Craynerds Planted Tank Mk.2

[dasmall1]

Nice too see some updates and good news! I'm so interested in watching your tank be setup because I know it will be great!

 

[madcaow]

nice layout there.

 

[RadaR]

Ok, thanks Chris. By the way your tank looks awesome and Im sure itl'' be even more stunning when its got healthy, grown plants.

 

[planter]

Hey craynard !

Great looking tank and cab! I too felt the need to do something a little of the shelf and ended up with an open top style aquarium be prepared for some evaporation! Very nice will look forward to seeing it mature!

Planter

 

[craynerd]

Good job mate, nice looking tank!

Chris

 

[Graeme Edwards]

Regards the drift wood, the branchy veriety, Sumatra drift wood is what your after and its available from here..........

http/www.dartfrog.co.uk/equipment/landscape.html

 

[Graeme Edwards]

Ive had a play with your composition, i dont feel that its very Amano ( i thinks thats the look your after) the positioning of your Wood look to un-natural IMO no offense.

Have a look what ive done, ive tried to copy the wood you have and just re-arrange them.

 

[craynerd]

duplicate post....deleted

 

[craynerd]

Don’t be daft, writing "no offense" in my journal. I use all opinions and advice, i wish more people would constructively criticize.

I thank you for taking the time and effort to do that for me. I agree your aquascape and wood position looks great! Top marks.

i don’t feel that its very Amano ( i thinks that’s the look your after) the positioning of your Wood look to un-natural IMO no offense.

Actually no i am not going for the Amano ADA look, as such. I have posted a few times in this journal, but i am looking more for a CAU look, which is actually going to be less natural looking and rather more creative. Its an interesting idea in itself. In my opinion CAU have roots in the Amano style but slightly taken it to a more "fantasy" sort of design. that’s just my opinion and view of their work. I am a huge fan.
I have always said, although i love the ADA amano style stuff, it looks kinda too freaky to be in my living room.

Someone posted on AEforum to this same post, "i am sure it will look good with your plants" and they are so right. I have asked for comments yet you guys doing know the idea behind the planting. Basically, the wood will more or less get covered by stem plants so you won`t really see the actual wood. Its more about seeing the tips of the wood come through. Which is why your horizontal piece, without doubt looks more Amano stylee and more natural, with my plant layout, it would be totally covered.

Once again moody, thanks for the time and advice. Your picture is definitely a great idea if i was going to go down that route.

I suppose you will be able to comment more when i actually get the plants in in a few days, HoPeFullY then you will realise how this is going to work. Whether you like it or not is subjective, but i am looking for a more "cozy, fantasy, colorful, magical" stylee tank, rather than o`natural! IMO there is a difference, and I think the route I wish to take is still quite original, new and unexplored territory besides CAU!

Chris

 

[craynerd]

I have to say, i am half with through this, all is going to plan but i am as nervous as HELL!!!

I`ve been at it for about 3 hours, just filling the tank now with water...!

Moment of truth!

Chris

 

[Fillet 'O' Fish]

Pics...must post pics...

 

[Themuleous]

Go Chris GO!!!!!!

 

[craynerd]

Well i`ll give you a bit of a report. Its hard because i`m always gonna criticise BUT out of 100, i`d say, in relation to what i was DREAMING FOR (lol not compaired to anyone) i`d say 90-95!

Its gone smoothly at the start and then i filled with water and made a small adjustement to the position of a few stems, this kicked up AS and clouded the water a little, which is a bit annoying. Also i found AS quite light in comparison to sand substrate, which ment i had to replant a few floating stems!

Other than those two comments i am well chuffed.

I want to take a really SWEET picture before i start flashing it around, so here is a taster, basically its towards the end of planting, i`ve more or less!! got things into position, just without the finer detail like the anubias and rock placement.

I have to say, i was gutted with my HM order from Birstall, 1 of the 3 pots was completely dead, rotted away and the other 2 were poor. I had to use it, but i`m sure it will look 10x better in a few days once it picks up a bit,

Hope you like it,

SNEAK PREVIEW: towards the end of planting with NO WATER in the tank, the silver thing in the right hand side is a little dish to fill with water so that it didnt distrub the AS.

Regards

Chris

Chris

 

[Waterloo Kid]

Very promising! I'd still say that the branches on the left hand side are going to look squashed into the side of the tank once the moss bulks out.
Also, that one branch is going to breach the water's surface slightly. I'm assuming that the tank is going to be filled higher than the second tallest branch so isn't that tiny bit of wood stuck out of the water going to look slightly off? If the wood is supposed to be emmersed then maybe more wood would be better sticking up rather than that small bit. Make a feature from it!
Apart from that I think it's going to look great. I don't usually go for darker substrates but that fits in perfectly!

Good job mate!

More pics please!

WK

 

[George Farmer]

I am excited about this Chris. It looks wonderfully promising.

I'm surprised about Birstall. You should complain, they will send you new pots. I did the same re. hairgrass a while back. Their customer service is great. May I ask how much the plants were in total?

Sorry for these questions but I'm too lazy to search through the thread and my net time is limited.

Did you get your mulm in the end?
Is the filter mature?
Are you planning EI from the outset?
What trace will you be using?
What CO2 bubble rate do you plan?
Are you boosting KH to deal with the Aqua Soil?
What make HO T5 tubes are they?

Look forward to the progress.

The hardscape position looks good to me BTW.