Afroturfs Pre-journal

[afroturf]

So here are the first photos of the tank planted, the tank has been running for about 2 weeks but i only took the plants out of the pots this weekend. so here they are -

Plants used,
Bolbitis heudelotii
Crypt albida
C. balansae
C. lucens
C. undulatus 'red'? more like green.
C. wendtii 'brown'
C. wendtii 'Tropica'
Echinodorus amazonicus
E. uruguayensis
Limnobium laevigatum
and verious mosses

I spent ages on the positioning of the wood but i am still not too happy with it, i may add some more wood to the far right of the tank.

Also as this tank will tank months to look its best, i feel that i may add some short, foreground type plants anongst the crypts to cover up the gravel. something like UG or Eleocharis, there are over 50 Crypt balansae plants in there believe it or not and once these mature it will take over from whatever foreground plant i use.

I will also be edging the planted areas with moss in the next few day just to give a better edge to the sand foreground.

Please give and advice or improvements.

Regards.

 

[ICEEGRL]

It looks good to me.

 

[john starkey]

Wow afro i like that very much should look really nice when it all matures, very nice layout indeed. regards john

 

[Dave Spencer]

It looks quality already Afro. Such a shame I won`t be around long enough to see it mature fully.

What type of lighting have you finally opted for?

Secondly, do you intend on having some of the wood poking out of the top of the tank?

UG is a superb looking plant, but I am not sure it would go with the type of look you are after. Eleocharis would be better suited, but I am finding my E. parvula to be a bit of a cladophora magnet at the moment.

Dave.

 

[mlawson]

Very cool B), looking forward to see it develop.

 

[afroturf]

Cheers for the replys guys,

Dave for the lighting i have gone for 1 x 30w aquaglo T8, 1 x 6500k 36w compact T5 and 1 x 4000k 36w compact T5. I havn't come up with a lighting schedual yet as i havn't got the co2 system running properly, waiting for some washers.

I do have 1 piece of wood out of the water i wood rather have more if i decide to add more wood to the right of the tank i may have more out of the water there. Wharf aquatic built the tank with the bracing when i asked for it to be built with out, so it doesn't look as good as it could. which i'm not too happy about, but they said it would have cost alot more than the quoted price for a braceless tank.

You may be right about the UG Dave and now AE has stopped selling i may have to go fro Eleocharis as i'm not ganna pay £6/pot from birstall, i could just use more moss on wood placed on the substrate and plant the Crypts closer... I'll give a thought over night and let any of you give your opinions.

 

[wei0204]

Very beautiful! So envy... Can't wait to see more pics soon...

 

[Castellop123]

 

[afroturf]

Fortunatly there has not been the sightest sign of algea so far it the tank, theres not been much growth from the crypts yet but the Echinodorus amazonicus have all started putting out flower spikes! which is a shame as i've decided to remove them as i don't think they fit with the scape to well. I will keep the uruguayensis though.

Heres my problem what to replace it with.

Option 1 - Large round leaf crypt, this would be my first choice but i don't know if the only types for sale blassii, cordata would be big enough to fill the corner.

Option 2 - Microsorum 'narrow' or 'philippine' tied to wood

Option 3 - Hygrophila sp, an easy to grow plant that will give me a nice bright green im looking for but also fit in with the mainly asian type plants used.

Please give your opinions.

Regards.

 

[afroturf]

I've know added the first fish to the tank, they are a pair of Pelviachromis teaniatus 'dehane' I brought them when i went to pick up the tank, and kept them in my other tank till now. The male is extermely shy and didn't show any interest in the female in the old tank but since they have been in there new bigger home they've been getting on great and over the past few days they have started dissplaying, so hopefully i'll get some babies soon, make me a bit of money they cost £18/pair, £25 from Trimar

here they are

male

female

I have decided to remove the Echinodorus in the corner and replace it with some java fern, and possibly some Hygrophila polysperma or corymbosa. Also i in the comming week i will add some hairgass amongst the crypts

 

[Dave Spencer]

I have decided to remove the Echinodorus in the corner and replace it with some java fern, and possibly some Hygrophila polysperma or corymbosa. Also i in the comming week i will add some hairgass amongst the crypts

I have some Eleocharis vivipara and E. acicularis going for free if you want some (I have just totally rescaped my Juwel Lido). Obviously, the E. vivipara is a background plant.

They are from Java-Plants, which was the only place i could find selling it and were of a reasonable quality.

Dave.

 

[afroturf]

Hi Dave, i'd love some of your spare Eloecharis, I saw a scape on another forum similar to mine and it had some vivipara in and have been thinking of using it, but as you say the quality dose seen to be a issue with Eleocharis, but i'm sure yours will be top quality I've sent you a pm.

 

[Themuleous]

Tanks looking quality matey should look excellent once it fills out.

Sam

 

[Dave Pauls]

oh man, that looks amazing. I almost wish I had seen this before I started my tank..... ha ha.