JG's 2.5G "Dover meadow" Re-Scape

**MrJG** · 05-10-2008, 08:51 PM

So this tank has grown in well, was nice and stable only requiring water changes. What better time to rip it apart for a new scape? I lost the puffer a bit back. Not quite sure why, he just stopped eating so no worries about fauna right now. So no ugly heater/thermometer. House tends to stay ~70 in the summer and the light warms up the water a bit too.

I had always planned that once I got the hardscape materials in for the 40G that I would set aside some of it to re-scape this nano. I got some nice Zebra stone from CML that I planned on breaking up. It had a good portion of white attached to one of the stones that would have been buried in the substrate if I had used it in the large tank so I chose to try something a little different than I've seen before and use white stone in the nano. It has always been my intent to try to make each of the tanks in the house as different as possible. So...

Its low light (only 8W fluorescent) but I had been growing some sprigs of dwarf hairgrass in there before the tear down and it was spreading amongst the thicket of Dwarf Sag. I decided to use mostly HG with a couple of twigs of Sag in the back right with a baby Narrow leaf Java fern.
Its going to take a good while for the HG to adjust and start spreading, I topped it during planting and a good amount of it had been in my high light CO2 tank. Once it fills in though and I can trim it all at once I think the green against the white stone is going to create a cool look. Hopefully I can get a little algae growing on the stones too.

Main stone:

Far shot:

3/4:

and finally a fts:

Its a little rough looking right now. I did a bunch of AS munching when I was working on the scape so no doubt the plant life got a good blast of stuff from stirred up AS. I've even had more tannins being released into the water since the re-scape even though the soil is pretty mature.

Now that I look at it while taking these pictures I think a small stone to the right of the largest one is needed to bring everything together. Kind of an odd empty spot there. Happy to hear any thoughts criticisms.

ps. Doh forgot to put my piece of black poster board between the filter and glass. Pardon the bio-balls.

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**NeonShrimp** · 05-10-2008, 10:23 PM

Very nice MrJG, who needs the remote when you can watch that tank

**MrJG** · 05-11-2008, 03:27 PM

Thanks NeonShrimp!

Its a slow grower for sure too so its going to take a long time to fill out before the effect I'm looking for starts to form... at the same time its low maintenance too.

**roybot73** · 05-11-2008, 05:42 PM

Can't wait to see this one fill in! Gonna be sweet dude

**aquaphish** · 05-11-2008, 08:13 PM

I really like the concept of taking a real landscape and attempting to replicate it into an aquascape. This is something that I would like to do also.

IMO I would place the stones with the flattest sides up and have the three largest stones right up against each other, trying to replicate a plateau effect. Then have the smaller stones spread out on the valley floor.

**MrJG** · 05-11-2008, 10:50 PM

Have to admit that wasn't the plan initially... I knew I wanted to re-scape. After I broke up the zebra stone and had the white remnants I started looking for inspiration.
Thanks for the comments on the placement. If I can do something without disturbing too much soil I will. Might wait until the plants can adjust a bit.

**roybot73** · 07-05-2008, 07:41 PM

Update, dammit.

trace_lynn · 07-05-2008, 07:52 PM

Yeah would love to see an update on this. Really like everything you've done so far with this tank.

**MrJG** · 07-07-2008, 12:25 PM

Haha! I'll try to snap a quick pic this week... its still a looooong way from filling in. The HG is starting to slowly spread. I also got my wish on getting some algae growing on the rocks lol.

**MrJG** · 07-25-2008, 07:40 PM

Finally got around to doing some tank stuff today and I snapped a few pics... its going to take about 6 more months to get it nice and full lol. Keep in mind this only has 8W of florescent light. Its hard to tell by the pics but the hairgrass is actually spreading... albeit very slowly. Also added the 'zepplin' heater back in to keep the temp a little more consistent overnight when the light isn't on.

I added a few sprigs of limnophila 'mini' to help control some of the algae growth since all I really have done to this is water topoffs. No dosing.
Still no life in there other than a few pesky hitchhiker trumpet snails... I'll catch them sooner or later.

mizu-chan · 07-26-2008, 12:10 AM

Looking good so far!
Can't wait for you HG carpet to fill in.

05-10-2008, 08:51 PM	#46 (permalink)
MrJG 'member that cow? (View User Tanks) PTrader: (44) Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Lancaster, S.C. Posts: 551	JG's 2.5G "Dover meadow" Re-Scape So this tank has grown in well, was nice and stable only requiring water changes. What better time to rip it apart for a new scape? I lost the puffer a bit back. Not quite sure why, he just stopped eating so no worries about fauna right now. So no ugly heater/thermometer. House tends to stay ~70 in the summer and the light warms up the water a bit too. I had always planned that once I got the hardscape materials in for the 40G that I would set aside some of it to re-scape this nano. I got some nice Zebra stone from CML that I planned on breaking up. It had a good portion of white attached to one of the stones that would have been buried in the substrate if I had used it in the large tank so I chose to try something a little different than I've seen before and use white stone in the nano. It has always been my intent to try to make each of the tanks in the house as different as possible. So... Its low light (only 8W fluorescent) but I had been growing some sprigs of dwarf hairgrass in there before the tear down and it was spreading amongst the thicket of Dwarf Sag. I decided to use mostly HG with a couple of twigs of Sag in the back right with a baby Narrow leaf Java fern. Its going to take a good while for the HG to adjust and start spreading, I topped it during planting and a good amount of it had been in my high light CO2 tank. Once it fills in though and I can trim it all at once I think the green against the white stone is going to create a cool look. Hopefully I can get a little algae growing on the stones too. Main stone: Far shot: 3/4: and finally a fts: Its a little rough looking right now. I did a bunch of AS munching when I was working on the scape so no doubt the plant life got a good blast of stuff from stirred up AS. I've even had more tannins being released into the water since the re-scape even though the soil is pretty mature. Now that I look at it while taking these pictures I think a small stone to the right of the largest one is needed to bring everything together. Kind of an odd empty spot there. Happy to hear any thoughts criticisms. ps. Doh forgot to put my piece of black poster board between the filter and glass. Pardon the bio-balls. __________________ 2.5G nano 10G Hex 20G long CRS 40G Breeder

05-10-2008, 10:23 PM	#47 (permalink)
NeonShrimp Wannabe Me (View User Tanks) PTrader: (120) Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 1,466	Very nice MrJG, who needs the remote when you can watch that tank __________________ A little kindness goes a long way!

05-11-2008, 03:27 PM	#48 (permalink)
MrJG 'member that cow? (View User Tanks) PTrader: (44) Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Lancaster, S.C. Posts: 551	Thanks NeonShrimp! Its a slow grower for sure too so its going to take a long time to fill out before the effect I'm looking for starts to form... at the same time its low maintenance too. __________________ 2.5G nano 10G Hex 20G long CRS 40G Breeder

05-11-2008, 05:42 PM	#49 (permalink)
roybot73 Down With The Trugdemank (View User Tanks) PTrader: (15) Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 565	Can't wait to see this one fill in! Gonna be sweet dude __________________ 20 Gallon Long ADA 60-P

05-11-2008, 08:13 PM	#50 (permalink)
aquaphish Self Made Guru!!! (View User Tanks) PTrader: (32) Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Some where in SOCAL Posts: 1,325	I really like the concept of taking a real landscape and attempting to replicate it into an aquascape. This is something that I would like to do also. IMO I would place the stones with the flattest sides up and have the three largest stones right up against each other, trying to replicate a plateau effect. Then have the smaller stones spread out on the valley floor. __________________

05-11-2008, 10:50 PM	#51 (permalink)
MrJG 'member that cow? (View User Tanks) PTrader: (44) Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Lancaster, S.C. Posts: 551	Have to admit that wasn't the plan initially... I knew I wanted to re-scape. After I broke up the zebra stone and had the white remnants I started looking for inspiration. Thanks for the comments on the placement. If I can do something without disturbing too much soil I will. Might wait until the plants can adjust a bit. __________________ 2.5G nano 10G Hex 20G long CRS 40G Breeder

07-05-2008, 07:41 PM	#52 (permalink)
roybot73 Down With The Trugdemank (View User Tanks) PTrader: (15) Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 565	Update, dammit. __________________ 20 Gallon Long ADA 60-P

07-05-2008, 07:52 PM	#53 (permalink)
trace_lynn Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3) Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Terrell, Texas Posts: 24	Yeah would love to see an update on this. Really like everything you've done so far with this tank. __________________ Tracy 12g nano cube

07-07-2008, 12:25 PM	#54 (permalink)
MrJG 'member that cow? (View User Tanks) PTrader: (44) Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Lancaster, S.C. Posts: 551	Haha! I'll try to snap a quick pic this week... its still a looooong way from filling in. The HG is starting to slowly spread. I also got my wish on getting some algae growing on the rocks lol. __________________ 2.5G nano 10G Hex 20G long CRS 40G Breeder

07-25-2008, 07:40 PM	#55 (permalink)
MrJG 'member that cow? (View User Tanks) PTrader: (44) Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Lancaster, S.C. Posts: 551	Finally got around to doing some tank stuff today and I snapped a few pics... its going to take about 6 more months to get it nice and full lol. Keep in mind this only has 8W of florescent light. Its hard to tell by the pics but the hairgrass is actually spreading... albeit very slowly. Also added the 'zepplin' heater back in to keep the temp a little more consistent overnight when the light isn't on. I added a few sprigs of limnophila 'mini' to help control some of the algae growth since all I really have done to this is water topoffs. No dosing. Still no life in there other than a few pesky hitchhiker trumpet snails... I'll catch them sooner or later. __________________ 2.5G nano 10G Hex 20G long CRS 40G Breeder

07-26-2008, 12:10 AM	#56 (permalink)
mizu-chan Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (6) Join Date: May 2008 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 531	Looking good so far! Can't wait for you HG carpet to fill in. __________________ 魚は好きです。 20L journal (:

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