[DevUK]

It's finally dawned on my that I'm being far to obsessed with a good looking scape, when I really haven't concentrated on my abilities to run a tank, and grow plants successfully. So, on my "big" tank, which has been spiraling into neglect, I have decided to rescue it and start planting, and growing, not giving a massive amount of thought to the scape itself.

I'd already tried to scape this tank before it got neglected, so there is a little structure to it. But I'm going to now concetrate on the plants, and their needs.

Some stats:

91.5x38x50cm (external)
Tetratec EX1200 - 1200lph
Eheim 2213 Classic - 440lph
3x24w T5 SilverSun lumiaire
Sand and fine gravel mix on top of Tetraplant Complete substrate
Pressurised CO2 via 5kg FE and glass diffuser.

OK. Here is the tank in it's current state:

Pots of Ludwigia were planted up last night, and those random echinodorus floating have moved onto someone else now

Anyhow, current planting (from right to left) is:

Up front:
Staurogyn sp.
Various crypts (parva, becketii I think)
Hydrocotyle Sp (few plants that keep freeing themselves)

To the rear and on the wood:
Microsorum "Needle"
Bolbitis
Hygophilla Diformis
Anubias "nana"
Microsorum "Narrow"
Microsorum "Needle" again
Crypt "Balansae"
Crypt "Retrospirallis"
Vallis "Nana"
African Lotus
Tiger Lotus (tiny at the moment)
Also some Weeping moss not doing so well on the upper branches (algae coated).

I re-installed pressurised CO2 yesterdaym and also a power head to get better distribution. I'm going to have to play with this some more. My EX1200 has a spraybar which mounts 3/4 of the length of the tank and it does give a good flow front to back, for the most part. But I don't think it's actually working. I'm limited by what I can put on the left side, as the tank has a lot of bracing built into the top, for where sliding panels used to be etc. Luckily the right side did have a glass panel, but it wasn't attached. I managed to break this when I got the tank :lol:

Currently I have 10 pentazona barbs, 7 harlequin rasbora (mix of coppers and another more red type I think) and 2 ottos. Also about 6 amano shrimp.

I'll post some better photos/close up as this progresses (I did a bit of work last night so I'll get another pic later), and no doubt be asking for plant/fert suggestions. This is really just to get a journal up and get me thinking some more.

 

[Veloth]

That's a nice looking rescue:clap2:

 

[K20A2]

Thats a nice looking piece of driftwood. Is it one single piece?

 

[DevUK]

Thats a nice looking piece of driftwood. Is it one single piece?

Yeah, more or less. There is a smaller piece with the bolbitis on it crammed into the corner, but this is the main piece:

 

[DevUK]

A couple of pictures:

Ottos making a rare appearance whilst the lights are on:

Full tank shot after the re-planting and stuff:

I've moved the diffuser to the back and directed the powerhead to blow accross the back of the tank, sending CO2 along the back. It is then blown back forward and seems to diffuse quite well. I'm going to move the drop checker around the tank to make sure I'm getting CO2 to all areas.

 

[BryceM]

It's finally dawned on my that I'm being far to obsessed with a good looking scape, when I really haven't concentrated on my abilities to run a tank, and grow plants successfully.....

I'm going to now concetrate on the plants, and their needs.

Brilliant! Once the plants are happy, your ability to 'scape with them will be vastly improved. There are people who know how to grow healthy plants and people who don't, but there aren't any top aquascapers who don't thoroughly understand their medium.

Nice driftwood too.