countries (not sure about the UK), you can buy bags of fine gravel and sand from mineral companies. In Perth where I am, there is a company called Cook Industrial Minerals and they used to sell to anyone that wants to buy the stuff. The website says they don't anymore It's where a lot of pet shops buy gravel and sand from, and then re-bag it at the shop. You can get it from them for 1/4 the price most shops sell it for.

You might have something like this or a landscape supplier that you can buy small quantities from.

Sands and Minerals - Cook Industrial Minerals

COOK INDUSTRIAL MINERALS Main Yard (08) 9417 1111 info@cim-pl.com.au 28 Cutler RoadJandakot WA 6164 Monday to Friday: 7.30am – 4.00pm White Silica Sands -0.300mm, -0.425mm, -0.500mm, superfine, foundry sand, supercut and -1 + 0.500mm and FRAC sand on request. Lime Lime sand, Lime sand oversize...

cimonline.com.au

 

[Wills]

Make sure you flush water through any garden hose for 5 minutes before using it to collect water for fish or drinking purposes.

Garden hoses have a softening agent in them and it is extremely toxic to all animals, birds, fish and reptiles. The softening agent helps stop the hose form kinking. The warmer the hose, the more softening agent it leaches into the water. Flushing water through the hose for a few minutes helps to remove any softening agent and gives you cleaner safer water.

Black poly pipe (irrigation tube/ hose) is hard and not flexible and does not contain softening agents. Again though it's a good idea to flush them for a minute or two before collecting water out of them.

---------------------
In some countries (not sure about the UK), you can buy bags of fine gravel and sand from mineral companies. In Perth where I am, there is a company called Cook Industrial Minerals and they used to sell to anyone that wants to buy the stuff. The website says they don't anymore It's where a lot of pet shops buy gravel and sand from, and then re-bag it at the shop. You can get it from them for 1/4 the price most shops sell it for.

You might have something like this or a landscape supplier that you can buy small quantities from.

Sands and Minerals - Cook Industrial Minerals

COOK INDUSTRIAL MINERALS Main Yard (08) 9417 1111 info@cim-pl.com.au 28 Cutler RoadJandakot WA 6164 Monday to Friday: 7.30am – 4.00pm White Silica Sands -0.300mm, -0.425mm, -0.500mm, superfine, foundry sand, supercut and -1 + 0.500mm and FRAC sand on request. Lime Lime sand, Lime sand oversize...

cimonline.com.au

Thanks Colin, I've done that with the hose. I've tried looking into getting rocks from a garden or building centre but not had what I wanted but I think I might just change what I want lol as they are much cheaper.

I've been playing around with the scape this morning now the rocks are all out and sort of there now. The towel is about 10cm shorter than my tank but the length is about the same so still plenty of space around the substrate, though I don't have any substrate fish now. I'm going to view the tank mostly from the front right corner so thats why I've focused on that side as much as the front on view.

It looks so much better when I've put in some of the smaller stones, thats what made me realise I've got something I like. The 'stripes' of rock should soften when I get the plants in but against a black background too it should look more natural.

Just getting everything ready for the move over, feeling nervous but I don't think it will take that long.

Wills

 

[Colin_T]

Too many rocks for my liking. What fish are you going to keep in the tank?

I would probably leave the rocks in the back half and remove the smaller ones from the front half of the tank. That's just me though, I like an open tank so I can see the bodies rotting in the back

 

[Wills]

Too many rocks for my liking. What fish are you going to keep in the tank?

I would probably leave the rocks in the back half and remove the smaller ones from the front half of the tank. That's just me though, I like an open tank so I can see the bodies rotting in the back

Its for my red eye red tail puffers, so I want lots of hiding places and bits for them to lurk around. I have a big group of Amano shrimp too and I might get an other school of rasboras or danios in the future. There is a good 10cm to the front of the rocks when they go in the tank.

All done now oh my god so stressful! Hose pipe didn’t quite go to plan and sprayed water everywhere at the tap end, filter was really really hard to prime because the water had come out the pipes and everything was so heavy to move. Because of where it is I had to do it all by myself and yeah it’s not the biggest tank but the biggest I’d want to move by myself.

Mix in with that I got a call from my dad that he’s in hospital not a very happy Wills right now

Wills

 

[Wills]

So here we are not something I ever want to repeat. moving a tank with the fish nah, unless you have a spare tank or are rehoming the fish anyway. Just keep it where you are, I did hit some hiccups today but overall just stressful and yeah.

I think the thing I'm gutted about is I really wanted to enjoy today and I just didnt so yeah bit of a shame really. But that said my office does look awesome right now. Still a little bit of shuffling and sorting and I'll put a picture on.

Here are some process shots and some initial tank fill shots - I've left the thermometer in a silly place and didnt have the energy left to take the lid off and move it lol. The Monsterra is not in the best place right now but again due to the shape of the lid at the moment thats where it goes - I will move it to the back very soon though. Fish seem to be doing well, I can only see 4 of 5 puffers but thats not unusual so I'm not concerned.

Still got quite a lot of plants to go in but had to break off at this point - still have a big Crinum to add, 3 pots of Hydrocotyle Vulgaris, some dwarf sag and some Taiwan Moss - wishing I'd add the moss earlier.

Would love to hear peoples thoughts - sorry to be needy but would be lovely to get some feedback if you are reading this.

Wills