Ferg's Planted Journal

[Joshwainwright]

Personally, I'd say the second positioning is best however I suppose it will look completely different once it's in the tank.

Nevertheless, great wood!

 

[Biulu]

Very nice wood! I am going to suggest you a 3rd option: what about putting the 2 pieces together in a way that the long branches all go into the same direction? In this way you will be creating 1 single focal point instead of 2.

 

[Ferg1985]

Well, after almost 9 hours of hard graft today the tank has had it's makeover (bit of an anti-climax! haha). I took half the water out, removed all decor with a few exceptions, gave it a good scrub with a new aquarium scouring pad, all was going well into I went to put the wood in. I could not keep it from floating for nothing I tried to weigh it down, wedge it into the gravel but it just floated off. So for now, I've a few large rocks pinning it down and it doesn't look bad, but it's not great. I've sorted all my plants and replanted them and will wait until tomorrow to see what it looks like once its all cleared up.

If the water is fine and all is well I may add some new additions tomorrow, I'll have to wait and see either way, I'll add some pictures tomorrow.

 

[Joshwainwright]

Can't wait for the photos, they should be amazing.

 

[Ferg1985]

01-MAR-2011

Still a bit grubby in spots, and some of the Java fern has gone awol but it will have to wait until the weekend before I fix it. Hoping the plants settle and the root tabs help the root feeders, everything seems healthy enough for now. New residents include 8 Rosy Tetra and 3 new Angels which are all settling in fine

 

[Joshwainwright]

B.E.A.Utuful!

I absolutely love it.

425 litres of perfection is what I see.

 

[globali]

Very nice.

 

[Ferg1985]

The tank is already 1 year old! How fast that has gone too!! (Although it hasn't been a tropical set up for all that time).

The tank has settled down now I think, plants have started to thrive a little better and there haven't been any losses. I think (or hope) the root tabs have played a big part in this, as some of the rooted plants are looking much better than before. Still needs a few more plants yet for my liking, particularly in the foreground near the Redmoor wood/rocks. I was wanting to avoid spreading the java fern to this side of the tank and concentrate it on the artificial ornaments, but I've started some small pockets of it infront of the larger rocks as they seem a bit hap-hazard at the moment (well, they are where they are purely to weigh down the wood!! haha). Also it is just over a year since I bought the first fish (the red eye tetra) and have 6 of the 7 purchased, so glad to see they've settled into their home

Here are some pictures (dated 18-04-2011):

Still relying on the phone camera to take pictures, I've found my digital camera but it just needs a good charge! lol

P.S - Tomorrow is the designated tank maintenance day, so apologies for the messy tank!! Also contemplating being naughty and getting a new shoal of fish on wednesday/thursday - either a 10 strong school of black phantom/flame tetra or silvertip tetra, or maybe even some Blue Emperor tetra (although I heard they prefer very soft, acidic water??(no point planning specifically though really until I see what is in stock in my LFS)).

 

[Ferg1985]

I haven't updated this thread for a while (mainly because I lost my job and didn't have the money to spend on the tanks) but I've a job again now and so I have the disposable income to spend on my tanks

Changes to the main tank:

- Removed all the crypts (well, except one that was lurking behind a rock, that can stay put ) and put them in the small tank.
- Rearranged the left side of the tank, mainly the plants and the wood and pulled everything forward a couple of inches
- I've added 4 Serpae Tetra, 5 Black Widow and 8 Head and Tail Lights. Plus there is a 16year old (apparently) Pleco that was rescued from a former colleagues tiny tank called Bruce.
- I've ordered some plants which should come by the end of this week, they're nearly all background plants as I want to really have a dense backdrop, included are:

* Limnophila sessiliflora x 2
* Nymphaea rubra x 1
* Nymphaea micrantha x 2
* Anubia Nana Golden x 1
* Anubias Barteri var. nana x 1
* Echinodorous quadricostatus / Chain sword x 2
* Bolbtis heudelotii x 1
* Egeria densa x 1
* Hottonia palustris x 2
* Najas Indica x 1
* Physostegia purpurea x 1
* Dwarf Sag x 3
* Echinodorous x Rose / Rose Sword x 1
* Hydrocotyle Leucocephala / Pennywort x 2 (not that the last 2 grew (well, one is still alive but not much to look at)).

Also, today I received my Easy Life 'EasyCarbo' and Easy 'ProFito' Ferts and started dosing from today. Hopefully this bunch of plants will thrive. Not all those plants will necessarily end up in the main tank, some may go in the other tank along with the rehomed Crypts. I did see two more pieces of Redmoor wood online that I've been toying with buying. I want the tank to be one cohesive setting, as at the moment the tank is very much divided visually. However, everyone seems to like the two sides being as they are plus the Angel fish love sitting inside of the fake root ornaments and they'd lose this with the real wood so I'll see how I can get it without more wood. After the aquascape is right, I'll be hoping to add (providing I can find them) a school of Super Blue Emperor Tetra, some Bolivian Rams and some Keyhole Cichlids.. and perhaps a few more tetra to add some colour.

When it gets into gear, I'll update on the pictures (at the moment it aint much to look at! lol).

 

[Ferg1985]

A little update to end the year, and hope to gain some answers in to how I can make my tank half decent for 2012 ..

It's been around 18 months now since the big tank went tropical, and over those months I have probably spent a sum of money I dare think about on live plants and plant food, so you'll share my dismay when you see what it currently looks like:

The tank is now a mix of live plants to the foreground, and synthetic to the rear as I was sick of dying plants floating around the place. It would seem some plants are doing okay (and always have) and some just never manage to look alive. I've always gone for the less demanding, 'robust' plants but it would seem even these can't abide living in my tank.

My anubias (as shown above) are the only plants that I'd say looking healthy, and I'm pleased with the way they're growing into the redmoor wood..

Compare to the Amazon swords and such.. Leaves constantly dying off and new shoots are pale to the point of being see through from the start. I just cannot sustain a healthy sword or similiar plant (even the valias die off).

There was a time when I had all the crypts at the foreground, I really want to try and get this look again as it was dense and layered and created some beautiful colours to highlight the fish when swimming by, and crypts do seem to survive my tank a little better.

I'm just unsure as to where I am going wrong. I dose liquid ferts as per the instructions and it never seem to sustain the plants, I'm not sure if I should increase the lighting or what - either way I'm finding my tank a bit of an embarrassment for when people visit and I've this massive aquarium with half dead plants inside and clearly I need to find the cause of my issues before I waste yet further money on filling it with plants.

 

[Ferg1985]

I thought this thread had long since been deleted!

Well, I've been in full circles with my main tank.. From filling it with live plants, to then going for synthetic and back again. Currently it is a mix of both, but I've been naughty and ordered some stuff for what will be a substantial redesign.

Here is the state of the tank at the moment:

It seemed that no matter what I did to the tank, when I stepped back all I saw was two halves - a side with real wood that I liked, and an opposite side with now faded plastic ornaments. Everyone else says they like the contrast, but I think it causes the tank to look stunted and contradicts the length of the tank. So after much searching of the internet, I found two new pieces of Redmoor wood, which arrived today - and they are biggies!

Probably talking about 3foot across when slightly overlapping each other, they mean need to be put in on a tilt if I am to fit all 4 pieces in a line (all adds to the depth of the tank). My intention is to move the existing Redmoor Wood to the right of the tank (retaining their current composition) The larger piece will create a nice bookend to the far side of the tank and give height to the top corner. The new pieces will then be put in their place on the left (hopefully in a similar composition to as pictured). This will then give me the room to access the internal filter without catching anything (as currently it's a mine field trying to pull it out/put it back in with the branches in the way).

Then I'm hoping to get rid of the synthetic plants again, whilst they've been a great temporary filler, I just can't abide how they sit in the water. Some will go in my 65 litre tank (providing they don't upset the balance in there, quite please with how the Crypts and Swords are growing in there at the moment). I'll see if my sister-in-law will have the rest for her tanks.

I've ordered the following plants, I'm hoping they'll be here by the end of next week:

(x1) Anubias Coffeefolia
(x2) Alternanthera Reineckii / Telanthera, Rosaefolia
(x3) Cryptocoryne petchii
(x4) Cyperus Helferi / Helferi
(x2) Cryptocoryne walkeri
(x3) Cryptocoryne willisii
(x1) Microsorium pteropus Windelov
(x2) Cryptocoryne blassii-special
(x3) Cryptocoryne retrospiralis
(x1) Hygrophila spec. Cherry leaf
(x1) Bolbtis heudelotii - Bunched
(x1) Cryptocoryne ciliata
(x2) Anubias afzeli
(x1) Echinodorous Parviflorous / Black Amazon Sword
(x3) Spiky Moss
(x1) Hydrophila Compacta
(x1) Hydrocotyle Tripartita

So fingers crossed it'll be quite the transformation! I've tried to stick to Anubias and Crypt species for the stocking, as these have been the ones to thrive the best in my tank. I'm having another crack at having Alternanthera Reineckii, as back last year I did manage to grow this to the full height of the tank and it looked stunning whilst it lasted (until I started having my blue algae problem) so perhaps this time with a little more care I can maintain some more. I've risked a few new types of plants, hopefully all low tech so shouldn't be a problem in me keeping them. I've ordered more liquid ferts and liquid carbon, plus I'd put iron tabs in the substrate for the crypts. I'm also considering buying an additional external filter, as I have a feeling that plants have never done well due to nutrient circulation.

Its just a waiting game now for the plants to arrive, along with a good day's work in resetting up the tank. Cannot wait to get cracking though, such a kid! I'm hoping this will be the final attempt in doing a tank of this size some justice. Saying that I am also bored of the livestock But I won't be parting with any of them. I am swaying towards having Rainbowfish when the time comes, along with a shoal of Raspboras and perhaps a shoal or two of some other suited species. Knowing me, mind.. I'll probably start adding more Tetra's etc in the meantime - it just needs a little more colour, you can see with the pictures that the fish just don't stand out at the moment.

 

[Mcbenthy]

I thought this thread had long since been deleted!

Well, I've been in full circles with my main tank.. From filling it with live plants, to then going for synthetic and back again. Currently it is a mix of both, but I've been naughty and ordered some stuff for what will be a substantial redesign.

Here is the state of the tank at the moment:


It seemed that no matter what I did to the tank, when I stepped back all I saw was two halves - a side with real wood that I liked, and an opposite side with now faded plastic ornaments. Everyone else says they like the contrast, but I think it causes the tank to look stunted and contradicts the length of the tank. So after much searching of the internet, I found two new pieces of Redmoor wood, which arrived today - and they are biggies!


Probably talking about 3foot across when slightly overlapping each other, they mean need to be put in on a tilt if I am to fit all 4 pieces in a line (all adds to the depth of the tank). My intention is to move the existing Redmoor Wood to the right of the tank (retaining their current composition) The larger piece will create a nice bookend to the far side of the tank and give height to the top corner. The new pieces will then be put in their place on the left (hopefully in a similar composition to as pictured). This will then give me the room to access the internal filter without catching anything (as currently it's a mine field trying to pull it out/put it back in with the branches in the way).

Then I'm hoping to get rid of the synthetic plants again, whilst they've been a great temporary filler, I just can't abide how they sit in the water. Some will go in my 65 litre tank (providing they don't upset the balance in there, quite please with how the Crypts and Swords are growing in there at the moment). I'll see if my sister-in-law will have the rest for her tanks.

I've ordered the following plants, I'm hoping they'll be here by the end of next week:

(x1) Anubias Coffeefolia
(x2) Alternanthera Reineckii / Telanthera, Rosaefolia
(x3) Cryptocoryne petchii
(x4) Cyperus Helferi / Helferi
(x2) Cryptocoryne walkeri
(x3) Cryptocoryne willisii
(x1) Microsorium pteropus Windelov
(x2) Cryptocoryne blassii-special
(x3) Cryptocoryne retrospiralis
(x1) Hygrophila spec. Cherry leaf
(x1) Bolbtis heudelotii - Bunched
(x1) Cryptocoryne ciliata
(x2) Anubias afzeli
(x1) Echinodorous Parviflorous / Black Amazon Sword
(x3) Spiky Moss
(x1) Hydrophila Compacta
(x1) Hydrocotyle Tripartita

So fingers crossed it'll be quite the transformation! I've tried to stick to Anubias and Crypt species for the stocking, as these have been the ones to thrive the best in my tank. I'm having another crack at having Alternanthera Reineckii, as back last year I did manage to grow this to the full height of the tank and it looked stunning whilst it lasted (until I started having my blue algae problem) so perhaps this time with a little more care I can maintain some more. I've risked a few new types of plants, hopefully all low tech so shouldn't be a problem in me keeping them. I've ordered more liquid ferts and liquid carbon, plus I'd put iron tabs in the substrate for the crypts. I'm also considering buying an additional external filter, as I have a feeling that plants have never done well due to nutrient circulation.

Its just a waiting game now for the plants to arrive, along with a good day's work in resetting up the tank. Cannot wait to get cracking though, such a kid! I'm hoping this will be the final attempt in doing a tank of this size some justice. Saying that I am also bored of the livestock But I won't be parting with any of them. I am swaying towards having Rainbowfish when the time comes, along with a shoal of Raspboras and perhaps a shoal or two of some other suited species. Knowing me, mind.. I'll probably start adding more Tetra's etc in the meantime - it just needs a little more colour, you can see with the pictures that the fish just don't stand out at the moment.

That wood looks lovely

I've just had a good read of your journal, and I'm wondering if anybody ever checked how your circulation was? I've found that plants I thought were poo and dieing on me/impossible to keep alive, were often remedied by increasing flow/moving them to where there was flow.

Then there is also the case of it being nigh-impossible for me to keep vallis in manchester water (im in rusholme). It lives, but it doesn't grow, let alone take over the tank as I had been warned!

Just re-read and see you are considering a new filter, just get a powerhead, much cheaper and if you don't need the filtation, why pay for it?

As a choice for some other plants, check out my journal and see what I've got, hopefully they will continue to do well and I should be able to offer up some cuttings etc that you may be interested in in a few months (namely wisteria, I'm loving that plant atm and it's already starting to explode in my set up!)

 

[Ferg1985]

Boredom has definitely got the better of me.. for visual reference, these are the plants that are on order.

 

[Ferg1985]

First delivery has arrived including the 4 plants on the image above.

Spent yesterday giving the tank a really good clean, took out the plastic ornaments and plants and put the new Redmoor wood in. Surprise surprise, they floated off! (I had soaked them for days!) so that is going to be a ball ache to sort out. Saying that, now my tubs of moss have arrived I'll have to take them back out to tie it all on, so nothing lost there. Just waiting on the main plant delivery now, which I imagine will be next week to be honest.

Tank is looking a lot different already, mind (and empty at that!) it has also made me realise that there is still a lot of scope for more livestock, as the current levels probably still don't do the tank size justice. It is now a case of either sticking to the Amazonian stocking (well, apart from the foxes) or to try and bring in new fish and stop being so anal about it I can't help but think a lovely great shoal of 20 or so Harlequin Raspboras would be a good start

 

[Ferg1985]

Work in progress

Before:

After/During (water still fairly cloudy):

Still a lot to be done. The Redmoor wood is not co-operating in the slightest! Currently pinned down by most of the rocks that were spare
I had soaked it for 4/5 days prior to putting it in, I had hoped that would have been more then enough, but no. Some plants aren't planted yet, others
are probably not in final positions (although I'll do my best to avoid moving them again) I've had an attempt (of sorts) to tie moss and java fern to the
new wood. All in all I'm fairly happy with progress, it'll probably be another week before the main plant delivery arrives (My fish will no doubt be glad of a few
days without being bothered).

It is safe to say though, that even at this half-finished stage (barely half way there, I'd say) the fish are interacting with the tank and its space so much better. Before they all used to stay loosely huddled around the plastic plants to the middle and back of the tank. Now the wood is in they are swimming from one end to the other, sometimes in shoals and making use of spaces they never did before. So fingers crossed, once it gets established (and by God it better do after all this money) I'll have a tank to be proud of.