George's Nano Journal

[George Farmer]

Graeme - This is exactly the sort of feedback I relish. Thanks for your input.

 

[jayjay]

George I use a fluval 1 plus filter on the tank, with spray bar.

Am prefering your tank already. I'm growing simple plants, tiger lotus, amazon swords, java fern, java moss, crypts., etc.

Mine has no fish in, since this morning when my killi jumped from an opening I'd left the night before by accident.

Yeast CO2, 30w light, silver sand substrate and a few pieces of bogwood.

Just has amano shrimp and Malayan trumpet snails in, mainly for clean up.

I'd like to know if you could tell me is it possible for me to try something like you? With yeast CO2, high lighting, possibility of ferts, maybe a new substrate (I'd like to know how you get on using compost please).

Cheers, JayJay.

 

[George Farmer]

Still not entirely happy but it's going the right way. Thanks to Graeme for the constructive critisism.

 

[Bufo Bill]

Hi George, love the ideas you are coming up with for this. Noting Graeme's advice has done wonders for your arrangement, however you have not heeded his advice fully. He says the two smaller Buddhas should "bow" to the larger one. If you take the shape of your smaller rocks to be irregularly sided triangles, then the shorter side should appear closest to the large rock. This gives the impression of a bowed head, thus "Bowing to their master". The advice these masters give may be a little obscure but rarely if ever fails. Can't wait to see this progress.

All the best from Bill.

 

[Fwapp]

Hi George,

The layout in post #34 looks 'right', compared to the previous layout. It may be interesting to see what Bufo Bill's advice may do to the feel of the tank.

You mentioned earlier you used foil tape to help reflect heat/light in your tank lid. I used the same idea using aluminium foil sticky tape, which is used to help seal heating ducting in factories. It's available from most hardware stores, and definatley (sp?) helps. I covered the interior of my clearseal tank lid with the stuff (reminded me of tempest-proofing, from a prevoius life) and it does help reflect more light into the tank.

A case of great minds think alike, or fools seldom differ?

Anyway, it's great to see another tank from you, a do see if you can convince PFK to give away aquacubes with a subscription, as that would be an ideal xmas pressie for me!

 

[George Farmer]

Hi George, love the ideas you are coming up with for this. Noting Graeme's advice has done wonders for your arrangement, however you have not heeded his advice fully. He says the two smaller Buddhas should "bow" to the larger one. If you take the shape of your smaller rocks to be irregularly sided triangles, then the shorter side should appear closest to the large rock. This gives the impression of a bowed head, thus "Bowing to their master". The advice these masters give may be a little obscure but rarely if ever fails. Can't wait to see this progress.

All the best from Bill.

Thanks Bill. Points noted and implemented.

Hi George,

The layout in post #34 looks 'right', compared to the previous layout. It may be interesting to see what Bufo Bill's advice may do to the feel of the tank.

You mentioned earlier you used foil tape to help reflect heat/light in your tank lid. I used the same idea using aluminium foil sticky tape, which is used to help seal heating ducting in factories. It's available from most hardware stores, and definatley (sp?) helps. I covered the interior of my clearseal tank lid with the stuff (reminded me of tempest-proofing, from a prevoius life) and it does help reflect more light into the tank.

A case of great minds think alike, or fools seldom differ?

Anyway, it's great to see another tank from you, a do see if you can convince PFK to give away aquacubes with a subscription, as that would be an ideal xmas pressie for me!

Thanks Fwapp. Good to hear the alu foil trick helps.

PFK are definitely giving away Aqua Cubes, not the Tropica versions but a Superfish Aquacube 25 worth £40. Jeremy Gay, their technical writer has a step-by-step planted article using the tank and it looks pretty neat I have to say. Oh, and thier offer is nothing to do with me BTW.

Latest composition - getting there!

 

[halfbloodprincess]

I cant wait to see it when it's done!

 

[three-fingers]

You mentioned earlier you used foil tape to help reflect heat/light in your tank lid. I used the same idea using aluminium foil sticky tape, which is used to help seal heating ducting in factories. It's available from most hardware stores, and definatley (sp?) helps. I covered the interior of my clearseal tank lid with the stuff (reminded me of tempest-proofing, from a prevoius life) and it does help reflect more light into the tank.

Im just going to use double sided tape to stick on tinfoil, that should be ok-right?

Latest composition - getting there!

Looks really good to me .

 

[Themuleous]

Well I'll chuck in my six pence worth. Firstly

I expect you are secretly hoping I get plagued by algae!?

Yes

And secondly, for what its worth I like the rock arrangement as you had it in the post 34, as the rocks in the other arrangements seemed to dominate the tank to much and to my eye only serve to accentuate how small the tank is. The layout in post 34 however, has the rocks 'leaning' outwards, making the tank look bigger and opening up the swimming area in the centre, this achieves the illusion of a bigger tank and makes it look less crowed.

Just my thoughts

Sam

 

[Bloo]

for what its worth I like the rock arrangement as you had it in the post 34, as the rocks in the other arrangements seemed to dominate the tank to much and to my eye only serve to accentuate how small the tank is. The layout in post 34 however, has the rocks 'leaning' outwards, making the tank look bigger and opening up the swimming area in the centre, this achieves the illusion of a bigger tank and makes it look less crowed.

Just my thoughts

Sam

Yep I agree

 

[mantis147]

Nice tank George, Im watching this one very closely! Got a tank very similar with the plastic lid and was a bit unsure on the lighting, you seem to have cracked it though. I use the 55w twin compacts and they are very good on my 96ltr tank.

 

[scubadoo]

PFK are definitely giving away Aqua Cubes, not the Tropica versions but a Superfish Aquacube 25 worth £40. Jeremy Gay, their technical writer has a step-by-step planted article using the tank and it looks pretty neat I have to say. Oh, and thier offer is nothing to do with me BTW.

Good timing George.
I've been planning this exact project for a few weeks now, and after seeing the superfish aquacube reviewed in PFK last month (small tank review) I've been hunting high and low for them everywhere to no avail.

I finally e-mailed the manufacturer in Holland last week and was told that they would be shipping in the next couple of weeks. Now if subscribe to PFK and get the tank I'm after for free that has to be a real winner !

I'll be following this thread VERY closely and trying to pick up as many tips as possible. I'm intending to go for DIY CO2 though - cost reasons - unless I can pick up a cheap set-up on flea-bay.

Good luck

scuba

 

[George Farmer]

Thanks again for all the responses and feedback.

If there's one thing I've learnt from this (stone arranging) already, from this and other "specialist" boards, it's that everyone has different views on what looks better. This should be no surprise as we all know that tastes vary - which is a good thing. I think Graeme and co., who are huge fans of Japanese style design, push their taste whilst others say what appeals to their personal taste. The fact that these differ perhaps is no shock but it is very interesting none-the-less. The reasons for different taste stretch far beyond the realms of this thread so I won't go there.

So in conclusion I am really happy to hear everyone's views so keep them coming. In the meantime I'll keep on trying to nail what I like the best, if this happens to agree with some of you then all is well and good. I suppose there's always a sense that we "want to be accepted", isn't that why, to a certain extent we show off or ask for guidance in our aquascapes? I know this is the case for me.

Anyway, enough waffle - I'm off to fill my tank with water and start the filter. I'm also going to calculate a fert program as the plants and my new CO2 diffuser arrive tomorrow (hopefully) from Aqua Essentials.

Have plants - have fun!!

 

[George Farmer]

New "overtank lighting" - to help prevent condensation etc. but best of all it looks cool!


Full of water with filter running - note clarity (photo taken minutes after filling)


Next installment will be the liquid fertilisation dosing program. Also details on filter.

 

[demonmagus]

wow. How did you make that over tank thingy? lol

lovely tank though, looks good right now, filter looks a bit iffy (duh) but nicenicenice