40cm Scape

[messy]

Hey, This is my first post over here. I decided to join after I kept hearing George Farmer go on about it

Wel this is my tank, you might have seen it in PFK. I called it At Forest's Gate as I wanted to get the look of being led into a thick forest from a more open area. Therefore I used the open foreground and built up the scape on either side leaving a pathway through the middle.

Ferts and substrate are all ADA, 24w light, JBL Profi 2 CO2 (1bps), Elite Mini Internal Filter. The fish were Emerald Eye Rasboras, an SAE, some Ottos and a colony of Cherry Shrimp.

The tank was running for about 74 days to get to the finished stage.

This isn't the picture I sent to PFK as it was taken slightly later and I think I prefer it. Sent this one to AGA and ADA though.

Currently planning the hardscape for the next layout but that might be a while coming as I'm at college most of the time so maintenance might be a slight problem.

If there's any more info you would like please ask!!

Cheers,

Tom

 

[ShoC]

Stunning
how much maintenance does it require? (as in amount of time) when your not at college

 

[jimbooo]

Hi Tom, Good to see you here. I do love that scape, seen it elsewhere a few times and it looks stunning. I have always had trouble with moss. out of interest how hard is your water. mines like liquid rock and i have been advised that mosses prefer soft water.

 

[messy]

Erm I set this up over the summer holidays so I was doing more or less 15-30 mins a day on it. I'm away from home at college so thats why I cant do it term time.

I used 100% rainwater for the tank right from the start, so pH 6.7-6.8, NO3 0, GH and KH 0. The tank always seemed to read pH 6.8, KH 3 ish though. Does Aquasoil buffer up as well as down? So yeah it was fairly soft and also quite cool as I've heared thats what Java moss likes.

Tom

 

[ShoC]

did it take long for your mosses to establish?
I have had no ends of trouble with moss on my rock, I tried to make it into one large clump but just don't establish,
Even when using Co2 with PH 6.6/6.8 (java moss)

 

[messy]

After tying it in it took less than a week to get new growth starting, and then I was trimming 0.5-1cm weekly by the end.

Tom

 

[mlawson]

I love this tank. Are those peices of wood just twigs you found?

 

[messy]

Yup

 

[George Farmer]

Welcome to TFF, Tom!

Nice tank...

 

[ShoC]

Yup

what moss types are you using?

with regards to the Twigs you found.. have you any fish or any plans to add fish.. As many debate if its safe to put dead wood found into the tank.. because it may be harmful..

 

[messy]

Yup

what moss types are you using?

with regards to the Twigs you found.. have you any fish or any plans to add fish.. As many debate if its safe to put dead wood found into the tank.. because it may be harmful..

I had Emerald Eye Rasboras, Ottos, an SAE and Cherry Shrimp breeding like crazy. I haven't had any problems yet of adding dead wood to tanks. The moss was mainly Java, with Xmas in places like the bottom right hand side.

Tom

 

[ShoC]

I'm glad you said that about the wood. I'll start my hunt now then =)
and hopefully my Java moss will be more inclined to grow on it.