New Member From Bournemouth

[eaglesaquarium]

 
Lots of folks make that mistake.
 
 
No sense in waiting to start the cycle, just keep your initial dose at the 2-3ppm ammonia rather than the 5ppm in the original article.  You'll do plenty of waiting once you start anyway and can then modify your cycle at that time.

 

[Alexarium]

Oh, ok, I'll do as you advise, thanks a lot!
Plants will be safe from ammonia during cycling, right?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Some plants will use ammonia straight from the water.  The issue with plants while cycling is algae.  I'd suggest waiting...

 

[Sophie]

Baha I'm very used to being called by the post rank no worries there!

 

[fm1978]

Hello Alexarium, I love those aquascapes too! Please get pics up as soon as you are able so we can see how you're doing!
 
I'm new too, but welcome to the forum...

 

[ech0o]

What moss is used for those trees? Java?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

It depends on te look you are going for, there are several different moss varieties and they each provide some slightly different.  I'm far from a moss expert, nor a great scaper, but there are plenty of mosses to consider.  Might be worth checking out the "Planted chit-chat" section for a bit more on that.  Or ask the questions there regarding plant selections.

 

[Alexarium]

Ok, update (a small one).
 
Yesterday I bought a nice piece of wood (I'll post a photo when I get the time), a 5lt bag of black Colombo Florabase, some flat stones and a JBL Aquarium Thermometer Premium.
From your replies and, given the fact that I don't want to use any CO2 (or ferts, or carbo), it seems I'll have to try some alternative layout.
I do have some ideas, a plan-B (or C, or D) may I say. I'll keep you updated.
 
I read a lot about the CO2 thing. As this is my first ever aquarium, I don't want to go that far (at least not just yet), so I'll have to settle with plants that don't require it to grow. Probably this will thread be my guideline.
Maybe I'll change my tank's default light later on as it seems several people have had it changed and did see improvement with their new lights.
 
I am still researching the relation between light, hours it needs to be on and the impact this has to plants. All this, while the wood has been boiled once (as per LFS instructions), then kept in the bucket to release its tannins. The guy at the LFS said it might take a good 3 weeks. Maybe I should boil it again? Or maybe I should keep boiling it until it stops releasing tannins?
 
Back to the layout, for another question.
Initially I was thinking of making a tank with Cardinal Tetras or Guppys. The guy at the LFS said that Guppys will munch my plants happily, even if I feed them with their own food (the Guppys that is). He also said that I could easily add maybe 20 Cardinal Tetras in the tank, which did sound a lot to me. So how about adding 10 Cardinal Tetras with 3-4 male Guppys? I'd love to hear your opinions on that!
 
My apologies for the lengthy post.
 
Alex

 

[Alexarium]

Ok, I have been boiling the wood for two days, almost 5 hours every day.
I've made lots of brown soup.
 
At night, I leave it in clean water and in the morning there still is brownish water.
I thought that boiling would remove tannins.
Am I doing something wrong?
 

 

 
By the way, this is bogwood, isn't it?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Boiling it increases the speed with which it is released.

 

[Sophie]

That looks more like Mopani than Bogwood. Mopani is two toned in colour and bogwood is all dark brown.

 

[Mamashack]

 to TFF Alexarium!
Love those scapes!
I agree with Sophie - your wood looks like mopani to me too. I soaked mine for a few days just so that it would actually sit on the bottom of the tank and not float. I don't dislike the black tea effect as it releases tannins tho didn't boil it and it was ready in about 3 days.  
Good look with the set-up -looking forward to some great pictures as you go along.

 

[Alexarium]

Is it mopani wood, even though it doesn't have any "white" areas?
It has brown on the outside but the core is black.
Or is it that mopani wood can have two colours that both are very very dark?
 
Anyway, I don't think it makes any difference, does it?
 
I don't think mine will float, it is really heavy for its size.
 
Haven't even received the water testing kit yet, so no rush at all.
I'll keep boiling...

 

[Sophie]

Is it mopani wood, even though it doesn't have any "white" areas?
It has brown on the outside but the core is black.
Or is it that mopani wood can have two colours that both are very very dark?
 
Anyway, I don't think it makes any difference, does it?
 
I don't think mine will float, it is really heavy for its size.
 
Haven't even received the water testing kit yet, so no rush at all.
I'll keep boiling...

No difference as far as I'm aware. I use a mixture of both. Don't think mopani has as much tannin as bogwood - regardless of colour, if it's two toned like a brown and then dark brown inside or on the back its definitely mopani. Have a little look on Google images, see if there's a good differentiation of pictures.

 

[Alexarium]

Thank you Sophie and Mamashack
 
Still boiling the mopani wood (it's the 6th day), which still releases tannins...
My electricity bill will be a sad, tearful story...