Dave`s Pre Journal Journal

[2pods]

Thanks for posting the pics Dave

It makes a lot more sense to me now as the "Learn German In Two Days" book was hopeless
So, its just the adjustments I/we are short of ?

My co2 dropper came on Friday but I've had a virus, so I haven't been on, or done much.

Thanks again mein freund ( it's the book )

Peter

 

[lljdma06]

Your plan seems pretty good. I like the addition of the weeds. Actually, somebody here had an ingenious plan and anchored their weeds along the glass using suction cups, so it wouldn't inhibit the growth of their lawncover. Very interesting. Good luck, can't wait to see this as a true journal.

llj

 

[Dave Spencer]

I saw that idea too llj, but the plants kept floating out, or I was crushing the stems. I took the buffoon proof approach.

Suppose I had better post a picture of how the tank is at the moment. The HC is planted, but I am a little concerned that some of it is being shaded at the moment and getting a little leggy. You may notice the pots of UG and Micranthemum umbrosum. These are due to go in to the 24l tank next door, sometime.

It has cost me a fortune to get the tank looking this crappy!

My 120l tank is due for some pruning this week, so I will probably add some more stems to this tank and use some on the 24l.

Cheers, Dave.

 

[lljdma06]

It has cost me a fortune to get the tank looking this crappy!

It doesn't look that bad. Actually looks a bit like my 20g and 36g right now, but those are due for an overhaul. The plant growth has just been mad with these two. I can see a potentially beautiful scape, much better than mine.

llj

 

[Themuleous]

Early days yet Dave but its look very promising. I'll be interested to see how the HC does, looks like some big clumps you've planted there.

BTW how do you find that reg? I see they've all but stopped doing the other reg type on Aquamas.

Sam

 

[Dave Spencer]

I suspect there was a seal missing. It is probably in the same place as the instructions I never received. Fortunately, I was able to get a seal for it myself and everything is back on track CO2 wise.

I wasn`t entirely sure how small to make the clumps of HC, but I was damaging roots and stems by trying to make them smaller. They are actually starting to fill out quite noticeably with very little die off from the initial planting ten days ago. I just want to get all of them in the direct light, but this won`t be an option for a while.

Dave.

 

[2pods]

Looking very nice and landscaped.

How do you keep the slope in place ?
Everytime I've tried it the fish evened it out for me (mind you, it is gravel, not soil).

Peter

 

[afroturf]

Although it's a little messy its looking good I can't remember what you were going to use as a background plant if any. How many bps is you CO2 at?

 

[Dave Spencer]

2pods, the ADA Aqua Soil is brilliant to work with and I have managed to get two fairly steep slopes that are very stable. Hopefully the HC will hold them together even more.

Afro, as a second plant I was thinking of Eleocharis parvula. I wouldn`t mind the odd Pogostemon helferi dotted around as well. Anything you can recommend?

CO2 is at 2BPS for 60l. I am running a yellow CO2 dropper at the moment to get the plants really growing. The ADA Aqua Soil has sent the Ammonia off scale, with no signs of coming back down after 11 days.

Dave.

 

[2pods]

2pods, the ADA Aqua Soil is brilliant to work with and I have managed to get two fairly steep slopes that are very stable. Hopefully the HC will hold them together even more.

Afro, as a second plant I was thinking of Eleocharis parvula. I wouldn`t mind the odd Pogostemon helferi dotted around as well. Anything you can recommend?

CO2 is at 2BPS for 60l. I am running a yellow CO2 dropper at the moment to get the plants really growing. The ADA Aqua Soil has sent the Ammonia off scale, with no signs of coming back down after 11 days.

Dave.

Ammonia for 11 days !
Makes me wonder if it's a bovine by product
It's looking good though !

Thanks for your help Dave.
The Co2 is up and running fine, if dubiously (according to the dropper it's green, the table tells a different tale of only 9.5 )
I'll know tomorrow if my reg is OK (Dave's two day reg test)

Peter

 

[afroturf]

Dave as this tank is in the Iwagumi style I think that this limits the range of plants you can use, and although Pogostemon helferi is a lovely plant and IMO would look great placed in and around the rocks but it can look a bit fussy and may detract from the simplicity of a Iwagumi layout. In terms of the background plant I received some Eleocharis parvula form AE yesterday and although I was pleased with it looks more like the acicularis if comparing the plant to the Tropica labels. I think an Eleocharis sp would fit best in terms of the simplicity and dare I say it, ‘the norm’. vivipara would give more height than either acicularis or parvula. If you had soft water I would use Blyxa japonica, which is a stunning plant, or there is always Echinodorus tenellus or even a sagittaria sp. The choice is yours…

Has you filter matured or not. It could be that the ammonia has stopped leaching out and the filter is not mature enough to remove it. You could change some water and see if the ammonia levels returns to being off the scale.

 

[Dave Spencer]

Cheers Afro,

I know what you mean by your "norm" statement, there is nothing original going on with this Iwagumi. What I have done is to introduce some slopes in to the substrate, because all the Iwagumis I admire have a relatively level base.

They are strange in the planted tank sense, because the plants to my mind are actually playing a second role to the hardscape, and this does limit my choice of plants and options for originality.

What I am after regarding a grassy plant is, basically, the shortest grass type plant there is. I don`t want anything growing as tall as the tallest rocks. How tall will Blyxa japonica grow in your experience? I read about how tall specific plants grow on the Tropica website, but they always seem to grow a lot taller than is stated. My Echinodorus tenellus in the 120l is around 15cm tall in places and I have some Didiplis diandra at 30cm after two weeks in the tank.

I need some advice from people with personal experience on how low the various grasses will stay, and choose the shortest.

Cheers, Dave.

 

[afroturf]

My Elecharis parvula is 7 or 8cm tall at the moment but it has only been in my tank for 1 day so it could get bigger (or smaller). The blyxa I originally had was less than 10cm heigh but I’ve seen scapes with them in growing quite large and with you tank providing optimum conditions for good plant growth I feel this could be the case for you to, so blyxa my not be what your looking for. Both parvula and acicularis should stay under 10cm in height and I think these would be your best bet if you wanted the plant to be as small as possible.

 

[Dave Spencer]

Tropica have the parvula as being the shortest. Can I just give it a haircut if it grows too tall?

 

[cheesy feet]

cabinet. Should I spray it ADA grey, or what that be a bit sad, trying to emulate ADA on the cheap?

I am hoping to put them together to create something like this. What do you think?

Sorry to go back to the first post.But i see a reflection in the glas,but no person Or were you using a timer