juwel rio 400 ( 400l / 100g ) natural dutch

wearsbunnyslippers

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Apr 2, 2007
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let me know what you think - i need some stronger background plants, and i am looking for some more interesting mid to foreground plants too...

Juwel Rio 400
151 x 51 x 62 cm
400l / 100g
flourite
pressurized co2
6 x 54w t5's

EI dosing

here is the timeline so far:

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wearsbunnyslippers

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new pics... things are growing in nicely after the trim, but it is looking like it is time for a trim again... i added some lobelia, and got some eustris stellata i joined a couple of dutch forums, and they were absolutely horrified with the rocks, but i also had some positive comments so for now they are still staying. i have some new plants as well, but they are still tiny, if i can grow them and propogate them, i might use them in place of the rocks...

front - click for larger:



this is what the stellatus looked like when i got it - pretty sickly

stellatus1_small.jpg


this is what it looks like now - hopefully it is going to grow from strength to strength - i hope it makes the transition from emmersed to immersed ok

stellatus2_small.jpg


i have some glosso, hc and micranthum umbrosum floating

ring_small.jpg
 

ccLansman

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Jan 22, 2008
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wow that is a ton of growth in only 4 months and the tank looks fantastic. Care to post some more of the specs.. what type of water you use ect....

also how deep is your flourite?
 

Tom Barr

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What do you think about using small branches of bog wood in the locations that the rocks are now in? Small branches stick out from the plants?

Would that would work better and you could add some moss to the tips, take up less floor space that makes trimming and replanting easier for you, as well as not be as garrish?

Sit and think about it. See what types of hard scapes you might enjoy better.
Also, consider some cork panels for the background?

The tank looks good, small things would give a much different look and add a lot I think. It's your tank so you need to sit down and think what it is you like.

What things would make it look better, more natural, easier to maintain and work/replant/garden etc?

Rather than P stellata, you might consider E diversifolia, it is less picky and will do well with the scape you have here.

I would also add a "street" or a longer "row" through the tank, say with the H difformis coming down past the rock towards the front and then maybe to the Lobelia on the right. Then you could remove the 2 rocks there on that side.

I think wood will add a very nice accent to the display.
Consider it.

Regards,
Tom barr
 

wearsbunnyslippers

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ccLansman;35546 said:
wow that is a ton of growth in only 4 months and the tank looks fantastic. Care to post some more of the specs.. what type of water you use ect....

also how deep is your flourite?

thanks cclansman!

my water is tap water...

my routine is:

sunday day1) prune, preen, clean glass inside, 25% or more water change, vac/sub, 1/2 tsp kno3, 1/8 ish tsp kh2po4, 1/2 tsp equilibrium, 1/2 tsp dolomite and clean glass on outside
monday day2) 5ml Trace
tuesday day3) 1/2 tsp kno3, 1/8 ish tsp kh2po4, 1/2 tsp equilibrium, 1/2 tsp dolomite
wednesday day4) 5ml Trace
thursday day5) 1/2 tsp kno3, 1/8 ish tsp kh2po4, 1/2 tsp equilibrium, 1/2 tsp dolomite
friday day6) 5ml Trace
saturday day7) 1/2 tsp kno3, 1/8 ish tsp kh2po4, 1/2 tsp equilibrium, 1/2 tsp dolomite

my substrate is about 1.5"-2" deep - slight slope up from front to back
 

wearsbunnyslippers

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Apr 2, 2007
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@tom - plants arent so easy to come by in south africa, so i am quite lucky to have stellata :)

i'm not really a mos fan, and the water is pretty warm 28-30 for the discus, so not sure how the moss would handle that...

i have some giant hygro growing in the back, i am going to move the willow hygro forward and put the giant hygro in the back, depending on how the stellata grows, i might have that either right at the back or between the willo and the gian hygro it depends...

you are right, it is a lot of work at them moment with pruning and trimming so i need to start streamlining it, maybe removing some of the faster growers, but i am really enjoying the colors at the moment...

i will try it and see what it looks with some driftwood, but that is also traditionaly frowned upon in dutch layouts...
 

Tom Barr

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wearsbunnyslippers;35608 said:
you are right, it is a lot of work at them moment with pruning and trimming so i need to start streamlining it, maybe removing some of the faster growers, but i am really enjoying the colors at the moment...

i will try it and see what it looks with some driftwood, but that is also traditionaly frowned upon in dutch layouts...

I do understand the collectoritus due to unavailable plants.
Doing lots of stems in a large tank is a phase, many folks go through it, some return and do it here and there from time to time.

Less light intensity, but still good spread over the tank can reduce the trimming also. Plant choice also. How you prune also makes a big difference.

Many trim the tops, then replant the nice fresh tops and discard the bottom. You might find some nice large scissors and trimming the tops off and down about 4-8 cm and shaping the hedge much like they do for hedges for landscaping can be useful for many species. This is less work, and many plants respond well to this, here's an example of Rotala that's been trimmed this way:

Started like this, all over grown, no water change for a month, no ferts etc:
resized120907.jpg


to this:

resized70galADAwith1.5wgal.jpg


Here's some trimming examples:

HCcloseup4weekslater.jpg


Glosslawnmowed.jpg


Also, are you doing the tank based on what you think is best, or for the Dutch?
This is your tank, if it looks good, it is good.


Regards,
Tom Barr
 

Tom Barr

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Here's some more examples:

rotlalacut102107.jpg


You can see they just hedge trimmed it, this is easy, vs trying to replant each and every stem to get them all "just right".

Rotlala102107.jpg


For many stem plants, this method works very well and gives a nice shape.
Many of the CAU tank examples use this for the large domed hedges of Rotala, ADA etc.

Lot easier than uprooting and replanting the tips.
You can do a combo of both methods also for certain species.
I do.


Regards,
Tom Barr
 

Tom Barr

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Looks better, just fill in that one side and you are pretty close to where many would like to be.

A few more trims and that will be there.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 

wearsbunnyslippers

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Apr 2, 2007
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some pics i snapped today after being away for a week...

my wife did an awesome job with the dosing, it looks like my plants have almost doubled again from the last trim...

i need to give it another hard prune and shape, as well as trying to trim the tenellus...

still battling cyano

cyano.jpg


someone on apc asked for some lighting pics

lighting.jpg


pinholes in my old giant hygro leaves... the new growth looks fine

pinholes.jpg


a lone stem of rotala rotundiflora that grew into the difformis

rotala.jpg
 

wearsbunnyslippers

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Apr 2, 2007
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stellatus - doing nicely

stellatus.jpg


thats about as pink as my sunset gets - algae wizard, you are doing something right

sunset.jpg


the tenellus is getting too thick, the lower growth is starting to die off, i will try trimming it this week, going to go the lawn mower route with some scissors...

tenellus.jpg


full frontal - click for larger



some candid pics, to show that not everything is always perfect ;D
 

wearsbunnyslippers

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Apr 2, 2007
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some news pics, scape is still the same

front - click for larger...


left
left.jpg


middle
middle.jpg


right
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looks a little pinkish coz only the arcadias are on, i like this look...

i have to move in less than two months time, so i will be breaking this tank down, pity, its only been running for a couple of months...
 

nytowl83

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May 26, 2009
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Very nice thank and very nic growth.

I have to admire you on your foresight of your initial planting. Most of the positions havent changed and still made a wonderful Dutch aquarium.

Ben
 

wearsbunnyslippers

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Apr 2, 2007
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my company is relocating me.

i am moving to cape town so i cant really complain :)

i am moving a week on thursday, so maybe in 3 weekends time or so i will be setting it up again...
 

Tom Barr

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I'm moving this week as well, sucks!

Regards,
Tom Barr