60l Rebuild Journal

[RYO]

Hi sorry for not getting back quicker (hard drive failed)
Solomon - my water board is welsh water im in the Bangor area. As to the algae it seems to be keeping its nasty little head down.

 

[RYO]

Got bored with the glosso (ok was too much hassle , took over the tank ) and didn't like the background plants (too fussy)
Added Eleocharis parrulus and Eleocharis acicularis in the foreground.
Still feel something's missing so open to suggestions.

 

[simonbrown403]

Nooo! it was just coming to ow well i suppose you have to do what you have to do.

I love the moss on the wood, is it christmas moss?

I think you need something to cover the pipe work to the right, maybe a similar plant to that in the back middle, something with a touch of red, and something to fill the gap between the hair grass and the java moss on the left, it looks like a big hole.

 

[Themuleous]

Yeh I would agree with FKNM, something rounded would give it more variation, as you already have lots of pointy plants and lost of different colours. Perharps one of the Echinodorus sp?

 

[George Farmer]

I like the hairgrass mate.

I think you have the basis of what could be a great triangular composition i.e. the moss/wood on the left sloping down to the right.

For me the red stems and crypt look a little untidy and out of place. If you moved/grew out the stems to the left nearer the moss to create a smoother transition down to the right, maybe lose the crypt completely and fill the right up, front to back with hairgrass; taller at the back.

Just some ideas.

PS Next week RAF Butlins!

 

[RYO]

cheers guys
fishkiller_nomore - Im looking for a small bushy type plant but with no luck, most seem to grow way to big. I'm after something that is around 6-8 inches max.

simonbrown403 - the moss is Vesicularis dubyana ,plain old java moss ripped out of other tank.
With the pipes , i know where your coming from there. i have chucked my eheim and am using my fluval 204 the only draw back is the gray piping and outlets, I'm trying to eeer acquire some black tubing from work that might just fit the bill
Lol the hole is a hole ,it home to my bristle nose, he keeps it like that .

Themuleous I've looked at Echinodorus quadricostatus . Magdalenensis and Echinodorus parviflorus .Tropica as these seem to be the smallest of the family but as usual cant make up my mind.

George- ideally i want just the hair grass on the right hand side but at the moment if the crypt come out i get a plague of hair algae. Same with the stems. As I've said before , i'm looking for a small bushy type plant that wont take over, its hard enough controlling the Eusteralis stellata.
As to your freebee hols m8 make sure you get on the South Georgia trips m8, and make sure you've got plenty of film/disc space , the wild life is awesome and has no fear of man. Oh yea! don't call the red coats Benny's, its frowned upon . They are called stills (still Benny's ) Have a good time bud. Hope ya don't get too many blueys

 

[soggyhome]

Looks wicked m8, I only hope I can get something half way as good

 

[simonbrown403]

I'm trying to eeer acquire some black tubing from work that might just fit the bill wahey.gif

I was after some black my self, i asked my local fish shop who build tanks and systems etc and he warned me clear of the stuff due to something used to colour it, i cant remember exactly what he said, but there you go

Squatters rights with your plec

 

[lljdma06]

RYO, I really like your tank, the hairgrass looks great. I agree with GF about the crypt and the stem plants, but the idea of removing a crypt, a favorite plant of mine, makes me shudder. Try and keep it.

I like the layout a lot and the moss is stunning.

 

[RYO]

Couple more shots after a quick trim.

 

[zig]

Change your sig quick this looks much better, i like it, how much light are you using over the tank these days?

 

[RYO]

Zig I'm using 3 x 15w t8 tubes now, had too many problems with the poxy T5 compacts. All they seem to do was breed hair algae and melt
done the sig too lol

 

[lljdma06]

Oh, I can see the crypt much better now, glad you didn't remove it. Very lovely, looks a lot like mine! Odd you've had problems with T5s, mine have performed very well. I use Coralife fixtures and bulbs.

 

[RYO]

lljdma06 I was using Interpet T5 High Power Compact Lighting, a few people on tft have had problems with the tubes and fittings breaking up with the heat.

 

[George Farmer]

Very nice mate, your best yet IMHO.