NoGi's Serenading Tree Aquascape v2.0

[NoGi]

I finally managed to get a good chunk of time to work on this on the weekend. First step was to drain the tank so that I could pull it out from the wall to clean the floor behind and also apply the black vinyl. Also gave the inside a good scrub with hot water.

Tip for installing a 4ft x 2ft piece of vinyl - get a spray bottle, add a few drops of washing detergent and fill with water. The water should feel a tad slippery in your fingers (not too much though). Spray the back of the tank until covered in the solution. Lay the vinyl on the floor and spray a little on your fingers, this will stop it from sticking to you and you leaving fingerprints behind. Peel the backing off leaving the sticky side exposed and spray that. With the help of another person, lift and place neatly on the back glass. Because both surfaces are wet, should be easy to adjust but if you get the initial application right, this shouldn't be necessary. Using a large squeegee get all the bubbles out. Finally, with a sharp blade, carefully trim any excess and leave to dry.

With the blacked out back and tank returned to the wall, time to remove the items that are no longer required. As I was creating a more prominent cliff this time around, I needed to raise the substrate but wasn't able to source anymore of the 1mm pebble that I originally used. Instead, I grabbed some volcanic rock from Bunnings and placed down first to provide some height.

New cliff based on Yuan rock created and Stauro Tropica and Pogostemon Helferi separated, trimmed and replanted in a new layout:

The new tree, silicone together and curing:

This is what the old scape looked like:

Disclaimer: Yes, I'm being lazy with most of my content a straight copy and paste from my Blog but with so many sites to update, this is time saving for me :encouragement:

[Loach]

Great start Nogi! Will it be a similar scape to last time? I looove the Yuan rocks :)

[NoGi]

Great start Nogi! Will it be a similar scape to last time? I looove the Yuan rocks :)

Yeah similar scape but with the focus on the trees so no largish plants this time around. Will have a much nicer larger tree too.

[Brado]

i love that new tree, and the cliff. well done

[Foxpuppet]

Vast improvement over the original with that new background! Loving the rock ledge also, is this going to be yellow cherry only?

[doctr-dan]

lOOKS GREAT nog

[lachie1998]

nice tank nogi, those yuan rocks look realy nice:)

[Dean]

looking great Nogi,

just a heads up on those rocks they will raise your PH alot. i have them in a few of my tanks and the ph at its lowest is 7.2

and highest is 8.4.

i use them in tanks that run C02 so that the co2 stays on always as its regulated by ph.

i look forward to the progress on this one mate, you have a good eye for scaping.

[NoGi]

Thanks guys. I've now planted my US Fissden Tree. Hopefully it will grow as quickly as my other tree. I did have one disaster though, I lost all my Pogo Helferi :sorrow:

[yowie05]

Looks really ccool mate lookin forward to some more pics whith stock in there will look wicked

[NoGi]

IMG_3221 by AussieNoGi, on Flickr

IMG_3202 by AussieNoGi, on Flickr

[Loach]

great pics Nogi! That snail has some nice patterns!

[Foxpuppet]

looking good nogi... what kind of snail is that? i have one very similar and have no idea what it really is other than it was bought as a singapore snail at auburn aquariums.

[Loach]

Looks like a waterhouse snail?

[Dean]

nice pics mate, your macro skills are getting very good now :victorious:

[NoGi]

nice pics mate' date=' your macro skills are getting very good now :victorious:[/quote']

Thanks. Recognise the yellow's :p Here's another.

IMG_3277 by AussieNoGi, on Flickr

Tank is now ready for additional Yellow cherries. I've got only 8 in there at the moment, will look at getting another 10 or so soon.

[NoGi]

@ Dean, finally berried, sure took her time.

Berried Yellow Cherry #1 by AussieNoGi, on Flickr

Berried Yellow Cherry #2 by AussieNoGi, on Flickr

And a DAS I got from Dave @ Aquagreen a couple weeks back:

DAS by AussieNoGi, on Flickr

[lachie1998]

very goog pics nogi! can you take non flash pics? it would bring out there true colour i think especialy the yellows.

[Sprae]

Great photos nogi! Keep them coming.

[NoGi]

very goog pics nogi! can you take non flash pics? it would bring out there true colour i think especialy the yellows.

You need a flash for taking macros inside, otherwise too dark. I had a screaming 2 and 4yr old pulling at me while I was trying to take the shots so maybe next time I'll try and more yellow into the shot.

[Sprae]

You need a flash for taking macros inside' date=' otherwise too dark. I had a screaming 2 and 4yr old pulling at me while I was trying to take the shots so maybe next time I'll try and more yellow into the shot.[/quote']

Hear ya about scream kids. What light set up are you using?

[NoGi]

Hear ya about scream kids. What light set up are you using?

Just the tank T8's (2 x 36w) and the Youngnuo flash.

[Loach]

You need a flash for taking macros inside' date=' otherwise too dark. I had a screaming 2 and 4yr old pulling at me while I was trying to take the shots so maybe next time I'll try and more yellow into the shot.[/quote']

Great Pics Nogi!

I like it how you can see the eggs so clearly :)

[Dean]

great pics again mate, love the berried yellow, how are the others going? any other berried yet ????

[NoGi]

great pics again mate' date=' love the berried yellow, how are the others going? any other berried yet ????[/quote']

Thanks, the pics are still a long way from being what I would call good though :) I'm trying to get some guidance on how to improve via another forum that deals with photography.

I lost 2 of the yellows but the rest are still going strong. Only this one is berried though, not sure what's going on with the others. Hopefully it'll reach a tipping point once I get a good amount of initial stock now that the 4ft is dedicated to them.