[daryn]

This is my first attempt for an aquascape, its been ongoing for about 8 month or so and the rocks have always been in the same position but i mess about with different plants sometimes. I dont know what im doing when it comes to layout and stuff so all advice appreciated. Tell me what you think.

 

[daryn]

Im stripping it tomorrow to add a proper planting substrate and was thinking of laying a carpet of Glossostigma elatinoides and building a mound inbetween the middle and left rocks for the Hydrocotyle verticillata thats there to be about just under half the waterline and the Glossostigma following it up, i was trying to get the Ceratopteris thalictroides (is this wisteria) to grow along the back pane creating a kind of overhang but keeping it close to the back glass so as to not block too much light out. How does this sound, i want something spectacular but im not good enough and sometimes i can go out and waste alot of money on plants that i change a week later.

 

[daryn]

Thanks thereefsedge thats exactly what i was needing, someone to tell me what to do, whats the natural and whats the dutch, ive been looking through past threads for some sort of guide on what the different techniques and styles are but cant seem to find any, id love to actually know what im trying to do rather than just random experimentation until it looks ok. Ive rearranged the hardscape a bit and im pretty happy with it but im really not happy with any of the plants, selection and positioning. I know its a nano but id really like it too look full with loads of texture and contrast with a proper sense of scale, but dont know how to achieve this.

 

[daryn]

Its got 2 arcadia arcpod 9W. I would like it brighter but cant find anything.

 

[daryn]

I cant find the box for the lights Chuppy so dont know im afraid, im new to this so all i really know is its got the supplied arcadia original tropical lamps and there 9W each. Im sure the box had more info on the side, ive had a look on the net but cant find anything other than wattage. Thereefsedge i want a dutch aquarium, the problem ive got is it houses a Betta splenden and if the tanks too open he will mutilate himself and take huge chunks out his own fins so the sides and back glass must be heavily planted anyway,so the fish is kind of demanding a dutch aquarium, the tanks 14-8-8 inch, could people please recommend some plants to try and some tanks for inspiration, i will be looking myself but in case i miss any(i love the look of some of the mossy tanks on here). Ive got a book called 'mini encyclopedia of aquarium plants' by Peter Hiscock, from interpet publishing, so i am trying myself but not really getting anywhere. Will i be needing to upgrade the lighting before i can put any demanding plants if so could i please have some recommendations. Thanks for all the help and opinions everyone i will put a pic up of how the rocks are later today.

 

[daryn]

Well heres the way the rocks are now, never mind the plants they will get changed when ive got an idea what to replace them with.

 

[daryn]

Well ive added some more plants and adding more moss soon to, what do you think so far, the white stones are getting covered with moss and some more slate will be added too.

 

[daryn]

Well i got round to doing some more of my scape, so what do you all think.

 

[daryn]

Thanks for the advice. Ive got a small bunch of rotala rotundifolia at the back between the two red plants, im hoping it will grow over the moss so you see the pink tops sticking up, i was also wanting to change the red plants to something like giant rotala and keep it trimmed to size but dont know if this will work and i know its tall but dont know the leave size, i wasnt sure of the slate myself but thought once the plants start to grow over it it might tone it down and help make it blend in, im wanting it bright and full looking, like one of the dutch style scapes.

 

[daryn]

The lights are three Arcadia arcpod 9W PC, giving 27W of T5PC, they are decent but i feel it could be a bit brighter in the tank so want to buy the starter unit to power 2 36W PC bulbs but you cant get any reflectors for this type of bulb for a decent price in the UK and am unsure how to DIY one. The Glosso is going a bit leggy so think it could really do with the better lighting. Ive also just mixed my first batch of DIY TPN+ so the plants are getting better ferts compared to before.

 

[daryn]

Well ive added some plants with smaller leaves in the background, the local shop had a poor selection of unhealthy plants but i got some anyway just to see what it looked like with leaves of a better size for the tank, the DIY all in one fertiliser is working great, and there is loads more pearling off the plants with much faster growth, im not happy with the background plants and think i need to mail-order some and replant, what do you all think, all advice appreciated.

 

[daryn]

Thought i better put some shape in the background plants

 

[daryn]

Well the background plants are still a mess and im struggling with them but at least the glosso and moss are both growing and pearling like mad, overall the scapes not very good but im not changing it till i can get all the background plants healthy, they are showing signes of calcium or boron deficiency but ive heard poor co2 distribution or levels could cause the same things, the leaves on the background plants are much larger now compared to what ive seen before and there is supposed to be alot of pink in them as well but they have been getting larger, paler, out of shape and some leaves seem to be melting.

 

[daryn]

Thought i would put a pic up of the tank after a bit of messing around with it.

 

[daryn]

Just the normal kind from topica but its a small tank with 72W T5 PC lighting so mabey this helps keep it compact.

 

[daryn]

Thanks, its getting there LOL, ive been reading up on techniques on how to scape instead of planting things random and trying stuff blindly, there is another stem plant (Myriophyllum mezianum) growing behind the moss and its doing great, im going to update with some pics of the progress soon.

 

[daryn]

Well i thought i would update with some pics of my nano, ive done the second major trim today so will start putting some shape into the background plants as it grows in now, here are some pics of it before the second major trim. All thoughts apprecaited.

And after the trim

 

[daryn]

Just thought i would update and show how the growth is after the trim.

 

[daryn]

The co2 system is two 2 litre soda bottles with a nano glass diffuser, ive also used a bubble counter, most people will say its useless on a DIY system but i find it necessary now as it allows me to see exactly how much is being produced and with such high light there is no room for error, i built the system going by the thread on here using bulkhead fittings and pouring the boiling water in the bottle, i will get double the amount of co2 as compared to just mixing the quick way and the bubble counter proved it (2-3BPS), it also lets me know when to change the mix before any problems arise, i also use a lot of yeast (7 grams) to get it as powerful as possible but for a short amount of time as i change one bottle every 5-7 days, i do this because the lighting is so powerful and the tank so small (72W T5PC over 14Ltr) i need a massive amount of ferts and co2 to balance the light and not get algae. Im going to upgrade to pressurised and run three scapes from the one bottle as it is so much hassle constantly changing mixes when ive got other freshwater and marine tanks that demand my time. The filter is the Eden 501, rated flow is 300lph and ive added the glass inlet and outlet, mine has been OK but i very much doubt it pushes 300lph and needs cleaning fairly regular, its the only external i could find designed to sit at the same level as the tank and its only about 6 inches high so very small and unobtrusive.