First post - new custom build
- Thread starter gerryd
- Start date
Hi all,
Well it has been some time since my last update. I hope that all is well with you all.
Over the last several months, I have covered the rocks with either java fern trident or a combination of mini-pellia and fissidens, mostly the former. The rocks will become 100% covered over time I would say in 2-3 months or less.
I am doing some major lawn maintenance and took a series of short HD videos using my DSLR and a tripod.
I feel the tank is doing well and I think it looks pretty good. I am very pleased with the health of the tank and it is a dream come true to have this.
I have lost some cardinals over time to jumpers (1-2 weekly) and some I have had for 3-5 years now and they are starting to die off. I may get another 50-75 juvies but may not.
I want to get some more apistos as there is only the 1 pair. I would say there are 150-175 cardinals.
Thanks for stopping by and take care!
1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1cqj4hPcSU
2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5h2mLW5wWI
3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ9V3gH9MvQ
4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiR5-wv8P4w
5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GF5msPIrRo
6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu9fE1rzv_U
7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gaUe-VbmII
8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoujJ3x6_IA
9
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzAkFZ4iW2A
10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkzDJ1sYDyA
11
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJTRP97uO60
Well it has been some time since my last update. I hope that all is well with you all.
Over the last several months, I have covered the rocks with either java fern trident or a combination of mini-pellia and fissidens, mostly the former. The rocks will become 100% covered over time I would say in 2-3 months or less.
I am doing some major lawn maintenance and took a series of short HD videos using my DSLR and a tripod.
I feel the tank is doing well and I think it looks pretty good. I am very pleased with the health of the tank and it is a dream come true to have this.
I have lost some cardinals over time to jumpers (1-2 weekly) and some I have had for 3-5 years now and they are starting to die off. I may get another 50-75 juvies but may not.
I want to get some more apistos as there is only the 1 pair. I would say there are 150-175 cardinals.
Thanks for stopping by and take care!
1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1cqj4hPcSU
2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5h2mLW5wWI
3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ9V3gH9MvQ
4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiR5-wv8P4w
5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GF5msPIrRo
6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu9fE1rzv_U
7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gaUe-VbmII
8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoujJ3x6_IA
9
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzAkFZ4iW2A
10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkzDJ1sYDyA
11
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJTRP97uO60
Hello all,
I hope that all has been well with you all since my last update...all is well here but busy and thus no posts..
I have recently made a minor design change to the aquascape that coincides with the 1 year anniversary of the rock scape go live
While I really like the hair grass lawn and the covered rocks, the pellia eventually so matted the hair grass that the time and effort to comb it out and keep it clean was no longer worth it to me. Plus, I just couldn't do it, as the more I cleaned, the more I found....
So, I had decided to remove all of the plant material from the rocks, uproot the hair grass lawn, give the tank a good clean, clean the hair grass as much as possible, and replant. I did all of the removal and cleaning over a period of 10 days or so. I did large water changes (80% +) each day (and sometimes 2 based on what I was doing), and uprooted when the water was lowered (to reduce the ada dust cloud), and in sections each day.
I left the fish and inverts in the tank and was another reason for the many large water changes. The cleanup went very well and was much easier by doing some daily instead of all in a weekend or so. Less stress to the fish as well. I even gravel vac the entire tank before the replant and scrubbed all the rocks of algae, moss, etc. All looked really really clean.
Two days prior to the planned replant day, I decided to go in a different direction plant wise. I emailed Tom Barr on Thursday to see if he could supply enough staurougyne repens 049 to cover appox 18 square feet and to get it to me by Saturday!
Late that night he trimmed several hundred (easily) top cuttings and nicely rooted mats from his 180 gallon tank. The plants were all in terrific shape and arrived Sat with no problems..
I then rinsed the shipment (not much to do there) and planted over the next 75 minutes or so before all was done. All went very well and I think it all looks great. The rocks again can show their great color and texture, and the bright green plants make a great contrast.
The planting is now 2 weeks old and I will post a new vid later today, but here is one of the tank all cleaned and gravel vaced, to show the rockwork and the ADA. Looks like even bare like than IMO. The ADA substrate is very attractive I think.
The other 2 vids are day of planting and 8 days later (iirc).
Fish are doing very well and there were no losses. The cherry shrimp colony is finally large enough for me to see some of varying sizes on every rock, and everywhere in the tank you will see some. I have a lot in the sump as well via the overflow.
I really am digging the look and was a great chance to clean things out after a year of operation
So, another 2-4 weeks before all the spots are filled in and it really looks as it should.
Thanks for listening and take care.
Post cleaning vid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_4gqipcgDg&list=UUNVsV1A_IarZWKQj78nruXg
Post planting vid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_wplYnNLLM&list=UUNVsV1A_IarZWKQj78nruXg
and the vid from last w/e:
[video=youtube;JEahBj1O4wY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEahBj1O4wY&list=UUNVsV1A_IarZWKQj78nruXg[/video]
I hope that all has been well with you all since my last update...all is well here but busy and thus no posts..
I have recently made a minor design change to the aquascape that coincides with the 1 year anniversary of the rock scape go live
While I really like the hair grass lawn and the covered rocks, the pellia eventually so matted the hair grass that the time and effort to comb it out and keep it clean was no longer worth it to me. Plus, I just couldn't do it, as the more I cleaned, the more I found....So, I had decided to remove all of the plant material from the rocks, uproot the hair grass lawn, give the tank a good clean, clean the hair grass as much as possible, and replant. I did all of the removal and cleaning over a period of 10 days or so. I did large water changes (80% +) each day (and sometimes 2 based on what I was doing), and uprooted when the water was lowered (to reduce the ada dust cloud), and in sections each day.
I left the fish and inverts in the tank and was another reason for the many large water changes. The cleanup went very well and was much easier by doing some daily instead of all in a weekend or so. Less stress to the fish as well. I even gravel vac the entire tank before the replant and scrubbed all the rocks of algae, moss, etc. All looked really really clean.
Two days prior to the planned replant day, I decided to go in a different direction plant wise. I emailed Tom Barr on Thursday to see if he could supply enough staurougyne repens 049 to cover appox 18 square feet and to get it to me by Saturday!
Late that night he trimmed several hundred (easily) top cuttings and nicely rooted mats from his 180 gallon tank. The plants were all in terrific shape and arrived Sat with no problems..
I then rinsed the shipment (not much to do there) and planted over the next 75 minutes or so before all was done. All went very well and I think it all looks great. The rocks again can show their great color and texture, and the bright green plants make a great contrast.
The planting is now 2 weeks old and I will post a new vid later today, but here is one of the tank all cleaned and gravel vaced, to show the rockwork and the ADA. Looks like even bare like than IMO. The ADA substrate is very attractive I think.
The other 2 vids are day of planting and 8 days later (iirc).
Fish are doing very well and there were no losses. The cherry shrimp colony is finally large enough for me to see some of varying sizes on every rock, and everywhere in the tank you will see some. I have a lot in the sump as well via the overflow.
I really am digging the look and was a great chance to clean things out after a year of operation
So, another 2-4 weeks before all the spots are filled in and it really looks as it should.
Thanks for listening and take care.
Post cleaning vid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_4gqipcgDg&list=UUNVsV1A_IarZWKQj78nruXg
Post planting vid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_wplYnNLLM&list=UUNVsV1A_IarZWKQj78nruXg
and the vid from last w/e:
[video=youtube;JEahBj1O4wY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEahBj1O4wY&list=UUNVsV1A_IarZWKQj78nruXg[/video]
So right XD. The best I can do is java moss.Sounds great bro, but I don't think you're gonna get a ton of advice here on high tech planted setups. Can only think of a couple members off the top of my head. Most people here are amazed if they get ANY plant to grow.
Hi, I am no expert but am happy to share whatever I do know. I made this offer 3 years ago to the OP
I have yet to receive a single request lol
That said, many mosses are quite attractive and much can be done with them to 'dress up' a tank. Tying to branches and rocks is always a good way to start...
Take care!
Hi,
Many thanks for the compliments.I really appreciate that. top 10 no less!. I am in the midst of your amazon thread and am yet to see how you skinned the tank. My cats would never get off the waterfall. wonderful job!
Hi all,
While this is NOT a monster tank, I thought you might be interested in seeing my 57 gal rimless tank. The hardscape is ADA substrate and Seiryu stone and again was designed by Tom Barr when he was doing the lava rock on the big tank. He also did my 75 gal rimless and I will post vid of that in a day or so.
The plant choice and plantings are mine and are still growing in.
The fish are doing well and seem happy.
Take care.
[video=youtube;Dq_VU5KXG9Y]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq_VU5KXG9Y&feature=youtu.be[/video]
While this is NOT a monster tank, I thought you might be interested in seeing my 57 gal rimless tank. The hardscape is ADA substrate and Seiryu stone and again was designed by Tom Barr when he was doing the lava rock on the big tank. He also did my 75 gal rimless and I will post vid of that in a day or so.
The plant choice and plantings are mine and are still growing in.
The fish are doing well and seem happy.
Take care.
[video=youtube;Dq_VU5KXG9Y]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq_VU5KXG9Y&feature=youtu.be[/video]
Beautiful updates as always. Thanks for sharing the videos, it really shows off the tank so well.
