Suggestions/criticisms Required

[DevUK]

Hey gang.

Well, no comments on my journal so figured I'd post here instead (Bring the mountain to mohammed and all that).

Here's what I got up to last weekend:

From this (minus the breeding net):

To this:

I'm planning to replace the Vallis. Spiralis (mini twister) on the left (probably can't see it too well) with Rotala Rotundifolia to add to the stem plants. I want to thicken out the polysperma in the middle too, so its still a little "in progress"

Comments/criticisms/advice?

 

[Neo8223]

Looks really good!

1 thing tho, does the heater have to be so visible? Could you put it it in the corner by a filter inlet/outlet? away from main view?

 

[DevUK]

Looks really good!

1 thing tho, does the heater have to be so visible? Could you put it it in the corner by a filter inlet/outlet? away from main view?

Funny you say that actually, I moved it out of that corner because it wasn't heating enough. It warmed that coner up nicely though I intend to move it to the left side and let stuff grow infront of it to hide it. Need to re-jig the plug sockets though as it doesn't seem to have a long enough cable on it at the mo making it difficult.

 

[SuperColey1]

I notice that you have a Tetratec now!! (from the spray bar and downpipe)

Scape looks much better without the 2 fluvals in there. Why not get an inlin heater to get it out of the tank.

I have the Hydor ETH200 £35 and very accurate.

I like the layout now and the 'mood' lighting you seemed to have installed. lol

Still needs more plants though.

Andy

 

[DevUK]

I notice that you have a Tetratec now!! (from the spray bar and downpipe)

Scape looks much better without the 2 fluvals in there. Why not get an inlin heater to get it out of the tank.

I have the Hydor ETH200 £35 and very accurate.

I like the layout now and the 'mood' lighting you seemed to have installed. lol

Still needs more plants though.

Andy

Yeah, I don't seem to be able to get the balance of the number of plants right. I think I've planted a bit too spaced out but I'm not sure (about an inch between most stems). In the first pic, the two internals were only in there while the tetratec was cycling as they were cycled filters (only had the CAE in the tank at the time). Its an EX700 btw

External heater would be interesting... I might see if I can invest in one in the next few months depending on funds.

So how many more stems of H. polysperma should I be cramming into that bunch then?

 

[ICEEGRL]

Your plant load is kind of like mine... it could probably double.
I personally miss the val. It is one of my favs.
You need something tall in the back on the right. Just my thoughts.
It is looking good though.

 

[DevUK]

Your plant load is kind of like mine... it could probably double.
I personally miss the val. It is one of my favs.
You need something tall in the back on the right. Just my thoughts.
It is looking good though.

Thanks

I have a Crypt. Balansae there, you can just see it peaking through. I'm hoping it will grow nice and tall to echo the one of the left which is comming along nicely. I do think I might buy another one or two to get a good bunch of them going (I'm not trying to copy George, honest ). I love the look of them flowing up and curling over on the surface

I need to do something with the Java ferns on the right too. They're a bit of a mess at the moment. Maybe I need to prune them a bit. I definately need to remove all the plantlets they've both produced. Its a bit if a mess at the moment.

 

[SuperColey1]

I don't know why people cycle a filter while putting different 'cycled' filters into the tank.

It is the media that is cycled not the filter.

When I got my EX700 to replace a fluval3Plus I took the carbon bag (of course) out of the Tetratecs top basket and the stuffed the2 pads from the Fluval in there. Power on and Tetratec was running within an hour of opening the box and with the same amount of bacteris present in the filter as previous!!

I would just fill it out totally and not worry about how it looks give it the time to balance and for you to learn what you're foing and then later you can start replacing plants a few by a few without all the algae problems.

Andy

 

[Themuleous]

Looks great you should be pleased, needs a few more plants and/or for the ones you have to fill out but its a good start.

Sam

 

[DevUK]

Thanks for the encouragement guys I think I'll order a load more plants. I sense at least space for another 25 stems

Greenline, here I come.

Edit: Now, is Rotal Roundifolia the same as Rotala Rotundifolia? Roundifolia doesn't seem to appear much on a google image search, so I'm wondering if this is a typical Greenline name error or a different sp. Any ideas?

Edit again. Just read it properly, its Rotala Indica.