70 Gallon Buce Tree hardscape material

Tom Barr

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Bit of a teaser:
I'll add a few more branches to this and have them hide the overflow more and the return in the 70 Gallon.

Footprint is 24"x36"






BuceTree_zpsa087be7e.jpg
 

Tom Barr

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I pulled 3 of these entire tree bases up last week, here's the other two.

 

antbug

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On the "Other two", can you take a picture of the one on the left but turned around. I would like to see what the other side looks like......I know, I know come by and see it in person, right?
 

Tom Barr

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You are welcomed to stop by anytime.

Left one might be a tad large for your 120 cm tank, unless you want 80% of the branch wood out of the tank.
 

Tom Barr

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You are welcomed to stop by anytime.

Left one might be a tad large for your 120 cm tank, unless you want 80% of the branch wood out of the tank.
 

antbug

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Hhmmm I see what you're saying. I was thinking that chopping the highest branch it would work, but it still might be too big. Yes, this is for the 120cm tank. Do you have a smaller, elongated version of that piece?
 

Tom Barr

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I have some cool stuff I've been playing with for the 120 Gal, so I do have a couple of cooler things.
I took awhile today to make sure everything will fit and look right and redid and tried several other groups.
 

Tom Barr

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I have some cool stuff I've been playing with for the 120 Gal, so I do have a couple of cooler things.
I took awhile today to make sure everything will fit and look right and redid and tried several other groups.
 

ua hua

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Those are some sweet looking pieces of wood. Times like these I wish I didn't have an acrylic tank with two small openings and instead had a open top tank. It really limits me on the size of wood and rocks that I can fit in the tank. Can't wait to see the new and improved tanks you do.
 

Tom Barr

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So I tested out 3 different sets of wood, modified and trimmed them to suit the idea and then chose the best.

I will go with the main theme piece shown in the lats pic, but I added a couple more branches and trimmed a little bit more.

This tank will incorporate 2 ideas I've had for sometime and tanks: One is the non CO2 ADA 60p tank with the moss and emergent growth. The other will be a very junglely approach with mosses, liverworts and Buces covering the branches.
This will be contrasted nicely with a sloped lawn of Gloss which should do well under the branches since I have a wide spread of light and the various angles will still hit the Gloss even if the branch is blocking it directly above.
I took my Reef 70 Gallon glass tank which is in storage, and is the same size a mock scale and came up with the best sets of additional pieces to add.

Always nice when you have a tank available to scale and make sure you are happy with it prior.

I also trimmed down the wood I have planned for the 120 more. This is done for a couple of reasons:
1. I can always add faux branches to any shortened branches on the main piece.
2. The exposed part of the wood is the critical part, NOT the tips so much for this design.

Contrasted to to this tank:
1. The 70 Gallon Buce tank, the tips of the driftwood are critical
2. So is the base
3. A large % of the wood is substrate for the Buce's

Nice thing is I know both tanks will thrive well and the filters, sediment and plants are all healthy and the transitions will be pretty good.
Main thing is to get all the hardscape stuff in good order and decided upon 1st.
Then.................after it's prepped and well soaked, start tying the Buce's and moss/liverworts.
I have some good sized Needle leaf java fern which I will add inside the thicket of branches. I may or may not keep the Fern there. I have to see how it looks with the other Buce's species.

I have plenty of opportunity to grow them out of the water. I'll use mostly Xmas moss to grow the plants above the water line as a "sediment". They do well like this.
I have some Bolbitus and some Maiden Hair fern I'll be adding to this above the water line.
I might try some mangroves(Not the red's, white/blacks etc) also and other emergent aquatic trees.

The tank mixes many things I enjoy:

1. Buces
2. Emergent growth
3. Nice carpet lawn
4. Nice wood
5. Junglely feel
6. Hides the equipment
7. Low light/lower maintenance
8. White anubias

The white anubias will be used on the wood or around some of the bases of the wood as accent.
Buces and white anubias are challenges to use well in scapes.
 

Tom Barr

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Staff member
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Jan 23, 2005
18,699
786
113
So I tested out 3 different sets of wood, modified and trimmed them to suit the idea and then chose the best.

I will go with the main theme piece shown in the lats pic, but I added a couple more branches and trimmed a little bit more.

This tank will incorporate 2 ideas I've had for sometime and tanks: One is the non CO2 ADA 60p tank with the moss and emergent growth. The other will be a very junglely approach with mosses, liverworts and Buces covering the branches.
This will be contrasted nicely with a sloped lawn of Gloss which should do well under the branches since I have a wide spread of light and the various angles will still hit the Gloss even if the branch is blocking it directly above.
I took my Reef 70 Gallon glass tank which is in storage, and is the same size a mock scale and came up with the best sets of additional pieces to add.

Always nice when you have a tank available to scale and make sure you are happy with it prior.

I also trimmed down the wood I have planned for the 120 more. This is done for a couple of reasons:
1. I can always add faux branches to any shortened branches on the main piece.
2. The exposed part of the wood is the critical part, NOT the tips so much for this design.

Contrasted to to this tank:
1. The 70 Gallon Buce tank, the tips of the driftwood are critical
2. So is the base
3. A large % of the wood is substrate for the Buce's

Nice thing is I know both tanks will thrive well and the filters, sediment and plants are all healthy and the transitions will be pretty good.
Main thing is to get all the hardscape stuff in good order and decided upon 1st.
Then.................after it's prepped and well soaked, start tying the Buce's and moss/liverworts.
I have some good sized Needle leaf java fern which I will add inside the thicket of branches. I may or may not keep the Fern there. I have to see how it looks with the other Buce's species.

I have plenty of opportunity to grow them out of the water. I'll use mostly Xmas moss to grow the plants above the water line as a "sediment". They do well like this.
I have some Bolbitus and some Maiden Hair fern I'll be adding to this above the water line.
I might try some mangroves(Not the red's, white/blacks etc) also and other emergent aquatic trees.

The tank mixes many things I enjoy:

1. Buces
2. Emergent growth
3. Nice carpet lawn
4. Nice wood
5. Junglely feel
6. Hides the equipment
7. Low light/lower maintenance
8. White anubias

The white anubias will be used on the wood or around some of the bases of the wood as accent.
Buces and white anubias are challenges to use well in scapes.
 

jerrybforl

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Thats pretty friggin cool Tom! I'm planning on making a 40ish size aquarium that will be rimless. I may try to do something to the sort. Not as big but something.

So the anubias is growing into the moss as an anchor? How did you keep the moss wet? Is that brazilian pennywort? Grows like an ivy huh.

Very cool!
 

Tom Barr

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The moss and plant stems/roots act as capillaries, so the water is sucked up a few inches. Moss as rooting media is ideal.

Pennyworts come in various sizes, recall Gerry's? H sibthorpies and then the normal type I have etc, so you can get a host of different sizes etc.
 

Tom Barr

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Jan 23, 2005
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113
The moss and plant stems/roots act as capillaries, so the water is sucked up a few inches. Moss as rooting media is ideal.

Pennyworts come in various sizes, recall Gerry's? H sibthorpies and then the normal type I have etc, so you can get a host of different sizes etc.