Crazydaz's Square 200G RIPARIUM Strikes Back! NEW PICS 4/19-4/21!!!

[AaronT]

Originally Posted by crazydaz

Aaron.....how slow is "slow" for this Sag?

New runners every month or so. Slow and steady.

[AzFishKid]

Oh well, it was worth a shot. Nice plant!

[Fishies_in_Philly]

Originally Posted by crazydaz

I think that if you don't set out to achieve a step or two beyond where you left off the last time, you are underachieving. Never aim for something commonplace or ordinary, or do what someone else has already done, unless you can gain something from it, right?

well said Don!! and by the way, if you were to actually put some time and effort, this would be a nice looking tank

awesome buddy. i love looking at this tank. can you just put it on live webcam? it would be easier for all of us.....LOL

oh, and i'm gonna need more product review on that hygrolon for the 125 palu rebuild. i haves me some idears for that stuff

[2in10]

Outstanding reincarnation, love the emersed island.

[keithy]

Originally Posted by crazydaz

Thanks Keithy!! Eventually, and the Sagittaria species fill in, I'll start yanking the Staurogyne out. The tank really isn't "supposed" to look like a perfect aquascape; rather, it's meant to blend in with the top of the tank. A little disorder will help that, and "time" will cause that to happen. But, I'm also not going for a "chaotic" look to it either, and it was beginning to look that way pre-trim and rearranging that I did a few days ago. I don't want a wall of stems blocking the view to the back of the tank.

I'll see you soon my friend. When you're ready to yank the Staurogyne, let me know. I may take some off your hands.

This tank has not fully matured yet, but it have so much potential. When everything blends in with the hardscapes it would be breathtaking, just like your last stem tank. It is already beautiful with the way it is now. I really enjoy the "above and below" water effect, not to mention the colors and foliage textures of the different varieties all coming together. You made it seem easy. Great work buddy!

[crazydaz]

Aaron---that's great news! That's about as fast as I can handle!!

Philip, no worries! Like I said, I should have taken a pic before I had planted it. Maybe I'll send you some in a few months.

Hey Bill....thanks! Webcam of my tank.....not a bad idea!! lol!! Feel free to PM me to get more info and my opinions on the Hygrolon. I'll be happy to discuss it with you more!

Thanks 2in10! Nice to see you pop in again bud!! It's been a while!

Keith.....look forward to grabbin' a bite to eat on Tuesday. I'll let you know about the Staurogyne, but it will be a while.

I agree with you about the tank. It should get better and better as time goes on. There should be buce's, thread-leaf java fern, and anubia species covering most of the Seriyu stone and going up the submersed manzy branches, tons of mature crypts and various stems either filling in the background or growing above the water line and flowering, and the Sag should form a nice natural looking lawn. At least, that's what I'm hoping for! It's not as hard as it might seem, though....sure, there are (and were) some hard days with setup, re-planting or rearranging, and stuff like that. But, the "top" part requires little maintenance except for daily watering of the "non-epiphytes" or twice-per-week misting of the epitphytes....that's not too hard. The "bottom" of the tank requires daily feeding, some ferts in the water column, and maybe a twice-per-week five gallon water change. Some minor trimming every so often. Nothing that hard, really. Maybe an hour or an hour and a half every week, I would guess.

Compare that to my last set up where I would spend up to 8 hours in one day doing massive trimmings, plant packages, re-plants, and so on. This system is easier in many ways!!

Last set up pictures for a little bit. I'm getting the camera fixed. My lovely wife accidentally dropped it, and it broke one of mirrors in the camera, so we are trying to have it repaired. I may just have to get a new one, I guess.

Feel free to comment and critique, and thanks for taking time to look everyone!!

One of my favorite parts of this tank are the "valleys" between the Seriyu stone peninsulas. Here is the one on the left side, by the Red Metallic patch:


Here is the other one on the right side....you can see the newly planted "true" Sagittaria subulata:


Shot of the Alternanthera along with a Tilly and a micro fern in the background:


Shot of the left side of the tank:


Nurii mutated:


Dischidia sp. "Geri" flowers:


Right Oblique:


Closer in:


The "undergrowth"....one of the coolest parts of the tank, but it doesn't photo well unless you are zoomed in on it:


The branches on the right side....you can see the obvious differences between those who have Hygrolon and those who don't. I think that most will have Hygrolon on them as time progresses....:


Top down (my perspective and eye level):


Macro lens shot of Hygro polysperma "sunset":

[hydrophyte]

It looks like that Hygrophila in the riparium background has flowers on it. If you get a chance can you get a pictures closer up of that plant?

Great contrast of textures in this shot below that I quote.

I think that that "orchid flowers" is likely some other kind of plant. Do you have Dischidia in here?

Originally Posted by crazydaz

[@marko@]

that is some intense sunset hygro. very very nice.
bet that thing still needs tons of trimming. i had it in one of my scapes and it needed to be trimmed at least once a week or it would undercut all the other plants.

[crazydaz]

Hi Devin! Thanks for pointing that out....I fixed it. I just turned in my camera to get it fixed so I won't be able to take pics of it for a little while. But I will! There are blue flowers on it on both sides.

Thanks Marko! It doesn't really need to be trimmed to often....about a "handful" comes out every few weeks. In my last set up, it needed more attention!

[infamouz23]

I gotta say that your tank is absolutely amazing and makes me look forward to setting my tank in the future. Just gotta wait til new carpet gets installed for my house.

[kwheeler91]

Filling in nicely bro. I wasnt sure how i felt about this version at first since the last was so freakin awesome, but its turning out fantastic! All you need to do now is stop buying all those crypts and buces for updates and making it look like your growing them so well...

[2in10]

Wow more lovely shots.

I kind of got worn out on the forums and keeping up tank threads. I seemed to be re-energized for now.

[n00dl3]

The tank is coming together really nice. I think once everything filled in, it will be awesome!

[crazydaz]

infamouz23--Thank you!! House comes first, then hobbies! Are you a Detroit transplant too? Whereabouts?

kwheeler--Thanks for the advice, man! That's my secret...I just plant another half-dozen of everything in between photo ops. lol!! Frank's MTS and Devin's root tabs are some pretty powerful things!! I have the easy job....just some minor tweaking from time to time.

2in10! I hear you...it can be difficult to remain so intense about anything. Glad that you took a break from it for a while. Now, get back to it!!!

Noodle-- Thank you kindly! It has plenty more to go, for certain! I could use that Sagittaria to fill in some of those blank areas around the crypts...and as much I like the Seriyu stone, I really got it so it would fill in with buces.

[Wingsdlc]

Wow! Unreal tank! The colors are out of this world. Need to read through the whole thread.