Asia's Tree - Aquascape Jounal

[RossC]

This journal is now organised so everything is visible in this first post. When I have updated it I will simply write "Day --" in a new post but all info will be just below. Looks a little neater that all

---

Day 1

Spoiler

Here's what my soon to be new planted tank looks like after the basic setup. It has a substrate of 2cm deep Terra Plant Complete capped with another 2 cm of fine gravel.
Ammonia has been added or 5ppm and is being filtered at 25*c.
Ordering some lovely red moor wood that looks like a tree which I hope to cover in moss and some baltic rock for aquascaping.

Question: what will give me a fast growing carpet, preferably grass like? I will be using liquid carbon with the fertilized substrate. I've got about 2W per gallon.

Next update coming soon!

Here's the redwood I just ordered, its exactly what I was after

---

Day 2

Spoiler

Good news! Ammonia has already dropped down to 4.0ppm within 24hrs
Ordered some plants to be delivered after the bank holiday, stupid jubilee

Here's what I've ordered:
Pogostemon helferi This will be used as the "Tree leaves"

Eleocharis acicularis Gonna try to carpet this

Gymnocoronis spilanthoides This will be used as mid/background plant

In a 10 gallon, java moss on mesh cut to the shape you want and regular trimming, should give you the lawn appearance you're looking for. Then use Xmas moss or flame moss on the "tree".

I've got some xmas in my 25gal which I regularly trim so I'll be taking some from there in the future. Thanks for the suggestions

---

Day 3

Spoiler

No readings yet as I am not at home but have ordered the Fluval Mini CO2 Kit which is the first pressurised system I've used. I plan on swapping the stock diffuser with a glass/ceramic one that I've got. As the tank won't have fish in for a while I'm going to make sure the plants get a nice dose everyday. What dosing do you guys recommend for a tank this size?

UPDATE: Accidently tipped some chemicals in the water from the test kit so have taken all water out. Now taken a few trimmings of stem plants out of my 20 gal and planted them in shallow water. Gonna watit until my wood and plants arrive until I do anything else.

---

Day 4

Spoiler

WOW! I have seriously out done myself. Especially seen as this is my first proper aquascape. I'm over the moon with how it turned out. Will look amazing when the dwarf hair grass carpets Let me know what you guys think?

Working the layout out

Super happy

---

Day 16

Spoiler

Here's how its looking at the moment, everything seems to begin growing ok. The dwarf hairgrass has to be trimmed sometimes every 2 days as it's growing so fast. I've also removed one rock and repositioned the other two further into the substrate, looks miles better.

---

Day 17

Spoiler

So unfortunately I've decided the only way to save the Pogostemon helferi is to take it off the wood and plant it in the substrate. Hopefully It will give a nice bush effect around the base of the stones. Ordered some java moss of eBay, which I will use on the wood instead, not quite how I wanted it to look but hey you have to make adjustments. Won't bother with a picture will wait until the Pogostemon helferi has perked up.

---

Day 19

Spoiler

Changed the compact T5 PL from the prefitted marine one for a 7100K daylight bulb which looks more like natural sunlight rather than a blue glow, hopefully this is more suited to the plants. The Pogostemon helferi seems to be doing a lot better now it's in the substrate its already noticeably grown upwards and outwards. The stems are now peeking out the top of the water, don't want to trim them LOL. Bad news though I just noticed I don't have a lot of CO2 left in my 95g disposable I can't believe its gone so fast. When I get a bit more money I'll probably do a FE or pub system as the 95g are £40 for 3 which will only last about two months.

---

Day 20

Spoiler

My huge portion of Java moss came today in the post so after giving it a good rinse I've tied it all over the wood and some on the rocks. There's a few brown bits in there but I'm sure it will regain its colour once its settled in. It actually looks a lot better than the Pogostemon helferi as there isn't any roots and there's a lot more of it. Here's a picture:

Day 32

Spoiler

Finally got the tank off the floor today after a near 48L of water crashing through the ceiling a few days a go. Now sitting proud next to my 95L. Did a little rearranging with the rocks, nothing major. The moss is starting to look a lot better now but the dwarf hairgrass has really slowed in growth. Maybe because I've switched from CO2 to liquid carbon. Did a 95% water change whilst moving the tank so the nitrite stats are now back down to 0.25ppm now after a dose of ammonia. Fingers crossed this takes a huge load of the nitrifying bacteria and I start seeing nitrites dropping as fast as the ammonia does.

---

Day 35

Spoiler

Woohoo finally I think I'm almost finished cycling, nitrites and ammonia read 0ppm today. Going to dose again today and test tomorrow to make sure it wasn't a fluke but I'm getting excited again
New fishes here we come (soon)
Also getting a little cheesed off with this brown algae, even dosing with Florish Excel isn't keeping it at bay, its easy to get rid of though so I suppose it could be worse. Keep watching I may be stocking tomorrow

---

Day 36

Spoiler

Great news, everything read 0 again this morning so really happy now, done a 75% water change to drop the nitrates ready for some fish. Going to a place called Wyevale in Shenstone. Never been there before but looks nice on the net. I'm after some oto's or shrimp and either a school of tetra's or rasboraras. Will upload some pics once I've got them home and acclimatised.

Day 36 Part 2

Spoiler

Ok so my plans kinda went out the window as soon as I steped into the aquatics shop, which may I add is the ebst one I've ever been in. For his tank I walked out with 6 harlequins and and a beautiful red betta. The harleys are school exactly as I wanted them too and the betta is peaceful but really active which is nice to see as some betta's I've had before don't move much but he's still exploring the tank happily. Also to spread the bioload I put three jevenile platys in there which are amusingly schooling with the harleys. And as promised here's some photos and also a video once its uploaded. Let me know what you think?

Some more close-ups soon once they've calmed down a little they're still exploring LOL
Video:

 

[RossC]

Day 1
Here's the redwood I just ordered, its exactly what I was after

 

[FishFanatic04]

Nice start. Get busy planting.

 

[RossC]

Nice start. Get busy planting.

Thanks I will very shortly as my plants are ordered, pictures will be up when they arrive

 

[thereverendturtle]

In a 10 gallon, java moss on mesh cut to the shape you want and regular trimming, should give you the lawn appearance you're looking for. Then use Xmas moss or flame moss on the "tree".

 

[RossC]

Day 2
Good news! Ammonia has already dropped down to 4.0ppm within 24hrs
Ordered some plants to be delivered after the bank holiday, stupid jubilee

Here's what I've ordered:
Pogostemon helferi This will be used as the "Tree leaves"

Eleocharis acicularis Gonna try to carpet this

Gymnocoronis spilanthoides This will be used as mid/background plant

In a 10 gallon, java moss on mesh cut to the shape you want and regular trimming, should give you the lawn appearance you're looking for. Then use Xmas moss or flame moss on the "tree".

I've got some xmas in my 25gal which I regularly trim so I'll be taking some from there in the future. Thanks for the suggestions

 

[tomtomtom1230]

Put the heater on a 45 degree angle I'm a bit anal about that but I'm paranoid that the heat will be transferred straight onto the thermostat and it'll turn it's self off prematurely and therefore not heating the tank properly! Additionally, I point my filter outlet towards the filter to immediately dissipate the warmer water away from the thermostat.

Another personal preference; I have Eco Complete in my tank and is rich in Iron etc but still use fert tablets every few months (4-6) to 'renew' and 'top up' the nutrients in the substrate for these will expire within a few years (I suspect). I know I could just top up the nutrients every year or so but as I said, I'm really anal about caring for my tank

 

[RossC]

Put the heater on a 45 degree angle I'm a bit anal about that but I'm paranoid that the heat will be transferred straight onto the thermostat and it'll turn it's self off prematurely and therefore not heating the tank properly! Additionally, I point my filter outlet towards the filter to immediately dissipate the warmer water away from the thermostat.

Another personal preference; I have Eco Complete in my tank and is rich in Iron etc but still use fert tablets every few months (4-6) to 'renew' and 'top up' the nutrients in the substrate for these will expire within a few years (I suspect). I know I could just top up the nutrients every year or so but as I said, I'm really anal about caring for my tank

I have tried the heater a number of different ways and haven't noticed any temperature instability in the vertical position compared to a diagonal or horizontal position and I have the heater near the filter inlet so water is drawn in and then sprayed out into the tank moving the heat around. I know it may cool the water a little during its time in the filter but it works for me, better than when the heater was nearer to the outlet. This is probably because the outlet is a spray bar type that stretches across the centre of the tank so there is pretty good water movement.

Thanks for the input though its appreciated

Edit: I forget to mention, yer I've got some substrate tabs for a few months time to refresh it

 

[RossC]

Day 2
Thinking of upgrading the lighting but still yet to decide what with. Any suggestions are welcome HERE
But I am considering this:

 

[FishFanatic04]

I have my heater vertically in my 46g with no problems, thermometer is on the other side of the tank, and there's good water flow. I think it comes down to all the tank variables. It will work fine in some tanks.

 

[RossC]

Day 3
No readings yet as I am not at home but have ordered the Fluval Mini CO2 Kit which is the first pressurised system I've used. I plan on swapping the stock diffuser with a glass/ceramic one that I've got. As the tank won't have fish in for a while I'm going to make sure the plants get a nice dose everyday. What dosing do you guys recommend for a tank this size?

UPDATE: Accidently tipped some chemicals in the water from the test kit so have taken all water out. Now taken a few trimmings of stem plants out of my 20 gal and planted them in shallow water. Gonna watit until my wood and plants arrive until I do anything else.

 

[RossC]

Day 4
WOW! I have seriously out done myself. Especially seen as this is my first proper aquascape. I'm over the moon with how it turned out. Will look amazing when the dwarf hair grass carpets Let me know what you guys think?

Working the layout out

Super happy

 

[Proxo]

very nice, only thing i'd suggest is maybe sinking them rocks around the wood into the substrate a little? they're kind of eating the wood.

 

[RossC]

very nice, only thing i'd suggest is maybe sinking them rocks around the wood into the substrate a little? they're kind of eating the wood.

Thanks, I've had to cover the wood with them as I haven't pre soaked it so it floats at the moment

 

[FishFanatic04]

Looks fantastic. As soon as your wood sinks I would bury the rocks.