[davemonkey]

Roy, you may think I'm crazy, but I just tried this with great success. Hydrogen peroxide dosed at 2 ml per gallon will kill most your algae (dumped directly into tank) and won't harm you fish/shrimp/snails. I dosed some in my 55 just before going to NPT and did it at 3.5 ml/gal. I did not notice anything happening so I thought it was a waste. But, within 2 days, all algae was red and dead. My snails seemed to suffer at that high dose, but they still lived. Another guy did it at that dose and his weaker Nerites (with eroded shells) died, but nothing else suffered. Anyway, if nothing else works, it's a cheap temporary fix.

As to your new scape, I look forward to seeing what you enter into the contest!

-Dave

 

[rjfurbank]

Thanks Dave--I'll try your H2O2 suggestion. Am hoping to get it under control by fixing my ferts/CO2 but have been spending lots of $$ on Excel to keep it in check.

Just rescaped yesterday--will post some initial pics but its going to need some time to grow in--lots of cryps. . .

 

[rjfurbank]

Well here are some pics from my rescape last weekend. Thanks to my good friend Nate (ngb2322) who "volunteered" to come over and help out!

Here's the tank after removing all the plants on the right side: (can't recall if this is before or after the gravel vac--but there was TONS of junk on the substrate that I did my best to remove)

Here's the plan I've been scribbling on for the last 1-2 months:

After planting--running filters to clean up debris and aerate water for fish:

After filling:

First time I really had a detailed plan of what I wanted to do. Trying to go for a V-shape w/ tall plants in both rear corners and crypts in the rear center. My biggest goal is to create a bunch of open space in the foreground--which I have never been able to maintain before w/out stuffing it w/ plants. . . I have a bunch of E. tennellus planted there now which will hopefully form a nice grassy look and not obscure the plants in the back too much.

I am not sure how I like the DW/rock combo on the LHS. I didn't have as much room as I planned for so this is where my plan suffered the most. The wood is awesome (thanks Vancat!!!) but the rocks are a little too white--I am hoping this will change w/ time. I am also contemplating adding some moss (maybe fissidens?) here but want to wait and see how things develop first. The passage of time in planted tanks has a way of surprising me.

So far I am enjoying the new layout and am able to see the fish much better. Also, I was able to transfer a few pieces of all the species that were removed to my new grow out tank so I wasn't as stingy regarding what got to stay.

Thanks for looking! Any comments welcome!

-Roy

 

[Tex Gal]

I like what you've done with the place. Maybe superglue some fissidens on those white rocks to soften them a bit. Nice job!

 

[davemonkey]

Great job! The rock placement is great and they will get darker as the scape ages. +1 on putting Fissidens on them, that would be a nice touch.

Yeah, I'm totally digging this scape.

 

[mikslik]

loved the thread- will be watching the new scape. I enjoyed seeing the evolution, experimentation with your design. i'm in the same process, a bit restless- and I have a bad habit of overstocking the tank with plants i "want to try". I think your latest plan put the design before trying new plants. best of luck

 

[Tex Gal]

loved the thread- will be watching the new scape. I enjoyed seeing the evolution, experimentation with your design. i'm in the same process, a bit restless- and I have a bad habit of overstocking the tank with plants i "want to try". I think your latest plan put the design before trying new plants. best of luck

Is it really possible to overstock the tank with plants? I'm not sure. I think the goal is to overstock it with style!

 

[rjfurbank]

Thanks everyone for your kind comments! Will have to add the fissidens as everyone seems to agree. I have some near the base of the wood on the RHS but it is really ratty looking now. Will transplant some over when it recovers.

mikslik--I definitely suffer from the same thought process. . . as soon as I open up some space in the tank I either get a few new plants or plant a few stems that aren't doing so well that I want to watch, experiment w/, etc. . .

Is it really possible to overstock the tank with plants? I'm not sure.

Tex Gal--If you haven't been able to overstock I'm sure it's not possible. . .

 

[Tex Gal]

Tex Gal--If you haven't been able to overstock I'm sure it's not possible. . .

LOL!

I'm looking forward to the progression of your tank.

 

[theblondskeleton]

I like where it's headed! It seems like we should have more room with 18 inches of depth, doesn't it? I'm always surprised at how much narrower it is than I thought... I love the idea of the big open space in the middle - I think the angels will too!

 

[rjfurbank]

I like where it's headed! It seems like we should have more room with 18 inches of depth, doesn't it? I'm always surprised at how much narrower it is than I thought... I love the idea of the big open space in the middle - I think the angels will too!

Thanks theblondskeleton! I agree--it's amazing how quickly we run out of space even w/ such a large tank. I guess that's why it's so easy to always dream of that bigger tank "someday". . .

Also--I saw your note about your sister being in Pittsburgh. I am on the other side near Philadelphia--if you're ever in the area let me know.

-Roy

 

[rjfurbank]

Here's an update. . .

Thing are growing well and overall I am happy w/ how things are progressing. The tenellus lawn is coming along nicely w/ lots of new runners shooting out all over the place. Not sure how the completely pink lawn is going to look. . . I thought it would have more of a green appearance w/ some pink touches here and there. May add some hairgrass interspersed throughout to tone it down at bit. Will continue to let it grow for a bit and see what happens though.

I am really happy w/ the growth on the crypts--especially those on the right front corner. They have some real nice patterning on the leaves (will need to post a better picture later--still trying to figure out the best settings for the camera). I am hoping the crypts in the back (mostly wendtii's and a few walkeri's--I think) grow a bit taller. The undulata's in front of the rocks on the left middle are getting quite big and am concerned that they may obscure the wood too much so may need to be removed.

Recently trimmed the L. Cuba and the Rotala's in the back left. There was lot's of BBA on the bottoms (which I left planted) and I have been spot treating w/ excel--still haven't gotten around to trying the H2O2 trick. Also, recently tied some Java moss to the wood on the RHS--not sure if I'll keep it or not yet. I liked the "clean" look but that piece of wood must have been cut at some point as the end is very square and not natural looking--tried to soften that w/ the moss.

Also, not sure I am happy w/ the rocks in front of the DW on the LHS. Am contemplating adding some blyxa japonica (or some other grass-like plant) in front to obscure a bit. We'll see . . .

Well--that's enough :typing: for now. Thanks for looking!

-Roy

 

[davemonkey]

The tenellus lawn looks fantastic! I agree, the rocks are throwing the scape off a bit. If you have some crypts you can replace them with that would work, or the blyxa as you mentioned.

The scape overall looks wonderful. I trust we'll be seeing this in the TOTY 2010 contest.

 

[rjfurbank]

Thanks for your comments Dave. I took your advice and added some more crypt undulatus in front of the rocks on the LHS--going from emersed to submersed now so should be much fuller and hide the rocks much better in a few weeks. Also added some regular java fern to hopefully soften it up a bit (may add some more to the front rocks as well as the anubias petite is looking pretty scraggly).

Also--am planning to enter it into the TOTY competition (I figure why not? :noidea but am waiting till the last minute to maximize growth time of the crypts and to hopefully get the stems on the left looking better and maybe a few more tweaks. . . The plan is for the stems on the left to be near the top w/ the L. Cuba reaching out over the wood and the rotala to give the whole scape a 'V' shape--we'll see how that works out. . .op2:

Here are some new pics after today's WC.

FTS

LHS

RHS

Have really been digging the crypts and think I am going to start an emersed crypt set up after the new year--I have one open spot for a 10g in my study. . . so many tanks--so little space. . .

Thanks for looking!

-Roy

 

[theblondskeleton]

Hey roy, it's lookin' good! I agree about the crypts. I'd love to have a 90 with a terraced hardscape and pockets of different kinds of crypts. They just look so good when they fill in...

 

[rjfurbank]

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Need some advice on where to place this awesome piece of hardscape I got for Xmas.

Here it is:

haha.

Here's a pic after a small trim--should be the last one on the stems for a bit. The colors look a little funky as I've been messing around in photoshop lately. . .

Thanks for looking!

-Roy

 

[Bunbuku]

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Need some advice on where to place this awesome piece of hardscape I got for Xmas.

Here it is:

Thanks for looking!

-Roy

Well, you could adapt it as a novelty CO2 diffuser:fear:?

 

[davemonkey]

The tank looks great! I think you should plop that new hardscape right smack in the middle. You're about to pioneer the way to CO2 via commode diffusion. :crazy:

 

[bratyboy2]

that would be to funny!!!!

 

[rjfurbank]

Thanks everyone for the comments--hadn't thought of making it a CO2 diffuser. . .

Just thought it was a laugh--will probably end up putting it in one of my 10g's that are already linked in to an air pump. Maybe try to post a video. . .

-Roy