60 Cm "naupaka Coast" (added Fish Photos)

[tear-scar]

Hi all. I used to be very active on TFF, but as I got more serious about planted tanks, I stopped coming (at the time, 2 years ago, this sub-forum was very un-supported). However, my friend George recently reminded me about this place, and I found I was quite impressed with how much this sub-forum had grown. So, I decided I'd share what I'm working on.

The goal was to make an aquascape based on a Hawaiian coast line. So, I used lava rock, sand, and twigs that represented the dead trees.

First, a computer-graphics illustration I did as a "concept sketch" for the tank:

Note, that there were 3 months between the sketch, and the actual set-up so my ideas changed a lot.

Set up start, 9/1/2006
Initial hard scaping:

Raise substrate + add twigs:

Add Bright sand:

Planting Foreground plants:

Me at work:

Tank after set-up was completed:

And a current shot of the tank from two days ago, not quite two weeks after set up:

The first fish went in today, emerald rasboras, and a few columbian tetras and a few otos from an LFs. They seem to have acclimated well, and the rasboras and tetras had a feeding frenzy a few minutes after being introduced to the tank. Hopefully, I can show some nice shots of them soon.


Edit: Ah, yeah, and tank specs:

Tank: 60 x 30 x 36 cm (around 18 gallons american) ADA
Substrate: Aquasoil Amazonia
Lighting: 2 x 55 watt CF Jalli fixture on legs (1x 10000K, 1x 6700K)
Schedule: 10 hr. photo period w/ mid 5 hours using both bulbs
Filtration: Eheim 2213 + ADA inflow/outflow
CO2: Currently 2 BPS using pressurized through Glass Diffuser

Plants:
-Hemianthus callitrichoides
-Echinodorus tenellus
-Micranthemum umbrossum
-Bacopa australis
-Rotala rotundifolia "green"
-Heteranthera zosterfolia

 

[George Farmer]

Great to see you on here again Steven. Things have progressed here a fait bit in the last couple of years as you have noticed.

Wonderful scape BTW! I love the unique twig look (although there's another member who has also used this technique - fishkillernomore).

 

[MoreCoffee]

Hi,

A great looking scape, thanks for posting. I've seen your 'concept sketches' elsewhere and always thought they looked excellent. A great way of planning an aquascape. What program do you use to do them ?

I'm assuming the twigs are 'dead' wood.

Looking forward to seeing updates as the tank develops.


Al

 

[tear-scar]

Wow, is it daytime already in the UK? I'm just a college brat with nothing to do after partying (got no friday classes so I'll sleep in . . .)

George-- I really AM impressed with at least this sub forum, you guys have gotten pretty awesome

Al-- the twigs were collected from a stream bed in Nu'uanu (my home valley). I left them to dry for a month in the summer to get rid of anything that might have been living on/in them. I've also used this type of twigs from that river before and had no problems so I think it should be fine.

Also, the program I use is just the cheapy photoshop elements 2.0-- really, there's so much use for just the most basic tools. I also have a wacom tablet, so I have an edge there (and elements 2.0 comes with it free).

 

[George Farmer]

Indeed you do have a raw artistic talent there. Some of us (me included) wouldn't have a clue where to start sketching like that. Most of my planned layouts are stuck in my head, transferring them between there and the water is direct I'm afraid.

Is that an ADA lily pipe as well as 60cm tank? You must be rolling in the cash now!?

The rocks look better now too mate, now that the plants have softened them. I admire your foresight.

 

[planter]

Thanks for posting!

really interesting to see the way you bank the substrate using the lava rocks to hold it in place. The Sand in the foreground is a nice touch also. I think the planted aquarium scene is about to go BIG in the uk and posts from expierienced aquascapers are always welcome. I will follow this thread closeley! trouble is I just end up wanting ANOTHER tank!!

 

[JamesC]

Very nice looking scape. I'm always in awe of people who have the creative talent to produce such fine looking scapes. I just wish I had some artistic talent as well. Maybe I'll give it a go one day but for the time being I'll stick to my jungles. Looking forward to see how this scape develops.

James

 

[MoreCoffee]

Also, the program I use is just the cheapy photoshop elements 2.0-- really, there's so much use for just the most basic tools. I also have a wacom tablet, so I have an edge there (and elements 2.0 comes with it free).

Still very impressive sketches, particularly impressed with the water surface ripples.

I'd love to be able to do similar. Then I could at least visualise some of the scape ideas that I have, but will never get to put into practice ...... I'd never fit that many tanks in the house

 

[Themuleous]

Cant say I had the pleasure of knowing you before but welcome back all the same

Nice scape, and really interesting to see the thought process and build right from idea through design to realisation, I just chuck some plants in a see what happens! Perhaps I should be more methodical nice time.

Sam

 

[Dubby]

Thats a wonderful scape, tear-scar and welcome (back) to the forum.

 

[Graeme Edwards]

Hi tear-scar,

Well i reckon you must of been an art student at some point!!!!

It is a nice way of scetching your ideas, i too do this but i dont go to the length you do ( if i had the program i proberbly would).
Its a nice scape, shame you changed the layout from your oringinal scetch, the scetch has allot of impact and a good scence of hight and depth, not saying you scape doesnt but the scetch has more.

Great to see a plant nut who clearly understands the idea of "A Living Art" !!!!!!

Regards,
Graeme.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

wow that's a gorgeous tank, well done

 

[Gill]

Hey Steven

Your Tank scapes are as awesome as ever

 

[tear-scar]

Thanks for the comments and "welcome backs."

George-- It's not so much a matter of having gotten richer, as a matter of dragging my Dad to the ADA gallery in Niigata when we were site-seeing in Japan this summer.

I told him that I wanted to be serious, aiming for the top, and that I couldn't do it without the right supplies. And, he helped me out there. Plus I had travel money from my relatives, my cousin who did study abroad with me spent $500+ more than I did just doing the normal girl-shopping-while-travelling. >.<

I spent mine at aquaforest.

Yeah, I went really for the purpose of studying abroad at Sophia University, but my relatives were pretty excited for me, as it was my first time going "back to the homeland" so to speak (my mother is Japanese). We even visited some of relatives I'd never met before. It was a nice trip.

Planter/Mr. G-- Yeah, I only have this one aquarium too. However, it doesn't bother me to take it apart and start it over. Actually, the plan is to take it down in January if I can nail the final photo-shoot in December. If I need more time, I might continue into next semester but odds are I'll start a whole new lay-out in this tank in January. B)

Moody-- Thanks and, I was a regular Computer Graphics/Drawing oriented art student in high school-- until I learned about aquascaping. I know what you mean, the sketch really had some incredible stuff, but partially it had some impossible stuff. >.<

I didn't realize how truly difficult it would be to grow tenellus in BACK of umbrossum and have it be taller! In reality, it seems tenellus is too short. XD

The rocks I brought also don't have enough strength to support the slope that would be needed! Maybe in a much smaller tank it would be possible actually.

 

[Graeme Edwards]

Very jelous that you have been to the Nature Aquarium Gallery.
I would love to have the cash to travel to Japan, its one of my must go places.

Please tell us whats its actually like in the flesh, jaw dropping i emagin!!
Is it true that its free to get in?