Jimbooo's Jungle Journal 3 (50g Cube 2x2x2)

[jimbooo]

update time.

the guppy fry are growing up fast. i have about 5 males just showing tail markings now and still about 60 other fry in there. i haven't done a huge amount on this one, just added 3 big java ferns from the 180. pics below.

this tank really is awesome. max of 1 hour a week (if that) and no other pruning or maintenance at all. i wish i could say that for the other two.

enjoy

Before

After

 

[George Farmer]

Defninitely my favourite of the three James - this layout is excellent!

Perfect use of red with the Lily too. Have you considered adding any moss to that wood?

 

[RYO]

Looks good m8, cube has a real depth to it and plants look really healthy, nice one.

 

[Ptarmigan]

.

 

[jimbooo]

Defninitely my favourite of the three James - this layout is excellent!

Perfect use of red with the Lily too. Have you considered adding any moss to that wood?

thanks george. it's my favourite as well. the other 2 are back to the drawing board so to speak. this is the "natural eco system" tank where i'll let everyone establish territories and not keep changing stuff. the other 2 are more of a playground for my impatient fiddling. LOL

i have thought of moss on the wood but to be honest i'm a little scared of it. i'm not sure if my java moss is of low quality but it doesn't seem to fill out like say RYO's does in his sig tank. his looks more like a bushy/bulky moss which works well on the wood. mine is single strands and doesn't look too great attached to things (hence why i made a carpet out of it).

i was thinking of putting one of the big lillies from the 180 in there but i'm not sure if it will survive the drop in light. the one in the cube now was put in there when it was first grown in the 180 ie the plantlet has always grown in low light. it grows very very slowly but is definatly coping with the light.

Looks good m8, cube has a real depth to it and plants look really healthy, nice one.

thanks mate, the depth is really good to work with. much less limitation i love it.

Wow! Gosh, utterly superb jimbooo

thank you kind sir.

 

[simonbrown403]

I like the addition of the java ferns, have you thined out the amazon swords as well.

 

[jimbooo]

thanks simon. yes i pulled out one whole sword from the back left. it was too cramped with the java fern in there as well. it was hiding the filter but getting blown around too much in the flow. i thought a nice big java fern on a bit of bogwood would be more stable. i wish i could get more pictures but for some reason my camera has a really hard time focusing on this tank. i guess the glass is too thick. it's much thicker than the Juwels.

 

[pseud]

Real nice job on this tank Jim! It's come a long way buddy.

 

[jimbooo]

cheers mate. i am actually really fed up now i just reviewed the pics of this tank i submitted to the APC comp... what a load of crap compared to now. damn it i wish i could swap the pictures but it's too late now

oh well.

the trick is the bogwood by the way it gives you so many different levels to work with, stuff under it, attached to it, leaning against it and sitting on top of it. it's a really simple layout actually all the ferns are attached to small sticks of bogwood (just like gf225's) so really easily moveable, and the windelov is just kind of stuffed in a gap attached to nothing. bung a couple of swords at the back with some vallis and thats about it. just a small fiddle when laying the moss carpet and sag but nothing too taxing.

i cant wait to move house i'm gonna bin all the tanks and go for a 6x2x2 planted tank. should be so much fun to work with. anyway thats ages away so i'll stop dreaming now...

 

[jimbooo]

i've been taking some more pictures, the lilly is really starting to take off now. i'm rather chuffed with the whole tank to be honest. unlike the other 2 i've recently destroyed!!

any advice or comments welcome.

another anubias nana flower (sorry hard to focus through bullet proof glass)

and with the moonlights on

 

[George Farmer]

I've said this before but it's worth re-iterating. This tank is simply excellent. IMO it is your best work yet James and my hat goes off to you. I would love to have this tank in my living room, dare I say I even prefer it to mine, even when it looked its best.

The plant choice and layout works beautifully, perfectly balanced in all aspects. The lily adds just the right amount of colour and is also placed very well. The variaton in textures is just enough to provide interest without it looking too gaudy. I am struggling to find any fault if I'm honest (possibly some moss but I actually like the flat brown of the wood). Very well done. Muchos Kudos!

(Finally the apprentice has graduated!)

My advice - take lots of photos ready for contest. I'm sure it will look even better in the future but just in case!

 

[jimbooo]

thanks a million george that means soo much you have no idea. i'm off to my dads now to nick his sony 5megapixel silly money digicam to fill up a memory card just in case as you say all goes pear shaped.

whens the next comp then? you'll have to give me the nod as i'm not up to speed with all the various ones out there. i'll happily put it in anything.

edit: if your ever over this way feel free to pop in to take a look. just pm me before hand and i'll give you my number.

 

[George Farmer]

whens the next comp then?

edit: if your ever over this way feel free to pop in to take a look. just pm me before hand and i'll give you my number.

http/www.adaeuro.com/Links/Contest_2006_eng.pdf - The big one! Win this and you'll be approx £5000 richer (current £/yen exchange rate)!

<edit> - Thanks for the offer, I'll be sure to do that.

 

[RYO]

Jimbooo this tank is simply stunning, cant really add much more from what George has already said.
I have the same opinion on the wood , I think it looks more natural if you can see some of the structure.
Big slap on the back m8ty

 

[jimbooo]

thanks mate, your both too kind.

i also like the bare wood. the bn plecs like to sit there of an evening watching the world go by. makes a nice perch. i'm yet to get a good picture of them though their too bright to focus on if that makes sence.