Hsoje's 120lt, 60x40x50 Aquascape (Scary Tree Scape)

[hsoje]

Hi guys,

As promised here is are some photos of my scape im working on currently (You may have seen this on other forums). Now that the tanks established and all thats needed is a weekly water change and to follow a ferts schedule + the fortnightly prune. This now gives me time to focus on getting a new shrimp tank up and running.

so a quick run down of the tanks specs

Tank: 120lt, 60x40x50 rimless tank

Substrate: ADA New Amazonia, Powersand S, Tourmaline BC, Penac P, Penac W & Bacter 100

Lighting: Eshine 150Watt LED, 2x T5HO 24watt fixture (Ive got some Red tubes to help highlight the reds)

Filtration: Aquanic 1000lt/hr + Eheim 2213

Heating: Hydor 200watt inline

Ferts: Dosing EI dosing using DIY Macro mix (KNO3,H2KPO4), trace and iron.

CO2: UP Aqua 1lt bottle, Dici Solenoid and Regulator.

Plants:

- Hemianthus Micranthemoides

- Luwidgia brivipes

- Luwidgia Acurate

- Rotala Colorata

- Rotala Rotundafolia

- Rotala Mexicana

- Utricularia Graniafolia

- Blyxa Japonica

- Flame moss

- Mini/Dwarf riccia

- US Fissidens

- Weaping moss

there may be some more

Fish:

2x Angel fish (golden + Philippine Saphire Blue)

4x Otocinclus

1x Blue ram

1x SAE

So here we go the photos.!!!! ( ill do a progression shots from where i started in its current form to how it is today)

I picked a sexy photo for the first one lol

When first planted and filled

Blue background

Black Background

Had a problem When my angels were given there now home, THEY DECIDED TO SPAWN ON MY DIFFUSER

Proud parents (Sadley the eggs didn't survive)

Then came an algae wave (however you may agree with me it looks kinda kool)

well Drummmm Rollll!!!!!!! Heres the current state of the tank these photos were taken today

Hope you guys enjoyed my photos and now that you have taken the time to view it comment and let me know what you think.

Thanks Josh....

[ineke]

Well done Josh that's one cool tank. Love the look, the fish obviously do too.

Cheers

Ineke:encouragement:

[BlueBolts]

Thanks for sharing. Great scaping, loved that you shared the lows and highs of the tank.... Gives us all hope and shows that there's a light at the end of the tunnel ! Really cool, and liked all your glass pipes and gizmos.

[Squiggle]

Wow dude, that's an amazing scape, well done :encouragement:

[Gbang]

That is one of the best scapes I have ever seen!!! Can you give me some light on how you controlled the algae problem?

[hsoje]

Thanks guys i realy appreciate to positive comments...:) The tanks not finished but then agin what project ever is ahah

That is one of the best scapes I have ever seen!!! Can you give me some light on how you controlled the algae problem?

As for the algae problem Gbang, it was beat using a blackout for 3 to 4 days (basically i put towels around outside of tank so no light would get in what so ever), then daily 50% water changes during, no CO2 or ferts and a filter clean. thanks josh

[JonX]

Such a beautiful tank. Love the rocks and drift wood with moss.

Great work- Why do you think you got the algae spike? Hope it doesnt happen to me.

[hsoje]

Such a beautiful tank. Love the rocks and drift wood with moss.

Great work- Why do you think you got the algae spike? Hope it doesnt happen to me.

thanks jon, well it happened around the 4 week mark, which leads me to think theres a connection to the substrate as i find Amazonia new to take a good 5 to 6 weeks to fully cycle and find that sweet spot for plants. Also since there was no fish in the tank up untill just before i did the black out, i was pumping massive amounts of CO2 in. So the algae flourished in these conditions

- Half cycled (lots Ammonia & Nitrate)

- Heaps of co2

- Massive amount of light

The algae loved it but so did the plants amazingly, My mosses doubled with my plants.

[Loach]

Thats an amazing scape there! Well done :)

[lisapie]

My god that scape is stunning! And I think you're pics might have finally helped me settled the debate about which colour background to use on my new tank. :encouragement:

[fishmosy]

I love the tank mate. Bit dubious when I saw the first pics but now its grown out, it looks fantastic.

[2OFUS]

Beautiful tank

wow your water level is really high

[Neo-shrimp]

The aquascaping is beautifully done..Just a quick question if you don't mind...Is flame moss easy to grow & do you have any particular tips/ recommendation in growing it?

Cheers CJ

[hsoje]

Thanks everyone, I like having the water to rim, I think most aquascapers prefer it..

The aquascaping is beautifully done..Just a quick question if you don't mind...Is flame moss easy to grow & do you have any particular tips/ recommendation in growing it?Cheers CJ

To answer your question bud.. for flame moss it's dead easy to grow, probably fastest growing moss I have the tank.. But I do have high light, CO2 & ferts that makes a big difference!! Only recommendation tie the moss on crazy as the sections will shoot new moss branch so more wraps the better.this is how I'm growing some flame moss for my new shrimp tank.

[Neo-shrimp]

Thanks, will put flame moss on my list to get.. :)

[JonX]

Thanks' date=' will put flame moss on my list to get.. :)[/quote']

That looks spastically crazy insane. I want to do it!

[Neo-shrimp]

Hsoje's I forgot to ask you if have tried glueing flame moss onto anything? I really love the shape the flame moss portray in your tank.

Cheers CJ

: )

[hsoje]

Hsoje's I forgot to ask you if have tried glueing flame moss onto anything? I really love the shape the flame moss portray in your tank.

Cheers CJ

: )

Thanks neo, no i havent tried glueing i prefer tieing. If you do it right it look great, you do it bad it looks like a mess I havent seen to many people glue moss on, i would have thought glues to be to chemically harsh especially around shrimp. Id love to see some results of gluing but

[KiwiBigD]

Actually I've used a lot of superglue including on Flame Moss and it has no effect on the shrimp at all. You need to ensure you've dried the object

you're attaching the moss to, pad the moss with tissue paper/towels to get it dry, add glue to the object and then I recommend using tweezers to

attach the moss. The reason for tweezers is to ensure you don't attach yourself instead.

I then let it sit for maybe 15 minutes then add it to the tanks. I've done this for Cherry Shrimps, Crystals and King Kongs with no effect to the

occupants at all. Superglue appears to be inert plus of course it seals quickly and I've seen no measureable increase in ammonia or nitrates at all.

It doesn't work as well initially on Fissidens but after a couple of months you wouldn't know it had been glued. Do ensure you use enough glue

though, and yes it does look a bit messy for a while but after the moss has grown a bit you won't notice at all. And for those that use this method

do be aware the glue does go white and is a bit unsightly, just give the moss a chance to grow and it'll be right.

[hsoje]

Actually I've used a lot of superglue including on Flame Moss and it has no effect on the shrimp at all. You need to ensure you've dried the object

you're attaching the moss to' date=' pad the moss with tissue paper/towels to get it dry, add glue to the object and then I recommend using tweezers to

attach the moss. The reason for tweezers is to ensure you don't attach yourself instead.

I then let it sit for maybe 15 minutes then add it to the tanks. I've done this for Cherry Shrimps, Crystals and King Kongs with no effect to the

occupants at all. Superglue appears to be inert plus of course it seals quickly and I've seen no measureable increase in ammonia or nitrates at all.

It doesn't work as well initially on Fissidens but after a couple of months you wouldn't know it had been glued. Do ensure you use enough glue

though, and yes it does look a bit messy for a while but after the moss has grown a bit you won't notice at all. And for those that use this method

do be aware the glue does go white and is a bit unsightly, just give the moss a chance to grow and it'll be right.[/quote']

Thanks mate, a good rundown how to attach moss with superglue. I might have to give this a go :) have anyone given any other adhesives a try maybe epoxy? maybe a general rule anything not water based.

[OzShrimp]

Great looking tank :)

I used superglue to attach my US fissidens, flame and Xmas moss and i actually prefer it over the tieing method. I glued mine and added it to the tank after a few minutes. Only down side was that the glue turned bright white i think because i didnt let it cure long enough but the moss has since grown over it.

If you look at my moss in this thread it has been superglued on

http://www.shrimpkeepersforum.com/forum/showthread.php/2410-Identify-this-moss

[hsoje]

Great looking tank :)

I used superglue to attach my US fissidens' date=' flame and Xmas moss and i actually prefer it over the tieing method. I glued mine and added it to the tank after a few minutes. Only down side was that the glue turned bright white i think because i didnt let it cure long enough but the moss has since grown over it.

If you look at my moss in this thread it has been superglued on

[url']http://www.shrimpkeepersforum.com/forum/showthread.php/2410-Identify-this-moss

not to bad Ozshrimp, it seems like im the only one not glueing moss now....gota start getting with the times ahah

[JonX]

Super glue looks messy. I prefer to tie with cotton string. Cut it off after a few months.

[Neo-shrimp]

Actually I've used a lot of superglue including on Flame Moss and it has no effect on the shrimp at all. You need to ensure you've dried the object

you're attaching the moss to' date=' pad the moss with tissue paper/towels to get it dry, add glue to the object and then I recommend using tweezers to

attach the moss. The reason for tweezers is to ensure you don't attach yourself instead.

I then let it sit for maybe 15 minutes then add it to the tanks. I've done this for Cherry Shrimps, Crystals and King Kongs with no effect to the

occupants at all. Superglue appears to be inert plus of course it seals quickly and I've seen no measureable increase in ammonia or nitrates at all.

It doesn't work as well initially on Fissidens but after a couple of months you wouldn't know it had been glued. Do ensure you use enough glue

though, and yes it does look a bit messy for a while but after the moss has grown a bit you won't notice at all. And for those that use this method

do be aware the glue does go white and is a bit unsightly, just give the moss a chance to grow and it'll be right.[/quote']

Cheers kiwibigD...Cleared up a few things I was thinking about glueing mosses...

[fishmosy]

The reason for tweezers is to ensure you don't attach yourself instead.

I learnt that the hard way.