This tank is the new Mr Aqua 720LI, which is low iron glass and the exact same dimensions as the 60P, except it was only $122 shipped via special order from Marine Depot. I'm really happy with the clarity and quality of this tank. It's put together better than my other normal Mr. Aqua tank.
I've rescaped my old tank 3 times, and the number one thing I've learned is that substrate settles and everything moves. This time around, everything is zip-tied in place and I'm using egg crates to prevent erosion. I hope it goes well. I just completed my hardscape this morning (minus some rock that'll get added). I'm going with a fallen tree branch look, and rather than try and find a perfect single branch, I bought a box of assorted manzanita sticks from Tom Barr for $45. This is roughly 1/2 of it in the picture below. It was a lot of work, a lot of trial and error, and a lot of clipping zip-ties and moving stuff over and over. I'm really happy with how it's turned out.
I can't add in substrate yet because my one bag of Aquasoil is not enough (I already tried). I just placed an order for another bag, so I expect I'll see that in a week or so. As far as plants go, I'm thinking of doing a UG carpet off to the right. Then I have a pretty good assortment of plants in my other tank, a bunch of which will make it in here: s. repens, Alternanthera Reineckii Mini, downoi, anubias nana petite, ludwigia sp. red, blyxa japonica, and some rotola. I also need to get some good moss to go on the branches.
As far as light, this RAY2 will put out a little over 90 par at the substrate at this height, and I have good CO2. I'm not sure if I'm going to run this at high light as is, or if I'll raise it up. I'll probably start off that way and see if it's too much work or if I get algae issues.
How have I never thought of this! Holding down the wood with egg crate/rocks would make my life so much easier when adapting new wood to a submerged state---wonderful idea.
I'm excited about the planting options for sure. A lot is still up in the air. I have to toss the ideas around in my head for a while. If you look closely at the scape now, you can tell it's several branches, but I'm hoping that planting cleverly around the base will totally obscure that. I want it to look like just one piece when I'm done.
Also, you have some awesome moss in your tank — I've been following your journal. I might take you up on that offer.
Thanks for the compliments! With regards to using the egg crates and zip-ties to holding down the wood... as I maintain my tank, I bump stuff when trimming, I replant stuff, and things settle, and I end up ruining what I started with. It seems like nothing ever stays where I put it. Two nights ago I was sitting on the deck drinking a Jameson just thinking about this, wondering how to help prevent it, and then it hit me. I'm sure other people have done this, but as soon as I got the idea I sat down and sketched out this whole scape on paper. I woke up the next day and got to work.
I drilled strategic holes in most branches so I could really cinch them down tight and accurately. It's very solid. You really can't move any of the branches much at all.
Tonight I dumped in and graded out the 1 bag of aquasoil I do have. I'm not quite as short as I thought I'd be, but I need probably 50% more. I was really happy as I filled it up though, because it looks exactly like what I was going for. Tomorrow I'm going to check out some rocks to see if I want to add some in.
Thanks for the feedback, and it looks like the others agree with you. It's funny how when you make something yourself you tend to focus on silly things that nobody else notices. I got the driftwood from Tom Barr. It was a box of sticks for $45 shipped, and I used about half of it.
It's sloped back right now on the right hand side, and there are a few places not seen on the camera where you can see zip ties and the white egg crate. Also, underneath the egg-crate is not filled in all the way, and the back left corner needs quite a bit more. A bunch of the egg crate is covered with a tiny bit of soil and would get exposed quite easily. I filled it using the soil I had so I could get a picture of what it should look like. I don't think I need 50% more soil, but maybe 25-30% more.
Nice job. I didn't notice it was more than 1 piece until I read it. I wish I had better hardscaping skills. I'll be waiting for the updates on this one.
This tank is gonna look sweet! Great idea with the egg crate I've never thought to do that. I had a couple of larger driftwood pieces that I secured onto acrylic but this is a good way to do multiple pieces like you did. Looking forward to seeing it planted and filled!
I'd like some feedback on a foreground/carpet plant. The Ray 2 is capable of putting about 90 par at the substrate if I don't raise it, so I should be able to grow whatever I want with CO2. I'm thinking it'll fill the right 1/3 or so, and then the front 20% all the way along the front. See the area shaded in green in the pic below for coverage. I also included the pic from the previous page with dirt so you can visualize it and not have to go back.
Right now I'm leaning heavily toward UG, but I'd love some ideas. I'd also like to hear from anybody who's grown UG as to pluses and minuses of this plant. I am already growing HC in my work tank, so I'd rather not do the same plant in both, although I won't rule it out because I really do like it a lot. I'd prefer to not do DHG because I'm afraid it'll take over.
Definitely go with UG if you can wait out the DSM on it. I hear things about it needs to be trimmed alot so the under carpet doesn't die and uproot itself. too bad you don't have your highest wood just above the water line. you could do an awesome above UG effect. Actually seeing the stems poking out of the water - making their carnivorous trap.
That pic is awesome! That'd be so cool, and almost makes me want to modify my branches a little before I start planting. I am definitely going with UG. A 4x4 section is showing up tomorrow, and I'll be planting immediately and doing a shortened DSM.
I was thinking about my last DSM, and I don't think I have the patience to do that here. However, one huge advantage of a DSM is getting good strong deep roots before you flood the tank. So I thought I'd try a short 2 week DSM period. With the HC DSM I did, the first 2 weeks was all roots, and then the plants took off. I'm not looking to grow it out with full coverage, as that should happen just fine under water with CO2. I just want it to root good and deep first, which I'm expecting should take about that long.
Also, I'm taking an idea from mot's Moss Canyon journal, and blending up some of my moss and then mixing it with yogurt to spread on the branches where I want it. Then during the DSM you keep the moss misted and damp. You end up with incredibly dense moss growth, and I think the look he attained was pretty fantastic and better looking than when you just tie the moss to a branch. His DSM period to let the moss attach was about 4 weeks, but I think the moss should attach in 2 weeks. I'm going to have a loose test piece in there with moss on it that I can dip in water at the 2 week mark to see if it's attached.
I'm hoping that my hybrid approach of just allowing the plants to attach and root through a short DSM and then flooding the tank works out. I don't feel like waiting 1-2 months before I get to enjoy this thing. I'm thinking that with plenty of CO2, light, and ferts, it should pan out well for me.
Yeah I believe the blender method with moss is the best approach with doing DSM. painting it on will get better results than string or glue. I knew that picture would AWE you haha. I'm trying to figure out on my 12 gallon on how I can do that as well because it's a beautiful white flower that UG is.
Big day! I got a beautiful and generous 4"x4" patch of UG from nilocg in the mail today. After adding a few rocks, and flooding the soil, I got to work planting "hair plugs" of UG.
Here is all all planted. I'm hoping for a short 2-3 week DSM just to let it root:
I also ran a good portion of flame moss through a blender, mixed it with non-fat plain yogurt, and painted it on with a brush. I'm suspecting that I'll have to keep this misted frequently. In case it dies, I only used 1/2 of my flame moss. I'll have plenty to try again if this fails miserably. Here are a few close ups, and you can see in the image above everywhere that I spread it:
Looking good! The UG was well planted and should grow in nicely. Can't wait to see that fill out, I love how it looks as a carpet. And I like what you did with the moss, that's a really good idea I had never heard of that before. Are going to add any other plants during the dry start or wait until it's filled?
Because I know that I am impatient, I know that in 2 weeks I'll be totally wondering if the moss has attached. So to help with this I grabbed 2 spare pieces of wood and put the same moss/yogurt mix on them and set them in the tank. I will mist them and treat them the same as the rest. Thus, I have 2 tests that I can conduct to see if the moss it attached. If I dip the first one in 2 weeks and it holds, then I can shake it in the water and see how well attached it is. If it's solid, I'm good to go. If it seems sketchy, then I can wait another 1-2 weeks and test the other piece. I like that I can totally test it before hand without messing up my work.
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