Craynerds Planted Tank Mk.2

[RadaR]

Just got back from holiday and just thought Id see how your new tank was going and...................wow looks awesome.

 

[craynerd]

Thanks chaps and chapesses!

Mr G - I am actually not using PS, i have used a layer of peat and mulm instead. This is not a replacement for PS but a technique i know has been sucesfully used by Tom Barr.

PS is pumice, peat and NO3/PO4

By adding the mulm i am already introducing a starter culture of bacteria, but more importantly, organic matter for new bacteria to use as a food supply.
I have added a layour of peat
And if you are planning to use EI or similar daily water column fertilisation, then there is no need for the NO3/PO4 that the PS offers.

Sure, additional nutrients are always going to be beneficial for those who are less reliable at regularly fertilising their tank, but for someone like me, who enjoys the daily routine, PS will offer no benefit.

If you have already got your PS Mr G, then i am not saying it will be a waste of money. Your tank will be more forgiving with its fertilisation, but in my opinion, after lots of reading and good information, i found it very expensive for what it had to offer.

If i had lots of money i would also have used PS, but then where do you stop, surely you could then use tourboline.....then bacter100

lol, the products never end.

Good Luck with your setup and keep us posted.

Chris

 

[Qays]

such a wonderful tank. They dont usually look thisgood when they have just begun. This will look even better once it fills out! Great job.

Whats the taller plant in the background?

your actually having a photographer come to your house for the tank?!! Wow!

When are you going to add the fish? Are you cycling this tank or are you going to do a "planted tank cycle"?

 

[Neal]

I think your hairgrass/sag whatever the front plant is, should be scattered around as I don't think it looks as natural when it's in a straight line, which it looks like it is from the pics!

Neal

 

[Qays]

hey neal, i think eventually that will happen, it has been planted in pots, so when it propegates, it should look more natural!

 

[MoreCoffee]

Thanks chaps and chapesses!

Mr G - I am actually not using PS, i have used a layer of peat and mulm instead. This is not a replacement for PS but a technique i know has been sucesfully used by Tom Barr.

PS is pumice, peat and NO3/PO4

By adding the mulm i am already introducing a starter culture of bacteria, but more importantly, organic matter for new bacteria to use as a food supply.
I have added a layour of peat
And if you are planning to use EI or similar daily water column fertilisation, then there is no need for the NO3/PO4 that the PS offers.

Sure, additional nutrients are always going to be beneficial for those who are less reliable at regularly fertilising their tank, but for someone like me, who enjoys the daily routine, PS will offer no benefit.

If you have already got your PS Mr G, then i am not saying it will be a waste of money. Your tank will be more forgiving with its fertilisation, but in my opinion, after lots of reading and good information, i found it very expensive for what it had to offer.

If i had lots of money i would also have used PS, but then where do you stop, surely you could then use tourboline.....then bacter100

lol, the products never end.

Good Luck with your setup and keep us posted.

Chris

Hi Chris,

Yeah I've already got the PS. I've seen all the arguments 'for' or 'against' using it, but decided I'd give it a shot on my next tank, just to see. It's actually not that expensive .....but obviously mulm is free !

I fully agree with your " where do you stop" sentiment .......In the end settled on the AS, PS, Tourmaline and Bacter100 and will be using ADA Step 1 and Brighty K as ferts

The real pity is that the tank it's all going into is always going to be the 'weak link' (apart from my aquascaping ). Still, if this tank works out then I'll be investing in one of AE's high clarity tanks - I might even see if I can find Simon's DIY cabinet instructions ........ your's looks excellent !.

(all depends on how much money my ex wifes solicitor leaves me with ! )

I've got some Sumatran Driftwood ready, so now I'm just waiting until my Birstall order arrives next week ..... that is assuming they can get all the plants I asked for.
Some were listed on Tropica's site but not on Birstall's, but they can usually order anything from Tropica's catalogue.

Your HM looks like it has recovered quite well. Keep the updates coming .....

Al

 

[craynerd]

hehe, good stuff man! I am not gonna lie, the only reason i didn`t use PS was because i thought well, why the hell not use tourboline, then bacter100. Just thought i`d draw the line immediately since i didnt have the funds. Plus you really should see the work done by Tom Barr if you want justification for not needing it.
Yet, if i could have offorded the lot, i would have.

Good luck with your aquascaping.

-----------------------------------------------

Maybe i should have updated you regarding the HM!! lol.
I have not touched a thing in the tank so everything has chance to bed in! BUT the HM i gave 2 days and it just got worse and worse, until eventually it went brown and died (its my first Birstall order, lol, not the best first time service and i know you guys really like them) I liked the look of Micranthemum umbrosum, so i removed the HM and replaced it. I have grown M. Umbrosum before and it quite a tricky plant to control. The stems are very thin but it grows in a thicker "bush" than HM does if trimmed correctly.
It will fill in the space hopefully just like HM would have, but in a tighter ball.

SO , the HM didn`t recover, infact quite the opposite.
Now i have trimmed the hairgrass and replaced the HM with Micranthemum umbrosum i am definitely leaving everything for another 3 weeks. I may have to trim the rotala earlier, its already reached the surface and only been in about 5 days.

Chris

 

[MoreCoffee]

No HM ..... Ooopps ....... Must have been the Micranthemum umbrosum that I was looking at

I've seen Tom Barr's tanks ( inspirational stuff ! ) and read the reasons not to use PS, but all I'd need for this 60cm tank is a 2L bag, so it wasn't a huge expense.
However adding the Tourmaline and Bacter100 nudged the overall price up a little ........... "Where do you stop !" A sound strategy, received a little too late

My next tank is a 240cm one, so I think I'll be using mulm & peat for that one, although I think I'll be sticking with the Aqua Soil.

As for Birstall: I've had a couple of problems with orders in the past, but as I Iive local its quite easy to call into the shop as collect the plants as they arrive.
I reject any that look bad. Any that have turned up in a poor condition have arrived that way from Tropica.
I'd advise you to take a pic of any plants that look poor on arrival and contact Birstall. When there have been problems, I've always found there 'after sales service' to be pretty good.

Do you think it could have something to do with glaring at them over the counter

Certainly looking forward to seeing the pics your photographer takes.

 

[craynerd]

Certainly looking forward to seeing the pics your photographer takes.

Yea me too!! I can`t wait.

Chris

 

[Themuleous]

Hi Chris, tank is looking good, a few more weeks and it'll look even better. One comment though, what are the rocks doing in there? They don't seem (to my eyes anyway) to serve any purpose in the scape as a whole. Just seem to have been added for the sake of adding them? The two on the right are getting lost in amongst the crypt too? I also think they detract from the crypt and make that area look too cluttered. The central wood is the main focal point why not remove the rocks as you dont need any more focal points? They also lessen the effect of the wood being at the angle it is, without them I think the V-shape would be more defined.

Sam

 

[MoreCoffee]

However adding the Tourmaline and Bacter100 nudged the overall price up a little ........... "Where do you stop !" A sound strategy, received a little too late

Chris,

Where do you stop !" ..... Just realised that I also included ADA Super Clear with my order
I must have been on a bit of a roll that day !


Surprised you've not opted for some ADA Detergent for your ADA glassware

Al

 

[craynerd]

Mr G -> lol, i told you, it never ends, u should get the catalogue and see what is on offer, we don`t know the half. You can get scented CO2 for god sake!!!!

Sam -> hehe, one thing i am really pleased about so far, is all the comments of positive constructive criticism are things i can also see!! This makes me feel much better

So, regarding the rocks....yes i am sort of with you.

When i was building the aquascape last wednesday i was chatting all the way through it to Oldwhite, (Neil) and i was telling him on msn how wonderful i had made this rock formation. I was so chuffed with it, it looks wicked, just like a rock surface popping out of the aquasoil with crypts growing in. I was advised to put rocks in by Nick and i think maybe George, to hold the gradient of the AS from the front of the tank to the back.

Anyway, basically yes your correct. Within a few days of having the filter in, the AS has been moved off the rocks to expose them much more and they do look a little "placed". I commented on the exact same thing to someone yesterday.

I really would like to keep them since they do serve two purposes:

1) it does hold the AS at its gradient
2) it does give a better transition from fore to midground.

For now i am completely leaving my tank alone, not cutting, pruning or any sort of fiddling (imagine how hard it is for me!!!). Just fertilising. I am totally letting the plants bed in for a good 3-4 weeks (probably 3 more). When they are more settled i`ll have a play with the rocks. If i can bury them deeper so they look like they originally did i will keep them, more to stabilise the aquasoil. If they still look rubbish then i will take them out completely. Another thought was that as the hairgrass grows around them, they will become less exposed and may look ok.

There are some on the left hand side of the tank with an anubias growing in between. these are burried deeper and i think look a lot better.

Thanks for your comments Sam. I appreciate people having the time to look in detail and comment on what i could do to improve and also, we all like praise, what you think looks good.

Regards

Chris

 

[Themuleous]

No probs Chris, you'll have to do the same for me when I 'unveil' the new nano scape

I didn't realise the rocks served a function over and above aesthetics, and as you say if they are 'holding things together' so to speak guess you've got to keep them! And yes I feel your pain in not being able to change things or just generally fiddle with it!

And yes once the plants get properly established it'll look different anyway so might as well wait and see!

Sam

 

[craynerd]

Guys did my first water tests today. Thought with me doing regular water changes i would combat some water chem issues, i have done with the pH, thats 6.6 which was good since it comes out the tap at 6.8.

But i am worried about ammonia at 4 ppm !!

I have done another water change, 50% but what else can i do? I have planted v heavily. In my last tank i had no problems with ammonia, i never got more than 0 ppm !!!

Nitrate is at about 5ppm and nitrite at 0ppm

Hope someone can help

Chris

 

[craynerd]

EDIT: gonna check my test kit, Neil pointed out, how can i have ammonia if nitrate and nitrite are 5ppm and 0ppm respectively.

Althoug shrimp are acting a little eratic.

tense moments...

Chris