Version 2.0 of my high tech

[fjf888]

Seeing some of the great tanks and setups here, along with good advise, I decided to upload a some pics from my new version of this tank. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I struggle with a couple things on this tank. The first is the overflow, I thought in a prior life I would convert this to a reef tank one day. Then I discovered planted tanks and have not looked back. Still, dealing with the appearance of the overflow is a challenge to my minimal aquascaping skills. Also my scape is low on hardscape and heavy on plants, I want to add more hardscape. I find it difficult to mix wood and rock together and am a bit lost on what to do. I have the creative skills one would expect from a tax accountant (which I am). I'm also trying to figure out what to put on the wood on the right side. I had weeping moss, but that became algae ridden and I tossed it. I was thinking needle leaf java, but am open to suggestions. The foreground I was envisioning was a stauro with e tennelus or dwarf Hg in back, similar to Tom's stauro tank.

Lighting is 2x55 T-5 HO (I was running 3x55, but cut it down on advice from here), CO2 via an inline cerges reactor on a mag 5 pump. I have a RIO 800 powerhead in the tank for additional flow. Doing full EI, substrate is eco complete capping of a black sand mixed wormcastings,osmocote with traces,dolomite and k2s04. I have better growth dosing EI even though in theory I have everything I need in the substrate, than when I was dosing sporadically.

Yes next time i'll clean the glass before I post

Fred

 

[Gerryd]

Hi Fred,

Scaping around a wier is not easily done...I have 2 so I know I share many of your scaping woes so I empathize.

Note that plants can get nutes from both the roots and leaves...so water column dosing in addition to an enriched substrate provides both opportunities.

Wier ideas - just tossing stuff out:

1) moss wall
2) hardscape - wood.rocks
3) P. stellata or other thick tall stem

More to come later. Off to play bball...

 

[fjf888]

I don't want to interfere too much with the flow with wier, not sure how I could do that with a moss wall. I was hoping I could get the rotala to grow in thick enough in the background to basically hide 3/4's of it and then I'd come up with an idea for the top 1/4. Maybe some strategically placed branched wood. Thanks for your input.

 

[soundgy]

Beautiful!

 

[Cyclesafe]

If you trim the moss wall away from the teeth of your overflow box and perhaps break up the vertical lines of the box with other epiphytes - like java fern, bolbitis, or anubias - also planted into the "moss wall" it could be an elegant solution to your problem. Here's a link that may help.

 

[Gerryd]

Cyclesafe,

Thanks for providing the detail on the moss wall esp on the teeth.

I have removed most of my wier teeth simply to improve flow so your advice was excellent. Thanks for picking me up...

 

[fjf888]

Thank you for the link. I've seen it before, but it was a good refresher. I think I'm going to try to give it a shot and see what happens. Only moss I can get locally is java moss, I wonder if something else might work better in the application.

Thanks

 

[fjf888]

Did removing the wier teeth really improve the flow significantly? I tried to add a mag 7 to my setup when I was just blowing mist with the rio 800 and it overwhelmed the plumbing. Now with the inline reactor I have noticed a decrease in flow and am looking for other ways to improve.

 

[Gerryd]

Yes it did improve flow dramatically...

I will get some pics up later. I removed a few teeth at a time...

Remember a wier acts as a dam and can easily be overwhelmed by a powerful pump...

 

[fjf888]

A few more pics since the last post. I've been told my more than one person from gwapa, that I really need to prune the rotala and ludwigia real short, (down to four inches). I didn't go that low, but i trimmed it down a bit. I'm always paranoid that the growth that comes back won't be as good as what I cut, so I'm always reluctant to trim it down a lot. The Stauro is progressing nicely from where it was. By accident I seem to be doing a meandering path along the front which I actually like now. The crypts always seem to want to take over. I know crypts may grow a little slow compared to stems, but I find them fairly invasive they grow quite dense. I kind of have them trailing towards the back left of the tank. I'm trying to resist collecting more plants and working with what I have. I have tied some java fern to the wood, but i'm afraid it will get too large in the 72g.

My scape skills are crap, but not as bad as my photography. My guess is in a room with light and windows, its best to take the pictures in the at night with no flash and lights in tank on.

Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks

 

[Gerryd]

Hey Fred,

I didn't go that low, but i trimmed it down a bit. I'm always paranoid that the growth that comes back won't be as good as what I cut, so I'm always reluctant to trim it down a lot

This is what we mean when we say the plants will tell you about tank conditions. If the NEW growth does NOT match pre trimming, then you KNOW you have an issue somewhere.. Hiding from this knowledge is only going to make things worse.

I completely understand the desire not to trim due to that fear, as I went through it. Now, I have more experience and confidence in diagnosing and fixing the root cause(s)...because I listened/observed what the plants were 'telling' me...

I now DELIBERATELY trim sections just to ensure all is well. Just a single stem or rosette will suffice. If all is well, branching or more growth will result anyway.

Actually I have quite a few suggestions I am sure you are not surprised lol

These are just my thoughts so please do as you desire....

Anyhoo...here goes..I would change a lot so I apologize in advance...

First I would place the wood in front of the wier. Your java attached as it grows will spread and hide the wier nicely...Try the DW at different angles so you can see which looks best. You may have to redo the attached plants but will look better I think. This can also separate the tank at the golden ratio...

Then, move the crypts up front more in front of the DW. The way the leaves are splayed they need room to spread, OR the DW can support some of them. My wendti crypts tend to stand tall...maybe yours need time....

Take the rotala (rotundifolia?) from in front of the weir and add it to either side of the wier. Make the bunches closer together so they look fuller but still leave room for branching and growth. They will frame the driftwood on either side...

That is the left side... Now for the right.......

Move the cabomba to the back as it will get tall and fluffy and hide the back wall well. Take the other stem on the right and keep it in a wedge shape in the right corner..some will be in front of the cobomba but most on the right wall and back wall.

The rest is up to you. lol

These are just ideas to help group the plants and so you can see the contrast in leaf shape.

As far as pics, yes I do it at night with no flash and tank light(s) on. You need to watch for your reflection in the front glass if you get to close.. Wear dark clothing Try it with a light shirt or pants and you will see ONLY that in the pics lol

Hope some of this helps.

 

[Gerryd]

Fred,

Did removing the wier teeth really improve the flow significantly?

Yes but remember that your plumbing and pipe need to support the flow. If they don't you can remove ALL the teeth and it won't matter....

If running for example a 5/8 intake.....I would not expect much success....bump that to 1 or 1.5 and you will see a diff.

Remember that I added TWO 1" intakes so that is a LOT of extra intake flow...removing the teeth was a no brainer....

 

[fjf888]

Fred,



Yes but remember that your plumbing and pipe need to support the flow. If they don't you can remove ALL the teeth and it won't matter....

If running for example a 5/8 intake.....I would not expect much success....bump that to 1 or 1.5 and you will see a diff.

Remember that I added TWO 1" intakes so that is a LOT of extra intake flow...removing the teeth was a no brainer....

The intake of the sump is 1.5 ", the intake of the pump 3/4". So with say a mag 7, i would have to remove the teeth.

 

[fjf888]

Hey Fred,




Actually I have quite a few suggestions I am sure you are not surprised lol

These are just my thoughts so please do as you desire....

Anyhoo...here goes..I would change a lot so I apologize in advance...

First I would place the wood in front of the wier. Your java attached as it grows will spread and hide the wier nicely...Try the DW at different angles so you can see which looks best. You may have to redo the attached plants but will look better I think. This can also separate the tank at the golden ratio...

Then, move the crypts up front more in front of the DW. The way the leaves are splayed they need room to spread, OR the DW can support some of them. My wendti crypts tend to stand tall...maybe yours need time....

Take the rotala (rotundifolia?) from in front of the weir and add it to either side of the wier. Make the bunches closer together so they look fuller but still leave room for branching and growth. They will frame the driftwood on either side...

That is the left side... Now for the right.......

Move the cabomba to the back as it will get tall and fluffy and hide the back wall well. Take the other stem on the right and keep it in a wedge shape in the right corner..some will be in front of the cobomba but most on the right wall and back wall.

The rest is up to you. lol

These are just ideas to help group the plants and so you can see the contrast in leaf shape.

As far as pics, yes I do it at night with no flash and tank light(s) on. You need to watch for your reflection in the front glass if you get to close.. Wear dark clothing Try it with a light shirt or pants and you will see ONLY that in the pics lol

Hope some of this helps.

You're not kidding Told you I needed some help. Maybe I should actually take the manzanita I bought from Tom and add that to the left side. My guess is if I did that I should do the whole tank with that type of wood otherwise it would look a bit odd. I'd have to do that with a large water change as that would be fairly disruptive. My crypts don't grow very tall in this tank. I think that may be in response to the light. I have the same crypt in my 6 gallon Npt setup and its my background plant with the leaves nearly reaching the top of the tank. Its not easy to see, but the crypts near the wood on the right side actually have more elongated leaves. The rotala is sold as indica but I think its rotundifolia, but I get what you're saying. The cambomba was a collectoritis purchase. Which reminds me. I got another collectoritis purchase yesterday, Gold Nesaea, sometimes with plants I can't help myself. I need to stop doing that.

Thanks for the suggestions, I will try a few of them this week.

 

[fjf888]

Ok, I was working with configuring the wood outside the tank to sort of get an idea what I am doing. This is what I came up with.

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd65/fjf888/IMG_7530.jpg
http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd65/fjf888/IMG_7534.jpg



I'll probably use something other than the vine training wire I used to put the branches together. Anyway, the thought is that the piece on the left would hide serve as the base hardscape to take attention away from the weir. I'm not sure i'm crazy about the idea of using java (although it woudl be functional), maybe anubias nana petite to make it look like leaves on a tree? The middle piece is sort of a transition piece where I will probably plant some needle leaf java perhaps moss it stems in the background. Either the rotala or the cambomba of unknown type. The piece on the right (yes its being propped up by another piece of wood) I envisioned as a tree, but I am trying to give the illusion of depth so it looks off in the distance. I thought this was a candidate for weeping moss or something like that in the back right corner. I'd really like to incorporate the really branchy extra piece somehow, but I haven't found a way to make it work.

Any thoughts, criticisms, outright laughter, etc.

Thanks

 

[jerrybforl]

Let me tell you about Gold Nesaea. It is BEAUTIFUL. If you give it what it needs it will flourish. The rotundifolia looks great once it bunches up. I like your DW. I will be facing this same situation when my 90 is up and running. I like the moss wall idea.

 

[fjf888]

Let me tell you about Gold Nesaea. It is BEAUTIFUL. If you give it what it needs it will flourish. The rotundifolia looks great once it bunches up. I like your DW. I will be facing this same situation when my 90 is up and running. I like the moss wall idea.

I've opted out of the moss wall idea going with the DW purchased from Tom to hide the weir. The gold nesaea is showing some signs of growth and its doing better than the remaining bunches at the store, so hopefully it will work out. Its a nice contrast color that's different than the standard red.

 

[jerrybforl]

The only problem with Gold Nesae is that it was probably grown emersed. I live here in South Florida and Florida Aquatic Nurseries is here as well. I went on a tour of the facilities during the AGA Convention. They grow their GN emersed. They had this huge container full of it. Here is a pic of it that Larry Lampert of AGA sent me. Enjoy. Its really beautiful.

http://s1112.photobucket.com/albums/k493/jerrybforl/Gold Nesae/

JJ

 

[fjf888]

Lessons learned.

1. There should be another forum section called noob aquascaping

2. First and last time I'm going to change out the wood in an existing setup. If the wood I choose stinks then so be it.

3. Remember if my wood is attached to slate or not, what a mess

4. I now understand the value of rimless tanks, especially when trying to maneuver large pieces of wood.

5. Test the manzanita piece by piece and make sure it really sinks, or have a lot of rocks at my disposal.

6. I now get why now most all hardscape ought be done dry.

7. Don't start at 10 pm and expect to be finished in an hour.

I have one more piece of wood to add to hide the weir. I'm going to give it another week to soak. Here are a couple pics. I tried to incorporate some of Gerry's suggestions. Not sure what I am going to do keep the rocks or not. Its there now for a practical reason.

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd65/fjf888/IMG00452-20110308-0154.jpg
http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd65/fjf888/IMG00451-20110308-0153.jpg

One good thing with a wet dry and a massive water change, the water clears quickly.

 

[ShadowMac]

looks like things are getting along and you will have it figured out. Here is an article that may help with getting your pictures to look better. It certainly helped me. No fancy equipment needed, just how to use your point and shoot better. http://www.aquascapingworld.com/mag...e/Aquatic-Photography-For-the-Aquascaper.html

there is a lot there that can help with some of the design aspects as well.